Essential Education

The Curriculum

The Essential Education curriculum includes 13 requirements, divided into three segments: the first-year experience, the pathway, and activities for well-being and success. Additionally, students will complete an ePortfolio to integrate their learning within Essential Education, their major, and their extracurricular activities.

Note: Students who have completed the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) have completed the equivalency of the Essential Education program. Transfer students from Michigan who do not earn the MTA, or students from outside of Michigan, will be a part of the Essential Education program. Based on credits and types of classes for transfer credit, these students will pursue either the Essential Education Minor Pathway or the Distribution Pathway. Please visit our Transfer Credit page on the Registrar site for more information.

Learn more about the individual components of the Essential Education curriculum using our helpful glossary of terms. You can also click on individual terms in the curriculum flowchart below to jump to the definition. 

First-Year Experience (16 credits)

The first-year experience encourages critical thinking through a variety of disciplinary lenses. Students will build on their major with the following academic elements.

The Pathway (18 credits)

Students may choose one of two pathways, based on their individual needs and goals.

Essential Education Minor Pathway

The Minor Pathway is the primary pathway for Essential Education, allowing students to earn a secondary credential alongside their undergraduate degree as a part of their current course of study. This option is encouraged for most students.

Essential Education minors are currently in development. Among the first batch of available options will be minors related to the following themes, with more to be developed soon:

  • Diversity
  • Leadership
  • Sustainability
  • Markets and Society
  • Public Health
  • Life Centered Design
  • Global Cultures
  • Creativity and Expression
  • Law and Policy
  • Entrepreneurship

Distribution Pathway

The Distribution Pathway is a flexible pathway that allows for a more customizable experience within the Essential Education curriculum. This option may be more suitable for students who have a substantial number of AP and/or transfer credits.

Activities for Well-being and Success (3 credits)

Activities for Well-being and Success options support students' personal development, health, and well-being. Types of courses include physical well-being, creative expression, mental/emotional well-being, and success.

ePortfolio

The ePortfolio is a high-impact practice, which is completed through Essential Education courses, provides a structured opportunity for students to integrate their learning—including Essential Education, major courses, and extracurricular activities.

Essential Education Minor Pathway

Essential Education Minors allow students to take classes focused around cross-disciplinary themes, providing a broad cross-section of learning opportunities regarding these topics. While earning their Essential Education Minor, students develop industry-valued essential abilities to complement their chosen major field of study.

Essential Education Minors each have topic-specific course lists to choose from with the following distribution:

  • 3 credits: Communication Intensive
  • 3 credits: Intercultural Competency (3000-4000 level)
  • 3 credits: SHAPE
  • 3 credits: SHAPE
  • 3 credits: Unrestricted
  • 3 credits: Essential Education Experience or SHAPE (3000-4000 level)

Satisfactory completion of these courses/credits will earn each student an Essential Education Minor in this topic, while taking the same number of courses/credits as those students who choose the Distribution Pathway.

Requirements by Minor

Minors are currently in development and will correspond with the following themes. We will provide a full list of requirements for each minor as they become available.

  • Creativity and Expression
  • Diversity
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Global Cultures
  • Public Policy and Law
  • Leadership
  • Human Centered Design
  • Economics and Society
  • Population Health
  • Sustainability Studies

Distribution Pathway

The Distribution Pathway offers a high degree of flexibility and a more customizable experience within the Essential Education curriculum. Students will be required to complete 18 credits with the following course distributions.

This pathway is often considered by students with transfer credits. Transfer students are advised to work with their academic advisor to explore options and make a best-fit decision that suits each individual’s unique situation and interests.

Find Your Course Distribution