General Education

Broaden your perspective

General Education (GNED) courses are designed to complement the vocational studies of students by addressing important issues to our lives as individuals and members of society. The General Education Department strives to enhance the development of skills necessary for living and working in an increasingly complex, interdependent world.

About General Education

Georgian’s General Education (GNED) electives fit into one of these five themes:

  1. Arts in society
  2. Civic life
  3. Social and cultural understanding
  4. Personal understanding
  5. Science and technology

GNED course offerings vary from term to term. Your program may recommend you take specific GNEDs because they are closely related to the vocational objectives of the program, they are part of an articulation agreement or deemed a requirement for board exams, etc. If you are unsure, please consult your program information literature or seek advice from your program co-ordinator.

Please note, when selecting GNED courses, it’s important to ensure you are not duplicating previous credits earned towards your current program. Some GNEDs have equivalents running through various programs or OntarioLearn with a different course code. Taking an equivalent course to one you have already successfully completed will not grant you a second credit towards the requirements of your program. Usually, the higher grade will be applied to your GPA/applicable courses. If you are unsure whether the course you are selecting is equivalent to a course previously taken, or to transfer credit you have been granted, please reach out to the Office of the Registrar, your program co-ordinator, or Liberal Arts to verify before the registration add/drop period for the semester has past.

To find out how many GNED courses you need to take, consult your program outline/tracking. You can also track your detailed/specific requirements using MyPath.

GNED courses

Course listings are available for the Winter 2025 semester and linked below:

*Some GNED courses are offered online or in the evening through Continuing Education. These courses can be credited toward the GNED requirements for most postsecondary diploma and certificate programs at Georgian, or taken as a stand-alone course. Registration for all part-time courses for all semesters begins around the first week of August. For exact registration dates, please refer to the Continuing Education Guide.

Prior learning

If you have previous learning experience and want to have that experience assessed for credit, you have at least two options:

  1. You may be eligible for exemption based on a course you have taken at an accredited postsecondary institution by matching the learning outcomes with those of a Georgian College course. Final grades, credit hours and/or value will be taken into consideration.
  2. You may be eligible for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) if you can demonstrate that you have acquired equivalent learning through life, volunteer and/or work experience.

For more information about exemptions and PLAR, visit our Credit for Prior Learning webpage.

Contact us

Barrie Campus

Georgian College
Room B228, Founders Building
One Georgian Dr.
Barrie, ON L4M 3X9
General Email: Liberal.Arts@GeorgianCollege.ca

Diane DeCunha

Liberal Arts Academic Support Assistant

Email: Email Diane

Phone: 249.388.0533

Mark Dorsey

Co-Coordinator, College-Wide General Education Courses

Email: Email Mark
Phone: 249.388.0475

Grant Vander Burg, MSc, BEd

Co- Coordinator, College-Wide
General education Courses

Email: Email Grant
Phone: 249.388.0524