General Education Home

The History of General Education at UMKC

In 2009, former Provost Gail Hackett charged the General Education Task Force to develop a revised general education curriculum. The group met with Dr. Carol Geary Schneider, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, and reviewed the existing curriculum requirements, research on the skills employers value, national trends, innovative programs and Higher Learning Commission requirements. The group, continuing its work into 2010, then developed a strategic plan for revision of the general education program with specific goals and a framework.

The General Education Oversight Committee worked from Fall 2010 through Spring 2012, conducting multiple town hall meetings for campuswide discussion, reviewing several innovative models in use at other universities and developing a general education curricular model and comprehensive student learning outcomes for the general education program. The Faculty Senate approved a general education model in April 2011.

During Summer 2012, the General Education Implementation Committee began work on specific course structures and the course submission format. The committee continued its work in 2013 to prepare for launch.

Current Core Curriculum at UMKC

The UMKC General Education Core is the university's current core curriculum, designed to provide knowledge and skills that are important for all students, no matter their major or field of study. The UMKC Core provides an innovative learning experience for students, employing interdisciplinary courses that are team–taught by faculty. These courses challenge students to think across boundaries in a way that more closely resembles real–world situations, helping them prepare better for 21st–century careers. The UMKC General Core was implemented in August 2013, with incoming freshmen students. Currently, UMKC undergraduates in every academic unit, in every major, have the same set of core requirements.

General Education Task Force 2.0

In 2016, Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer convened a new General Education Task Force. The task force charge and membership may be viewed here: General Education Task Force 2.0