General studies degrees are designed to give students a well-balanced education that exposes them to fields like math, science, psychology and the social sciences, literature, history, economics and more. This collection aims to provide students looking for open courseware classes and resources in general studies with a broad range of introductory classes in many of these areas. Courses cover topics in the life sciences, physics, psychology, American literature and European history. These courses challenge students to consider ancient and historical communities as well as modern day trends and technologies. Students also gain an understanding for how each field’s theories and practical applications are interrelated and contribute to the development of the industry. General studies majors are prepared to enter into a variety of industries because of their well-rounded education. Possible career choices or opportunities for advanced study include law, health and human services, business, education and more.

Studying a collection of courses like this one also prepares individuals to make significant contributions to their communities and become responsible citizens. Taking courses from each field of study ensures an academic balance that results in a real-life consciousness of the problems and solutions affecting the global community. Within these courses, students can access special study sections, informative reference sites, and other helpful links that supplement lectures and class notes.

• Life Sciences in the 21st Century [Virginia Tech] – Virginia Tech’s Life Sciences in the 21st Century course covers topics in biology, forestry and wildlife, agriculture and more. Students will find links to the final exam, lecture notes, assignments answers and other helpful sites.
• History of Western Civilization [Boise State University] – In this course, students get an introduction to European history that spans from ancient civilizations to modern day societies.
• Introduction to Personality Psychology [University of Michigan] – This class challenges students to consider, “What makes us who we are?” The course website links to personality tests, the American Psychological Association, and informative sites on cultural psychology.
• Introduction to Modern Physics [Tufts University] – The syllabus for this course outlines studies in relativity of time, the Michelson-Morley Experiment, Gallilean-Newtonian philosophies and more.
• Introduction to Economics [Utah State University] – According to the official course description, this class “is designed to build an understanding of economic institutions, history, and principles.”
• Survey of American Literature [Mountain View College] – This literature course covers topics in American literature from the American Revolution to Native Americans to the Romantics.