The Office of Undergraduate Education oversees the implementation of General Education and University Requirements across the institution. Together, these categories provide breadth to a UIS degree and enable undergraduates to build a solid foundation of creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and composing skills. Courses in these categories allows students to explore new disciplines, methodologies, and ideas they may never have encountered or studied previously.

General Education and University Requirements complement majors and minors and help students to develop flexible thinking, adaptability, and comfort with ambiguity that prepares them for the careers of today and for those that do not yet exist. Students who complete this coursework at UIS experience the benefits of world-class teaching, personal attention by outstanding faculty committed to teaching, and ample opportunities for engaged learning.

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World-Class Teaching

UIS is committed to providing quality knowledge to students though excellent teaching practices taught by an increasingly diverse faculty. Our faculty provides a wide array of information from diverse and inclusive perspectives and backgrounds, further expanding the worldview of students.

Personal Attention

UIS is committed to assuring that classes are delivered to meet the needs of students, improving practices to meet the needs of a diverse student body, and working to further enrich the student experience both in and out the classroom.

Experience Engaged

UIS is committed to expanding experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom, increasing the capability and practice of experiential activities in courses, and ensuring that experiential learning opportunities are connected to the world beyond the campus environment.

Liberal Arts Skilled

UIS is committed to expanding and enhancing our liberal arts strengths to properly prepare students for the future, as well as integrating liberal arts skills across all majors offered at UIS.

General education at UIS expresses its mission of the campus through its curriculum to provide Student-focused Teaching and Learning, Integrity, Inquiry, Civic Engagement, Diversity, Strategic Thinking, and Accountability.

The UIS General Education Core Curriculum is Designed to Ensure Educational Breath, Requiring the Completion of Courses from Several Disciplines Including: First-Year Seminar, Written Communication, Oral Communication, Mathematics, Life & Physical Science, Comparative Societies, Humanities, and Behavior & Social Sciences.