Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog

General Education


General Education Rationale and Minimum Requirements

General Education Course Options


General education requirements provide a broad knowledge base to enhance students’ career and life skills.  Vital to the preparation for lifelong learning skills is the development of competencies in:

 

Communication

Effective communicators express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in all modes.

Effective communicators

•     Engage in the process of collecting, shaping, drafting, and revising information

•     Select, organize, and present details to support a main idea

•     Participate in groups using a variety of collaborative techniques

•     Use knowledge of target audience expectations and values to shape a message

•     Use various techniques of expression to convey a point-of-view, style, and voice

•     Employ good mechanics and craftsmanship

 


Quantitative/Numeracy Skills

Numeracy is the ability to think about, express, and evaluate information in quantitative terms.

Numerically literate individuals

•     Interpret, analyze, and solve basic numerical problems

•     Estimate the reasonableness of an answer

•     Interpret, evaluate, and present graphic/tabular data

•     Utilize basic statistical knowledge 

 


Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

 

Critical Thinking and Creativity

Critical thinking is a process that demonstrates logical inquiry, creativity, problem solving and a willingness to consider different points of view and to explore possibilities.

Critical and creative thinkers

•     Interpret and evaluate statements, theories, problems, and observations from alternate points of view or perspectives

•     Analyze the validity of assumptions, evidence, and data;

•     Assess the value or importance of positions, policies, and formulated solutions

•     Use imagination, intuition and divergent thinking

 

Social and Cultural Awareness

Social and cultural awareness is an understanding of how each person shapes, and is shaped by, culture and society.

Socially and culturally aware individuals

•     Explain the influence of history, geography, the arts, humanities, language, and the environment on individual and cultural development

•     Distinguish subjective opinions and ideology from objective findings and data

•     Recognize social and individual biases

•     Develop personal and social responsibility and participate as an engaged citizen in order to promote a civil society

•     Recognize the importance of individual differences and similarities in a global context.

 


Scientific Inquiry

Scientific inquiry uses an evidence-based process to evaluate the validity of an hypothesis or theory.

Scientific Inquirers

•     Formulate hypotheses based on observations

•     Apply the scientific method to evaluate claim;

•     Evaluate societal issues from a scientific perspective

•     Make informed judgments about science-related topics and/or policies

 


Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy

 

Professionalism and Life Skills

Professionalism and life skills are the essential habits and characteristics commonly cited as necessary for success in life and in the workplace.

Professional and skillful individuals

•     Meet personal and professional expectations

•     Show cooperation with and courtesy to others

•     Apply effective time management and planning techniques

•     Follow instructions and ask appropriate questions

•     Demonstrate initiative and persistence

•     Maintain personal appearance and grooming

•     Demonstrate safe and healthy habits

 

Information Literacy

Information literacy is a set of abilities necessary to locate, gather, organize and evaluate information utilizing various technologies.

Information Literate Learners

•     Determine the extent of information needed

•     Critically evaluate information and its sources;

•     Incorporate selected information into a personal knowledge base

•     Use information ethically and legally

•     Manage, present, and store information digitally or otherwise

 



General Education Minimum Requirements

Associate in Applied Science Degrees:

Communication

Select 1 Level I course from the list of Communication General Education Courses.

4.5 credit hrs.

Quantitative/Numeracy Skills

Select 1 course from the list of Quantitative/Numeracy Skills General Education Courses

4.5 credit hrs.

Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

Select 1 course from the list of Humanities  or Social Sciences  courses under the Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness General Education Courses. 

4.5 credit hrs.

Scientific Inquiry

Select 1 course from either the list of Natural Sciences  or Social Sciences General Education courses.

*Students choosing a Social Sciences course to satisfy the Scientific Inquiry requirement should take a Humanities course to satisfy the Critical Thinking/Creativity and Social/Cultural Awareness competency.

4.5 credit hrs.

Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy

Select 1 course from the list of Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy General Education Courses.

4.5 credit hrs.
Total 22.5 credit hrs.

Associate in Arts Degrees:

Communication

ENGL 1010 AND ENGL 1020 AND COMS 1110

13.5 credit hrs.

Quantitative/Numeracy Skills

MATH 1410 OR MATH 1425

4.5 credit hrs. - 5.0 credit hrs

Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

Select 1 Humanities and 1 Social Sciences course from the Transfer course options in the current course catalog.

9.0 credit hrs.

Scientific Inquiry

Select 1 course from the Natural Sciences Transfer Course Options  in the current course catalog.

4.5 credit hrs.

Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy

Select 1 course from the list of Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy General Education Courses.

4.5 credit hrs.
Total 36.0 credit hrs. minimum

Associate in Science Degrees:

Communication

ENGL 1010 AND ENGL 1020 AND COMS 1110

13.5 credit hrs.

Quantitative/Numeracy Skills

MATH 1410 OR MATH 1425

4.5 credit hrs. - 5.0 credit hrs.

Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

Select 1 Humanities OR 1 Social Sciences course from the Transfer course options in the current course catalog.

4.5 credit hrs.

Scientific Inquiry

Select 2 courses from the Natural Sciences Transfer Course Options  in the current course catalog.

 

9.0 credit hrs. - 10.5 credit hrs.

Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy 

Select 1 course from the list of Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy General Education Courses.

4.5 credit hrs.
Total 36.0 credit hrs. minimum

Certificates of Achievement:

Communication

Select 1 Level I course from the list of Communication General Education Courses.

4.5 credit hrs.

Quantitative/Numeracy Skills

Select 1 course from the list of Quantitative/Numeracy Skills General Education Courses

4.5 credit hrs.

Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

Select 1 course from the list of Humanities  or Social Sciences  courses under the Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness General Education Courses. 

4.5 credit hrs.
Total 13.5 credit hrs.

 

General Education Course Options

Select a General Education area below for appropriate course options. NOTE: Students who plan to transfer credits should select from the Transfer Course Options  rather than the General Education course options listed here.


Communication


Please select from the following Communication courses.

 


Quantitative/Numeracy Skills


Note:


MATH courses 1410 and higher can be used as a math course for transfer.

Note:


FINA 1000 Financial Literacy is an option only in certain programs. Check your program of study.

 

Critical Thinking/Creativity & Social/Cultural Awareness

Please select from the following list of Humanities and Social Sciences courses.


Humanities


Humanities


Architectural Drafting


Design, Interactivity, and Media Arts


 


Social Sciences


Exploratory Studies


Human Relations


 

Scientific Inquiry

Please select from the following list of Natural Science courses.


Natural Sciences


 


Professionalism/Life Skills and Information Literacy


Exploratory Studies


Information Systems and Literacy


Human Relations Skills