Clarification on Repeatable-for-Credit Courses
Each repeatable-for-credit course may only fulfill one Ways requirement, even if taken more than once or certified for multiple Ways categories.
See more common questions from students below.
Common Questions Asked by Students
The Ways program does not have a process whereby students can petition a course to be reviewed for Ways certification. It is not mandatory to have all courses certified for Ways, so it is an “opt-in” program. Instructors and departments decide whether they want to submit a course for Ways and they sometimes choose not to certify a course for Ways for various reasons.
If you took the course in a prior year when the course was not Ways-certified, then you cannot earn Ways credit. The effective date for any Ways certification is fall quarter of the current academic year, so courses taken in a previous year cannot retroactively count for Ways.
On the My Academic Path (MAP) landing page, open the micro-learning video How to Move a Class for guidance for changing a course to fulfill a Way requirement. If you still have problem or question, please submit a MAP help ticket.
Ways courses must be taken for a letter grade except when a letter grade option is not offered and only Satisfactory/No Credit is offered. Courses offered as “Letter Grade or Credit/No Credit” must be taken for a letter grade to earn Ways credit. If a course is only offered as Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC), then you can earn Ways credit for the course. Prior to autumn 2022, only CE courses could fulfill a Way on an exception basis.
Yes, Ways courses must be a minimum of 3 units except for CE, which is a 2-unit requirement. When a course is offered for variable units (e.g., 2-5 units) and is certified for Ways, you must take it for a minimum of 3 units to earn Ways credit, and also a letter grade. Please see the Ways About page for more details on the various methods to fulfill the CE requirement.
Log into your My Academic Path account. Click on “Create New Audit” on the top right toolbar. Click the “+” icon for “General Education”.
No, any course offered for variable units must be taken for a minimum of 3 units (except CE) to earn Ways credit, and taken for a letter grade.
No. Each repeatable-for-credit course can only be used to fulfill one Ways requirement, even if you take the course multiple times or it is certified for more than one Ways category.
You cannot take a UG cross-listed course and have it count for an additional Way, either same Way type (e.g., two AII) or for a second Way in a dual-certified course (e.g., AII and ED). GR cross listed courses are not eligible for Ways certification.
No, frosh year is a time to explore new experiences and courses although many courses may be Ways-certified. Most COLLEGE courses, many Introductory Seminar courses, and some courses in your major are Ways-certified. You may want to start mapping out your Ways course-taking during winter or spring of your sophomore year.
Yes, many courses can count for both Ways and other general education requirements. Check out the About page for more details on what courses may double count, such as COLLEGE. Some courses in your major may also count for Ways.