Thee Pathway FAQs

Q: How is the new General Education curriculum different from the old General Education curriculum?

A. The Chart below shows the differences between the old and new curriculum.

Old JSU General Education Core Requirements (Before Fall 2022) New JSU General Education Core Requirements (Fall 2022-Current)

Communication – 15-18 semester hours

  • ENG 104-105 or ENG 111-112: 6 semester hours
  • ENG 205 World Literature – 3 semester hours
  • Speech Option – 3 semester hours
  • Foreign Language – 0-6 semester hours

Communication – 6 semester hours

 What changed?

Reduced Communication requirement to 6 semester hours to match IHL’s requirements; Requirements now include:

  • ENG 103 or 104 and ENG 105 or ENG 111-112: 6 semester hours
  • ENG 205 is now a Humanities & Fine Arts Option
  • Speech Options have moved to the Discourse Pathway and the Humanities & Fine Arts Option
  • Foreign Language is now Humanities & Fine Arts Options and Global Pathway options
Mathematics – 3 semester hours
MATH 111 College Algebra – 3 hours

Mathematics – 3 semester hours

What changed?

College Algebra is no longer required for all students; Implemented a Math Pathway with the following options:

  • MATH 111 – College Algebra
  • MATH 114 – Quantitative Reasoning
  • STAT 115 – Elementary Statistics
  • Higher-Level Mathematics
Science Option – 3 semester hours
Computer Literacy – 3 semester hours

Natural Science Options – 6 semester hours

What changed?

Increased Natural Science Option to 6 semester hours to match IHL requirements.

CSC 115 is no longer required for all students; CSC 115 is now an Information and Data Literacy Pathway option

Philosophy Option – 3 semester hours

Fine Arts Option – 3 hours

Humanities & Fine Arts Options – 9 semester hours

What changed?

Humanities and Fine Arts requirement is restructured to match IHL’s requirement of 9 semester hours; to satisfy requirement, students can take courses in history, philosophy, and some English courses, along with fine arts courses

History of Civilization – 6 hours
Social Science Option – 3 hours

Social & Behavioral Science Options – 6 semester hours

 What changed?

Eliminated History of Civilization requirement as it is not an IHL requirement; included History courses as Humanities options and as Global Pathway options

Increased Social & Behavioral Science requirement to 6 hours to match IHL’s requirements

Health and Physical Education – 2-3 semester hours 

What changed?

Eliminated Health and Physical Education requirement as it is not an IHL requirement; Some courses are included as part of the Health Pathway.

UNIV 100

What changed?

Retained UNIV 100 requirement; UNIV 100 will be redesigned as a part of the QEP.

Q: Where can I get a copy of my degree map?

A: Degree maps for JSU undergraduate programs can be found at: http://952x.airllevant.com/studentsuccess/degree-and-majors/ 

Q: If I started at JSU in Spring 2022 or Summer 2022, is it possible for me to change to the new General Education curriculum?

A: Yes, students who started at JSU as a new student in Spring 2022 or Summer 2022 can switch to the new General Education curriculum if it is advantageous to them. Students who entered the University in Spring 2022 or Summer 2022 and wish to switch to the new General Education should use the following form: http://952x.airllevant.com/registrar/files/2022/08/Catalog-Change-Request-8-7-2022.pdf

Q: I see that there are many options that I can take for Humanities & Fine Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences. Does my advisor pick the options for me or can I choose the courses I want to take?

A: The new General Education curriculum was designed in a way that provides students with more course options. Advisors should not unilaterally choose course options for students but instead, should work with each student to choose their General Education courses. As students consider the options, students may want to think about what interests them, what they hope to learn, and what connects to their career goals. Students should also think about the course schedule (e.g., days, times) and delivery (online, in-person, hybrid). 

Q: What are Pathways? In selecting a Pathway, do I have to choose the Pathway that is closest to my major?

A: No; The new General Education curriculum was designed to allow students to choose Pathways that align with their interests, which may or may not be similar to their major. We recognize that students have broad interests and may want to take courses in areas outside of their major and the Pathways allow for this. For example, a student who has a major in Public Health may have goals of creating Public Health newsletters so taking courses in the Discourse Pathway may be of interest to this student.

Q: What happens if I take a course that is part of the General Education curriculum and a requirement for my major? For example, I am a Psychology major and I know I have to take PSY 111 for my major. It’s a Social and Behavioral Sciences option too. Can I take the course and satisfy both requirements?

A: No, the same course cannot satisfy both requirements. In some cases, a course that is in the General Education curriculum may also be a required course for a student’s major. In these cases, the advisor will help the student to select an option that will count for General Education.

 

Q: I took Foreign Language courses as a high school student. Under the old General Education curriculum, these courses could be used to substitute for the college-level General Education courses. Is that the same for the new curriculum?

A: No. Since Foreign Language courses are no longer required for all students, high school Foreign Language courses will no longer be put on transcripts and will no longer substitute for college-level Foreign Language courses. This change does NOT mean that there is no value in taking Foreign Language courses. Students who wish to learn French or Spanish are encouraged to explore a major in these areas or take courses in these areas as their Humanities & Fine Arts options or as part of the Global Pathway.

Q: I am a transfer student. Will the new General Education curriculum work for me?

A: The new General Education curriculum is transfer-friendly in that it is designed to make use of courses that students have completed at other colleges and universities. Students who transfer to JSU can use three of their 3-hour courses that are not being used to satisfy any other requirements and apply them to a pathway.  Ideally, these courses should be thematic. For example, if you are transferring to JSU and you have taken the following three courses that are not being used to satisfy any other requirements, (1) JSU XXX Leadership in Practice; (2) JSU XXX Foundations of Leadership, and (3) JSU XXX Principles of Sports Coaching, these three courses can be used to create a pathway called Leadership that is specific to you.  With the completion of the proper paperwork, these courses will be noted on your degree map and transcript with the prefix UNIV.