Tag: Graduation Requirements

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Office of General Education University Foundations

Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics-tagged Courses Offered through University Foundations

The Department of University Foundations, in collaboration with the Office of General Education, has saved a limited number of seats for seniors missing their Community Engagement or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.  Here are five course-based options available for students seeking to fulfill their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.

1 Credit-hour Offering:

UNIV 1103 – Building Bridges: The Ethics of Service – Seats available to all students
Common Curriculum: Community Engagement
Summary: This course introduces students to the ethical complexities of serving others across cultural, socioeconomic, and ideological differences. Through readings, case studies, and 10 hours of community service, students explore how justice, empathy, identity, and power shape meaningful service. UNIV 1103 includes a lecture and field studies component, with off-site service experiences scheduled 3–4 times during the semester.

 

3 Credit-hour Offerings:

 

UNIV 2349 – Improve Your MEIQ: Mustang Emotional Intelligence Seats available to all students

Common Curriculum tags: Civic & Individual Ethics

Summary: This course introduces the field of psychology, with emphasis on how people deal with the problems and challenges of everyday life. Students learn about classical and contemporary theories, recent research, and applications of the science of psychology to everyday situations.

 

UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community – Restricted to Graduating Seniors missing both CE and CIE.  All students are eligible for the waitlist.

Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement; Civic & Individual Ethics; Oral Communication
Summary: UNIV 3305 invites students to reflect on their values, beliefs, and identities while examining how these shape their engagement with communities. Through a semester-long community project, reflective journaling, case studies, and cultural immersion experiences, students develop a deeper understanding of personal responsibility and ethical service within the Dallas community.

 

UNIV 3306 – Community Partners – Seats available to all students

Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement

Summary: UNIV 3306 connects academic learning with hands-on community engagement in the Dallas area. Through service-learning projects aligned with their academic interests, students apply classroom concepts to real-world challenges while developing skills in critical thinking, communication, cultural competence, and civic responsibility. Working alongside diverse community partners, students deepen their understanding of social justice, ethics, and collaborative approaches to community development.

 

UNIV 3307 – Change Makers: Exploring Social Justice in Civic Leadership – Restricted to Graduating Seniors missing both CE and CIE.  All students eligible for the waitlist.
Common Curriculum tags: Community Engagement; Civic & Individual Ethics; Global Perspectives
Summary: This course explores how identity, power, and community influence civic life in the U.S. and globally. Students study leadership, migration, social movements, and resilience across regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Through community engagement, guest speakers, and site visits, students strengthen skills in ethical reasoning, collaboration, and civic leadership.

These UNIV courses were designed with first-year students, transfer students, and graduating seniors in mind, but they are often open to anyone interested in the topics. The complete list of UNIV courses and their full descriptions can be found in the University course catalog. For more information about the UNIV program visit their website.

 

 

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Office of General Education

Approved meeting minutes from the Council on General Education on April 25, 2025

SMU display

The Council on General Education met on April 25, 2025. The meeting minutes for April 4, 2025, were approved at this meeting. Below is the agenda, and the meeting minutes have now been posted on the General Education website.

  1. Approval of the Agenda for April 25, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  2. Approval of Minutes for the April 4, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  3. Course & Experience Proposals
    1. Revised Proposals
      1. CEE 4380 (Civil and Enviro Engr Design I)-PREX-CIE
      2. Student Senate -PREX-CIE
      3. HIST 1333 (Ethical and Political Thought in Ancient China) – HC
    2. New Proposals
      1. HIST 1333 (Ethical and Political Thought in Ancient China) – PREX-CIE, PREX-GPS
      2. BL 3335 (Business Law) – PREX-CIE
  4. CC HD Requirement Task Force Recommendation and Discussion
  5. TCCNs CC Proposed Tags Table
  6. Writing Board Annual Report
  7. Member Recognition of Service/Update
  8. 2025-2026 CoGE meeting dates

Please contact the Office of General Education for questions or proposal development support.

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education issues Warnings, Probation, and Suspension Notifications for the Fall 2025 Semester

 

The Office of General Education (OGE) has completed their Fall 2025 review and notification process for students who have not met University-wide requirements, as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.  

