GE Foundations Course Requirements

All students must complete the following Foundations courses:

Transition to Kean or Transfer Transitions 1
College Composition (offered in different formats) 3
A college-level math course (as specified by the major) 3
Speech Communication as Critical Citizenship 3
Research and Technology (offered in different versions) 3

Some students must also complete developmental math and/or reading courses (if required because of placement test scores) as part of their foundational GE coursework.

Transition to Kean (GE 1000): In this one-credit course, students learn about university programs/services and develop academic skills to function successfully in a university setting. Prerequisites: none. Note: Required of all freshmen and transfers with < 30 credits.

Transfer Transitions (GE 3000): In this one-credit course, transfer students learn the workings of Kean University; academic planning and expectations; writing, research, and other skills needed for success in the intended major; as well as career exploration and planning. Prerequisite: ENG 1030 or equivalent; at least 30 credits. Note: Required of all transfers with 30 credits or more.

College Composition (ENG 1030): This course covers expository and persuasive writing for academic purposes. Emphasis is placed on writing as a reflective and social process; writing across the curriculum; critical thinking; and the development of a personal intellectual perspective and style of expression. The ESL equivalent of College Composition is ENG 1430 (College Composition for Non-Native Speakers II) Prerequisites: Placement or ENG 1025 Introduction to College Composition.

Note: Unless exempt from placement testing due to SAT scores or prior college coursework, students are required to take ENG 1030 unless they have already received transfer credit for a course that fulfills the College Composition requirement. Depending on the results of placement testing, students may be required to take ENG 1025 before taking ENG 1030.

College-Level Math Course: Depending on the major, students will be required to take one of the following mathematics courses: Math 1000 (Algebra for College Students, prerequisite: Math 0901, if required), Math 1010 (Foundations of Mathematics, prerequisite: MATH 0901 or MATH 0902, if required), MATH 1016 (Statistics, prerequisite: MATH 0901 or MATH 0902, if required), MATH 1030 (Problem Solving in Math, prerequisite: MATH 0901 or MATH 0902, if required), Math 1044 (Pre-Calculus for Business Majors), or MATH 1054 (Pre-Calculus, prerequisite: MATH 1000).

Note: The requirement of MATH 0901 or MATH 0902 is determined by placement testing. (Students exempt from placement testing due to their SAT scores or prior college coursework will place into MATH 1000, MATH 1044, MATH 1010, MATH 1016 or MATH 1030, as appropriate for their major, unless they have already received transfer credit for a course that fulfills the Foundation Mathematics requirement.)

Speech Communication as Critical Citizenship (COMM 1402): This course addresses understanding and practicing speech communication as a central value of a civil society. It is this value that provides the frame for producing, presenting, interpreting, and evaluating oral messages in dyadic, small group, and public speaking contexts. (E) Prerequisites: successful completion of developmental reading (if required); ENG 1025 (if required); may be taken concurrently with ENG 1030 or ENG 1430.

Research and Technology (GE 2021, GE 2022, GE 2023, GE 2024, GE 2025, or GE 2026): This course provides an introduction to the research process, including preparing a formal research paper with an emphasis on skills development in the following areas: information literacy, synthesizing sources, analytical writing, and an appreciation of the ethical dimensions of research. Prerequisites: successful completion of developmental reading (if required), and College Composition.

Note: this course is offered in different versions, as follows: GE 2021 for College of Business and Public Management (BPM) majors; GE 2022 for College of Education (EDU) majors; GE 2023 for College of Liberal Arts; GE 2024 for Hennings College of Science, Technology and Math (HCSMT) majors; GE 2025 for students in the Michael Graves College or for students majoring in the visual or performing arts; and GE 2026 for Undecided majors and ESL students.