General Education

General Education (or Gen Ed) courses are intended to broaden your knowledge beyond what you are studying in your chosen major, and serve as the core of your educational experience at URI.

Whatever major you choose, you’ll be required to take 40 credits of Gen Ed courses, with the following basic guidelines:

  • Each of URI’s 12 core learning outcomes (A1-D1) must be met by at least 3 credits
  • A single course may meet more than one outcome, but cannot be double counted towards the 40 credit total
  • At least one course must be a Grand Challenge course
  • No more than 12 credits can have the same course code
    * Note- Honors Program (HPR) courses may have more than 12 credits
  • Gen Ed courses may also be used to meet requirements of the major or minor when appropriate

Use this Gen Ed Worksheet to track your progress toward fulfilling the requirements.

For more information about General Education at URI:

official gen ed website