Regent Policy Document 4-23

Core General Education Requirements

SCOPE

This policy defines Core General Education Requirements for the Universities of Wisconsin and describes how Core General Education Requirements transfer and apply to degree requirements for students who transfer between different UW universities. Universities of Wisconsin Core General Education Requirements apply to both associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs offered by UW universities. This policy is effective for students enrolling in undergraduate courses at a UW university in fall 2026 or later who subsequently transfer to a different UW university. Students who enrolled in a UW university prior to fall 2026 or transfer between UW universities in fall 2026 may choose to follow these Core General Education Requirements.  This policy includes all undergraduate credit applied to fulfill Core General Education requirements regardless of how that credit was earned.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to define the Core General Education Requirements for the Universities of Wisconsin and describe how Core General Education Requirement credits will transfer and apply to degree requirements for students who transfer between UW universities as outlined in Wisconsin Statutes (Wis. Stat. 36.11(3)(b)). This policy also charges the Universities of Wisconsin Administration with developing new policy and revising existing UW System Administrative policies to operationalize the transfer of Core General Education Requirements between UW universities as required in Wisconsin Statutes (Wis. Stat. 36.11(3)(b)).

POLICY STATEMENT

The UW System Board of Regents establishes that Core General Education Requirements as referred to in Wis. Stat. 36.11(3)(b), 36.31 (2m)(a)2, and 36.31(2m)(d) comprise undergraduate courses in six broad categories totaling for a minimum of 10 courses and 30-36 credit hours that impart foundational knowledge and skills.

The following rules govern the transfer and applicability of Core General Education Requirement credit between UW universities for all students enrolled in undergraduate courses:

  1. A student who completes all Core General Education Requirements at a sending UW university will be deemed to also have completed all the Core General Education Requirements by the receiving UW university.
  2. A student who completes a Core General Education Requirement category at a sending UW university will be deemed to also have completed the Core General Education Requirement category at the receiving UW university.
  3. A student who transfers from a sending UW university who will fulfill all Core General Education Requirement categories with less than the minimum required 10 courses or minimum of 30 credit hours, can fulfill the course and/or credit hour requirement by selecting courses at the receiving UW university that fulfill any Core General Education Requirement category.
  4. Once a sending UW university has awarded and applied credit(s) toward completion of a Core General Education Requirement category the receiving UW university must also accept that Core General Education Requirement category applicability regardless of how the receiving UW university would evaluate and apply that credit. The receiving UW university will evaluate all transfer credit to determine course equivalencies, and the applicability of that credit toward other degree requirements, but it may not rescind the Core General Education Requirement category from a sending UW university.
  5. A student who transfers from a sending UW university with incomplete Core General Education Requirement categories will have to finish those Core General Education Requirement categories based on the receiving UW university category rules.

OVERSIGHT, ROLES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Board delegates to UW System the authority to develop policies to further define and implement this policy. As such, the Universities of Wisconsin Division of Academic and Student Affairs shall establish and provide ongoing oversight of UW System Administrative policy and procedures related to the establishment of the Core General Education Requirements and ensuring their transferability between UW universities.

Each UW university is responsible for updating and maintaining systems involved in transfer credit evaluation and degree completion (e.g., student information system, degree audit system, transfer credit equivalency system). Each UW university is responsible for ensuring and demonstrating compliance with this policy and related system policies and for maintaining a list of courses that comprise Core General Education Requirements for their university.

The Universities of Wisconsin Division of Academic and Student Affairs will monitor compliance with this policy as well as associated system policies.

RELATED REGENT POLICY DOCUMENTS AND APPLICABLE LAWS

  • Regent Policy Document 7-1 “Undergraduate Transfer Credit and Award of Credit for Extra-Institutional Learning”
  • Section 36.09 (2), Wis. Stats.
  • Section 36.11 (3)(b), Wis. Stats.
  • Section 36.31 (2m)(a)2, Wis. Stats.
  • Section 36.31 (2m)d, Wis. Stats.

 

History: Res. 12408, adopted 11/19/2025, created Regent Policy Document 4-23.