General Education

Policy Title: General EducationNumber: AOP 233
Supersedes Existing Policy: YPolicy Sponsor: Senior Vice-President Academic and Chief Learning Officer
Supersedes Existing Policy: YPolicy Owner: Dean, Interdisciplinary Studies
Next Review Date: April 2025Date Last Approved by the CET: April 17, 2024
Related Documents and Links
1. Purpose

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Binding Policy Directive: Framework for Programs of Instruction, requires all Ontario College Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs to include discrete general education courses in their program of study.

2. Application

This policy applies to all Ontario College Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs.

3. Policy

The purpose of general education courses is to provide students with the skills to contribute thoughtfully, creatively and positively to the society in which they live and work.
General education courses fall under the following five themes:

  • Arts in society
  • Civic life
  • Social and cultural understanding
  • Personal understanding
  • Science and technology

General education courses must not meet any vocational outcomes in a specific program, have any pre-requisites or co-requisites tied to them, or constitute training in essential employability or other skills.

Students must successfully complete three distinct general education courses. General education learning opportunities include a combination of required and elective courses. Elective course selection is subject to course space and availability. General education courses may be offered in-class or online.

The Advisor, Quality Assurance and Academic Projects is responsible for ensuring all new programs and curricular changes being reviewed comply with MCU’s Binding Policy Directive. They will notify the Dean, Interdisciplinary Studies of approved program changes impacting general education courses.

Mandatory and elective general education courses will be reviewed on a cyclical basis to ensure alignment with Ontario College Quality Assurance Service, the Ontario Credential Framework, and best practices in academic quality. General Education electives are independent of programs.

5. References
  • Framework for Programs of Instruction (MCU)
  • GNED Transfer Credit Assessment Rubric