The General Education Curriculum

All students must successfully complete the General Education Curriculum as a requirement for graduation. The General Education Curriculum (GEC) is intended to ensure that students will receive breadth, as well as depth, in their education while continuing to allow them considerable latitude in designing their individual programs of study. Included also are requirements for writing and for cultural diversity.

The GEC consists of three main requirements:

1. First-Year Studies (including the Writing Requirement) 
2. GEC Breadth Requirement (Academic Divisions and Cultural Diversity)
3. Senior Studies 

First-Year Studies

The General Education Curriculum begins with the College’s First-Year Studies Program, which was established to create a special, intellectually engaging atmosphere of close interaction between first-year students and their professors.  First-Year Studies instructors also serve as the academic advisors for the students in their First-Year Studies (FiYS) course.  These courses have as their principal aim the development of basic skills in writing, critical reading, analysis, oral communication, and basic mathematics. The FiYS course is required of all students entering the College with fewer than four credits and does not meet any GEC breadth or cultural diversity requirement.  It does satisfy the First-Year Writing requirement.

First-Year Writing

Recognizing the importance of good communication skills, the College is committed to teaching writing throughout the curriculum.

One course (other than College Writing 100) that includes a substantial amount of writing, must be taken during the first year. This writing-intensive course is required of all students entering the College with fewer than seven credits. First-Year Studies courses satisfy this requirement. Additional courses that fulfill the requirement are determined by the College’s Curricular Policies Committee in conjunction with the director of writing programs.  

Breadth: Academic Divisions

At a minimum, students must complete two credits from each of the three liberal arts areas: humanities, social sciences, and natural and mathematical sciences. Most courses in the departments listed count toward these requirements. 

Each of these six credits must come from a different department.

These credits must be completed by the end of the junior year.

Of the four credits in humanities and social sciences, two must be cultural diversity courses.

Breadth: Cultural Diversity

At least two courses from an approved list, must be taken by the end of the junior year; the two cultural diversity courses must come from different departments. (Please note: Only one course may be counted in Modern Languages and Literatures, and First-Year Studies courses do not fulfill this requirement.)

Courses that fulfill the Cultural Diversity requirement are marked on each academic year’s course schedule.

Successful completion of approved study-abroad programs will meet the GEC Breadth: Cultural Diversity Requirements. Approved study-abroad courses that count in Lake Forest College academic divisions (as transfer credit or as Lake Forest College Credit) will also count toward the GEC Breadth: Academic Divisions Requirements.

Senior Studies

A senior studies course, also known as a senior “capstone,” is a culminating experience in the student’s major. The course emphasizes writing and speaking and encourages integration of the methods and content explored in the major. Students must fulfill this requirement, for which courses are specially designated within their major department.

Senior theses, research projects, and creative projects may also be used to fulfill the senior studies requirement, if so designated in the major requirements, or with permission of the department chairperson.

Students who have more than one major must satisfy the senior studies requirement in each of their majors. Students may complete two separate senior studies courses or choose from one of the following options: (1) an interdisciplinary two-credit senior thesis that is satisfactory to both departments (the student taking this option should register for one credit in each department) or (2) any two-credit combination of a senior seminar, senior thesis, research project, and/or creative project, with at least one credit in each department.

Seniors who do not pass the senior studies requirement(s) may not graduate.

Juniors may enroll in a senior studies course and fulfill the requirement with the permission of the instructor. This requirement may be not be completed during the freshman or sophomore year.