Introducing Pathways

Starting in Fall 2013, York College of the City University of New York will offer a new General Education curriculum to all undergraduate students. This curriculum, called Pathways, establishes a new system of general education requirements and new transfer guidelines across the University, and by doing so reinforces CUNY’s educational excellence while easing student transfer between the CUNY colleges.

The centerpiece of the Pathways initiative is a 30-credit general education Common Core. This curriculum includes Required Core and Flexible Core courses, and College Option requirements. Students who have not completed their General Education courses can now opt into Pathways. Importantly, once fulfilled at one CUNY college, these general education credits will carry over seamlessly if a student transfers to another CUNY college.
The flexibility of the Common Core framework enables each CUNY college to maintain its distinctive character. So, too, does the College Option, which allows senior colleges to specify 6-12 additional credits of general education coursework that bachelor’s degree students must complete.
How Credits Transfer
By creating a general education framework that applies to all CUNY undergraduates, and by establishing gateway courses into several popular majors, the Pathways initiative will significantly improve the ease and efficiency of student transfer between CUNY colleges. Courses taken for general education credit, major credit, and elective credit are guaranteed to transfer.
In addition to a simplified general education curriculum, several popular transfer majors at CUNY now have a minimum of three common and transferable courses that will be required of all students in those majors. Students anticipating majors in these fields can begin their coursework at any CUNY college with the assurance that if they transfer to another CUNY college, their prior coursework will count toward their continued pursuit of that major.

Is Pathways right for you?
Currently-enrolled students will be able to opt-in to the Pathways general education curriculum. If you have not completed your General Education requirements, visit your academic advisor in your major, or the Academic Advisement Center AC-2C01, ext. 2280. Your advisor can help you decide whether you would benefit from switching to Pathways.
For information visit:
www.york.cuny.edu/pathways
www.york.cuny.edu/academics/departments
www.york.cuny.edu/academics/advisement