General Education Themes
Understanding the General Education Courses and Themes
You may be teaching a General Education (GenEd) course or teaching into a program where students are required to take General Education courses. The GenEd courses are often courses that complement, round out, or complete a course of study. They are courses designed discretely and separately from vocational learning courses. The intended learning goals of GenEd courses are to create conscious citizens who are aware of the diversity, complexity, and richness of the human experience and, as a result, contribute thoughtfully, creatively, and positively to society.
For the student, General Education courses also strengthen a student’s employability skills. Exploring topics outside of their program provide opportunities to encounter topics and ideas that require critical analysis, problem solving and enhance communication skills.
The General Education requirement is a stipulation of the MCU Credential Framework for programs leading to a college certificate.
The MCU recommends that graduates of any Ontario College Certificate be engaged in learning that “incorporates some breadth beyond the vocational field of study”.
For Programs of Instruction (POI) leading to an Ontario College Diploma (2YR) or Advanced Diploma (3YR), students are required to take three (3) General Education electives and be engaged in learning and exposed to at least one discipline outside of their field of study to increase their awareness of society and culture.
The following five GenEd themes are used to provide direction to colleges in the development and identification of courses that are designed to fulfill the General Education requirement for Programs of Instructions (POI). Select the tabs below to review each theme.