ASU General Studies Gold

General Studies Gold is the name of ASU’s general studies curriculum, which specifies the requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2024-2025 and forward. Current students with a catalog year of 2023-2024 or earlier will not be required to make any changes. Their existing General Studies requirements (General Studies Maroon), major map and degree audit requirements (DARS) will be unchanged. 

The General Studies Gold program has been designed to engage students in modern scholarship by introducing some of the most significant questions of the 21st Century and the methods scholars use to address questions and explore possibilities. The General Studies Gold curriculum is interdisciplinary and flexible, allowing students to select the courses most relevant to them while also developing their abilities to analyze problems and create solutions.

 No. General studies requirements are determined by a student’s catalog year. Students can locate their catalog year in the My Programs box in My ASU

The General Studies Gold program draws inspiration from ASU’s charter and design aspirations to create a program uniquely representative of ASU. The goals of the General Studies Gold program include:  

• Engaging students in modern scholarship addressing a variety of issues relevant to engaged citizens
• Providing a flexible curriculum within which students make choices based on what is most interesting and relevant to them
• Developing students' abilities to analyze problems and create solutions using multiple perspectives and methodologies
• Supporting inclusive student success

The General Studies Gold program includes nine categories: Humanities, Arts and Design (HUAD); Social and Behavioral Sciences (SOBE); Scientific Thinking in Natural Sciences (SCIT); Mathematics (MATH); Quantitative Reasoning (QTRS); American Institutions (AMIT); Global Communities, Societies and Individuals (GCSI); Governance and Civic Engagement (CIVI); and Sustainability (SUST). More information about the General Studies Gold categories can be found in the Academic Catalog.

If a student stays in their current catalog year, nothing changes about their general studies requirements or how courses already completed meet those requirements.

No. A student’s support team at ASU knows the student’s catalog year and which General Studies requirements they must fulfill.

  Classes with general studies designations are identified in the schedule of classes (Class Search).

Starting with the fall 2024 schedule of classes, look for the tags displayed on the far right under the header “General Studies.”

Students can also search directly for courses that fulfill general studies requirements by using one of the dropdown menus (General Studies Gold; General Studies Maroon) under the Advanced Search feature.

Yes, courses with General Studies Maroon designations will continue to be offered. Students can find courses with General Studies Maroon designations in the schedule of classes (Class Search). Students can also search directly for courses that fulfill general studies requirements by using one of the dropdown menus (General Studies Gold; General Studies Maroon) under the Advanced Search feature in the schedule of classes.

In most cases, a student’s catalog year refers to the academic year a student first started attending ASU as a degree-seeking student. Students can view their catalog year in My ASU in their My Programs Box and on their My Major Map. Catalog year is important because students follow the curriculum requirements that were in effect at that time, including the General Studies requirements (General Studies Gold or General Studies Maroon). For example, if a student starts attending ASU in summer or fall 2024, their catalog year is 2024-2025, and they would follow the General Studies Gold requirements. If a student started attending ASU in spring 2024 or before, they would follow the General Studies Maroon requirements.

More information about how catalog year is determined can be found here.

Students can view their catalog year in My ASU in their My Programs Box and on their My Major Map.

No. Students with concurrent degrees are only responsible for one general studies program. Students with concurrent degrees requiring different general studies programs should work with their advisor to determine the appropriate program (Maroon or Gold) for their situation.

No. General Studies requirements only apply to majors (degrees).

Yes, the major map for a given catalog year includes the general studies requirements, either General Studies Gold or General Studies Maroon. Requirements are marked next to the relevant course on the major map. For example, a Humanities, Arts and Design course is marked “HUAD” for General Studies Gold or “HU” for General Studies Maroon. Courses on 2024-2025 major maps display all general studies requirements they can fulfill in both General Studies Gold and General Studies Maroon.

During this transition period, courses may carry both General Studies Maroon and General Studies Gold designations. As such, courses appear on the major map with designations for both general studies systems where applicable. Students only need to complete requirements for either General Studies Gold or General Studies Maroon, as determined by the catalog year.  Students can find their catalog year in the My Programs box in My ASU.

As with all students, transfer students follow the catalog year aligned with when they start attending ASU as a degree-seeking student. Admitted students can view their catalog year in My ASU in their My Programs Box and on their My Major Map.  Some transfer students may be eligible for an earlier catalog based on the Guidelines to Determine Catalog Year. Students eligible for an earlier catalog year should contact their academic advisor to discuss what is best for their unique situation.

 Yes, the Transfer Guide (TG) has been updated to reflect both General Studies Gold and General Studies Maroon. Similar to the schedule of classes, look for the tags displayed under the General Studies heading for each transfer course and ASU equivalent course pair. As of April 2024, transfer courses that are directly articulated to ASU courses with General Studies Gold designations are updated in the TG. Transfer courses articulated to elective credit at ASU, but also given general studies designations, may be updated to reflect General Studies Gold as those articulations are determined.

Yes. Completion of general studies and composition requirements, as documented on an official transcript from regionally accredited institutions of higher education within the United States will fulfill ASU's General Studies Gold and first-year composition requirements. Certification of completed general studies includes completion of a general education package recognized by ASU (such as an Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)), an associate of arts degree, a bachelor's degree or comparable.

Current ASU students can speak with their academic advisor for more information. For questions prior to admission, contact a transfer admissions specialist.

During this transition period, ASU courses may carry both General Studies Maroon and General Studies Gold designations. If a transfer course was previously articulated to an ASU course with a General Studies Maroon designation and that ASU course also carries a General Studies Gold designation, the transfer course may meet requirements for both systems.