UCC FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (UCC 2.0) 

What is the University Core Curriculum (UCC 2.0)? 

The University Core Curriculum (UCC 2.0) is the general education program at William Paterson University designed to enable students to prepare for an increasingly complex yet interdependent world that simultaneously holds opportunities for creativity, new knowledge, connecting across conventional boundaries of thought and practices, cooperation and teamwork, and diverse modes of communication and building community. It is a 34 - 43-credit program.  

  • Starting Fall 2025, all incoming and transfer students will follow the UCC 2.0 curriculum.  
  • All continuing WPUNJ students in the current UCC 1.0 program can satisfy their UCC 1.0 requirement with a currently offered UCC 1.0 course or an equivalent UCC 2.0 course. See menu on left titled “UCC 1.0 to UCC 2.0 Mapping” 

What is general education? 

General education has been an integral part of most undergraduate university curricula in the U.S.A. for over a century. In addition to specializing in a particular discipline, i.e., the student’s major, all students get the opportunity to explore a number of courses from other academic disciplines and to connect them to their major. Thus, students are enabled to 

  • build a generalized set of skills, knowledge, perspectives and literacies, 
  • prepare to better appreciate what it means to be human and to be citizens, 
  • motivate themselves to participate as better informed and engaged members of societies, communities, organizations and institutions, nations and the world,  
  • better understand how research and creative expression is developed, critically evaluated, and used,  
  • broaden their horizons of thought, capabilities, and knowledge, and  
  • enrich their personal and professional lives  

What Courses Do I Need to Take for My UCC 2.0 Requirements? 

See left menu Homepage for the 14-course UCC 2.0 Curriculum  

 
Do I Have To Take all 14 Courses in the UCC 2.0?  

The UCC 2.0 is a 43-credit program (13 courses for 3 credits, 1 course for 4 credits). It is a requirement for all students at WPU.  

  • To protect the integrity of the UCC program and to ensure breadth of content, students can take up to a maximum of 3 courses that count in their major. Thus, the UCC 2.0 is a 34-43 credit program depending on how many courses you count in your major.  

What If I am a Transfer Student? 

Transfer students need to do the following to satisfy their UCC 2.0 requirement at WPUNJ. 

  1. If you are a transfer student with AA or AS degree, then you will be considered to have fulfilled your UCC 2.0 requirements at WPUNJ. Make sure that your degree audit shows that you have “Met” UCC 2.0 requirements. If not, talk with your advisor.  
  1. If you are a transfer student without an AA or AS degree, then you will need to see how many of your courses have transferred into the UCC 2.0 at WPU. For more details contact Admissions Office. 

What If I Am a Continuing Student at WPU on the old UCC 1.0 Program? 

See the menu on the left titled “UCC 1.0 to UCC 2.0 Mapping” 

Who Do I contact for more information on the UCC 2.0? 

Contact your advisor or send an email to Director, University Core Curriculum at natrajanb@wpunj.edu