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This program of general education consists of four main components - UB Seminar, Foundations, Pathways and Capstone - and comprises 40 credits of study for all students, regardless of major. To learn more about each of these components and to view learning outcomes, please visit the UB Curriculum website.
Students completing a degree encompassing the UB Curriculum and major requirements will also have met all the expected State University of New York General Education Requirements.
UB Curriculum Requirements
General Education Policies and Learning Outcomes
UB Curriculum Requirements
UB Seminar
All students are required to complete their UB Seminar during their first semester of enrollment regardless of full or part-time status. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible to enroll in UB Seminar. This includes 60+ and visiting students.
All new matriculating:
- First-year students must complete any academic department’s three-credit UB Seminar course numbered 199.
- Transfer students must complete any academic department’s one-credit UB Seminar course numbered 198.
- Reentering students, who have not previously completed a UB Seminar, must also complete any academic department’s one-credit UB Seminar course numbered 198.
Any student who fails, resigns or withdraws from the UB Seminar will be required to repeat during the next fall/spring term of attendance. For example, a student who fails a 199 in the fall must repeat any 199 in the immediate next spring term. Students who fail to register themselves, will be registered by the UB Curriculum Office.
Communication Literacy I
Complete ENG 105 or ELI 105 (enrollment restrictions apply), please consult the placement guidelines . Based on TOEFL or IELTS scores , some students may be required to complete ENG 100 or ELI 100 as a prerequisite to ENG 105 /ELI 105 . The following can also satisfy this requirement:
- AP English Language & Composition (ENGC) score of 4 or 5*
- SUNY Basic Communication GETA
- Transfer course articulation to ENG 105
* AP Lit & Comp (ELC) does not apply to the CL requirement, nor do IB or CLEP exams.
Communication Literacy I Repeat Policy
- If a student has completed ENG 101, the repeat rule will apply if they enroll in ENG 105 or ELI 105 as the second taking.
Communication Literacy II
Complete one course from the list below. Some majors require students to complete a specific Communication Literacy 2 (CL2) course as part of their major requirements, consult program requirements. Please note that completion of Communication Literacy 1 is a prerequisite for all CL2 courses.
Students must have 30 or more completed credits to register for a CL2 course.
Communication LiteracyII Repeat Policy
- Any ENG CL2 course will replace grade and credit previously earned for ENG 201 by petition only.
- If a student wishes to repeat a CL2 course, the repeat rules will only apply if they enroll in the same CL2 course (identical department and course number).
- Students changing majors may have to complete a second CL2 course if they are seeking a major for which a specific CL2 is a requirement.
Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning
Complete 4 credit hours from the following list below.
General Math and Quantitative Reasoning Courses
Direct enrollment; no placement needed.
Statisitics Courses
Direct enrollment; no placement needed.
Pre-Calculus and Calculus Coures
Placement required for enrollment. Please refer to the calculus placement guidlines.
Scientific Literacy & Inquiry
Students must complete at least seven credits, including at least one credit of laboratory. Students select two lecture courses from List A and one laboratory from List B. Laboratory courses must be from the same subject area as one of the completed lecture courses.
Students intending to take chemistry or physics should consult the placement guidelines.
List A Two lecture courses required:
*ARC 352 and PAS 313 do not meet all the learning outcomes, and therefore cannot be paired together. They must be paired with one of the other courses from list A, either as coursework completed at UB or directly articulated transfer credit.
List B One lab course required:
Pathways
Complete one Thematic AND one Global Pathway from the list of approved topics .
For the Global and Thematic Pathways, complete one course from each list within the chosen topic. Each Pathway must include at least nine credits and three courses, except in cases where a language topic, that only includes two courses, is elected to satisfy the nine credit requirement. Global Reflections, International Experience and all five Thematic Topics must include three courses regardless of credit. Students may request an exception to apply completed or enrolled language courses, not listed in the Global Reflections Pathway, to list 1 or 2. Permissible courses must carry at least three credits, be taught in the language and carry both the Languages and Humanities UB Areas. Students may submit requests through the Path Finder tool or by emailing UBCurriculum@buffalo.edu.