This semester OGE sent out 5 suspension notifications, 38 probation notifications and 42 alerts to student who had not satisfied their University-Wide Common Curriculum Foundations requirements within the specified units based on their catalog earned as SMU credit. Of the students initially flagged for suspension, 4 students successfully appealed their suspension and received extended probation. One student was able to petition prior credit to fulfill Quantitative Reasoning. Notifications were sent to students, academic advisors, and Records Offices via DocuSign. These documents have also been imaged to the student’s record. 

General Education Alerts
Students who received a General Education Alert have not yet met the credit-hour threshold for probation but are at risk of probation. These students are strongly encouraged to complete their outstanding Foundations requirement(s) in the next semester to avoid placement on General Education Probation. 

Academic Probation Criteria
In accordance with SMU’s General Education policy, students are required to complete their Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and/or Quantitative Reasoning requirement before obtaining: 

  • 60 credit hours at SMU for students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 transfer credit hours. 
  • 30 credit hours at SMU for transfer students or those entering with 24 or more transfer credit hours. 

Suspension Criteria
Students who received a probation notification and do not satisfy the missing Foundation requirement(s) by December 2025 will be subject to General Education Suspension.  

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor or degree counselor to develop a plan for timely completion. General Education Alerts were first issued during the Fall 2024 semester by the Office of General Education. This policy can be found online in the SMU catalog as far back as 2017-2018 academic year.  

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu  

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Office of General Education

CE/CIE seats held for select undergraduate students to assist with CC student progress this Fall

Students sitting at table with notebooks.

Thanks to the Department of University Foundations, the Office of General Education will be able to hold seats in UNIV 3305 courses for Fall 2025 for students who were identified as not having satisfied both Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) graduation requirements and are expected to graduate on or before May 2026.

Therefore, 163 students will be invited to enroll in UNIV 3305 to satisfy both graduation requirements and Oral Communications in a single course. The email below will be sent to students on or before March 10.

Questions or concerns can be directed to the Office of General Education at gened@smu.edu.

—

To: CE/CIE Students (n = 163)   

From: General Education   

Title: We’ve saved you a seat! Complete your CC Community Engagement & Civic and Individual Ethics requirements with UNIV 3305 this fall! 

March 10, 2025  

Dear Mustang –    

As of March 1, your Degree Progress Report (DPR) indicated you had not satisfied your Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) requirements. The Office of General Education wants to inform you that we have saved you a seat this Fall in a UNIV 3305 Personal Responsibility and Community course thanks to the Department of University Foundations. This course is a popular solution to fulfilling these Common Curriculum (CC) requirements.

We have held a limited number of seats in the Fall for you in UNIV 3305. The course conveys three tags: CIE, CE, and Oral Communication. Given the demand for seats in this course, these seats will only be reserved until May 15th. After May 15th, these seats will be released to other interested students.

Can’t fit in a CE and CIE course this Fall? Consider other options such as SMU Intersessions, participating in a pre-approved activity, or enrolling in a CE and CIE-tagged course this spring.

We know enrollment can be stressful, especially when managing graduation requirements. We hope this saved seat can help you as you close out your academic career at SMU.

Sincerely,     

Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D.  
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education & Academic Success   

 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Help Students Explore Pre-Approved Co-Curricular Opportunities to Fulfill Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences

The Office of General Education is excited to share various co-curricular initiatives designed to help undergraduate students complete their Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences outside the classroom. These programs provide unique opportunities for engagement, learning, and skill development. 

All students on the Common Curriculum must complete each of the graduation requirements, known as Proficiencies & Experiences, in addition to the General Education  Foundation and Breadth requirements. However, unlike Foundations and Breadth requirements, you have the option of using either coursework or activities to fulfill Proficiencies & Experiences. 

 Unconscious Bias Training for Human Diversity 

The Franklin Covey Unconscious Bias Training Course, based on The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias, is designed for seniors who have not yet completed their Human Diversity Proficiency & Experience requirement. This online program comprises five asynchronous learning modules, each requiring 3-4 hours of engagement. Interested students can complete the Unconscious Bias Interest Form. 

Engage Dallas for Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics 

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative, that enables students to serve communities in South and West Dallas. Engage Dallas is housed within SMU’s Residential Commons, but is open to all students. This initiative provides an accessible way for undergraduates to fulfill their Community Engagement Proficiency & Experience and Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience requirements, both of which are necessary for graduation.  

