Page 61 - GCC 2020-2021 Catalog

Graduation Requirements 57
DEFINITIONS OF GENERAL EDUCATION
AREA A: NATURAL SCIENCE (3 UNITS)
Courses included in this area examine the physical
universe, its life forms, and its natural phenomena.
Courses must include content, assignments, and methods
of instruction and evaluation in which students apply
experimental methodology, the testing of hypotheses, and
systematic questioning to theoretical, laboratory, and field
scenarios. In doing so, students develop an understanding
of the basic concepts in the physical and biological sciences
while developing an appreciation of the scientific method.
AREA B: SOCIAL SCIENCES (3 UNITS)
Courses approved for this area must analyze human
behavior in relation to human social, political and economic
institutions. Courses appropriate to this area include those
in social science disciplines which develop in their students
an understanding of cultural and social organizations in
multiple paradigms including those of different ethnic
or cultural groups. Coursework provides students the
opportunity to apply methodologies used by social scientists,
historians, and philosophers to theoretical examples and real-
world issues and problems. Courses also include discussion
of topics and methodologies within the context of their
historical, contemporary, and geographical settings.
AREA C: HUMANITIES (6 UNITS)
1. Interdisciplinary Humanities (3 units)
Courses included in this category require students to
analyze and appreciate works of philosophical, historical,
literary, aesthetic, and cultural importance within a diverse
context focusing on both Western and non-Western cultures at
various points in history. Courses approved for this area should
address the cultural and artistic expression of human beings.
Courses emphasize both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary
approaches drawing on theories, interpretations, and issues
from a variety of academic fields including but not limited
to those in the humanities, visual arts, and social sciences.
Coursework emphasizes students’ responses to humanistic
works through expository, analytical and research essays and
other assignments designed to evidence students’ growing
understanding of harmonies between and discords among
disciplines methodologies, ideologies, and topics of interest. In
doing so, students make informed judgements regarding artistic
and cultural creation.
Courses approved for this area must deal with the cultural
and artistic expression of human beings. The courses will ensure
opportunities for students to develop an awareness of the ways
in which people throughout the ages and in different cultures
have responded to themselves and the world around them in
artistic and cultural creation and help students develop aesthetic
understanding and an ability to make judgments.
2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1 C ATA L O G • G L E N DA L E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E
2. Arts, Foreign Language, Literature, and Philosophy
(3 units)
Courses included in this category require students to
analyze and appreciate works of philosophical, historical,
literary, aesthetic, and cultural importance within a
diverse context focusing on both Western and non-Western
cultures. In doing so, students evaluate artistic and cultural
creation. Performance and studio arts courses are included
in this area if they focus on the integration of history, theory,
and criticism relevant to the field. For foreign language
courses, the coursework should focus on the written and
oral language as well as the history, culture, and other
attributes of the country associated with the language. For
conversational courses, there must be a prerequisite course
equivalent to the third year of high school study or one year
of college level language.
AREA D: LANGUAGE AND RATIONALITY
(6 UNITS)
1. English Composition (3 units)
This general education area is fulfilled by a student’s
completion of English 101. The course includes substantial
instruction and practice in expository, analytical, and research
essay writing at the college level with a minimum of 6,000
words being written. The course also requires a substantial
amount of reading of significant literature. Through their
reading and discussion of selected prose works, students learn
to identify problems, examine possible solutions, recognize
unstated assumptions and values, appraise evidence, evaluate
arguments, draw inferences, and test conclusions. Through
their writing, students learn to analyze, synthesize, organize
information logically, and propose original ideas.
2. Communication and Analytical Thinking (3 units)
Courses approved for this category must ensure
opportunities for students to develop logical thought, clear and
precise expression and critical evaluation of communication.
Courses foster students’ abilities to distinguish fact from
judgement, and belief from knowledge. Students learn to
critique ideas and theories and to apply course concepts to
critically analyze and engage with real world and theoretical
problems and issues. Course assignments emphasizing oral
and written forms, emphasize writing as appropriate and,
in particular, analytical and evaluative writing including
research. For courses in computer science, these may include
courses focused on programming languages but not general
computer classes. For courses in Mathematics, these may
include courses focused on quantitative reasoning.