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General Studies, Associate in Arts

Overview

Narrative

NCC's Academic and Career Exploration (ACE) Program offers a General Studies AA degree, ideal for students still exploring career paths as they enter college. This program allows you to explore various fields, helping you discover the subjects that suit you best. A General Studies degree provides you with a well-rounded selection of social, cultural, behavioral, scientific, and technology-related studies. Upon completion, your career readiness and employment opportunities will increase, and you will be prepared to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a Bachelor's degree if you so choose.

Features

Northampton Community College offers a variety of career development resources and opportunities to maximize your educational experience and your ability to obtain a General Studies degree. As a result, students successfully identify an NCC major to pursue, develop a transfer plan to a 4-year institution, and/or prepare to enter the workforce as a competitive candidate. Dedicated advising and career services help students explore their strengths and potential career paths and develop the skills needed for employment.

Because our General Studies program is specifically designed so that you can transfer your credits to a four-year college or university, schools that are a part of the Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) will accept all your credits. However, if you wish to attend another school, we suggest you choose elective courses that are transferable to the institution of your choice. We encourage you to work closely with your academic advisor and the transfer advisor in the Office of Academic Advising to ensure your greatest opportunity for a smooth and successful transition to a four-year institution.

NCC students have transferred to: East Stroudsburg University, Kutztown University, Moravian College, DeSales University, Cedar Crest College, Pennsylvania State University, Temple University

Outcomes

Graduates of the program will:

  • Critically assess and discuss competing perspectives from various disciplines, including the social sciences, business, and liberal arts.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of human diversity and an awareness of global issues through analysis of arts, histories, geographies, economics, medicine, scientific data and/or institutions.
  • Understand the principles of modern scientific inquiry, knowing how to retrieve, evaluate, and apply information from a range of quantitative and qualitative sources.
  • Effectively work and communicate independently and with others to complete tasks and projects.
  • Effectively use technology as a tool to accomplish specific goals.

Courses

First Semester

COLS101College Success

1 credits

COMM101Introduction to Communication

3 credits

ENGL101English I

3 credits

Social and Behavioral Understandings and American Experience

3 credits

World Experience and Cultural Understanding

3 credits

Science Elective (SCI)

3/4 credits

Total Credit Hours:16-17

Second Semester

ENGL151LEnglish II

3 credits

OR

ENGL151REnglish II

3 credits

OR

ENGL151TEnglish II

3 credits

 

Communications Elective

3 credits

MATH
Mathematics Elective (QL)

3 credits

CISC101Introduction to Information Technology

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Third Semester

Mathematics (QL) or Science (SCI) Elective

3/4 credits

Business & Technology Elective

3/4 credits

Social and Behavioral Understandings and American Experience

3 credits

World Experience and Cultural Understanding

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15-17

Fourth Semester

Social and Behavioral Understandings and American Experience

3 credits

OR

World Experience and Cultural Understanding

3 credits

 

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Total Credit Hours: 61-63

  • One course should be designated as Diversity and Global Awareness (D).
  • Students have a choice of ENGL151L (Literature option), ENGL151R (Report Writing) or ENGL151T (Technical Writing). Contact your advisor for guidance.
  • The Mathematics (QL) and Laboratory Science (SCI) Electives must be selected from the list of approved General Education courses in each of those categories.
  • For the Electives, students must select one course from the list of approved courses in each of the following three categories: Arts and Humanities (AH); Social Science: Societies and Institutions over Time (SIT); Social Science: Scientific Study of Human Behavior (SSHB).
  • One General Education Elective must be taken in a Writing Intensive (WI) section. In addition, students must select a second Writing Intensive (WI) course.
  • Four 200-level courses must be taken.
  • In addition to satisfying the above requirements, the 18 credits of unspecified electives should be selected from those in the groupings on the "Electives" tab, or from those allowable in the Liberal Arts program, or from the list of courses which are applicable to A.A. and A.S. degrees, or from among the courses in the Library Technical Assistant Specialized Diploma. Within this, students should select courses which will transfer to the baccalaureate institution of their choice whenever possible.
  • Electives must be chosen from the four groupings listed on the "Electives" tab:

Electives


Communications Electives (3 credits)

These courses enhance communication skills and offer students the opportunity to pursue an interest in the arts as communication.

ARTA161Ceramics

3 credits

COMM104Media and Society

3 credits

THEA111Acting I

3 credits

THEA115Technical Theatre and Design

3 credits

CMTH126The Communication Arts

3 credits

COMM205Public Speaking

3 credits

THEA206Directing

3 credits

THEA212Acting II

3 credits

COMM214Interpersonal Communication

3 credits

COMM215Intercultural Communication

3 credits

COMM220Introduction to Film

3 credits

CMTH225GScriptwriting

3 credits

COMM230GIntroduction to Communication Theory

3 credits

COMM231Small Group Communication

3 credits

ENGL253Creative Writing

3 credits

JOUR201Feature Writing

JOUR204Newswriting

3 credits

MDLA102Elementary French I

3 credits

MDLA112Elementary French II

3 credits

MDLA122Intermediate French I

3 credits

MDLA103Elementary Spanish I

3 credits

MDLA113Elementary Spanish II

3 credits

MDLA123Intermediate Spanish I

3 credits

MDLA133Intermediate Spanish II

3 credits

MDLA105Elementary Chinese I

3 credits

MDLA115Elementary Chinese II

3 credits

MDLA125Intermediate Chinese I

3 credits

MDLA135Intermediate Chinese II

3 credits

MDLA107Elementary Arabic I

3 credits

MDLA117Elementary Arabic II

3 credits

Business, Technology, and Innovation Electives (3/4 credits)

These courses are the most generally valuable introduction to business, technology, and innovation. They are neither too specialized, nor too technical in nature and should prove both interesting and accessible to the non-major.

