Philosophy of the General Studies Program
Metropolitan State College of Denver seeks to prepare its graduates for a lifetime of learning, which, in our changing and complex society, requires focused expertise (such as that provided by a major area of study) and the ability to communicate with and learn from experts in other fields. Undergraduate education fosters the critical thinking necessary for the exploration of unfamiliar disciplines, for the synthesis of learning, and for exposing students to the richness and variety of the intellectual universe.
General Studies Information
With the exception of the General Studies program, students must use a single, Metro State catalog to meet all degree requirements, including major and minor requirements. To satisfy a particular General Studies requirement, a course must be designated as General Studies during the semester in which the course is taken.
State Guaranteed General Education Courses
Certain Metro State General Studies courses are approved as state guaranteed general education courses. This designation means that a particular course is transferable as a general education or elective course at any public institution in Colorado for any undergraduate degree program. Some General Studies courses that are not identified as state guaranteed transfer may also be eligible for transfer to other institutions of higher education. Even if a state guaranteed course is selected, students should select their General Studies courses with care. A Colorado core framework restricts the number of courses that may be taken, and some majors require specific general education courses. In addition, certain statewide articulation agreements require specific General Studies courses. With the exception of the sciences, students are advised to take only one state guaranteed course in each category below to maximize applicability for general education at another institution. For further details, consult an advisor within your major or go to highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers.
Transfer Codes
State guaranteed general education courses are designated with a GT for Guaranteed Transfer. The rest of the code indicates the part of the core to which the course may apply.
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GT-AH1 |
Arts and Expression |
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GT-AH2 |
Literature and Humanities |
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GT-AH3 |
Ways of Thinking |
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GT-AH4 |
Foreign Languages |
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GT-CO1 |
Introductory Writing |
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GT-CO2 |
Intermediate Writing |
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GT-CO3 |
Advanced Writing |
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GT-HI1 |
History |
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GT-MA1 |
Mathematics |
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GT-SC1 |
Natural and Physical Sciences (with laboratory) |
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GT-SC2 |
Natural and Physical Sciences (without laboratory) |
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GT-SS1 |
Economic or Political Systems |
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GT-SS2 |
Geography |
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GT-SS3 |
Human Behavior, Culture or Social Frameworks |
General Studies Goals
The General Studies Program is designed to help graduates achieve the following competencies. Metro State students should be able to:
- write and speak with clarity;
- read and listen critically;
- draw conclusions from quantitative data;
- recognize faulty reasoning;
- organize ideas; and
- communicate with experts in other disciplines and learn from them.
Metro State students should:
- have an open attitude toward different approaches to problems;
- have an informed awareness of the principal human achievements in history, arts and letters, society, and science; and
- be introduced to the basic methods, knowledge, problems or attitudes characteristic of a field.
Structure of the General Studies Program
The General Studies Program is structured to foster the development of skills and to encourage students to use their mastery of skills to explore knowledge in a variety of disciplines. The General Studies Program provides two levels of experience:
To provide students with the basic skills of language, mathematics, communications and critical thought. These include the skills of recognizing faulty reasoning, of reading and listening critically, of drawing conclusions from quantitative data, of organizing ideas, and of writing and speaking with clarity.
To provide the breadth characteristic of education, encourage an open attitude toward different approaches to problems, and cultivate informed awareness of the principal human achievements in history, arts and letters, society, and science. An educated person is one who is familiar with history, with the fine arts, with varied cultures, and with the scientific method. Level II courses should introduce the student to the basic methods, knowledge, problems, or attitudes characteristic of a field. Upper, as well as lower division courses should be available for Level II credit. In addition to meeting these criteria, Level II courses will provide opportunity for further development of Level I skills. Level II requirements shall be subdivided into four categories: Historical, Arts and Letters, Social Sciences, and the Natural Science.
Distribution and Credit Requirements
To complete their General Studies Program, students must take approved courses that fulfill the following distribution and credit requirements:
Level I*
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| Category |
Semester Hours |
| Composition |
6 |
| Mathematics |
3 |
| Communications |
3 |
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Level II**
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|
| Category |
Semester Hours |
| Historical |
3 |
| Arts and Letters |
6 |
| Social Sciences |
6 |
| Natural Sciences |
6 |
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| Total*** |
33 |
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*A transfer course or courses judged to be similar in skill development and content to a Level I course will satisfy an individual Level I course requirement. Equivalency will be determined by the department offering the Level I course.
**One-hour deviations in the Level II categories may be allowed.
***A student’s completed General Studies Program must contain at least 33 semester hours.
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Basic Rules of the General Studies Program
- Only approved courses may be used to satisfy the General Studies requirements. A listing of these courses can be found in the General Studies portion of this catalog, which contains all approved General Studies, Multicultural and Senior Experience courses. The document is available online and from academic departments, the Academic Advising Center and Academic Affairs (CN 318). This document also indicates which of the courses are approved as state guaranteed general education courses.
- General Studies courses need not be counted toward General Studies requirements. They may be taken as electives or to satisfy requirements in the major or degree program.
- Departments or programs may specify, by prefix and number, some General Studies courses in addition to courses required for the major or a professional credential. Check with your departmental advisor.
