Board of Regents Policy General Education Core - Connecticut State Community College
PrintPolicy Info
| Policy Number | 1.21 |
| Resolution Reference | 20-082 |
| Adoption Date | May 14, 2020 |
| Next Review Date | N/A |
| Effective Date | N/A |
| Policy Owner | N/A |
| Contact | N/A |
| Applicability | N/A |
| Category | Academic Affairs |
Policy Purpose
The CSCU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs or designee shall be the presiding authority over the application of this 21 – 25 credit general education core policy for the singly accredited Connecticut State Community College. The institution places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum with its faculty.
Policy Text
The General Education Core:
(applies to Associate degrees, not certificates)
| 1 | Eng. 101 Composition | 3 credits |
| 2 | Math 100 or higher (college level) | 3- 4 credits |
| 3 | Arts and Humanities: Courses vetted for TAP Arts and Humanities (replaces Aesthetic Dimensions) ARC 102, ART, COM, DGA, ENG, ESL (two top levels), GRA, HUM, MUS, PHL, THR, Language and Culture (ARA, CHI, FRE, GER, ITA, JPN, LAT, RUS and SPA) | 3-4 credits |
| 4 | Choose one from: • Scientific Reasoning – AST, BIO, CHE, EAS, ENV, EVS, GLG, MTR, OCEN, PHY, SCI course vetted for TAP Scientific Reasoning • Scientific Knowledge and Understanding – AST, BIO, CHE, EAS, ENV EVS, GLG, MTR, OCEN, PHY, SCI course vetted for Scientific Knowledge and Understanding outcomes | 3-4 credits (lab optional) |
| 5 | Choose one from: • Social / Behavioral Science – ANT, ECN, GEO, POL, PSY, SOC, WMS course vetted for TAP Social and Behavioral Science outcomes • Historical Knowledge – HIS course vetted for TAP Historical Knowledge outcomes | 3 credits |
| 6 | Choose one from: • Oral Communication – COM courses vetted for TAP Oral Communication • Written Communication II – ENG course vetted for TAP Written Communication II outcomes | 3 credits |
| 7 | Choose one from: (Program directed) • A course vetted for one of the following TAP categories that has not been fulfilled elsewhere in the general education requirements: o Continued Learning/Info Literacy o Scientific Knowledge o Scientific Reasoning o Social / Behavioral Science o Historical Knowledge o Written Communication II o Oral Communication Program alignment groups will determine how this will be designated | 3-4 credit |
| Students must take at least one course in the Gen Ed core which meets a diversity requirement.* | Total: 21-25 credits |
*Defined as having “substantial content that addresses racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, sexual orientation, religious or other types of diversity…. Diversity courses are intended to prepare students for an increasingly diverse and interdependent campus and the world that they live in and will lead.”
--UCLA Definition from Registrar’s page
*Diversity courses will be vetted by a faculty led curriculum diversity committee.
NOTE: Course or course areas not included may petition for inclusion through the curriculum revision process to be established by the Connecticut State Community College.
Rationale and Outcomes:
At its meeting of December 14, 2017, the Board of Regents voted to approve the merger of the 12 CSCU community colleges into a singly accredited community college. A revised plan for the merger was approved by the Board on June 21, 2018, and reaffirmed on December 19, 2019. The plan calls for the aligning of college curricula statewide, including adoption of a statewide General Education curriculum consistent with NECHE standards, BOR/BOT policies, and Connecticut Statutes.
A common general education curriculum contributes to the development of an educated person by exposing students to multiple disciplines and multiple methods of inquiry in broad foundational courses in the arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, physical and natural sciences, and mathematics; cultivates student success by helping students acquire skills and knowledge - such as oral/written communication, information literacy, and critical thinking skills - to further their education and thrive in a complex, diverse, and changing world.
A common general education curriculum also permits students to change majors with minimal loss of credit or disruption in progress to degree completion and aids in seamless transfer and is aligned with the general education component of all Transfer and Articulation Policy (TAP) transfer degrees.
A General Education course will:
- Ask students to demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental concepts, theories, primary works, skills, or ideas within the specific category discipline area.
- Ask students to interpret and apply introductory methods of inquiry and analysis in the discipline category.
- Have as its main objective, and 2/3 of its focus, the category content and/or skills.
- Be vetted in only one General Education category.
- Be vetted and approved by an appropriate discipline group.
Upon completion of the General Education Core Curriculum, students will be able to demonstrate beginning competency in communication, critical thinking, and the foundational knowledge and methods of inquiry in multiple disciplines.