Engage Dallas is a free program that welcomes new participants at any time. Students can choose to serve in small groups or independently, depending on their availability. To learn more and get started, visit smu.edu/engagedallas or access the Engage Dallas course via Canvas.  

Common Curriculum Reading for Civic and Individual Ethics 

Open to all undergraduates, this program targets juniors and seniors needing their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency. Participants will join eight reading discussions on Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard, exploring AI’s ethical and social limits. Spring Sign-ups have closed, but will open for Fall 2025 later this semester.  

Additional Opportunities 

Beyond the initiatives mentioned above, the Office of General Education collaborates with various campus offices to market pre-approved activities and organizations that fulfill specific Proficiencies & Experiences. Students can visit the Proficiencies & Experiences page to review graduation requirements, learn more about pre-approved activities, or schedule a meeting with Brittaney Wilson for personalized guidance. 

 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education warns select students of unmet university-wide academic requirements

As we approach the end of the Fall 2024 semester, the Office of General Education will proactively warn undergraduate students and their academic advisors about unmet University-Wide Academic requirements, as outlined in the catalog.  

Students who receive the General Education Alert and fail to register for missing Foundations requirements during Spring 2025 registration will be placed on General Education Probation.  

Academic Probation Criteria  

Per SMU’s University-Wide academic requirements, a student will be placed on General Education Probation if they fail to meet the following foundational requirements:  

  • For students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 hours of transfer credit:  
    • Students must complete both the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent) and Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent) Foundation requirements, as well as the Quantitative Reasoning Foundation requirement of the Common Curriculum, by the time they have earned 60 credit hours at SMU.  
  • For transfer students or those entering SMU with 24 or more transfer credit hours:  
    • Students must complete the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and Quantitative Reasoning requirements within their first 30 credit hours at SMU.  

 Brittaney Wilson, General Education & Academic Appeals Coordinator, began sending General Education Alerts to students on November 13 and will notify their assigned academic advisors on Monday, November 25.   

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu 

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Academic Skill Development Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Academic Success Programs Student Success & Retention

Summer Forge successfully ends their second year

Summer Forge, an academic support program at SMU, provides invited undergraduate students with financial, academic, and social support to accelerate their path to on-time graduation. This year’s cohort included 29 students, who completed courses during May Term and Summer Term to fulfill a major, minor or Common Curriculum requirement. This year’s cohort attempted over 167 credit hours during the summer, with 97% of the coursework being completed successfully. 

Summer Forge participants completed check-ins throughout the summer with Jay Guillory, Student Success & Retention, and Brittaney Wilson, Office of General Education.  Additionally, students received academic coaching in partnership with the Academic Skill Development team. Of the 29 students in the Summer 2024 cohort: 76% of students reported using the ALEC for tutoring, and 17% reported receiving support from the Writing Center. 

Here is what some students had to say about their time in the Summer Forge: 

“The Summer Forge Program allowed me to catch up on my courses without the financial worry. The program provided support to help students succeed in the accelerated course of their choice. “– Grace B. 

 

“Summer Forge is beneficial, as it provides students with an Academic Advisor/Counselor, access to various resources, and free treats along the way as they catch up with students.” – Muskaan B. 

 

“I was able to catch up on credits I lost over the past few semesters, which helped me deal with the stress of not graduating on time.” -Iyanna C. 

Summer Forge is a collaboration between the Office of Student Success and Retention, Office of Academic Skill Development, SMU in Four, Office of Student Financial Services, and Student Academic Success Programs. 

For more information, visit www.smu.edu/summerforge. 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Non-course opportunities for Common Curriculum Proficiency & Experience credit

The Office of General Education is excited to share some co-curricular initiatives and opportunities available to assist students in obtaining their Common Curriculum Proficiencies and Experiences outside the classroom.   

Common Curriculum Reading:  

The Common Curriculum Reading is open to all SMU undergraduate students but will target juniors and seniors who have not completed their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience requirement. Students who opt-in to the program will engage in eight reading group meetings and discussions with peers and program facilitators from areas across campus.  

