At the College of General Studies, we understand that not all college students are the same. One thing all of our students have in common is managing the demands of a busy schedule. Our face-to-face evening, Saturday, and online courses provide you with added flexibility, allowing you to learn on your terms.
Beyond CGS, our students take courses offered at other University of Pittsburgh schools such as the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Computing and Information, the College of Business Administration, and others. Current course offerings for all Pitt schools are listed in one location online for easy reference. Click here to browse by term and subject ».
Flexible Formats
The College of General Studies partners with other schools and colleges at the University of Pittsburgh to offer a range of classes in various subjects and flexible formats. CGS offerings are designed to meet both the academic needs and busy schedules of our diverse students. Review the sections below to learn more about our flexible class formats and how to search for CGS classes in Pitt's course scheduling system.
CGS On-Campus Classes
These courses are available at the Pittsburgh campus, located in Oakland. Our on-ground classes typically meet in the evenings or on Saturdays to accommodate the schedules of working students. Our face-to-face classes are usually capped in enrollment at 35 students. Most courses are three credits and meet once a week for two-and-a-half hours. (Courses including recitations or lab sections may have longer class times.)
CGS Online Classes
CGS Online provides students with the opportunity to earn credits toward degrees and certificates through flexible online course formats. All courses offered by CGS Online are taught through Canvas, the University’s Learning Management Systems (LMS), and can be enhanced with the use of virtual meeting applications such as Zoom and Canvas Conferences. CGS Online courses meet the same standards for academic rigor, content excellence, and expert instruction as our traditional classroom courses. Learn more »
Searching for CGS classes
You can search for CGS classes by Academic Organization. Follow these steps to find CGS courses offered in a current or future semester.
- In the Class Search tool, once you have chosen your desired Term, select: Campus: Pittsburgh Campus, and Academic Career: Undergraduate.
- Go to Subject and select your desired Subject from the drop-down menu.
- Go to Any Academic Organization and select College of General Studies from the drop-down menu.
- Click search. If you don't see your desired course, it might be offered by the academic department. To extend your search, make sure to remove Academic Organization CGS.
CGS Class sections begin with "7xxx." Click on screenshot for larger view:
Learn how to search for CGS online classes ».
For information on how to enroll, visit the Course Registration page ».
Course Descriptions
Read descriptions for the courses housed in the College of General Studies.