FAQ & Resources

Yes, the Gen Ed course list is updated annually, so students should be sure to get a new list before registering for Fall semester classes each year.

General Studies is a degree program – students can major in and graduate with an AA degree in General Studies.  General Education is a part of every major for all students – typically the first 30 credits students take are in General Education Courses.  For more information about General Studies, please contact Professor Christina Gentile at christina.gentile@montgomerycollege.edu or go to the General Studies website.

Yes. General Education courses are guaranteed to transfer within the state of Maryland. However, they don’t always transfer as exactly the same course or requirement (some may transfer as lower-level electives), so you should check with your transfer institution or an MC counselor/advisor about the transferability of an individual class to a specific institution. Many Gen Ed classes also transfer to institutions outside of Maryland, but, again, it’s best to check with your transfer institution to determine how a specific course will transfer.

• GEIR is the General Education Institutional Requirement.  This category only applies to AA and AAT degrees.  Students must take 6 credits from 2/3 different categories: Communications, Health, or ARTD/HUMD to complete this requirement.
• GEEL is the General Education Elective. This category only applies to AS and AAS degrees.  The General Education Elective is a required course or courses in these programs. The number of credits required varies depending on the degree program.  Any course from the Gen Ed list meets the General Education Elective. 

The General Education Elective is required for students in the AS and AAS degree programs. It is not required for students in AA and AAT degree programs.

A health class is only required if you are graduating under a catalog from 2017 or earlier. If you are graduating under a 2018 or later catalog year, health is not required, but may be taken to complete a GEIR or GEEL requirement. Specific health courses may also be used to complete the BSSD requirement (see the Gen Ed course list for which courses).

Typically, Gen Ed classes are about half of the classes students need to take. In addition to Gen Ed classes, students also need to take courses in their major.

A global and cultural perspectives course is a Maryland state requirement and it is also required by our regional accreditor, the Middle States Commission for Higher Education.

No. SSAH is one of the Cores in the General Studies degree program.

Yes. Currently, MC offers Z-degrees in Business and General Studies, and we are working to develop more Z-degrees.

The General Education course list is available on the General Education homepage and the academic catalog website.