HELPING STUDENTS CHART THEIR COURSE
Pathways consist of a series of courses drawn from UA’s core curriculum, interconnected by a broad topic that students can explore from multiple perspectives. Through Pathways, students learn how different disciplines approach a similar line of study. They also gain a clearer understanding of the value of general education and liberal arts study. Students who take courses that are tied together by a shared theme, or Pathway, will begin to see how everything they are studying can create a wholistic learning experiences that is greater than the sum of its parts. Readings, assignments, and conversations become meaningful together – not just as pieces of separate academic knowledge and background that students are required to obtain.
Over 40 faculty have had a hand in the conception, design, and implementation of UA's Pathways program, which is the largest of its kind in the country.
To complete a Pathway, a student must complete 9 Credit Hours
3 hours of social and behavioral science or history from the core curriculum that is a part of the Pathway.
3 hours of fine arts, humanities, world language or literature from the core curriculum that is a part of the Pathway.
3 hours of course work that is not in the General Education Core Curriculum, that is a part of the Pathway.
There are four Pathways
Coming in 2026!
The Digital Literacy in the Core Initiative
The Digital Literacy in the Core initiative is designed to expand student access to courses that teach digital literacy in the core curriculum, thereby supporting the “Digital Literacy” Pathway. While demand for digital skills is high, our current core curriculum does not have enough Humanities (HU) and Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB) courses to meet projected enrollment needs for this Pathway.
To address this, the Office for General Education supports faculty and departments who wish to develop develop or integrate digital literacy components into new or existing HU and SB core courses. Participating faculty fellows receive $1,000 in professional development support and expert guidance from the UA Teaching Academy and the Alabama Digital Humanities Center. Faculty work together in the fall semester to develop course curricula to be included in the next year’s catalogue.
To learn more and apply for a fellowship, please visit the Digital Literacy in the Core site.
The Digital Literacy in the Core Initiative is supported by the Office for General Education and the Office of Academic Affairs.
Yes. Students can complete graduation requirements without doing a Pathway. We encourage them to do it, however, since it can be completed without taking any additional courses and provides a useful credential on their transcript.
Any student who is enrolled at UA and is in the 2025 catalogue or later can do a Pathway.
A student can add/drop a Pathway HERE. The link is also accessible through the Add/Drop Majors and Minors page on mybama.ua.edu.
Students will be able to see their progress through a Pathway in Degree Works.
View all courses in each of the Pathways below.
A PDF of the Pathways courses can also be viewed in Degree Works once you have added the Pathway
Each semester, all students in a Pathway will be invited to attend guest lectures and social events. Students will interact with people from across the university and have chances to make new connections and friendships.
For the 2025-26 and 2026-27 catalogues, courses are added through direct negotiations between departments and the Office for General Education. Starting in 2027, departments will be able request to have a course added to a Pathway through the Course Inventory Management (CIM) system. Please contact Dr. Margaret Peacock, Director of Pathways, at mepeacock@ua.edu, for more information.
Yes. Two more Pathways are projected to rollout in the fall of 2026. They are currently being debated and reviewed by the Core Curriculum Oversight Committee and the Undergraduate Council. Final decisions on these Pathways will be made by the end of spring 2025.
Yes. The third course can have a USGC and/or W attribute, as long as it also has the needed Pathway attribute.
Students in the Pathways will receive benchmarking assessments when they register for a Pathway, and then again when they complete the Pathway. Students will be assessed on their acquisition of their respective Pathway’s student learning outcomes.
It is good to mention that the Pathway can be done without adding more classes (assuming there their third, non-core course, is in their major or minor). Remind students that market studies have shown a desire for these skills among employers and that they will receive a credential on their academic transcript (as well as a graduation cord!).
Please send all questions to Dr. Margaret Peacock, Director of Pathways in the Office for General Education, at mepeacock@ua.edu.