Systemwide General Education
KU Core 34, is KU's revised general education curriculum, is launching in Fall 2024. KU Core 34 aligns with the Kansas Board of Regents' (KBOR) systemwide general education curriculum, which is being implemented to improve the transfer student experience.
The University Core Curriculum Committee (UCCC) spent the 2022-2023 academic year aligning the KU Core Curriculum to the Systemwide General Education framework. In October 2023, KBOR approved a list of courses that will comprise KU Core 34, KU's revised general education requirements. Students who enroll at KU in Fall 2024 or after will complete the general education requirements outlined in KU Core 34.
Students will complete the following KU Core 34 goals:
- Quantitative Literacy (Math & Statistics)
- Written Communications (English)
- Oral Communications
- Natural & Physical Sciences
- Arts & Humanities
- Ethics and Social Responsibility
- Social Sciences
- U.S. Culture
- Global Culture
Click here for more information about KU Core 34 and to view a list of KU Core 34 courses.
Systemwide General Education Goals
KBOR's new Systemwide General Education Program policy (Chapter III.A.18) outlines:
- the common system framework (disciplines, core subjects, and credit hours) that each institution must adopt,
- establishes institutional reporting requirements, and
- creates a General Education (GE) Council, which will be responsible for reviewing institutional reporting, issuing recommendations regarding requests for certain majors to deviate from the GE requirements, and investigating student and institutional complaints relating to the systemwide GE program and its application to the Transfer and Articulation policy.
The goals of the Systemwide General Education Program include:
- Maximize the application of credit throughout the system.
- Simplify processes for transfer students.
- Remove barriers for transfer students.
Adjustments to Ensure Alignment
- Bachelor’s degrees must remain at 120 credit hours (unless already approved for exception).
- Adjust science requirements to meet 4-5 hour minimum and lab requirement.
- Update USRR Article 3, Section 1 to include a capstone requirement for bachelor's degree completion.
- Discontinue use of “General Education” requirements that are separate from the Core.
- KU Core is the General Education requirement for the University.
- Courses that are currently approved for the KU Core will need to be realigned to fulfill only one goal.
- Transition away from KU Core sequences.
- Once a student completes KU Core requirements, KU transcripts will note that Statewide GE is complete.
- Degree maps will need to be available online and align with KBOR requirements. Submission of degree maps will be done through degree level assessment activities in AY22/23 and AY23/24.
- Courses approved to fulfill the KU Core must also be allowed to transfer into KU if taken elsewhere.
- Students who complete the GE framework and transfer into KU will be considered done with the KU Core, and therefore cannot be required to take any additional GE/KU Core courses.
- KBOR exception process – KBOR granted limited exceptions based on program accreditation and/or licensure. The list of KBOR approved exceptions is available here.
What Happens to Goal 1.1 & Goal 6?
In response to the KBOR Systemwide General Education Framework and in an effort to align our existing KU Core Curriculum with this package:
- in order preserve the U.S. and Global Culture requirements, the University Core Curriculum Committee (UCCC) removed KU Core Goal 1.1 (Critical Thinking) from the KU Core 34 curriculum. The UCCC will review and revise learning outcomes in the Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural & Physical Sciences to ensure critical thinking remains a priority of KU Core 34.
- faculty voted to amend the USRR code, Article 3, Section 1.1, to integrate the capstone requirement previously reflected in the KU Core (Goal 6) into the Bachelor's Degree. Further guidance on Goal 6 can be found here.