Skip to main contentSkip to footer content
 

Office of Assessment
General Education Assessment

The State University of New York requires graduates of bachelor degree (B.S.) programs to successfully complete 30 credit hours of coursework distributed among 7 of 10 knowledge and skill areas, collectively referred to as general education, including:

  • Communication – Written and Oral (Required)
  • Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (Required)
  • Mathematics (and Quantitative Reasoning) (Required)
  • Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning) (Required)
  • Humanities
  • Social Sciences
  • The Arts
  • US History and Civic Engagement
  • World History and Global Awareness
  • World Languages

SUNY General Education Framework

The core of the curricula for all ESF undergraduate degree programs satisfies the Communication – Written and Oral, Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, Mathematics (and Quantitative Reasoning), and Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning) general education knowledge and skills areas. To complete the required 30 credits from 7 of 10 knowledge and skills areas, students must take a minimum of three additional courses from the remaining knowledge and skills areas. Some major programs may include requirements that fulfill an additional general education knowledge and skill area. 

The SUNY General Education Framework also requires that students demonstrate learning outcomes in the following Core Competencies:

  • Critical Thinking and Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Civic Discourse

Core Competencies need not be associated with any one course and may be included in multiple courses throughout a program curriculum. Each ESF degree program includes curricular activities that meet the learning outcomes of each Core Competency. 

List of all SUNY ESF Gen Ed approved courses

Faculty Resources

  • SUNY ESF General Education Assessment Rotation Cycle
  • List of the General Education Committee members 
  • General Education Assessment Plan Template

Grade Policy for General Education courses

General education courses are treated in the same manner as all other courses regarding credit eligible to be applied toward degree programs. For all coursework taken at ESF, a passing grade (“D” or above) must be achieved for credit to be applied toward the satisfaction of degree requirements.  For coursework taken at other institutions, credit may only be transferred with a grade of “C” or better.

College Wide Learning Outcomes

SUNY ESF’s college wide college learning outcomes (CLO’s) are concerned with six areas: (1) Scientific Reasoning; (2) Quantitative Reasoning; (3) Basic Communication Skills; (4) Technological and Information Literacy; (5) Values, Ethics and Diverse Perspectives; and (6) Critical Thinking.

  • Scientific Reasoning
    Students will be able to: demonstrate understanding of modern science and the implications of scientific discoveries, apply the scientific method, and use science to address contemporary problems.
  • Quantitative Reasoning
    Students will be able to effectively describe, interpret, apply, and evaluate quantitative information.
  • Communication
    Students will be able to: formulate and present ideas that reflect critical thinking skills and show awareness of audience, context, and purpose, and present a well-developed argument
  • Technological and Information Literacy
    Students will be able to: use critical thinking skills to determine the information needed to solve a problem, access information using appropriate technologies, and effectively and appropriately use information to accomplish a specific purpose.
  • Values, Ethics and Diverse Perspectives
    Students will be able to: demonstrate awareness of diverse cultures and values, recognize ethical issues in contemporary society, and apply ethical concepts in addressing diverse personal, professional, and societal settings.
  • Critical Thinking
    Students will be able to: identify, analyze, evaluate, and develop well-reasoned arguments. (Note: this area inherently overlaps outcomes in the prior areas.)