To fulfill a General Education requirement with a transfer course, please note the following:
- The course must be taken for a letter grade with a grade of C- or better (exception: Physical Education requirement if course is only offered pass-fail)
- The course must be at least 3 credits (exception: Physical Education and Oral Communication requirements)
- Internships, independent studies, and developmental courses will not fulfill General Education requirements
- It is your responsibility to understand your General Education requirements.
- If you are unclear on what these requirements are, please consult the General Education web page: http://undergrad.binghamton.edu, your DARS and an advisor.
Below are criteria for fulfilling General Education requirements through transfer courses for Harpur students:
Pluralism
Pluralism in the US: Pluralism in the United States (P) courses consider three or more cultural groups in the United States in terms of their specific experiences and how they have affected and been affected by the basic institutions of American society.
Each course takes substantial account of at least three of the following: African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Latino Americans and Native Americans. Please refer to your DARS report to determine whether you must take a US-history Pluralism course or whether you can fulfill the requirement with any Pluralism course:
A. US History requirement for students whose DARS indicate they need a United States history course.
To fulfill this requirement, students should select a course that meet either of the following two criteria. (Note: these courses will fulfill both the US history deficiency and the 'P' (Pluralism) requirement):
- The course is the Binghamton equivalent of HIST 103 or HIST 104 on course equivalencies table. Do not petition: you will automatically receive HIST 103/104 equivalency and fulfill the requirement.
- The course is a US history course covering a long time span in American history. Suggested courses to petition include any of the following:
- US History I or US History II
- US History from Colonial Period to Civil War/Reconstruction
- US History to 1865/1877
- US History Civil War to Present Day
- US History 1865/1877-Modern Day
B. Pluralism in the US ('P') requirement for students whose DARS indicate they can fulfill requirement by taking any 'P' course.
To fulfill, transfer a course which meets any of the following three criteria:
- The course is designated as a 'P' on course equivalencies table. Do not petition: you will automatically receive a "P" for the course and fulfill the requirement.
- The
course is a US history course covering a long
time span in American history. Suggested courses
to petition include any of the following:
- US History I or US History II
- US History from Colonial Period to Civil War/Reconstruction
- US History to 1865/1877
- US History Civil War to Present Day
- US History 1865/1877-Modern Day
- The course considers three or more cultural groups in the United States in terms of their specific experiences and how they have affected and been affected by the basic institutions of American society. Each pluralism course takes substantial account of at least three of the following: African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Latino Americans and Native Americans. Petition for a course which meets this standard.
Global Interdependencies
Global Interdependencies (G) courses consider how one or more of the regions of the world have influenced and interacted with the West and with one another, and how the West has affected and been affected by these regions and their distinctive cultures or civilizations.
To fulfill this requirement, students should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as a "G" on course equivalencies table do not petition: you will automatically receive a "G" for the course and fulfill the requirement.
- The course corresponds with the Global
Interdependencies definition above. Suggested courses
to petition include
any of the following:
- World /Global Geography
- Introduction to Geography
- World/Global History
- Intro to World/Global/International-Politics/Relations/Affairs
- Intro to Cultural Anthropology
- Intro to Social Anthropology
- Intro to Art History
Laboratory Science
Laboratory Science (L) courses emphasize the formulation and testing of hypotheses and the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. To fulfill this requirement, a student should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is noted as an "L" course on the course equivalencies table do not petition: you will automatically receive an "L" for the course and fulfill the requirement.(note: if course has a corresponding separate lab, both must be completed with a grade of "C-" or better)
- The course
is a science course which corresponds with the
Laboratory Science definition above. Any
course you petition should :
- Be a course from one of the following departments: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Geology, Physics
- Include a minimum of 10 laboratory hours for the semester
Social Science
Social Science (N) courses emphasize the major concepts, models and issues of at least one of the social sciences. To fulfill this requirement, a student should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as an "N" on course equivalencies table. Do not petition: you will automatically receive an "N" for the course and fulfill the requirement.
- The course corresponds with the Social Science definition above. Suggested courses to petition include any course from one of the following departments: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Government, History, Political Science, Social Science, Sociology.
Mathematics Reasoning
Mathematics/Reasoning (M) courses at Binghamton University include any course in the Mathematics Department numbered 130 or above, any of several designated statistics courses (ANTH 200, BIOL 458, CQS 112, ECON 366, or PSYC 243), or any of several designated logic courses (PHIL 121, 122 or 200). An Advanced Placement (AP) score of 3 or better in Calculus or Statistics may be used to satisfy this requirement.
