Frequently Asked Questions
• What is AdvantaGE? AdvantaGE is Mississippi State University’s renewed general education curriculum. It is designed to help students understand not only what they are learning, but why that learning matters—across their education, careers, communities, and lives. AdvantaGE emphasizes broad knowledge, durable skills, and ways of thinking that complement a student’s major and remain valuable as circumstances, careers, and technologies change.
• How is AdvantaGE different from MSU’s previous general education program? AdvantaGE creates greater coherence across general education by establishing shared learning outcomes and a common approach to assessment while preserving faculty ownership of individual courses. It also places greater emphasis on helping students recognize the relevance of general education and connect what they learn across disciplines.
• What are the different areas of AdvantaGE? AdvantaGE includes foundational learning in areas such as quantitative reasoning, written communication, and oral communication, along with four knowledge domains: Creative Expression, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Across the curriculum, students also develop capabilities that help them think critically, collaborate effectively, and apply their learning in new contexts.
• What does it mean to “Start with the WHY”? AdvantaGE asks faculty to make the relevance of general education visible to students. Early and often, students should understand why the knowledge, questions, methods, and ways of thinking in a course matter—not only within that discipline, but beyond the classroom. The goal is for students to recognize the value of their general education rather than experience it simply as a set of requirements to complete.
• Are existing General Education courses automatically part of AdvantaGE? Existing General Education courses are being reviewed and migrated into AdvantaGE. During migration, faculty identify how the course addresses each Domain Learning Outcome and identify student work that can serve as the course’s Signature Assignment. Some existing courses may be revised as part of the process, and departments may determine that some courses should no longer carry a general education designation.
• What is the process for migrating an existing General Education course? When an existing General Education course is moving into AdvantaGE without substantive changes to the course, faculty normally use the Technical Change process in CIM. A Course Modification is required when substantive changes are being made, including a change in course number. Faculty explain how the course addresses each Domain Learning Outcome in the Domain Learning Outcome Alignment field and clearly identify the Signature Assignment in CIM.
• What is the process for proposing a new AdvantaGE course? New courses seeking AdvantaGE designation follow the regular new-course approval process. The General Education Committee reviews the course for alignment with the appropriate AdvantaGE domain and its learning outcomes as part of that process.
• What is a Signature Assignment? A Signature Assignment identifies student work that can be used to assess the Domain Learning Outcomes. It may be an existing assignment, a collection of assignments, or specified exam questions or items. AdvantaGE does not require faculty to add student workload solely for assessment. The Signature Assignment must be clearly identified in CIM, but it does not have to be identified or described on the student-facing syllabus.
• Does the AdvantaGE assessment rubric have to be the rubric I use to grade the assignment? No. Faculty may grade the Signature Assignment using whatever criteria or grading rubric are appropriate for their course. The common AdvantaGE rubric is used for program-level assessment of the Domain Learning Outcomes.
• What does it mean that the Domain Learning Outcomes will be assessed? Assessment is different from grading. Grades reflect individual student performance within a course. AdvantaGE assessment examines student work across courses to understand how well the curriculum is helping students achieve the shared Domain Learning Outcomes. That evidence can then inform continued improvement of the curriculum.
• Does the Signature Assignment have to appear on the syllabus? No. The Signature Assignment must be clearly identified in CIM so that its relationship to the Domain Learning Outcomes is clear, but faculty are not required to identify or describe it on the student-facing syllabus.
• What does have to be added to the syllabus? AdvantaGE courses include the required General Education statement, followed by a course-specific sentence explaining how that particular course contributes to the student’s general education.
• Will courses I already completed for General Education still count? Yes. Students will not lose previously earned General Education credit because MSU is transitioning to AdvantaGE. The migration process determines which courses will carry the AdvantaGE designation going forward; it does not invalidate General Education credit students have already earned.
• How will this work for transfer students? Transfer credit will continue to be evaluated according to MSU and applicable statewide transfer policies. AdvantaGE is intended to provide a coherent general education experience while accommodating students who enter MSU with previously completed college coursework.
• How will students know why an AdvantaGE course matters? Making that connection visible is an important part of AdvantaGE. Every AdvantaGE syllabus includes a common General Education statement and a course-specific explanation of how the course contributes to the student’s broader education. Faculty are also encouraged to reinforce that relevance throughout the course—not simply on the syllabus.
• Where can faculty find help preparing a course for AdvantaGE? The For Faculty page includes the AdvantaGE Migration Guide, Migration Readiness Guide, Domain Learning Outcomes, and Signature Assignment Supplements for each domain. Faculty may also participate in Migration Workshops for assistance with CIM, alignment, and Signature Assignment questions.
• Who can I contact for additional information about AdvantaGE? Questions may be directed to the General Education Committee or to Dr. Mike Breazeale, Chair of the General Education Committee, at mbreazeale@business.msstate.edu