Summer Fast Pass to Completing Your GE Requirements
Check Off Those GEs on
Your Graduation
To Do List This Summer
Do you want to use your summer to get ahead on the road to graduation, but aren’t quite sure where to start? If progress on your major or minor isn’t your priority, start thinking about GEs! General Education requirements (GEs) need to be fulfilled by every undergraduate student, no matter your major, and summer is the perfect time to concentrate on knocking out multiple courses from one category or mixing and matching categories.
Why take GEs in the summer?
- Make room for your major in the academic year. By focusing your schedule on major requirements you will streamline your enrollment stress and give yourself more time to focus on your main area of study.
- Expand your curiosity. With over 100 GE courses available in the summer, covering diverse topics from aliens and ghosts to anime, you may find a new academic interest you’ll want to turn into a major or minor.
- Stay flexible. With online course options in every GE category, you don’t need to stay in town to get ahead on your GEs. Check off requirements wherever you land this summer.
Foundations of the Arts and Humanities
Depending on your College, you’ll need to complete between 10 – 25 units in this Foundation
There are plenty of courses being offered in summer that satisfy the Literacy and Cultural Analysis GE*. Two examples are highlighted below, and our GE quiz can help you find even more personalized recommendations.
Chicana/o and Central American Studies 10A: Introduction to Chicana/o Studies: History and Culture (5 units) is a course that be applied to all three categories of the Foundations of Arts and Humanities GE. Offered online in both Session A and Session C. A recent Bruinwalk reviewer of CCAS 10A says that they “would 11/10 take again“.
Film and Television 4: Introduction to Art and Technique of Filmmaking (5 units) will satisfy either the Literary and Cultural Analysis or Visual and Performing Arts Analysis and Practices categories. This course is offered in both Session A and Session C and can be taken online or in-person. Recent Bruinwalk reviews call FILM TV 4 “super fun” and “an excellent and engaging class“.
*Most Colleges require one to two courses to fulfill the Literacy and Cultural Analysis category of the Arts and Humanities foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
Summer courses in Sessions A and C are being offered in-person and online this summer that will fulfill the Philosophic and Linguistic Analysis GE*. Explore the two options below or take our GE quiz to see more personalized results!
Linguistics 1: Introduction to Study of Language (5 units) is a popular course with nearly 2,000 enrollments every year and is offered online in Session A and Session C this summer. This course will satisfy the Philosophic and Linguistic Analysis GE. Fellow Bruins on Bruinwalk have recently said that LING 1 has “been one of my favorite classes at UCLA so far” and is “overall super interesting“.
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 60: Biomedical Ethics (5 units) satisfies that Philosophic and Linguistic Analysis GE category and is offered online in Session A. Recent Bruinwalk reviews say that MCD BIO 60 “is a really interesting GE to take” and “ended up being my favorite class of the quarter“.
*Most Colleges require one to two courses to fulfill the Philosophic and Linguistic Analysis category of the Arts and Humanities foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
There are nearly 20 summer courses being offered that will satisfy the Visual and Performance Arts Analysis and Practice GE* with online and in-person options. Two example courses are listed below, or, take our GE quiz for more personalized recommendations.
Theater 10: Introduction to Theater (5 units) sees nearly 500 enrollments during the summer and is offered online in Session A and Session C. This course will count for either the Visual and Performance Arts Analysis and Practice or the Literacy and Cultural Analysis GE. Recent reviews on Bruinwalk says that THEATER 10 is “maybe the best GE at UCLA” and that “all the material is super interesting“.
Musicology 5: History of Rock and Roll (5 units) can apply to the Visual and Performance Arts Analysis and Practice GE and is offered online in Session A. Fellow Bruins on Bruinwalk have recently said of MUSCLG 5: “if you’re looking for a visual and performance arts GE this class is perfect” and “I found this class genuinely interesting“.
*Most Colleges require one to two courses to fulfill the Visual and Performance Arts Analysis and Practice category of the Arts and Humanities foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
Foundations of Society and Culture
Depending on your College, you’ll need to complete between 10 – 15 units in this Foundation
Over 20 courses are offered this summer that can fulfill the Historical Analysis GE* in Session A and Session C. Explore two options below, or take our GE quiz for more personalized recommendations.
