Opting Into Pathways
Why was Pathways created?
Beginning with the Fall 2013 semester, a new general education curriculum will be in place throughout CUNY called Pathways. The goal of Pathways is to make it easier to transfer credits from one CUNY school to another and to enable you, the student, to be sure that credits you take to satisfy general education credits in one CUNY school will count towards the general education requirements of the CUNY school to which you transfer. You can find out more about the CUNY Pathways framework here: http://www.cuny.edu/academics/initiatives/pathways.html
Is Pathways for you?
Though you can choose to follow Pathways beginning with the Spring 2013 semester, there may not be any advantage in your doing so. If you're a continuing student in one of the Professional Schools or in the Division of Science, discuss your choice with your advisor at your next advisory conference.
If you are a continuing student in CLAS and have completed all your General Education coursework, then you can stop reading here. You have fulfilled your General Education requirements. If you are a continuing student in CLAS but have not completed all your General Education coursework, you can compare the new Pathways requirements at City with the current General Education requirements to determine which academic track will get you to your degree goal most quickly. You will notice that the old Gen. Ed. requirements and the new Pathways requirements are very similar in many ways.
Returning students (students who have been away for more than a semester and are coming back) follow Pathways.
Must I decide now?
No. If you want to stay with your old Gen. Ed. requirements or you aren't ready to decide, you don't have to do anything now.
Can I choose Pathways now and change back later?
No. Once the decision to follow Pathways is made it is permanent.
Because the new and old requirements are so similar for City College students, we believe that most continuing students (that is, students who entered City before Fall 2013), particularly those in the Professional Schools, will not benefit from choosing Pathways. If you would like to explore in more detail what is the best choice for you, please meet with an advisor, who can help you review your situation and enroll you in Pathways, if that is your choice.