General education (GE) is more than a checklist of required courses. It is a program of study that reveals to students the ways that research scholars in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences create and evaluate new knowledge; introduces students to the important ideas and themes of human cultures; fosters appreciation for the many perspectives and diverse voices that may be heard in a democratic society; and develops the intellectual skills that give students the dexterity they need to function in a rapidly changing world.
This entails the ability to make critical and logical assessments of information, both traditional and digital; deliver reasoned and persuasive arguments; and identify, acquire, and use the knowledge necessary to solve problems.
Students may take one GE course per term on a Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) basis if they are in good academic standing and are additionally enrolled in nine letter-graded units. For details on P/NP grading, see Grades in Policies and Regulations or consult with a counselor in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.
GE tracks offer an opportunity to meet degree requirements by taking a specified set of related courses (typically three to five) to explore a topic or theme of interest in greater depth, resulting in a coherent and more meaningful set of learning experiences.
GE courses used to satisfy the engineering writing and/or ethics requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
General education courses are grouped into three foundational areas: Foundations of the Arts and Humanities, Foundations of Society and Culture, and Foundations of Scientific Inquiry.
Five courses (24 units minimum) are required. Engineering writing requirement courses also approved for GE credit may be applied toward the relevant GE foundational areas.
Students must meet with a counselor in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs to determine the applicability of GE cluster courses toward the engineering writing or GE requirements.
Courses listed in more than one category can fulfill GE requirements in only one of the categories.
Two 5-unit courses selected from two different subgroups:
Courses in this area supply perspectives and intellectual skills necessary to comprehend and think critically about our situation in the world as human beings. In particular, courses furnish the basic means to appreciate and evaluate the ongoing efforts of humans to explain, translate, and transform their diverse experiences of the world through such media as language, literature, philosophical systems, images, sounds, and performances. The courses introduce students to the historical development and fundamental intellectual and ethical issues associated with the arts and humanities and may also investigate the complex relations between artistic and humanistic expression and other facets of society and culture.
Two 5-unit courses, one from each subgroup:
Courses in this area introduce students to the ways in which humans organize, structure, rationalize, and govern their diverse societies and cultures over time. Courses focus on a particular historical question, societal problem, or topic of political and economic concern in an effort to demonstrate how issues are objectified for study, how data is collected and analyzed, and how new understandings of social phenomena are achieved and evaluated.
One course (4 units minimum) from the Life Sciences subgroup or one course from Bioengineering CM145/Chemical Engineering CM145, Chemistry and Biochemistry 153A, or Civil and Environmental Engineering M166/Environmental Health Sciences M166:
This requirement is automatically satisfied for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering majors. The requirement is satisfied for Civil Engineering majors by the natural science requirement.
Courses in this area ensure that students gain a fundamental understanding of how scientists formulate and answer questions about the operation of both the physical and biological world. Courses also deal with some of the most important issues, developments, and methodologies in contemporary science, addressing such topics as the origin of the universe, environmental degradation, and the decoding of the human genome. Through lectures, laboratory experiences, writing, and intensive discussions, students consider the important roles played by the laws of physics and chemistry in society, biology, Earth and environmental sciences, and astrophysics and cosmology.
Creating and maintaining a general education curriculum is a dynamic process; consequently, courses are frequently added to the list. For the most current list of approved courses that satisfy the Foundations of Knowledge GE plan, consult with an academic counselor or see the master list.
Transfer students from California community colleges have the option to fulfill UCLA lower-division GE requirements by completing the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) prior to transfer. The curriculum consists of a series of subject areas and types of courses that have been agreed on by the University of California and the California community colleges. Although GE or transfer core courses are degree requirements rather than admission requirements, students are advised to fulfill them prior to transfer. The IGETC significantly eases the transfer process, as all UCLA GE requirements are fulfilled when students complete the IGETC courses. Students who select the IGETC must complete it entirely before enrolling at UCLA. Otherwise, they must fulfill the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science GE requirements. The school does not accept partial IGETC.
