Pathways to General Education
Per State Policy on Transfer, students who take their entire course work toward the baccalaureate degree by enrolling in transfer programs at a Virginia Community College or Richard Bland College, and who graduate with associate degrees based upon a baccalaureate-oriented sequence of courses, and who are offered admission to Virginia Tech, will be granted junior level status upon admission. Additionally, these students will have fulfilled the requirements of the University Pathways to General Education; however, it may take such students longer than two years to complete the baccalaureate degree because of major prerequisites and other circumstances or requirements. (State Policy on Transfer, Section II)
The Pathways to General Education is a vibrant, flexible, and innovative general education program, that provides a coherent and meaningful learning experience and allows students to integrate the learning for use throughout their lifetimes.
Some courses must be taken in sequence to fulfill the Pathways Concept requirement. Refer to your major’s checksheet to determine which courses are required for a Concept.
Pathways Curriculum requires a total of 45 credits to fulfill the 7 core concepts and both integrative concepts. Students might pursue a minor or an alternative Pathway as means of completing a portion of the requirements.
| Pathways Concepts | |
| Concept 1f and 1a: | Foundational Discourse & Advanced/Applied Discourse 9 credit hours |
| Concept 2: | Critical Thinking in the Humanities 6 credit hours |
| Concept 3: | Reasoning in the Social Sciences 6 credit hours |
| Concept 4: | Reasoning in the Natural Sciences 6 credit hours |
| Concept 5f and 5a: | Foundational Quantitative and Computational Thinking & Advanced/Applied Quantitative and Computational Thinking 9 credit hours |
| Concept 6a and 6d: | Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts 6 credit hours |
| Concept 7: | Critical Analysis of Equity and Identity in the United States 3 credit hours (may be double-counted with another core concept) |
| Concept 10: | Ethical Reasoning Throughout |
| Concept 11: | Intercultural and Global Awareness Throughout |
It is advisable to view checksheets/program curriculum (list of courses required to complete degrees) of your intended major at Virginia Tech. This will help you determine which Areas you may choose and which are prescribed by your selected College or major.
Students who have earned an associate degree at a Virginia Community College or through Richard Bland College will have fulfilled requirements toward Pathways.