Buffalo State’s General Education program meets the SUNY-wide General Education requirements while maintaining the university's commitment to diversity, interdisciplinary education, and critical inquiry. Students must satisfy the university-wide requirements. Buffalo State requires that all students take 33 credits worth of General Education courses.

General education requirements are determined by student matriculation date and are listed in the Buffalo State Catalog in effect in the year of matriculation. General education requirements may differ for students if AP, IB, CLEP, or transfer credit is awarded.

For students who first matriculated at Buffalo State prior to the summer of 2023, general education is known as Intellectual Foundations.

For students who matriculate at Buffalo State on or after summer 2023, general education is known as General Education 2023 (GE 23).  

These requirements are shared across all 64 SUNY campuses— in other words, meeting a general education requirement at Buffalo State satisfies that requirement at any SUNY campus, and vice versa. Each SUNY school has the authority to approve their own courses for each area.

Degree Works and advisors help students monitor the progress toward the fulfillment of requirements; however, the final responsibility for completing the requirements rests with the student.  Degree Works audits should be consulted frequently to make certain that these requirements are being completed in a timely manner.