The goals and objectives developed by the N.J. County College General Education Project are a suitable basis on which to establish a collaborative approach to general education transfer across institutions and sectors. Each participating community college agrees to offer programs with a common foundation of general education courses as provided in the following table. The balance of each program (which typically provides a range of required and elective courses) will be designed at the discretion of the community college.
|
General Education Goal(s) addressed |
Course Categories (Goal Categories) |
AA credits |
AS credits |
AAS, AFA, AS Nursing credits |
Certificate credits |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Communication (Written and Oral Com.) |
9 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
Mathematics – Science – Technology |
6 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
Social Science (Society and Human Behavior) |
6 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
Humanities (Humanistic Perspective) |
6 |
3 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
|
History (Historical Perspective) |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
Diversity courses (Global & Cult. Awns.) |
3 |
||||
|
|
Unassigned general education credit |
|
6 |
8 |
|
||||||||
|
General education foundation total |
33 |
30 |
20 |
6 |
|||||||||
|
Gen. Ed. Foundation Course Categories |
NJCC Goal Categories* |
Course Criteria: Below are brief descriptions of the course criteria for satisfying the requirements. For fuller description see the NJCC GE Course Criteria (August 15, 2007). |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Communication |
1 Written and Oral Communication |
An array of courses which prepare students to speak, read, and write effectively. At least two of these must be composition courses for A.A. and A.S. degrees. At least one of these must be a composition course for specialized degree programs and certificates. |
|
2 Mathematics |
2 Quantitative Knowledge and Skills |
Any college level mathematics course including statistics, algebra, or calculus course(s). These courses should build upon a demonstrated proficiency in basic algebra. |
|
3 Science |
3 Scientific Knowledge and |
Any course(s) in the biological or physical sciences – or non-majors survey course. At least one of these courses must have a laboratory component. |
|
4 Technology |
4 Technological Competency |
Any course that emphasizes common computer technology skills (e.g. computer science, information technology) that helps students to access, process, and present information. This component is not required for students who can demonstrate competency. |
|
5 Social Science |
5 Society and Human Behavior |
Any introductory course(s) from among anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology. |
|
6 Humanities |
6 Humanistic Perspective |
Any broad-based course(s) in the appreciation of art, music, or theater; literature; foreign language; history; philosophy and/or religious studies. |
|
7 History |
7 Historical Perspective |
Any broad-based course(s) or sequence of courses in World, Western, non-Western, or American History. |
|
8 Diversity courses |
8 Global and Cultural Awareness |
Any course whose primary purpose is to expose students to a multicultural society or people possibly within the context of non-introductory study of a foreign language. If this goal is integrated into one or more general education course(s), the three credits may be moved from this category to another general education category. |
|
General Education Integrated Course Goal |
Course Criteria: Below are brief descriptions of the course criteria for satisfying the requirements. For fuller descriptions, see the NJCC GE Course Criteria |
|
|
Ethical Reasoning and Action |
This ethical reasoning and action goal may be infused in any of the above categories. These courses should include the ethical implications of issues and situations. |
|
|
Information Literacy |
These courses include the requirement for students to address an information need by locating, evaluating and effectively using information. |
|
|
Programs |
Allocation Notes |
|---|---|
|
AA |
The Associate in Arts (AA) degree requires 33 semester credits hours of general education coursework from among the indicated categories. Individual community colleges may choose to require general education and other credits* in excess of the minimum, and make their own determination about the distribution. (*E.g., Student Success, Studio Arts, Communication, Math-Science-Tech, Social Science, Humanities, History and/or Diversity courses) |
|
AS |
The Associate in Science (AS) degree requires a minimum of 30 semester credits hours from among the indicated categories, with minimum distributions as shown. |
|
Specialized Associate AAS, AFA, & |
The specialized associate degrees shall include Applied Associate in Science (AAS), Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) and AS in Nursing. These programs shall require no fewer than 20 semester credit hours of General Education. Not withstanding any articulation agreements, the general education courses should support career preparation. General education coursework in excess of the 12 credits listed should follow the AS distribution limits. |
|
Certificate |
The Certificate (or Academic Certificate) shall prepare students to read and write effectively. At least one other general education course is required. The Certificate of Achievement (COA) requires no general education courses beyond those that support career education. The Certificate of Completion (COC) is a noncredit certification program, which is not applicable within the general education context. |