General Education Framework

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General Education

Philosophy and Requirements

Naugatuck Valley Community College considers general education an important component of its degree programs. While an appropriate level of mastery in occupations and technologies is clearly essential, students are better prepared to live in the world and use this mastery only if they are also capable of understanding fundamental theory, weighing values, and forming independent judgments.

The College defines general education in terms of the following competencies:

Appreciation of the Aesthetic Dimensions of Humankind
Appreciation of the Ethical Dimensions of Humankind
Continuing Learning and Information Literacy
Critical Analysis and Logical Thinking
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
Knowledge and Understanding of Social Phenomena
Oral Communication
Quantitative Reasoning
Scientific Knowledge and Understanding
Scientific Reasoning
Written Communication

Focusing on these categories, the General Education program ensures that NVCC students gain the fundamental skills, knowledge and values needed for success in their academic, professional and personal lives.

General Education Assessment and Curriculum Design Committee (GEACC)

The General Education program is reviewed and assessed by the General Education Assessment and Curriculum Design Committee (GEACC). The duties of the committee include identifying and approving college courses used to fulfill competency requirements. The committee is also responsible for researching, designing, scheduling and assisting in the implementation of assessment methods to determine if students are achieving competency outcomes.

For ConnSCU Transfer Students

In order to ease transfer between state colleges and universities within the ConnSCU system, NVCC’s General Education program reflects the system’s General Education Framework. Based on this Framework, students who complete NVCC’s General Education program will be granted General Education credit upon transfer to any Connecticut state university or community college.

General Education Framework

NVCC is currently transitioning to competency-based General Education requirements. New students beginning an associate degree programming fall 2015 or any subsequent semester will complete general education coursework and demonstrate learning in the following areas:

Appreciation of the Aesthetic Dimensions of Humankind (3 credits)	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.
Appreciation of the Ethical Dimensions of Humankind (learning achieved "across the curriculum")	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 and Information Literacy (3 credits)	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.
Critical Analysis and Logical Thinking (learning achieved "across the curriculum")	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.
Historical Knowledge and Understanding (3 credits)	Students will study the interrelatedness of various realms of human experience from multiple historical perspectives.
Oral Communication (3 credits)	Students will be prepared to develop oral messages of varying lengths and styles that communicate effectively and appropriately across a variety of settings.
Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits)	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.
Scientific Knowledge and Understanding (3-4 credits)	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.
Scientific Reasoning (3-4 credits)	Students will become familiar with science as a method of inquiry. Students will develop a habit of mind that uses quantitative skills to solve problems and make informed decisions.
Knowledge and Understanding of Social Phenomena (3 credits)	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.
Written Communication (Students must complete 6 credits and continue "across the curriculum")	Students will be prepared to develop written texts of varying lengths and styles that communicate effectively and appropriately across a variety of settings.

Common Core Course Requirements
Focusing on the above competencies, course work in the common core ensures that NVCC students gain the fundamental skills, knowledge and values needed for success in their academic, professional and personal lives. A list of courses that fulfill each competency may be found Approved Courses. Students will fulfill general education requirements by completing the requisite number of credits in courses associated with each competency. For competencies identified as “across the curriculum,” students should adhere to program requirements in order to fulfill these areas.

Scientific Knowledge or Reasoning Requirement
Students must successfully complete at least one Scientific Reasoning or Scientific Knowledge course that contains a lab component.