Students who elect to take a language as part of their Global Pathway should consult the Languages other than English Placement guidelines and visit the Languages Other Than English catalog page for a full view of language offerings.
Except for the language Topics in the Global Pathway, each Pathway must include courses from at least two different subjects. For example, all three Thematic Pathway courses may not be from Psychology (course subject: PSY).
Through the Pathways, students will complete coursework that satisfies at least four UB Areas/ SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas.
Thematic pathway coursework satisfies the UB Areas/SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas as such:
| Thematic List 1 |
Diversity in the United States/ Diversity: Equity, Inclusions and Social Justice |
| Thematic List 2 |
Social Science or US History and Civic Engagement |
| Thematic List 3 |
World History & Global Awareness or The Arts or Humanities or No UB Area |
Global pathway coursework satisfies the UB Areas/SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas as such:
| Global List 1 |
Languages/ World Languages or World History & Global Awareness |
| Global List 2 |
The Arts or Humanities |
| Global List 3 |
Diversity in the United States/ Diversity: Equity, Inclusions,
and Social Justice or Social Science or US History & Civic Engagement
or World Languages or No UB Area
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Students must use the Path Finder to select their Pathway courses. Students are encouraged to do so early in their careers in consultation with their academic advisor. If a student selects a particular Pathway via the Path Finder but then fulfills a different series of courses, they must update their selection in the Path Finder.
Transfer students may use transfer coursework that fulfills a UB area as outlined in the Pathways: Application of Transfer Coursework Transfer students will be able to view such coursework in their Path Finder.
Test credit may be used only where a direct articulation to a Pathway course exists.
In an unusual circumstance where transfer coursework associated with a SUNY GETA does not appear in the Path Finder tool, the Transfer Credit Change Form should be submitted.
Utilizing Study Abroad Coursework
Students may fulfill their Global Pathway with Study Abroad coursework in several ways.
- Students may pursue the International Experience Track (IET) by completing the entire pathway with coursework taken abroad. Students must have their coursework pre-approved by the Study Abroad Office to verify that proposed courses for lists 1 and 2 satisfy the UB Areas/SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas as indicated in the table above.
- Students may pursue the Global Reflections Track by applying one or more study abroad courses that carry the appropriate UB Area/ SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas as indicated in the table above.
- Students may pursue the Language Track by applying one study abroad course to list 3 in any Language Topic.
Courses taken abroad do not have to include ‘global’ content. The experience itself satisfies this requirement. Study abroad coursework may only be applied to a Thematic Pathway if it is a direct articulation. Internships, independent study and other tutorials may not satisfy any UB Curriculum requirement, including Pathways.
UB Curriculum Capstone
Complete UBC 399 . All other UB Curriculum components must be complete or in progress to enroll in the UB Capstone. UB Seminar is a prerequisite to UBC 399 and therefore cannot be taken concurrently. The Capstone will require reflection on all components of the UB Curriculum. Any student enrolled in UBC 399 who does not meet the enrollment requirements will be dropped from the course.
General Education Policies
General Information
Continuing students who entered between fall 2002 and spring 2016 will adhere to the 2002-2016 General Education Program.
Students who entered UB’s Singapore Institute of Management prior to fall 2017 will adhere to the 2002-2016 General Education Program.
Students entering or reentering UB who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US college or recognized foreign institution will not be required to complete the UB Curriculum when earning their subsequent degree.
Reentering Students
Reentering student, whose initial catalog year is fall 2002-spring 2016, they may be allowed to graduate under the 2002-2016 General Education Program in effect during their initial entry to UB if one of the following conditions have been met:
- Student had previously completed the former general education program (fall 2002-spring 2016), or;
- is within three courses of completing the former general education program (fall 2002-spring 2016); they may complete the remaining courses and graduate with the previous general education program.
They may do so by submitting a General UBC Petition Form.