To receive an "M" for a transfer course, a student should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as an "M" on the course equivalencies table. Do not petition: you will automatically receive an "M" for the course.
- Suggested courses to petition include: Calculus, Statistics (Math, Economics, Psychology), Logic/Reasoning
Aesthetics
Aesthetics (A) courses enhance students' understanding of the creative process and the role of imagination in it. Students study or practice artistic expression and production in such fields as art, art history, cinema, creative writing, dance, music and theater.
To fulfill this requirement, a student should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria
- The course is designated as an "A" on course equivalencies table. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course corresponds with the Aesthetics definition given above. Suggested courses to petition include any course from one of the following departments: art, art history, cinema, creative writing, dance, music, theater.
Humanities
Humanities (H) courses enhance students' understanding of human experience through the study of literature or philosophy. To fulfill this requirement, a student should transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as an "H" on the course equivalencies table. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course which corresponds with the Humanities definition given above. Suggested courses to petition include a course from one of the following departments: Comparative Literature, Literature, English (excluding public speaking), Philosophy (excluding courses in reasoning or logic).
Composition
To fulfill the General Education requirement, students must complete one 'C' (or 'J') course. Harpur College students must complete additional writing. Information on transferring classes to fulfill the writing requirements is available here.
Oral Communication
To fulfill, transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as an "O" on course equivalencies table. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course is a course that focuses
on public speaking. Suggested courses to petition
include:
- Introduction to Public Speaking
- Oral Communication
Foreign Language
Foreign Language skills are ensured by requiring that students complete either a third-semester college-level course in one foreign language or a second-semester-level course in each of two foreign languages. This requirement may also be fulfilled in high school by demonstrating a level of proficiency equivalent to passing the corresponding Regents foreign language examination with a score of 85 or higher. Normally this examination is taken after three units of high school language study.
Transfer Students (students who did NOT enter as incoming freshmen): Please consult your DARS prior to enrolling in foreign language courses at another college or university. Transfer students need to complete only one language course at any level (05-06 requirements).
To fulfill the second semester level of a foreign language, transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as the equivalent of second-semester Binghamton language on course equivalencies table. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course equivalent to the second semester of a language. Suggested courses to petition include: Beginning II; Intro II; Elementary II (ex. Elementary French II)
To transfer a course to fulfill the third semester level of a foreign language, transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course is designated as the equivalent of a third-semester Binghamton language on course equivalencies table. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course is equivalent to the third semester of a language. Suggested courses to petition include: Intermediate I (ex. Intermediate French I or French III).
Please note: a language not taught a Binghamton University can be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement. Also, American Sign Language is acceptable for the requirement as well.
Physical Activity
Physical Activity (Y) courses devote at least 50 percent of their time to the performance of physical exercise designed to develop one or more of the following attributes: neuromuscular skill, muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility.
Courses you petition must:
- correspond with the definition of Physical Activity indicated above. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- be a minimum of 1 credit offered through a Physical Education department
Wellness
Wellness (S) courses deal with such topics as diet and nutrition, physical development, substance abuse, human sexuality, relaxation or physical, mental and emotional fitness. Their focus is on developing a healthy lifestyle rather than on simply providing information about the human body.
To earn an 'S', transfer a course which meets either of the following two criteria:
- The course appears on the course equivalencies table as an 'S'. Do not petiton. The course will be equated automatically.
- The course corresponds with the definition of Wellness given above. Suggested courses to petition include courses which focus on one of the following: wellness; physiological effects of exercise; human sexuality; nutrition; developmental psychology; abnormal psychology.
Combined Courses (B)
Any course you petition to earn a 'B' (combined Physical Activity/Wellness) must combine the criteria indicated above for Activity and Wellness.
Petitioning for General Education Requirements
If the course you wish to transfer appears on the course equivalencies table with the appropriate General Education designation, it is not necessary to petition. If you intend to take a course to fulfill a General Education requirement and you are not clear whether it will fulfill a Gen Ed requirement, please submit a petition and course description. For more information, please visit our FAQ.
Baruch College
If you plan to attend Baruch College as a matriculated Binghamton student, you must submit a letter of good standing to Baruch's registrar. Please download the form here (PDF) to request a letter and provide a release. Release Form
