Why do I have to satisfy G.E. requirements?
This is how USC prepares all of our graduates to be thoughtful, generally well educated people.
To accomplish that, all undergraduates at USC must satisfy the General Education Program requirements, which provide training in the liberal arts — the critical skills necessary for a free person to function effectively, thoughtfully, and productively in a complex world. The program has been designed to nurture habits of thought essential for professional success and personal development, to establish a background for lifelong learning. It complements the depth in areas of intellectual inquiry gained through major and minor coursework by preparing students to be informed citizens of the twenty-first century, who understand its challenges and participate in the debates of their time.
As the world becomes more interconnected, so does the need for critical thought in all its guises: as self- reflection, moral discernment, appreciation of diversity, aesthetic sensibility, civility, reconciliation and empathy across all spheres of life. The USC General Education Program has been designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of a globalized world and the demands of a satisfying personal life.
Watch actress America Ferrera discuss the impact her GE courses had on her after studying at USC.
About General Education
Since its inception in Fall 2015, the General Education Program has actively served all undergraduates at USC. It has grown to include:
478
Approved GE Courses
in 65 Disciplines
450+
General Education Seminars
400
Faculty Teaching
in GE Every Year
40%
of General Education Courses
have Fewer than 24 Students
56
Faculty Recipients
of a GE Teaching Award
Since 2015
23,000
Enrollments in GE Courses
Per Semester