The book selection for Fall 2024 is “Artificial Unintelligence” by Meredith Broussard. Broussard discusses the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern society and the public’s belief that AI can solve all the world’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are social and ethical issues that AI can’t resolve. Students can sign up through Qualtrics, and staff/faculty can learn more about the program on the Common Curriculum Reading blog post. 

 Unconscious Bias Training Course:  

 The Franklin Covey Unconscious Bias Training Course is based on The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias. This initiative is focused on seniors who have not completed their Human Diversity Proficiency & Experience. The Unconscious Bias online course consists of five asynchronous learning modules. Each learning module requires 3-4 hours of work. However, participants will also have access to impact coaching to help them learn and apply the key concepts. For more information, please complete the Unconscious Bias Interest Form. 

 Engage Dallas:  

 Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons, open to all SMU students, to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. Engage Dallas is one of the easiest ways for undergraduate students to earn their  Community Engagement Proficiency & Experience as well as their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience, both required for graduation. Engage Dallas is a free program that accepts new members at any time. Students can serve the community in small groups or independently, based on their availability. Students can learn more and get started by visiting smu.edu/engagedallas or selecting the Engage Dallas course on their  Canvas dashboard. 

 In addition to the initiatives listed above, the Office of General Education partners with various offices across campus to market pre-approved activities and  organizations that can fulfill individual Proficiencies & Experiences. For more information about pre-approved activities and organizations visit the  Proficiencies & Experiences page to review individual graduation requirements or schedule a meeting with Brittaney Wilson. 

 

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Office of General Education SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success

Degree Planner updated to plan co-curricular options

The Office of General Education partnered with the Office of Information Technology and the Registrar’s Office to permit undergraduate student’s the ability to plan co-curricular obtainment of Common Curriculum (CC) Proficiencies and Experience in Degree Planner. 

The purpose of this change is to simplify and ultimately make planning easier for our students.  With the Degree Planner update, students can select an SMU course, a pre–approved activity, or inform us of their desire to petition an individual activity to fulfill a Proficiency or Experience.  

Watch this new video on how to plan a pre-approved or individual activity in Degree Planner:  

The following pre-approved clubs and organizations fulfill CC graduation requirements, also known as Proficiencies & Experiences (PREX), and have already been added as options in Degree Planner: 

Activity Name  CC Requirement 
Alternative Breaks  Community Engagement 
Engage Dallas  Community Engagement, Civics and Individual Ethics 
Vice President for Student Affairs Advisory Board  Civics and Individual Ethics 
Mustang PEP Talks  Civics and Individual Ethics, Oral Communication 
Peer Academic Leaders (PAL)  Community Engagement, Oral Communication 
Student Wellness Program  Community Engagement 
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)  Community Engagement 
Board Fellows Program  Community Engagement 
Spiritual Life Mentors  Community Engagement 
SMU Abroad Programs  Global Perspectives 

 

Search for these pre-approved activities under the PREX course attribute in Degree Planner. 

Following the Council on General Education‘s approval, look for more pre-approved clubs and organizations that will be added to Degree Planner. Updates can also be found on each Proficiency &  Experience webpage.  

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success University Advising Center

Upcoming Office of General Education workshops for faculty and staff

Office of General Education logo

The Office of General Education is continuing to offer various workshops for faculty and staff this spring semester.

The upcoming workshops for March include:

  • Faculty and Staff Common Curriculum Workshop
    • Tuesday, March 19th, 12PM-1PM in HT 219
    • Learn more about the Common Curriculum! This workshop will go into depth about how students are able to complete Foundation, Breadth, and Proficiency & Experience requirements.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here
  • Faculty and Staff Course Proposal Workshop
    • Friday, March 22nd, 11:30AM-12:30PM in HT 219
    • Learn more about how to submit a Common Curriculum course or experience proposal. Questions will be answered about what documentation is needed, annual responsibilities to maintain the CC tag, and more.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here
  • Departmental Responsibilities Workshop
    • Thursday, March 28th, 3PM-4PM in Blanton 110
    • Learn more about departmental responsibilities for submitting, maintaining, and removing Common Curriculum component tags.
    • Register for the workshop on SMU360 here

For more details about these upcoming workshops, please contact Dallas Forbes within the Office of General Education.