Definition

"General education" requirements - the courses outside your major that supposedly create well-rounded graduates but mostly create resentment. Engineering majors taking art history, arts majors taking math, everyone unhappy.

Example Usage

I need one more gen ed credit in natural sciences, so I'm taking Rocks for Jocks to fulfill the requirement.

Origin

Educational philosophy from early 20th century liberal arts tradition

Fun Fact

Studies show students retain almost nothing from gen ed courses taken purely for requirements, yet institutions cling to them as evidence of broad education

Source: Undergraduate curriculum terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

indirect assessment

Measuring learning outcomes through proxy evidence like surveys and self-reports rather than direct demonstrations of skill, because sometimes you need to ask students if they learned something rather than actually testing if they did. The educational equivalent of asking people if they're healthy instead of running blood tests.

🎓 Education / Academia
Intermediate

legacy

In higher education, a polite term for institutional nepotism where being related to an alumnus gives applicants a significant admissions advantage. Universities defend this practice by claiming it builds "tradition" and "community," which coincidentally also builds endowment funds when grateful legacy parents write large checks. It's the academic version of a VIP list, where your last name matters as much as your test scores.

🎓 Education / Academia
Intermediate

contact hours

The actual time students spend in direct instructional contact with faculty, as opposed to all the other learning they're supposedly doing independently. It's how we justify claiming a 3-credit course represents 9-12 hours of weekly work.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

pianist

Someone who plays the piano, with a pronunciation (pee-AN-ist) that requires careful enunciation to avoid unfortunate anatomical misunderstandings. A constant reminder that classical music terminology is one mispronounced syllable away from disaster.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

program learning outcomes

The overarching competencies students should demonstrate upon completing an entire degree program, distinguishing them from mere course-level outcomes. The grand promises institutions make to accreditors about what graduates can do.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

teaching load

The number of courses a faculty member teaches, which is inversely proportional to both research expectations and job satisfaction. Also a perfect literal description of how it feels.

🎓 Education / Academia

Translate This Term

See “gen ed” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on XShare on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

breakthrough infection

When you get sick despite being vaccinated, proving that vaccines aren't magical force fields but rather significant ris...