History 5: Holocaust and Memory (5 units) is offered online in Session A. This course can count for the Historical Analysis or Social Analysis GE as well as the diversity requirement for the College of Letters and Science, Music, Public Affairs, Education and Information Studies, Public Health, and Theater, Film, and Television. Fellow Bruins have recently shared on Bruinwalk that they “heavily recommend taking this class” and that HIST 5 “is one of the best classes I’ve taken at UCLA“.
Spanish 44: Latin American Cultures (5 units) is offered in-person during Session C. This course counts for the Historical Analysis GE and the diversity requirement for the School of the Arts and Architecture, College of Letters and Science, Music, Public Affairs, Education and Information Studies, Public Health, and Theater, Film, and Television. About SPAN 44, recent Bruinwalk reviews say “I learned a lot from this course and found it really interesting” and “I would recommend this course to everyone“.
*Most Colleges require one course to fulfill the Historical Analysis and Practice category of the Society and Culture foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
There are nearly 40 courses being offered this summer that can satisfy the Social Analysis GE*, in Sessions A and C. Check out two examples below, or take our GE quiz for more personalized recommendations!
Gender 10: Introduction to Gender Studies (5 units) is offered online in Session A. This course can count for the Social Analysis GE and the diversity requirement for the School of the Arts and Architecture, College of Letters and Science, Music, Public Affairs, Education and Information Studies, Public Health, and Theater, Film, and Television. Recent Bruinwalk reviews say that GENDER 10 “ended up being my favorite [class] of the fall and helped me with different perspectives in other courses” and “I would definitely recommend it to anyone taking it for a GE“.
Classics 30: Classical Mythology (5 units) is offered online in Session C and will count for the Social Analysis GE. Fellow Bruins have recently said of CLASSIC 30: “I will miss this class’s lectures and sections. If you can, take it!” and “I really enjoyed [this] class and the lectures were always very interesting“.
Chinese 40: Popular Culture in Modern Chinese Societies (5 units) is offered in person during Session 6A. This course will count for the Social Analysis GE and explores modern Chinese pop culture and how it has developed across different platforms throughout the years.
*Most Colleges require one course to fulfill the Social Analysis category of the Society and Culture foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
Foundations of Scientific Inquiry
Depending on your College, you’ll need to complete between 4 – 17 units in this Foundation
There are plenty of courses offered during summer to fulfill the Life Sciences GE*, with and without lab requirements. Explore two of our suggestions below, or take our GE quiz for more personalized recommendations!
Geography 5: People and the Earth’s Ecosystems (5 units) offers maximum flexibility with an online format, offerings in both Session A and Session C, and can count for either Life Science or Physical Science GE laboratory credit. Recent Bruinwalk reviewers share that GEOG 5 is “one of the best classes I have taken at UCLA” and is “literally a breath of fresh air”.
Physiological Sciences 5: Issues in Human Physiology: Diet and Exercise (5 units) will count for Life Science GE with laboratory credit and is offered online in Session A. Recent Bruinwalk reviewers of PHY SCI 5 say the course “offers lessons that go far beyond the classroom” and “overall, this was the best GE I have ever taken“.
*Most Colleges require one to two courses to fulfill the Life Sciences category of the Scientific Inquiry foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.
Nearly 20 summer courses are being offered that will satisfy the Physical Science GE*, both with and without the laboratory requirement. Unsure where to start? Take a look at two Physical Science GE examples below or take our GE quiz for personalized recommendations.
Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences 1: Introduction to Earth Science (5 units) counts for the Physical Science GE with laboratory credit and is offered in-person in Session A and Session C. Recent Bruinwalk reviewers of EPS SCI 1 share that “if I could go back, I’d take [the course] again and again” and “lectures are engaging and informative“.
Astronomy 5: Life in Universe (4 units) can count for either a Physical Science or a Life Science requirement and is offered online in both Session A and Session C. Fellow Bruins have recently shared in Bruinwalk that “no matter if you are interested in astronomy or not, you will love this class” and that ASTR 5 is “the best GE ever taken“.
*Most Colleges require one to two courses to fulfill the Physical Sciences category of the Scientific Inquiry foundation. Make sure to check your DARS or the Registrar’s Office to confirm your College’s requirements.