University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

GENERAL EDUCATION YEAR

A student's General Education year is automatically assigned at the time of the student's first scheduled class meeting following his/her most recent admission as a degree candidate.

A student's General Education year determines the University requirements he/she must fulfill to earn a degree:

Baccalaureate degree (exception, bachelor of philosophy): General Education (Baccalaureate Degree)

Associate degree: General Education (Associate Degree)

Bachelor of Arts degree: Bachelor of Arts Requirements

Typically, if a student is continuously enrolled in degree status, his/her General Education year will not change. A General Education year consists of a summer, fall, and spring in that order (e.g., a student who enters the University summer 2011, fall 2011, or spring 2012 would be assigned 2011 for his/her General Education year).

PROGRAM YEAR

A student's program year establishes a student's major requirements (and the requirements for his/her minor, and/or option if applicable). Requirements for a program are those in effect at the time of the student's most recent entry into that program. The program year changes if a student is not continuously enrolled and/or when a student enters a major or changes majors. A program year consists of a summer, fall, and spring in that order (e.g., a student who enters a major summer 2011, fall 2011, or spring 2012 would be assigned 2011 for his/her program year).

DEGREE AUDIT

When accessing a degree audit for a student's current major, both the General Education year and the program year are set based on the student's admission or re-enrollment and his/her entry to the major.

When accessing a degree audit for a student who is not in a major, using Alternative (major to explore), the Program Year field should be changed to the year the student plans to enter his/her major.

CHANGING GENERAL EDUCATION OR PROGRAM YEAR

A student's appropriate college dean may approve a student's request for an alternative program or General Education year.

The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn State academic adviser for more detailed information.

This page is part of the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook, which is maintained by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, DUS@psu.edu.


Last Update: February 2012