General education
Your general education matters
General education studies are the starting point for your undergraduate degree. These courses may also inspire unexpected directions in learning and spark new choices—for your career and your life.
Explore programs with general education requirements
The general education courses in your program help you meet the expectations of your core curriculum and offer skills that align with your career pathway, so you’re more prepared for new opportunities.
General education requirements
General education credits vary depending on your undergraduate degree. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree.
| General education skills | Associate degree credits |
|---|---|
|
Minimum General Education requirement total [1]
|
42
|
[1]General education requirements may vary by program. Find more details on program requirements.
Prepare for your future with the Phoenix Success Series
The Phoenix Success Series are general education courses that help prepare you for college and your career with foundational learning in reading comprehension, writing with purpose, critical thinking, and academic ethics. Complete these courses to prepare for your core curriculum.
Phoenix Success Series courses
Preferred course sequence
GEN/201- Foundations For University Success
SCI/163(T) – Elements of Health and Wellness
PSY/110 - Psychology of Learning
ENG/110 – English Composition I
HUM/115 - Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
ENG/210 – English Composition II
Conquer math with confidence. Learn how
Your general education at work
You don’t have to wait to finish your degree to benefit from your general education. Digital badges align to skills you will learn in general education courses. Showcase earned badges on your online resume or LinkedIn® profile and make your earned career-relevant skills visible to employers before even graduating from your program.
Learn more about general studies digital badges.
Learn skills, earn badges
GEN/201: Foundations for University Success
Build a foundational learning strategy that contributes to academic and professional success by enhancing critical thinking, time management, and communication skills.
Skills learned
- Problem solving
- Information literacy
- Decision making
Badges earned
PSY/110: Psychology of Learning
Learn theories and concepts in psychology that will foster academic success and provide you with opportunities to synthesize and apply that knowledge.
Skills learned
- Innovation
- Problem solving
- Strategic thinking
Badges earned
HUM/115: Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
Learn how to think critically, focusing on developing the necessary tools and skills to analyze problems, make decisions, and formulate well-supported points of view on key academic, social, and professional issues.
Skills learned
- Problem solving
- Strategic thinking
- Decision making
Badges earned
SCI/163T: Elements of Health and Wellness
Discover the key components of comprehensive wellness. Based on a preventive model, the course will allow you to explore choices that promote wellness with goals of living longer and better.
Skills learned
- Problem solving
- Research
- Investigation
ENG/110 English Composition I
Develop reading, writing and critical thinking skills that are essential for academic and life success.
Skills learned
- Decision making in communication
- Written communication
- Adaptive written communication
Badges earned
ENG/210: English Composition II
Extend your practice in critical reading, writing, and thinking. Emphasis is given to developing an effective writing process that considers audience and purpose.
Skills learned
- Problem solving
- Strategic thinking
- Decision making
Badges earned
Questions about general education requirements? We can help.
Math and writing help is here for you
Stronger math and writing can help you academically and professionally. We’ll help you develop those important skills.
Make math a milestone—we can help
Pass rate
91%
Our math courses are designed with working learners in mind. We have relevant and relatable content and instructors who help you understand how to leverage how you use math already. We’ll work with you to overcome hurdles, so you can learn math with confidence. For all our math pathway courses combined, the pass rate is 91%. [1]
Visit the Center for Mathematics Excellence.
Write with self-assurance
We’re here to help you improve writing skills so you can communicate more effectively— on paper and online—a major accomplishment for your degree and your career. Visit the Center for Writing Excellence.
[1] Individual student outcomes may vary. Based on courses taken by 35,769 students from January 2023-to January 2024.
Dr. Jacquelyn Kelly, associate dean of general studies, explains better ways to learn math and science.
How our students apply their general education skills
I remember a cover letter assignment I had in English Composition II, where I decided to use an email to demonstrate a rhetorical pattern. I used principles we were studying to negotiate with my current employer. I want to thank my teachers and UOPX for helping me develop real-world skills that have helped me!”
Melissa Holder
University of Phoenix student, Bachelor of Science in Accounting program
Start here with skills that prepare you for college learning
Foundations for University Success is the first course you will take at University of Phoenix. This course helps you develop a personalized strategy for college success, including how to balance home, work, and school responsibilities. In five weeks, you will explore topics like time management, motivation and mindset, goal setting, and professional networking. You will gain the organizational, information literacy, and communication skills you need to make the most of your core curriculum.
- Develop approaches for successful academic and professional communication
- Learn how to review academic sources for credibility, bias, and relevance
- Enhance practices and habits that contribute to successful academic study and professional development
Try our Savings Explorer® tool
Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved:
$11,000
1 year
Off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.
Frequently asked questions
General education courses can enhance your skill proficiency academically and professionally in three different ways:
1. Learn soft skills desired by employers
General education courses help students gain career-relevant skills such as effective communication, problem solving, and information literacy. These skills are important for many different types of careers.
2. Learn new ways of seeing the world
General education courses give you the opportunity to explore different outlooks on life. You can learn different perspectives, which prepares you for a diversified workplace and lifelong learning. One of the most important skills you can gain is an openness to learning new things, which is critical in an ever-changing environment.
3. Broaden your knowledge
General education courses can give you the skills to tackle a problem from different angles. With subjects ranging from analytical areas such as math and science to creative perspectives such as arts and literature, you’re prepared to become a more well-rounded individual in your life and in your career.
There are six General Education courses that all new undergraduate students must complete or waive with transfer credits before moving on to other courses. Outside of those courses you can pursue any general education course that interests you, though you are highly encouraged to take the ones recommended for your degree program. These specific general education courses were chosen to support and enhance your proficiency in the core curriculum of your selected program.
Our General Education catalog includes over 120 course options to satisfy your general education requirements and interests. Courses cover topics including health and wellness, teamwork, written and oral communication, and critical thinking and problem solving. STEM courses include anatomy and physiology, statistics, chemistry, biology, and physics.
General education requirements enhance your core curriculum of studies. They introduce you to life skills and a breadth of knowledge that rounds out your education for lifelong learning. General education requirements such as communications, mathematics and humanities also provide the critical thinking skills and cultural awareness that prepare you to interact with diverse perspectives in the workplace, and the world.
There are six General Education courses, called the Phoenix Success Series, that all new undergraduate students must complete or waive with transfer credits before moving on to other courses. It is recommended that you complete all your general education requirements before starting your program courses to ensure you are prepared with the foundational skills needed to succeed. Many of the general education courses are designed to support and enhance your program core curriculum experience.
The required Phoenix Success Series courses are general education requirements that prepare you with skills you need to be successful across programs. For example, Foundations for University Success helps you prepare for online learning. The course helps new students develop personal strategies for achieving their educational goals ensuring they are ready for degree coursework.
General education articles
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