CADM100Engineering Graphic Essentials

3 credits

CISC104Information Systems and Resources

4 credits

CISC115Computer Science I

4 credits

ACCT101Financial Accounting I

3 credits

BUSA101Introduction to Business

3 credits

BUSA115Introduction to International Business

3 credits

BUSA232Principles of Marketing

3 credits

ECON201Macroeconomics

3 credits

ECON251GMicroeconomics

3 credits

ENTR101Entrepreneurial Mindset

3 credits

Social Science/Cultural Studies Electives (15 credits)

These courses inform students about society and culture, past and present. They will help the student to place problems in a broad perspective and to make informed choices about the conduct of their lives. In fulfilling the 15-credit social science/cultural studies elective requirement, no more than nine credits may be earned from either the Social and Behaviors Understanding and American Experience group or the World Experience and Cultural Understanding group.

Social and Behavioral Understandings and American Experience

Social and Behavioral Understandings
PHIL111On Death and Dying

3 credits

PHIL202Ethics & Moral Problems

3 credits

PSYC103Introduction to Psychology

3 credits

 

PSYC251Child Psychology

3 credits

OR

PSYC258Developmental Psychology

3 credits

 

PSYC255Psychopathology

3 credits

SOCA103Principles of Sociology

3 credits

SOCA150Deviance

3 credits

SOCA204Social Problems

3 credits

American Experience
ENGL265GAfrican-American Literature

3 credits

GEOG151Cultures, Economies and Environments of the US and Canada

3 credits

HIST113American History I

3 credits

HIST121The Black Experience

3 credits

HIST163American History II

3 credits

HIST166Civil War and Reconstruction

3 credits

HUMA121American Work Experience

3 credits

HUMA140Introduction to Women and Gender Studies

3 credits

POLS110American National Government

3 credits

POLS251State and Local Government

3 credits

SOCA105American Ethnicity

3 credits

World Experience and Cultural Understanding

World Experience
ENGL264GIrish Literature

3 credits

GEOG101Peoples and the Environments of the World

3 credits

GEOG121Environmental Sustainability

3 credits

GEOG140Investigating Climate Change

3 credits

GLBL130Introduction to Global Studies

3 credits

HIST103Ancient and Medieval History

3 credits

HIST140Modern Chinese History

3 credits

HIST153Foundations of Modern European History - 1300-1815

3 credits

HIST168History of the Middle East

3 credits

HIST173Modern European History - 1815-Present

3 credits

HUMA250GResearch Methods in the Social Sciences

3 credits

PHIL121World Religions

3 credits

PHIL201Introduction to Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL211Ancient Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL215Modern Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL220Existentialism

3 credits

POLS101Introduction to Political Science

3 credits

POLS202International Relations

3 credits

SOCA102Cultural Anthropology

3 credits

SOCA160Issues in Contemporary Genocide and Mass Violence

3 credits

Cultural Understanding
ARCH100Architectural History I - Antiquity to 1870

3 credits

ARTA101Art History Survey

3 credits

THEA110Introduction to the Theatre

3 credits

THEA211GPlays: Classical to Contemporary

3 credits

ENGL211GPlays: Classical to Contemporary

3 credits

COMM220Introduction to Film

3 credits

ENGL201GBritish Literature I

3 credits

ENGL203GShakespeare

3 credits

ENGL205GAmerican Literature I

3 credits

ENGL215GMulticultural Adolescent Literature

3 credits

ENGL250GLatin American Literature

3 credits

ENGL251GBritish Literature II

3 credits

ENGL255GAmerican Literature II

3 credits

ENGL256GModern Poetry

3 credits

ENGL257G20th Century Literature by Women

3 credits

ENGL260GContemporary Literature

3 credits

MUSC101Introduction to Music

3 credits

Mathematics/Science Electives (9-11 credits) +

These courses help the student comprehend the process of scientific inquiry, to gain quantitative skills and some of the principles of modern scientific knowledge. Such comprehension is the essential foundation for understanding advancing technology that dominates society and the natural environment in which we live.

BIOS104Field Ecology

4 credits

BIOS105Contemporary Biology

4 credits

BIOS107Biology I

4 credits

BIOS110In Your Genes

4 credits

BIOS115Essentials of Biology

4 credits

BIOS126Environmental Science

4 credits

BIOS150Biology II

4 credits

BIOS160Human Biology

4 credits

BIOS202Microbiology for Allied Health

4 credits

BIOS204Human Anatomy & Physiology I

4 credits

BIOS206General Ecology

4 credits

CHEM105Chemistry in Contemporary Society

4 credits

CHEM120General Chemistry I

4 credits

CHEM135Chemistry of Life

4 credits

GEOG150Astronomy

4 credits

GEOG210Weather and Climate

4 credits

GEOL201Physical Geology

4 credits

PHYS101Physics I

4 credits

PHYS151Physics II

4 credits

PHYS152Physical Science II

3 credits

PHYS215Physics for Science & Engineering I

5 credits

PHYS225Physics for Science & Engineering II

5 credits

MATH120Nature of Mathematics

3 credits

MATH140College Algebra

3 credits

MATH145Trigonometry

3 credits

MATH150Introductory Statistics

3 credits

MATH160Pre-Calculus

4 credits

MATH165Applied Calculus

3 credits

MATH175Calculus I with Review (Part 1)

4 credits

MATH176Calculus I with Review (Part 2)

4 credits

MATH180Calculus I

4 credits

MATH181Calculus II

4 credits

MATH210Calculus III

4 credits

MATH211Differential Equations

4 credits

+ 3/4 credits must be math; 3/4 credits must be lab science.