Why was UWSP’s General Education Program changed to “Core General Education Requirements”?
In the summer of 2025, the Wisconsin legislature passed Act 15, which requires all General Education courses in the UWs to transfer across all institutions. UW System and leadership from every campus developed a shared general education curriculum to ensure that all credits and categories transfer across every University of Wisconsin university. These new requirements were titled, the “Core General Education Requirements.”
When will the new requirements go into effect?
Every student who matriculates to UWSP in Fall 2026 will complete the CGER as part of their university requirements. Students who enrolled at UWSP prior to Fall 2026 will follow the General Education Program requirements from your catalog year.
I’m a current student who needs to complete courses in the General Education Program. Can I switch to CGER?
Yes. To switch to the Core General Education Requirements, speak to your advisor to confirm that this is the right decision for your graduation plan. After Fall 2026 begins, your adviser will be able to complete the CGER Transition eform to change your Undergraduate Degree-Seeking Catalog to the Fall 2026 term and substitute your previously taken General Education Program (GEP) courses into the Core General Education Requirements (CGER).
Is there double-dipping in the CGER?
No. Each course in the CGER can only count toward one general education requirement.
How can I determine which courses count in the new categories?
Every course in UWSP’s current catalog and in the Schedule of Classes will indicate if it fulfills a requirement in the associate’s degree, in the General Education Program, and in the Core General Education Requirements. The codes for each category are:
Core General Education Requirement Codes
| Code | Category |
|---|---|
| CL-CT | Critical Thinking |
| CL-WC | Written Communication |
| CP-CP | Civics and Perspectives |
| HA-A | Arts |
| HA-H | Humanities |
| MQR-MQR | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning |
| NSW-W | Wellness |
| NSWL-NS | Natural Science |
| SBS-HP | Historical Perspectives |
| SBS-S | Social Sciences |
How will the placement process work for English composition and for Math and Quantitative Reasoning?
For detailed information about placement exams, consult the Core General Education Requirements section in the Fall 2026 catalog.
I took Core General Education Requirement courses as a dual enrollment student in high school. How do those credits apply to my UWSP CGER requirements?
For dual enrollment students, satisfaction of Core General Education Requirement categories is based upon the Core General Education Requirement model of the home UW university where you are a matriculated, degree-seeking student. Courses will be applied to the UWSP CGER category.
I am a UWSP degree-seeking student and want to take a CGER course at another UW institution closer to home over the summer. How do those credits apply to my UWSP CGER requirements?
UWSP degree seeking students who take a CGER course at another UW institution will have those credits evaluated towards applicability to Core General Education Requirements based on the UWSP CGER model.
I am transferring to another UW institution and have completed the Core General Education Requirements at UWSP. What will I need to complete at my next UW institution?
A student who completes all Core General Education Requirements at UWSP will be deemed to have also completed all the Core General Education Requirements by the receiving transfer UW institution.
I am transferring to another UW institution and have completed some, but not all, categories of the UWSP CGER. What will I need to complete at my next UW institution?
- A student who transfers having fully completed a Core General Education Requirement Category at UWSP shall be considered to have completed that category at the receiving transfer UW institution, regardless of any subcategory requirements.
- A student who transfers with incomplete CGER category requirements will have to finish those categories based on the receiving UW university category rules.
- A student who transfers with a partially completed CGER category shall have all applicable completed coursework and credits applied toward the corresponding CGER category at the receiving UW university. The student only completes the remaining category requirements at the receiving UW university.