The General Education Handbook is a tool. It provides basic information about General Education requirements and courses. It also contains descriptions of other courses that are appropriate for first-year students. These courses may be introductory major or minor courses or elective courses which count towards graduation and are chosen by students rather than required by the University. Western's program gives students a great deal of choice in selecting courses. This Handbook can improve the quality of your choices and thus the value of your education. General Education Handbooks are distributed to new students during the New Student Registration Program but we encourage students who have not yet attended a registration program to spend some time reviewing the information provided here. Preparing in advance can make the first registration a much more enjoyable experience.