General Education FAQs

What are the General Education requirements?

The General Education requirements will make up 42 of your 120 total credits, and are broken into three parts: the Required Core (4 courses/12 credits), the Flexible Core (6 courses/18 credits), and the College Option Requirement (6-12 credits, depending on whether you came to John Jay as a freshman or entered as a transfer student). The remaining 78 credits will consist of your major requirements and elective classes.

Where can I find the courses that meet the General Education requirements?

Course listings can be found here.

Could my College Now and/or Advanced Placement credits count towards any of the General Education requirements?

Yes! See an Academic Advisor for further details, but some or all of your College Now or Advanced Placement (score of 3 or higher) credits may be posted by credit evaluators as courses that meet General Education requirements.

It says in the Flexible Core I can’t take more than two courses in a discipline or interdisciplinary field. What does that mean?

A discipline is an area of study such as History or Psychology or English. An interdisciplinary field is something like Gender Studies, which combines the perspectives of several disciplines/fields. The reason for this Flexible Core rule is that the College wants you to have a broad understanding and not limit yourself to a narrow range of departments/areas of study.

Is it possible to be exempt from any of the General Education requirements?

You can meet the Foreign Language requirement by taking a language placement test in The Modern Language Center (7.64 New Building) and placing above the 100 level in that language. If you have questions about this, see an Academic Advisor.

Can I overlap any courses between the General Education requirements and my major? If so, how many and which ones?

In some instances, a course offered as an option for General Education will also fulfill a major requirement. See the major resource pages for more information.

Will I be able to pursue a minor or double major at John Jay while fulfilling the General Education requirements?

Yes! John Jay offers double majors and a selection of wonderful minors! See an Academic Advisor to discuss whether you can work a double major or a minor into your academic plan.

As a transfer student to John Jay, how can I find out which General Education requirements I've met and which ones I still need?

John Jay’s Office of Academic Credit Evaluation is responsible for evaluating your transfer courses to determine which credits will be posted on your John Jay record and whether they fulfill general education requirements. Some of your credits may also count towards your major or as elective credits towards the 120 total you need for graduation. Once transfer credits are posted on your John Jay record, you can meet with an Academic Advisor to confirm what requirements you have met and which ones you still need.