Reentering students whose initial catalog year predates 2002 will adhere to the general education program that is active atthe time of their reentry regardless of the number of courses completed prior to their break in attendance. Students should re- viewtheirpreviouscourseworkwithanacademicadvisorforpotentialapplicationtotheUBCurriculumviacoursesubstitution. A Pre-2002 Curriculum Mapping Form should be submitted for these requests.
NOTE: Any transfer coursework completed since the student’s time at UB will be reviewed and applied to the student’s degree requirements per transfer articulation rules and SUNY General Education Transcript Addendum (GETA) policies.
Course Applicability
A given course may be applied toward only one UB Curriculum requirement.
Courses in which the student opts for S/U grading may not be used to satisfy UB Curriculum requirements.
Internship, independent study, undergraduate teaching, experiential learning, and other courses not based on classroom experiences may not be used to meet UB Curriculum requirements.
Transfer Coursework and Test Credit
Graded Transfer courses from accredited institutions and other alternative credits that articulate directly to the specified courses listed for each respective UB Curriculum requirement may be used to fulfill that particular requirement.
SUNY has established minimum General Education requirements for campuses across the SUNY system. Students should understand that meeting SUNY General Education requirements at other campuses does not mean that they have completed the UB Curriculum.
A SUNY General Education Transcript Addendum (GETA) will be accepted as meeting the relevant UB Curriculum requirement, regardless of the direct course it articulates to at UB, if the GETA is earned prior to matriculation (for new students) or re-matriculation (for reentering students) at the University at Buffalo. For such students, SUNY GETAs will apply to the UB Curriculum as follows:
- Basic Communication will fulfill the Communication Literacy 1 requirement.
- Mathematics will fulfill the Math and Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
- Natural Sciences will fulfill one lecture course of the Scientific Literacy and Inquiry requirement. (Articulated courses may be used to fulfill the remainder of this requirement.)
- U.S. History and Civic Engagement, The Arts, World Languages, Humanities, World History & Global Awareness, Social Sciences and Diversity: Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice may be used to fulfill courses required for the Thematic or Global Pathway. (Articulated courses may be used to fulfill the remainder of this requirement.) Please refer to the Pathways: Application of Transfer Coursework for details.
When courses are taken elsewhere while a student is matriculated at UB, only the direct course articulation will apply to the UB Curriculum/General Education requirement. GETAs earned by UB students during their matriculation at UB will not be applied. This includes (but is not limited to) GETAs earned at other institutions via cross registration, while on Leave of Absence, or during summer or winter sessions of an academic year during which the student is an active UB student.
UB students transferring to other SUNY schools will be awarded a SUNY GETA as follows:
- Communication Literacy 1 fulfills Basic Communication.
- Math and Quantitative Reasoning fulfills Mathematics.
- The first lecture course for Scientific Literacy and Inquiry fulfills Natural Sciences.
- Pathways courses fulfill Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, US History and Civic Engagement, The Arts, World Languages, Humanities, World History and Global Awareness, and Social Sciences, depending on courses completed.
Learning Outcomes
UBC Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the UB Curriculum you will:
- Attain and apply knowledge in written, oral and visual communication; mathematics and quantitative reasoning; and natural sciences.
- Acquire, apply, analyze, evaluate and integrate knowledge from a wide range of disciplines.
- Attain and apply critical thinking skills to define and solve problems.
- Demonstrate an understanding of human and cultural diversity within local and global contexts.
- Acquire the knowledge, skills, technologies, ethical judgment and personal responsibility for effective citizenship, professional leadership, and lifelong learning.
UB Seminar
Having completed a three-credit UB Seminar (199), you will be able to:
- Think critically using multiple modes of inquiry.
- Analyze disciplinary content to identify contexts, learn fresh perspectives, and debate and discuss problems in the field.
- Understand and apply methods of close reading, note taking, analysis, and synthesis.
- Recognize and debate ethical issues and academic integrity in a variety of settings.
- Demonstrate proficiency in oral discourse and written communication.
- Develop essential research and study skills, such as time management.
- Understand the academic expectations pertaining to being a student at the University at Buffalo and to higher learning at a research university.
