Overview
Narrative
If you're ready for college, but you are still exploring career choices, an associate's degree in General Studies can be a good way to start your education. Northampton's General Studies major allows you to explore a variety of fields and to discover what subjects suit you best. We'll provide you with a well-rounded selection of studies in social, cultural, behavioral, scientific and computer-related subjects. Upon completion, you will be prepared to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor's degree in the major of your choice.
Features
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 state college and university system will accept all of 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, as well as 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
Electives
Electives must be chosen from the four groupings that follow:
- Students have a choice of ENGL151L (Literature option), ENGL151R (Report Writing) or ENGL151T (Technical Writing). Contact your advisor for guidance.
- 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).
- The Mathematics (QL) and Laboratory Science (SCI) Electives must be selected from the list of approved General Education courses in each of those categories.
- One course should be designated as Diversity and Global Awareness (D).
- One General Education Elective must be taken in a Writing Intensive (WI) section. In addition, students must select a second Writing Intensive (WI) course.
- Two 200-level courses must be taken from the Social Science/Cultural Studies category or communication electives category.
- In addition to satisfying the above requirements, the 18 credits of unspecified electives should be selected from those in the groupings below, 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. Within this, students should select courses which will transfer to the baccalaureate institution of their choice.
- A student who has completed the entire 15-credit Library Technical Assistant specialized diploma may apply these 15 credits to the General Studies degree as free electives.
Communications Electives (3 credits)
These courses enhance communication skills and offer students the opportunity to pursue an interest in the arts as communication.
| ARTA161 | Ceramics | 3 credits |
| CMTH104 | Mass Media and Society | 3 credits |
| CMTH105 | Public Speaking | 3 credits |
| CMTH111 | Acting I | 3 credits |
| CMTH115 | Technical Theatre and Design | 3 credits |
| CMTH126 | The Communication Arts | 3 credits |
| CMTH206 | Directing | 3 credits |
| CMTH212 | Acting II | 3 credits |
| CMTH214 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 credits |
| CMTH215 | Intercultural Communication | 3 credits |
| CMTH220 | Introduction to Film | 3 credits |
| CMTH225G | Scriptwriting | 3 credits |
| CMTH230G | Intro to Communication Theory | 3 credits |
| CMTH231 | Small Group Communication | 3 credits |
| ENGL253 | Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| JOUR103 | Newswriting | 3 credits |
| JOUR201 | Feature Writing | 3 credits |
| | |
| MDLA102 | Elementary French I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA112 | Elementary French II | 3 credits |
| OR | |
| MDLA122 | Intermediate French I | 3 credits |
| | |
| MDLA103 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA113 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 credits |
| OR | |
| MDLA123 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA133 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 credits |
| | |
| MDLA105 | Elementary Chinese I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA115 | Elementary Chinese II | 3 credits |
| OR | |
| MDLA125 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA135 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 credits |
| | |
| MDLA107 | Elementary Arabic I | 3 credits |
| AND | |
| MDLA117 | Elementary Arabic II | 3 credits |
Business/Technology Electives (3/4 credits)
These courses are the most generally valuable introduction to business and technology. They are neither too specialized, nor too technical in nature and should prove both interesting and accessible to the non-major.
| CISC104 | Microcomputer Applications | 4 credits |
| CISC115 | Computer Science I | 4 credits |
| ACCT101 | Financial Accounting I | 3 credits |
| BUSA101 | Introduction to Business | 3 credits |
| BUSA115 | Intro to International Business | 3 credits |
| BUSA131 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits |
| ECON201 | Macroeconomics | 3 credits |
| ECON251G | Microeconomics | 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 group below.
Social and Behavioral Understandings and American Experience
Social and Behavioral Understandings
| PHIL111 | On Death and Dying | 3 credits |
| PHIL202 | Ethics & Moral Problems | 3 credits |
| PSYC103 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 credits |
| | |
| PSYC251 | Child Psychology | 3 credits |
| OR | |
| PSYC258 | Developmental Psychology | 3 credits |
| | |
| PSYC255 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 credits |
| SOCA103 | Principles of Sociology | 3 credits |
| SOCA150 | Deviance | 3 credits |
| SOCA204 | Social Problems | 3 credits |
American Experience
| ENGL265G | African-American Literature | 3 credits |
| GEOG151 | Geography of U.S. and Canada | 3 credits |
| HIST113 | American History I | 3 credits |
| HIST121 | The Black Experience | 3 credits |
| HIST163 | American History II | 3 credits |
| HIST166 | Civil War and Reconstruction | 3 credits |
| HUMA121 | American Work Experience | 3 credits |
| HUMA140 | Intro to Women and Gender Stds | 3 credits |
| POLS110 | American National Government | 3 credits |
| POLS251 | State and Local Government | 3 credits |
| SOCA105 | American Ethnicity | 3 credits |
World Experience and Cultural Understanding
World Experience
| ENGL264G | Irish Literature | 3 credits |
| GEOG101 | World Geography | 3 credits |
| GEOG121 | Environmental Sustainability | 3 credits |
| GEOG140 | Investigating Climate Change | 3 credits |
| GLBL130 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 credits |
| HIST103 | Ancient and Medieval History | 3 credits |
| HIST140 | Modern Chinese History | 3 credits |
| HIST153 | Found Mod Euro Hist 1300-1815 | 3 credits |
| HIST167 | Vietnam | 3 credits |
| HIST168 | History of the Middle East | 3 credits |
| HIST173 | Modern European Hist 1815-Pres | 3 credits |
| HUMA250G | Research Methods in the Social Sciences | 3 credits |
| PHIL121 | World Religions | 3 credits |
| PHIL201 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL211 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL215 | Modern Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL220 | Existentialism | 3 credits |
| POLS101 | Intro to Political Science | 3 credits |
| POLS202 | International Relations | 3 credits |
| SOCA102 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 credits |
| SOCA160 | Issues in Contemporary Genocide and Mass Violence | 3 credits |
Cultural Understanding
| ARCH100 | Arch Hist I - Antiquity to 1870 | 3 credits |
| ARTA101 | Art History Survey | 3 credits |
| CMTH110 | Introduction to the Theatre | 3 credits |
| CMTH211G | Plays: Classical to Contemporary | 3 credits |
| ENGL211G | Plays: Classical to Contemporary | 3 credits |
| CMTH220 | Introduction to Film | 3 credits |
| ENGL201G | British Literature I | 3 credits |
| ENGL203G | Shakespeare | 3 credits |
| ENGL205G | American Literature I | 3 credits |
| ENGL215G | Multicultural Adolescent Lit | 3 credits |
| ENGL250G | Latin American Literature | 3 credits |
| ENGL251G | British Literature II | 3 credits |
| ENGL255G | American Literature II | 3 credits |
| ENGL256G | Modern Poetry | 3 credits |
| ENGL257G | 20th Century Literature by Women | 3 credits |
| ENGL260G | Contemporary Literature | 3 credits |
| MUSC101 | Introduction 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.
+ 3/4 credits must be math; 3/4 credits must be lab science.