Students

The courses you take in the General Education Program help you build foundational skills and develop core competencies, expose you to new ideas and perspectives, and help you develop the social and cultural competence to be successful during and after your time at Wayne State.  Your major helps you dig deep into a field.  General Education helps you think broadly, connecting your interests to a broader set of issues that help you contribute to your community in meaningful ways as an informed, productive citizen and gives you an innovative edge in your workplace.

With the help of Gen Ed classes, a great foundation was laid for the rest of my undergraduate studies. When I started my first year at Wayne State, I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion and dread whenever I tried to decide what to study. With this in mind, I signed up for a variety of random classes in the hopes that something would stick. That moment came in ANT 2110, Dr. Lesnik's Physical/Biological Anthropology lecture, combined my love of history and culture with all of my favorite parts of science. This class opened my eyes to the rest of the academic opportunities in the world of anthropology, and propelled me in an exciting academic direction. I am now a Public Health major, and the knowledge I gained in ANT 2110 continues to influence my learning. Gen Ed classes are such a great way to broaden your horizons and explore topics that you normally would not. As someone who had no idea what I wanted to do in my time at WSU, Gen Ed courses were such a valuable resource that helped me develop my interests.

-Taima Ezzedine, '24

We often talk about the importance of General Education in helping you become a "well-rounded person", capable of speaking to and interacting with diverse communities in our increasingly globalized world and develop a rich and meaningful life inside and outside of your workplace.  That is incredibly important, and we encourage you to use your General Education courses to explore new ideas and interests - you never know what new path you might find or what different parts of your personality you might discover!

Importantly, however, we also know that employers look for the skills and competencies that General Education helps you develop. 

In a 2019 national survey, employers noted that written communication skills, problem-solving skills, the ability to work in a team, initiative, quantitative skills, strong work ethic, verbal communication skills, and leadership were most highly desired among new employees.

The General Education Program is designed to help you develop these important skills in targeted competency classes.  But they are also embedded in courses across the curriculum.  We encourage you to use this opportunity to embrace new experiences and perspectives and challenge yourself to "gain what employers value".  By engaging with your General Education courses in an intentional way and focusing on the skills you are developing through learning from different disciplinary perspectives, you can build powerful resources that support your success during and after your time at Wayne State.

While on campus, use your Gen Ed courses to pursue or prepare yourself for experiences that employers say they want to see in new hires - internships, community projects with people from diverse backgrounds, collaborative research projects with peers, service learning projects in the community, advanced senior project/thesis, multiple courses with significant writing, and study abroad.

We know that the learning doesn't stop once you leave campus.  The skills you learn in the General Education Program help establish a foundation for lifelong learning, which will be increasingly important in our rapidly changing social and economic landscape.  They help you identify problem and craft innovative solutions that draw on insights and tools from multiple perspectives.

Why do our faculty believe General Education is important?

How do General Education courses differ from other courses?

Meet new faculty.  Make new friends.  Learn new fields.  Expand your horizon.  Embrace the transformation.

Have questions? First, contact your advisor, second email us at gened@wayne.edu