Having completed a one-credit UB Seminar (198), you will be able to:
- Describe the unique character of higher learning in a university, such as deep domain knowledge, the role of research, and the value of experiential learning.
- Articulate the components of the UB general education program and the integration of multiple disciplines.
- Understand the requirements for your chosen major or field of study and explore the professions most commonly associated with that major or field.
- Understand the necessity for writing/communication in university and professional settings.
- Develop essential study skills, such as time management.
- Recognize and debate ethical issues and academic integrity in a variety of settings.
Communication Literacy
Communication Literacy 1
Having completed Communication Literacy 1 course, you will be able to:
- Compose persuasive arguments in varied media (oral, visual, digital, written) for diverse audiences that reflect common standards of academic, professional, and civic genres
- Find, comprehend, evaluate and document sources in a constantly evolving information environment
- Support arguments ethically with credible and relevant sources
- Improve their writing through a productive writing process that includes drafting, giving and receiving peer feedback and significant revision
- Vary written genre conventions appropriately for structure, paragraphing, tone and mechanics
- Develop proficiency in evaluating and analyzing written, visual, digital and oral arguments representative of diverse perspectives and voices.
Communication Literacy 2
Having completed Communication Literacy 2, you will be able to:
- Compose in academic, professional, and/or workplace genres related to a field of study.
- Apply writing processes common to that field.
- Compose and deliver a professional presentation.
- Describe the conventions of genres within a field.
- Make effective disciplinary and professional arguments.
Math and Quantitative Reasoning
Having completed the Math and Quantitative Reasoning course, you will be able to:
- Choose appropriate methods or models for a given problem, using information from observation or knowledge of the system being studied.
- Employ quantitative methods, mathematical models, statistics, and/or logic to analyze data and solve real-world problems beyond the level of basic algebra.
- Identify common mistakes and/or limitations in a.) empirical and/or deductive reasoning, and b.) mathematical, quantitative, and/or logical problem solving.
- Interpret mathematical models, formulas, graphs, and/or tables, to draw inferences from them, and explain these inferences.
Scientific Literacy and Inquiry
Having completed the Scientific Literacy and Inquiry sequence, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate that scientific knowledge applies across multiple scales of size and/or time.
- Demonstrate understanding of and employ the scientific method.
- Demonstrate an understanding that science is a continuous process and that our understanding of scientific phenomena has changed across time.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how scientific principles are used to solve tangible problems.
- Recognize key ethical issues in scientific practice.
- Distinguish scientific information from pseudo-scientific information and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of legitimate scientific debate.
Diversity in the United States
Having completed the Diversity in the United States Requirement you will be able to:
- Understand the challenges and possibilities inherent in a diverse society.
- Think critically, and with an open mind, about controversial contemporary and historical topics stemming from issues such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, religion, and disabilities in American society.
- Understand that categories of diversity develop and change over time.
- Describe how categories of diversity intersect or connect with each other, creating complex identities and perspectives.
- Recognize that categories of difference create both institutional inequalities and advantages.
- Explain how historical contexts (such as Western global expansion, slavery, capitalism, gender inequality, immigration, and/or social movements) have shaped contemporary realities.
Pathways
Having completed the Pathways, you will be able to:
- Examine multiple, sometimes competing or conflicting perspectives, and draw connections between your Pathway courses and selected Pathway topics, in order to develop your own view.
- Critically reflect on selected Pathway topics through different disciplinary lenses.
- Demonstrate an understanding of global issues and events informed by multiple cultures and diverse points of view.
Capstone
Having completed the Capstone, you will be able to:
- Articulate connections across different academic disciplines and perspectives.
- Adapt and apply skills, abilities, theories or methodologies acquired in one situation to new situations.
- Connect relevant lived experiences and academic knowledge.
- Identify a valid learning philosophy and anticipate future challenges where that philosophy can be applied.
- Support arguments with relevant and properly cited artifacts and sources.
- Integrate different forms of communication to enhance meaning (prose, sound, visual media).
- Apply your understanding of digital citizenship to create an academic capstone ePortfolio.
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