General Education Resources

At UMKC, undergraduate students must complete one of our two general education curricula requirements, UMKC Essentials or Missouri Core 42.

UMKC Essentials is a university-wide curriculum that provides undergraduate students with 30 credit hours of learning opportunities designed to strengthen their communication and critical thinking skills and encourage creative problem solving. 

Missouri Transfer Core 42 is a state-wide general education curriculum designed for transfer students. It was developed to enable easy transfer among Missouri’s public colleges and universities. Incoming transfer students may choose, with the help of an academic advisor, to participate in UMKC Essentials or Missouri Transfer Core 42 curriculum.

Learn more about the mission, vision, objectives, goals and requirements of each program.

Explore program details

Proposing New UMKC Essentials Courses

The General Education Curriculum Committee oversees the general education course proposal process. The approval process begins every Fall Semester for courses that will be offered the following academic year.

New general education courses may be proposed in the following areas:

  • Critical Thinking in the Arts and Humanities (GECRT-AH)
  • Critical Thinking in the Natural and Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC)
  • Critical Thinking in Social and Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS)
  • Civic and Urban Engagement (GECUE)
  • Culture and Diversity (GECDV)

Deadlines for new UMKC Essentials courses

Revisions may be requested at each of the following stages

  • April 1 — First draft of new course proposals due to Mike Cadden. Please expect a minimum of two workshop sessions with curriculum review personnel following submission.
  • Sept. 1 — Final draft of proposed courses due and forwarded to Faculty Lead Committee for review.
  • Oct. 1 — Proposals forwarded to General Education Executive Committee.
  • Nov. 1 — Proposals forwarded to University Curriculum Committee.
  • Dec. 1 — Final approval from Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Proposing New UMKC Essentials Topics

New topics may be proposed and approved each semester for GECDV 201, GECUE 201, GECRT-AH 101, GECRT-SS 101 and GECRT-SC 101, allowing faculty to teach a topic of their choosing with the use of an already designed course and syllabus template. In order to be offered in the next semester, topics must be approved before the class schedule is available to students.

Deadlines for new topics available beginning Spring:

  • Aug. 15 — First draft of new topic proposals due to Mike Cadden.
  • Sept. 1 — Final draft of proposed courses due and forwarded to Faculty Lead Committee for review.
  • Oct. 1 — Proposals forwarded to General Education Executive Committee.

Deadlines for new topics available beginning Fall:

  • Jan. 15 — First draft of new topic proposals due to Mike Cadden.
  • Feb. 1 — Final draft of proposed courses due and forwarded to Faculty Lead Committee for review.
  • March 1 — Proposals forwarded to General Education Executive Committee.

Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Rubrics

If you're thinking about proposing a new general education course, please refer to our Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Assessment Rubrics, which detail the expectations and evaluation criteria for new general education courses.

General Education Executive Committee

Learn more about the committee that reviews and approves new general education courses and topics, including information about their committee charge, roster, committee minutes, meeting times and contact information.

General Education Executive Committee

First Semester Experience

The First Semester Experience is about making connections, exploring career options and understanding what it means to be a UMKC Roo.

RoosRead

RoosRead, part of the First Semester Experience, is an intercampus initiative that encourages students to read a recommended title that showcases a distinctive voice, perspective, or theme and engage in discussions intended to generate action toward change.

Learn more about RoosRead