New General Education Program (GEP) and Graduation Requirements

1. What is the GEP?
The General Education Program (GEP) is the new set of general education requirements which will be required of all UMBC students. This program was established by the Faculty Senate. It reflects the academic mission of UMBC and fulfills the requirements of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The GEP will replace the current General Foundation Requirements (GFR) program.

2. When will the GEP take effect?
The GEP will be required for all UMBC students entering their first semester of higher education (after high school graduation) beginning Fall Semester 2007 or later.

3. What are the course distribution requirements under the GEPs?
The GEP requires:

• 1 English Composition course (ENGL 100 or equivalent)
• 3 Arts and Humanities (AH) courses in at least two disciplines
• 3 Social Sciences (SS) courses in at least two disciplines
• 1 Mathematics (M) course
• 2 Science (S) courses, one of which must include a laboratory component
• Completion of a Foreign Language (L) through the 201-level or demonstrated proficiency
• 2 Culture (Global Cultures)(C) courses for BA-seeking students, one Culture(Global Cultures)(C) course for BS seeking students.

4. How are the GEPs different from the current GFRs?
Under our current general requirements, students are required to complete “two courses in one academic discipline and one course in another academic discipline” under both the Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences areas. Under the GEPs, students will no longer be required to have a “match” in one academic discipline in order to complete these areas. Students will need to have courses across at least two academic disciplines to complete the requirements.

The GEP also separates Language and Culture (Global Cultures), which are combined under the GFRs, into two separate and distinct areas. Students will be required to complete a foreign language at the 201-level or demonstrate equivalent proficiency to complete the Language area. In addition, students seeking a BA degree will complete twoCulture (Global Cultures) courses, and students seeking a BS degree will complete oneCulture (Global Cultures) course.

5. Other than replacement of the GFRs with the GEPs, will UMBC’s Graduation Requirements remain the same?
All current graduation requirements will remain in effect. In addition, there will be a Writing Intensive (WI) course requirement that will also take effect for students beginning their higher education in Fall 2007 or later. Overall graduation requirements will include:
• Completion of a minimum of 120 academic credits
• Completion of a major program
• A minimum GPA of 2.0
• A minimum of 30 credits completed at UMBC
• Completion of the GEP
• Completion of a minimum of 45 upper-level credits
• Completion of a designated Writing Intensive course
• Completion of 2 Physical Education Courses

6. What is the Writing Intensive Course Requirement?
The Writing Intensive (WI) requirement is a new Graduation requirement that will also take effect for students beginning their higher education in the Fall 2007 semester. The WI requirement is not part of the GEP, but is a graduation requirement for all students. Writing intensive courses will generally be upper-level and will be offered across the disciplines.

7. How does UMBC determine which courses will apply to the GEP or to the WI requirement?
Academic departments are required to submit detailed information about courses they wish to be considered for GEP designations for review. This review is conducted by the General Education Committee, which is made up of faculty from various academic disciplines.

Requests to have courses considered as fulfilling the WI graduation requirement are submitted to and reviewed by UMBC’s Writing Board.

8. How will students and advisors know what courses fulfill GEP or WI requirements?
A supplement to the 2006-2008 UMBC catalog will be published in June. This supplement will provide information on GEP and WI courses. In addition, the Fall 2007 Schedule of Classes, which will be available on UMBC’s website in April 2007, will identify courses which fulfill GEP requirements with AH, SS, M,S, L or C in parentheses adjacent to the titles of approved courses. WI courses will also be identified in the schedule.

9. What impact do the GEP and WI requirements have on students who came to UMBC prior to Fall 07?
Students who began their education at UMBC prior to Fall 2007 will continue under the GFR requirements, and will not be required to complete the new Writing Intensive graduation requirement. Those who are interested in completing the newer GEP requirements instead will be allowed to do so. However, GFR students who opt to complete the GEP will also be required to complete the Fall 2007 Graduation requirements, so they will need to complete a Writing Intensive course as well. Since no course taken prior to Fall 2007 will fulfill the WI requirement, this will mean an additional course requirement for any student choosing this option.

10. What does the GEP mean for incoming transfer students?
Transfer students who began their higher education at another institution prior to Fall 2007 will continue to be evaluated under the GFR program, and will not be required to complete the WI graduation requirement. Transfer students who began their higher education at another institution in Fall 2007 or later will be evaluated under the new requirements. Transfer students who fall under the GFR program but wish to complete the GEP will have the option of doing so. As with current UMBC students, those who opt to complete the GEP will also be required to complete the WI graduation requirement.

11. Will students be able to complete the Writing Intensive requirement at another institution?
No. The Writing Intensive requirement must be completed at UMBC.

12. What are we doing to prepare for the new requirements?
In the Spring 2007 semester, the Office of The Registrar, The Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising and the Office of Undergraduate Education will be providing a series of training opportunities for the UMBC advising community. The Undergraduate Admissions Office and the transfer and articulation staff in the Registrar’s Office will be conducting outreach to local community colleges. We are also partnering with OIT to provide information to students and advisors via MAP, The Schedule of Classes, myUMBC and the UMBC web site.

13. Where can I go for more information about the GEP, Writing Intensive courses and graduation requirements?

For detailed information on the GEP Program, course review guidelines and the Writing Intensive courses, visit the Provost’s Office web site at http://www.umbc.edu/provost/General_Education/index.html

General Education Program Worksheet and Course Information http://www.umbc.edu/registrar/GEP_Freshmen_worksheet.pdf

Additional information on UMBC’s undergraduate degree requirements is available at http://www.umbc.edu/registrar/requirements/undergrad.html

1/19/07