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Engaging Gen Ed

General Education Program structure - 11 courses (Basic Composition, Intermediate Composition, Oral Communication, Quantitative Experience, Natural Scientific Inquiry, Cultural Inquiry, Social Inquiry, Global Learning, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Civic Literacy, and Wayne Experience) distributed across 3 main categories (competencies, inquiries, and Wayne Experience) for a total of 35 credits (2 NSI, 1 with a lab requirement)

The university's mission is to create knowledge and prepare a diverse body of students to thrive in an increasingly complex and global society. What skills, knowledge, experiences, and competencies are important in the 21st century? What does it mean to be a Wayne State graduate?

The answers to these questions lie at the heart of general education. The General Education Program serves as a foundation for academic achievement, preparing students to participate effectively in a competitive global economy and to contribute as citizens in a diverse and engaged democracy. General Education presents a unique and powerful opportunity to develop the skills necessary for long-term success inside and outside of the classroom.

Our General Education Program provides both structure and flexibility to help students develop core skills and information literacy, explore new pathways, cultivate habits of lifelong learning, and take advantage of Wayne State's extraordinary resources. To support these goals, the program is organized around three main categories - Competencies, Inquiries, and Wayne Experience.  This structure embraces an approach to General Education that encourages students to explore with intentionality and curiosity during their time at Wayne State University. The program is structured as follows:

  • Competencies (12 credits)
    • Written Communication
      • Basic Composition (BC)
      • Intermediate Composition (IC)
    • Oral Communication (OC)
    • Quantitative Experience (QE)
  • Inquiries (22 credits)
    • Primary Inquiries
      • Cultural Inquiry (CI)
      • Natural Scientific Inquiry (NSI) 2 NSI + 1 lab
      • Social Inquiry (SI)
    • Cross-Inquiry Categories
      • Civic Literacy (CIV)
      • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
      • Global Learning (GL)
  • Wayne Experience (1 credit)
    • Wayne Experience (WE)

On this site students, instructors, and advisors can find targeted resources to support their General Education experience.  Please contact us at gened@wayne.edu if you have any questions or concerns.  We're here to help, and we love hearing new ideas for how to help the program thrive!