2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

GE Disciplinary/Interdisciplinary Distribution Course Requirements

Students are required to take a specified number of credits (typically 28-29 credits for B.A. degrees and 19 credits for B.S., B.M., B.F.A., and B.I.D. degrees) in the areas described in more detail below, e.g. in the Humanities (GEHU), Social Sciences (GESS), Science & Mathematics (GESM). Please note: except for the four credit science courses, all other courses in this area must be three credits. For additional information see the School of General  Studies section in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Only approved courses will fulfill GE requirements. These are listed in the School of General Studies section. Many majors will indicate (on the major curriculum sheet and program evaluation) specific Disciplinary/Interdisciplinary distribution courses their students must take.

For B.A. Degrees

  • To fulfill their Humanities requirements, students will complete 9 credits, taking 3 approved courses from 3 of the following 6 areas: Literature, Visual Arts/Fine Arts/Art History, Philosophy/Religion, Foreign Languages, Performing Arts/Music/Theatre, or Interdisciplinary. One of these three courses must be the literature course that is required of all students, ENG 2403 (World Literature). A selection of courses from three different areas is required unless otherwise specified by the major program on the major curriculum sheet.
  • To fulfill their Social Sciences requirements, students will complete 9 credits, taking 3 approved courses from 3 of the following 6 areas: History, Psychology, Economics/Geography, Political Science, Sociology/Anthropology, or Interdisciplinary. One of these three courses must be the history course that is required of all students, HIST 1062 (Worlds of History: Traditions and Encounters). A selection of courses from three different areas is required unless otherwise specified by the major program on the major curriculum sheet.
  • To fulfill their Science & Mathematics requirements, students will complete 10-11 credits, taking 3 approved courses from 3 of the following 5 areas: Math/Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry/Physics, Astronomy/Earth Science/Geology/Meteorology, or Interdisciplinary. One of these three courses must be an approved math/computer science course (e.g., MATH 1010, MATH 1016, MATH 1030, MATH 1054, CPS 1032 or CPS 1231). Another one of these three courses must be a laboratory-based science course. A selection of courses from three different areas is required unless otherwise specified by the major program on the major curriculum sheet.

For B.S., B.M., B.F.A., and B.I.D. Degrees

  • To fulfill their Humanities requirements, students will complete 6 credits, taking 2 approved courses from 2 of the following 6 areas: Literature, Visual Arts/Fine Arts/Art History, Philosophy/Religion, Foreign Languages, Performing Arts/Music/Theatre, or Interdisciplinary. One of these courses must be the literature course that is required of all students, ENG 2403 (World Literature).
  • To fulfill their Social Sciences requirements, students will complete 6 credits, taking 2 approved courses from 2 of the following 6 areas: History, Psychology, Economics/Geography, Political Science, Sociology/Anthropology, or Interdisciplinary. One of these courses must be the history course that is required of all students, HIST 1062 Worlds of History: Traditions and Encounters.
  • To fulfill their Science & Mathematics requirements, students will complete 7 credits, taking 2 approved courses from 2 of the following areas: Math/Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry/Physics, or Astronomy/Earth Science/Geology/Meteorology. One of these courses must be an approved math/computer science course (e.g., MATH 1010, MATH 1016, MATH 1030, MATH 1054, CPS 1032 or CPS 1231). The other course must be a laboratory-based science course.

Only selected, pre-approved courses can be used to fulfill Disciplinary/ Interdisciplinary distribution requirements. The list of approved GE distribution courses is posted on the GE website (www.kean.edu/~gened) and included in the Approved GE Distribution Courses section of this catalog. Many majors will indicate (on the major curriculum sheet) specific Disciplinary/Interdisciplinary distribution courses their students must take.