General Education

Introduction

The College of Coastal Georgia adheres to the guidelines and policies set forth by the USG regarding core curriculum courses required for all students. In brief, seven areas (A-G) are designated in which each student must take a requisite number of hours to graduate or transfer from this institution. The rationale for the areas encompasses a broad academic base on which to build major specific courses.

Core Area A (Essential Skills) requires courses in both English and Mathematics.
Core Area B (Institutional Options) requires a course in Communications and a college success course (CCGA 1101). Electives in Area B include courses from Computer Sciences, Economics, Geography, Global Issues, Foreign Languages, Political Sciences, and Sociology.
Core Area C (Humanities/Fine Arts) requires further courses in English, with electives in Art, Communications, English, Foreign Languages, Music Appreciation, Philosophy, and Theater Appreciation.
Core Area D(Science & Math) requires courses in laboratory science courses, such as Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Physics, and in Mathematics. Courses taken in Area D will vary depending on whether the student has declared a science major or a non-major.
Core Area E (Social Sciences) requires courses in Political Science and History, with electives to choose from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Psychology, and Sociology.
Core Area F consists of the courses that are specific to a given major and are not shared by all students across disciplines. Specific courses in this area are listed for each major in the catalog (refer to College Catalog for specifics).
Core Area G (Physical Education) requires courses in Physical Education consisting of activities courses and a healthy living concepts course.

Excluding the Area F courses, which are specific to each discipline, Areas A-E and G constitute approximately 44 hours of the student's total course hours. In addition, the required courses and electives cover a wide range of subjects, giving the students a breadth of knowledge. Specific general education outcomes have been formulated to frame the expectations of student achievement in the core area classes. Student achievement of these outcomes is assessed on a continuing basis to improve education in the core areas.

General Education Learning Outcomes

Outcome-Competency Alignment

Critical-Creative Thinking / Problem Analysis
Students will demonstrate higher levels of critical-creative thinking by analyzing problems, identifying viable solutions when possible, and defending choices of solutions

Communication
Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively (in written, oral, visual, electronic and non-verbal forms)

Informational Access / Literacy
Students will demonstrate the ability to access, retrieve, evaluate, and utilize information from various sources

Mathematical
Students will demonstrate mathematical competencies and problem solving skills

Scientific
Students will demonstrate an understanding of basic scientific concepts and the scientific method and utilize laboratory procedures to observe natural phenomena

Global-Level Aesthetic, Cultural, and Social
Students will identify important ideas, persons, and paradigms within the humanities and social sciences in a global environment

General Education in the USG

Common Student Learning Outcomes for the Core Curriculum

From the origins of intellectual study to the present, general education has been a key to a fulfilling life of self-knowledge, self-reflection, critical awareness, and lifelong learning. General education has traditionally focused on oral and written communication, quantitative reasoning and mathematics, studies in culture and society, scientific reasoning, and aesthetic appreciation. Today, general education also assists students in their understanding of technology, information literacy, diversity, and global awareness. In meeting all of these needs, general education provides college students with their best opportunity to experience the breadth of human knowledge and the ways that knowledge in various disciplines is interrelated.

In the University System of Georgia, general education programs consist of a group of courses known as the Core Curriculum as well as other courses and co-curricular experiences specific to each institution. The attainment of general education learning outcomes prepares responsible, reflective citizens who adapt constructively to change. General education programs impart knowledge, values, skills, and behaviors related to critical thinking and logical problem-solving. General education includes opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and experiences that increase intellectual curiosity, providing the basis for advanced study in the variety of fields offered by today's colleges and universities.