General Education (GE) courses introduce fundamental ideas in arts, humanities, social sciences, and science and challenge students to assess information critically; frame and deliver reasoned and persuasive arguments orally and in writing; and identify, acquire, and use the knowledge necessary to solve problems.
GEs are grouped into three foundational areas:
Arts and Humanities, Society and Culture, and Scientific Inquiry, with subcategories in each group.
*Courses listed in more than one category can fulfill GE requirements in only one of the cross-listed categories.
Click the chart below for a complete understanding of the engineering GE requirements, which are described in full in the announcement under Requirements for the BS (Scroll to General Education)
All Engineering students are also required to complete Writing I, Engineering Writing/Writing II, and Ethics before they graduate.
Writing I
Writing I is satisfied by taking English Composition 3, 3D, 3DS, 3E, or 3SL or an equivalent with a minimum grade of C. This is recommended to be completed no later than the second year of enrollment at UCLA.
Engineering Writing/Writing II
Engineering Writing/Writing II may be satisfied by completing UCLA courses with a “EW” or “W” designation with a minimum “C” or better grade.
Students who have not completed the ethics requirement may be able to take an ethics course with EW/W designation to satisfy both ethics and engineering writing/writing II. Please review the ethics requirement tab for details about suitable courses based on you having completed Engineering Writing or Writing II.
Engineering Ethics
The ethics and professionalism requirement is satisfied by completing one course from Engineering 182EW, 183EW, 184, 185EW, 186, 186W, or 188EW.
Civil Engineers can alternatively satisfy this requirement by taking C&EE 109EW (Ethics in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering majors can alternatively satisfy this requirement by taking Engineering 2 (Technology and Society).
Courses with a W or EW suffix may be applied toward the Engineering Writing/Writing II requirement with a C or better grade (a C- or Passed grade is not acceptable).
Students can take a look at recommended ethics courses by reviewing the overview on satisfying ethics and writing.