General Education Requirements

The General Education Program (GEP) at United Arab Emirates University is an undergraduate curricular component shared by students of all colleges. It provides a common learning environment that is essential in unifying the students’ learning experiences through a coherent general education model that broadens their intellectual horizons and stimulates their intellectual growth. The Program is structured into three thematic clusters with each cluster addressing a specific portion of the University’s overall general education learning outcomes. Cluster (1) Skills for the Future (15 credit hours); Cluster (2) The Human Community (12 credit hours); and Cluster (3) The Natural World (6 credit hours). For details of the general education courses in specific undergraduate program, refer to this link (https://www.uaeu.ac.ae/en/catalog/undergraduate/programs/)

Program Objectives

• provide students with core knowledge, values, attitudes and skills that will help them succeed in their studies, lives and careers.
• enhance students’ capacity for teamwork and leadership that will help them successfully guide the economic, social and cultural development of the UAE.
• graduate students who know and value their religion and culture, and who are responsible citizens, while at the same time understand, appreciate and effectively participate in the multicultural diversity of the modern world.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
• communicate effectively in oral and written English.
• explain the architecture and infrastructure of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
• employ quantitative reasoning skills.
• think critically and creatively.
• demonstrate innovative and entrepreneurial skills.
• explain the core concepts of sustainable management from local to regional to global viewpoints.
• demonstrate a sense of responsibility as UAE citizens.
• demonstrate appreciation of Arabic culture and Islamic values.

Learning Outcomes of the General Education Program Areas (ALOs)

This section outlines the Area Learning Outcomes (ALOs) related to each of the areas listed under the three clusters that constitute the General Education Program.

Cluster One (Skills for the Future) ALOs

After completing Cluster One, students will be able to:

Area 1: Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• articulate the difference between design thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and possess a shared vocabulary for the process elements of each;
• differentiate between an idea and a viable opportunity;
• connect design thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurship to their own career development and paths.

Area 2: English Communication

• apply the academic writing process at an intermediate level benchmarked at international standards of the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) B1-B2 and IELTS 5.5 and above;
• organize and develop a response to a thesis statement and its arguments;
• incorporate and document appropriate literature according to APA Style Sixth Edition referencing conventions.

Area 3: Fourth Industrial Revolution

• identify, analyze and evaluate different technological trends and artifacts;
• evaluate the impact of novel and innovative technologies on individuals, organizations and society;
• develop lifelong technological-understanding and personal skills.

Area 4: Critical Thinking

• identify, analyze and evaluate various kinds of arguments, reasoning, evidence and assumptions;
• evaluate claims in terms of clarity, credibility, reliability, and accuracy;
• apply appropriate critical thinking skills in diverse scenarios.

Area 5: Quantitative Reasoning

• analyze problems using mathematical or statistical concepts, formulas and tools;
• apply quantitative skills in problem-solving scenarios.

Cluster Two (The Human Community) ALOs

After completing Cluster Two, students will be able to:

Area 1: Humanities and Fine Arts

• identify and explain key concepts and issues in History, Philosophy, Communications, Language, Literature or Religion;
• use associated key concepts and issues to reflect meaningfully on the human experience.

Area 2: Social and Behavioral Sciences

• use theories and paradigms to understand social phenomena;
• use numerical, symbolic, graphical or other methods to analyze social phenomena;
• describe methods of social scientific inquiry.

Area 3: Emirates Society

• demonstrate appreciation for Arabic culture in general, and the UAE culture in particular;
• discuss the values of exercising civic responsibility.

Area 4: Islamic Culture

• Identify, describe and explain core ideas and values of Islam;
• Engage in constructive discussions on contemporary Muslim issues, based on a deep understanding of Islam and its philosophy.

Cluster Three (The Natural World) ALOs

After completing Cluster Three, students will be able to:

Area 1: Natural Sciences

• identify theories and models related to natural phenomena;
• use numerical, symbolic, graphical or other methods to analyze natural phenomena;
• identify principles that govern life and methods to study living organisms;
• identify relationships between scientific principles and relevant applications;
• describe methods of scientific inquiry.

Area 2: Sustainability

• describe the basics of sustainability as it relates to the issues, processes and practices;
• recognize the importance of sustainable use of the natural resources globally, regionally and locally;
• translate the understanding of the sustainability challenges into solutions both in writing and verbally.

Degree Requirements

Required Credit Hours : minimum 33 hours

General Education Cluster 1: Skills for the Future (Req. Ch:15)

Cluster 2: The Human Community (Req. Ch:12)

Cluster 3: The Natural World (Req. Ch: 6)