The General Education
The General Education (GE) requirements at Ohio State University are designed to provide a broad education that complements a student's major.This setup helps students develop skills that employers want such as critical thinking, communication skills, and cultural awareness.
The GE requirements are not just a checklist of courses to complete for graduation. They are designed to help students gain knowledge and skills to understand society, its history, diversity and challenges. The goal is to inspire students to learn continuously and work with others for a better future.
In Autumn 2022, the university implemented a new set of GE requirements for most new students. Students who enrolled at Ohio State before Autumn 2022 continue to complete their "General Education - Legacy" courses.
- The New GE (GEN)
The new GE program has three parts:
- Bookend Courses (2 hours): These include a starting Launch seminar and a final Reflection seminar (a small number of students may be instructed to take the Connections seminar, which combines topics from the launch and Reflection courses)
- Foundations Courses (22-25 hours): Students take one course in each of seven different subjects.
- Theme Courses (8-12 hours): These include a course on Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World and one other Theme area chosen by the student (for example: Sustainability, or Health and Well-being)
- The Legacy GE (GEL)
The legacy GE has similar class categories across the university, but there are some differences depending on your college, major, or program (like Honors or AA/AS students). Some GE courses might also count towards your major requirements.
To find out your specific requirements, click on your college link below.
The New GE (GEN) is the same across all majors and colleges
Click to listen to an explanation of the New GE
Find Legacy GE Information
If you are unsure of what college you are in, you can search for your major here and find the college in the middle column.