General Education Core

General Education Core

All degree programs at HCC share a common core of learning.  This core, considered General Education, is that aspect of the college’s instructional program that develops and integrates the student’s knowledge, skill, and experiences so that the student can engage effectively in a lifelong process of inquiry and critical thinking.

By completing the 21 -23 credits of general education coursework, students gain a balanced foundation in the three primary domains of knowledge: the arts and humanities, the sciences including mathematics, and the behavioral and social sciences.

Effective Fall 2017, HCC students will meet this general education requirement in a more flexible and interdisciplinary, competency-based format.

General Education Core¹ Courses and Competencies

* Students will fulfill the General Education Core Requirements by completing the required number of credits in courses associated with each General Education Competency.  In addition to the competencies listed above, all Degree Programs have the following competencies embedded in coursework required prior to graduation:  Critical Analysis & Logical Thinking, Appreciation of the Ethical Dimensions of Humankind, and Continuing Learning & Information Literacy.

¹ In addition to the General Education core students must complete the Computer Literacy Requirement.

² Only Quantitative Reasoning courses numbered higher than MAT*E137 will meet this requirement for students transferring to most 4-year schools.  Students should consult their academic advisor when selecting courses to meet these requirements.

General Education Competencies and Goals

Required within the General Education Core Coursework:

• Written Communication in English: Students will be prepared to develop written texts of varying lengths and styles that communicate effectively and appropriately across a variety of settings.
• Quantitative Reasoning: Students will learn to recognize, understand, and use the quantitative elements they encounter in various aspects of their lives. Students will develop a habit of mind that uses quantitative skills to solve problems and make informed decisions. (Note that some programs accept any Mathematics (MATH) elective at the 100- or 200-level; please see program listing.)
• Scientific Knowledge & Understanding: Students will gain a broad base of scientific knowledge and methodologies in the natural sciences. This will enable them to develop scientific literacy, the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes essential for personal decision making and understanding scientific issues.
• Aesthetic Dimensions of Humankind: Students will understand the diverse nature, meanings, and functions of creative endeavors through the study and practice of literature, music, the theatrical and visual arts, and related forms of expression.
• Social Phenomena Knowledge & Understanding: Students will develop an increased understanding of the influences that shape a person’s, or group’s attitudes, beliefs, emotions, symbols, and actions, and how these systems of influence are created, maintained, and altered by individual, familial, group, situational, or cultural means.

Embedded in coursework within all Degree Programs:

• Critical Analysis & Logical Thinking: Students will be able to organize, interpret, and evaluate evidence and ideas within and across disciplines; draw reasoned inferences and defensible conclusions; and solve problems and make decisions based on analytical processes.
• Appreciation of the Ethical Dimensions of Humankind: Students will identify ethical principles that guide individual and collective actions and apply those principles to the analysis of contemporary social and political problems.
• Continuing Learning & Information Literacy: Students will be able to use traditional and digital technology to access, evaluate, and apply information to the needs or questions confronting them throughout their academic, professional, and personal lives.

General Education Course Competency Codes

All degree and certificate programs require various courses that meet graduation requirements.  The following codes are used to help you and your advisor identify the General Education Course Comptency Code, indicating which General Education Competency the course meets.  In addition to the codes indicated, all courses numbered at the 100 and 200 level (HSE*E101 for example) qualify as open electives.  You are advised to pay special attention to program footnotes when selecting electives and courses with the appropriate General Education Competency.

Discipline Course Elective Codes

Prior to Fall 2017, all degree and certificate programs at the College required completion of various courses to meet graduation requirements.  Many programs included elective courses in addition to specific courses.  For students who enrolled in a degree or certificate program prior to Fall 2017, these graduation requirements will still be honored and therefore remain here as a record.

Beginning in Fall 2017, some degree and certificate programs at the College may continue to require elective courses from categories within a particular discipline as listed below.

The following codes are used to help you and your advisor determine which elective a course will satisfy.  In addition to the codes indicated, all courses with course numbers at the 100- and 200-level (HSE* E101, as an example) qualify as open electives.  You are advised to pay special attention to program footnotes when selecting your electives.