What is General Education?
General education is a series of courses that provides a shared knowledge base among your fellow students. Your General Education courses are not taught in isolation; they take into account the majors at ODU by serving as a starting point and providing breadth of knowledge.
While your major courses give you knowledge and specific expertise, the skills you learn from your general education courses make that knowledge and expertise usable and transferable. General education courses are designed to expose you to critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to recognize patterns, analyze, and craft arguments. These skills are then refined and applied within your major courses. It’s easy to ask whether a general class “applies” to your major, but the real takeaway is often the skills you’re building. You use these skills in a broad range of contexts, which ultimately supports your more specific knowledge base.
Depending on the advice from your advisor, required prerequisites, and the curriculum plan for your major, you may not have to take all your general education courses in the first two years. However, it is strongly encouraged to prioritize Skills and Ways of Knowing courses early in your time at ODU.
Be strategic. If you are undecided, consider how your general education courses can help you explore different fields of study. If you are in a specific major, think about how you can pair or complement your general education and major courses, such as taking a philosophy course alongside, or before, a Business Ethics course, for example. When planned intentionally, your general education courses build a foundation, bolster, or maximize the skills and knowledge you will build during your time at ODU.
Academic Advising
All degree-seeking undergraduate students should meet with their academic advisor at least once per semester to stay on track with their academic plan.
