University of Pittsburgh College of General Studies
Encyclopedia
The College of General Studies (CGS) is one of the 17 schools within the University of Pittsburgh
located in Pittsburgh, PA. The College of General Studies offers programs of special interest to adults and non-traditional students, including baccalaureate degrees (BA/BS) and post-baccalaureate certificates. The fourth largest undergraduate unit at the University of Pittsburgh, the administration of the College of General Studies is overseen by the School of Arts and Sciences
.
and began offering a limited number of off-campus courses. By 1920, Pitt had expanded its off-campus offerings to 19 locations in western Pennsylvania and Ohio
, including Erie and Youngstown. In 1932, Pitt established the University Extension Division, which became known informally as the evening program, with its director reporting directly to the chancellor. On March 11, 1958, the Pitt Board of Trustees, following a recommendation by then Chancellor Edward Litchfield
, approved the establishment of the School of General Studies primarily as an alternative for adults wishing to continuing education. Enrollment in the School of General Studies peaked at 18,930 during the 1974-75 academic year, the vast majority of which were part-time students. In 1981, the School of General Studies was renamed the College of General Studies to reflect that its degree was comparable to an Arts and Sciences
degree. In the early 1990s, the College of General Studies offered as many as 30 degree majors, which was downgraded to ten in 1998-99 in order to eliminate duplication with majors offered in other Pitt units. In 2002 the McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success open followed by a major restructuring of the College of General Studies in 2003. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
, for those 50 years old and older, and CGSOnline was established in 2005.
Located on the fourth floor of the Cathedral of Learning, the 2500 square feet (232.3 m²) $537,000 McCarl Center was opened in 2002 and occupies space that once housed two levels of the main stacks of the University's library. Made possible by a gift from F. James and Foster J.J. McCarl, it serves as resource center for non-traditional students and hosts seminars and events. The space was designed by Alan J. Cueri and his architectural firm Strada, LLC, and includes wood finishes, double-height spaces with high ceilings and windows, a main corridor conceived as an interior street, and many elements that refer to the Cathedral of Learning's Gothic architecture including decorative painted metal columns with contemporary buttress-style arches. The center includes a resource library, meeting rooms, and a student lounge, and is staffed with academic advisors and has contains a reception area for the College of General Studies. Three unsigned and undated 7 feet (2.1 m) by 3 foot (0.9144 m) glass-encased murals that depict Renaissance
painting styles and which have long belonged to the University but are of unknown origin hang in a hallway outside the Center.
The College of General Studies also offers a self designed major, either a BA or BS, for students who want to design a major more suited for their intended career.
In addition to these bachelor degree programs, the College of General Studies also offers post-baccalaureate certificates with a number of other units including the College of Business Administration
, the University Center for Social and Urban Research, and the Center for National Preparedness.
The College of General Studies offers about 65 courses across its disciplines through PittOnline web based instruction and also has satellite campuses in Butler County
, Mt. Lebanon
, and Monroeville
.
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
located in Pittsburgh, PA. The College of General Studies offers programs of special interest to adults and non-traditional students, including baccalaureate degrees (BA/BS) and post-baccalaureate certificates. The fourth largest undergraduate unit at the University of Pittsburgh, the administration of the College of General Studies is overseen by the School of Arts and Sciences
University of Pittsburgh School of Arts and Sciences
The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences is one of the 17 schools and colleges of University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, PA...
.
History
The College of General Studies evolved from the 1908 Downtown Division of the Pittsburgh Academy. It became the Department of Afternoon, Saturday and Evening Studies in 1911 when it moved from Downtown to OaklandOakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
and began offering a limited number of off-campus courses. By 1920, Pitt had expanded its off-campus offerings to 19 locations in western Pennsylvania and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, including Erie and Youngstown. In 1932, Pitt established the University Extension Division, which became known informally as the evening program, with its director reporting directly to the chancellor. On March 11, 1958, the Pitt Board of Trustees, following a recommendation by then Chancellor Edward Litchfield
Edward Litchfield
Edward Harold Litchfield was an American educator and the twelfth Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh. He is best known for a major expansion of the university, but also a failure to raise sufficient capital to fund such growth, eventually leading to his resignation in July 1965.He earned...
, approved the establishment of the School of General Studies primarily as an alternative for adults wishing to continuing education. Enrollment in the School of General Studies peaked at 18,930 during the 1974-75 academic year, the vast majority of which were part-time students. In 1981, the School of General Studies was renamed the College of General Studies to reflect that its degree was comparable to an Arts and Sciences
University of Pittsburgh School of Arts and Sciences
The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences is one of the 17 schools and colleges of University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, PA...
degree. In the early 1990s, the College of General Studies offered as many as 30 degree majors, which was downgraded to ten in 1998-99 in order to eliminate duplication with majors offered in other Pitt units. In 2002 the McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success open followed by a major restructuring of the College of General Studies in 2003. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes offer noncredit courses with no assignments or grades to “seasoned” adults over age 50. Since 2001 philanthropist Bernard Osher has made grants from his foundation to launch OLLI programs at over 120 universities and colleges in 49 states and the District of...
, for those 50 years old and older, and CGSOnline was established in 2005.
Deans
- 1958-1971 Viers WIlson Adams
- 1971-1983 J. Steele Gow Jr.
- 1983-1994 John Bolvin
- 1994-1996 Robert Comfort (interim dean)
- 1996-1997 Robert Carter
- 1997-1999 Jack Daniel (interim dean)
- 1999-2006 Susan R. Kinsey
- 2006–present N. John Cooper
McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painting styles and which have long belonged to the University but are of unknown origin hang in a hallway outside the Center.
Degrees programs
Majors offered through the College of General Studies- Administration of JusticeJusticeJustice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
(BABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) - Dental HygieneDental HygieneDental Hygiene is a 1980 Iranian short film directed by Abbas Kiarostami....
(BSBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
) - Health ServicesHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
(BA) - Health ServicesHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
(BS) - HumanitiesHumanitiesThe humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
(BA) - Legal Studies (BA)
- Liberal StudiesBachelor of Liberal ArtsThe Bachelor of Liberal Arts is the title of an undergraduate academic degree. Generally, it is awarded to students who major in liberal arts, pursue interdisciplinary studies, or design their own concentrations....
(BA) - Media and Professional CommunicationsCommunication studiesCommunication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
(BA) - Natural Sciences (BS)
- Public ServicePublic administrationPublic Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
(BA) - Social SciencesSocial sciencesSocial science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
(BA)
The College of General Studies also offers a self designed major, either a BA or BS, for students who want to design a major more suited for their intended career.
In addition to these bachelor degree programs, the College of General Studies also offers post-baccalaureate certificates with a number of other units including the College of Business Administration
University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration
The College of Business Administration is one of the 17 schools of University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to the undergraduate business education at the university and administration of the college is overseen by the Joseph M...
, the University Center for Social and Urban Research, and the Center for National Preparedness.
The College of General Studies offers about 65 courses across its disciplines through PittOnline web based instruction and also has satellite campuses in Butler County
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Mt. Lebanon
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Mt. Lebanon is a home rule municipality, formerly a township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 33,137 at the 2010 census....
, and Monroeville
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...
.