A.A. and A.S. Programs

Communication - Written and Oral

Students will

• research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details;
• demonstrate coherent college-level communication (written and oral) that informs, persuades, or otherwise engages with an audience;
• evaluate communication for substance, bias, and intended effect; and
• demonstrate the ability to revise and improve written and oral communication.

Humanities

Students will

• demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities; and
• recognize and analyze nuance and complexity of meaning through critical reflections on text, visual images, or artifacts.

Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning

Students will demonstrate mathematical skills and quantitative reasoning, including the ability to

• interpret and draw inferences from appropriate mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, or schematics;
• represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, or verbally as appropriate; and
• employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems.

Natural Sciences and Scientific Reasoning

Students will demonstrate scientific reasoning applied to the natural world, including

• an understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of data analysis or mathematical modeling; and
• application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences.

Diversity: Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice

Students will

• describe the historical and contemporary societal factors that shape the development of individual and group identity involving race, class, and gender;
• analyze the role that complex networks of social structures and systems play in the creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression, and opportunity; and
• apply the principles of rights, access, equity, and autonomous participation to past, current, or future social justice action.

Social Sciences

Students will

• describe major concepts and theories of at least one discipline in the social sciences; and
• demonstrate an understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena.

US History and Civic Engagement

Students will

• demonstrate understanding of United States’ society and/or history, including the diversity of individuals and communities that make up the nation;
• understand the role of individual participation in US communities and government; and
• apply historical and contemporary evidence to draw, support, or verify conclusions.

World History and Global Awareness

Students will

• demonstrate knowledge of a broad outline of world history and/or the development of the distinctive features of at least one civilization or culture in relation to other regions of the world; and
• demonstrate an understanding of the structures, systems, and interrelationships among civilizations and cultures within historical and/or contemporary contexts, and their impact on wellbeing and sustainability.

The Arts

Students will

• demonstrate an understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein.

World Languages

Students will

• exhibit basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a world language; and
• demonstrate knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying.

A.A.S. Programs

Basic Communication - Writing & Research

• Produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms
• Demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
• Research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details
• Develop proficiency in oral discourse
• Evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria

Humanities - Writing & Literature

• Knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program

Natural Sciences

• Understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis
• Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences

Mathematics

• Interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables and schematics
• Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically and verbally
• Employ quantitative methods such as, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems
• Estimate and check mathematical results for reasonableness
• Recognize the limits of mathematical and statistical methods

American History

• Knowledge of a basic narrative of American history:  political, economic, social, and cultural, including knowledge of unity and diversity in American society
• Knowledge of common institutions in American society and how they have affected different groups
• Understanding of America’s evolving relationship with the rest of the world

Western Civilization

• Knowledge of the development of the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of Western civilization
• Relate the development of Western civilization to that of other regions of the world.

Social Sciences

• Understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical and interpretive analysis
• Knowledge of major concepts, models and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences

The Arts

• Understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein

Foreign Languages

• Basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a foreign language
• Knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying

Other World Civilizations

• Knowledge of either a broad outline of world history, or the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of one non-Western civilization