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General Studies, Associate in Arts

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

Outcomes

Graduates of the program will:

  • Be able to critically assess and discuss competing perspectives from various disciplines.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of human diversity and an awareness of global issues through analysis of arts, histories, cultures, geographies, economics, medicine, scientific data and/or institutions.
  • Have a basic understanding of key concepts in social sciences, business, and liberal arts.
  • Comprehend the process of scientific inquiry, gain quantitative skills and understand the principles of modern scientific knowledge.
  • Know how to retrieve, evaluate, and apply information from a range of sources.
  • Possess skills necessary to communicate ideas effectively in the workplace.
  • Have a working competency in basic technology applications.
  • Be able to work independently and in teams to complete tasks

Courses

First Semester

CISC101Introduction to Computers

3 credits

CMTH102Speech Communication

3 credits

ENGL101English I

3 credits

MATHMathematics Elective

3 credits

Social Science/Cultural Studies Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Second Semester

ENGL151LEnglish II

3 credits

OR

ENGL151REnglish II

3 credits

OR

ENGL151TEnglish II

3 credits

 

Business & Technology Elective

3 credits

Mathematics (QL) or Science (SCI) Elective

3/4 credits

Social Science/Cultural Studies Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16-17

Third Semester

Communication Elective

3 credits

Social Science/Cultural Studies Elective

3 credits

Social Science/Cultural Studies Elective

3 credits

Science Elective (SCI)

3/4 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15-16

Fourth Semester

Social Science/Cultural Studies Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Total Credit Hours: 60-63

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.

ARTA161Ceramics

3 credits

CMTH104Mass Media and Society

3 credits

CMTH105Public Speaking

3 credits

CMTH111Acting I

3 credits

CMTH115Technical Theatre and Design

3 credits

CMTH126The Communication Arts

3 credits

CMTH206Directing

3 credits

CMTH212Acting II

3 credits

CMTH214Interpersonal Communication

3 credits

CMTH215Intercultural Communication

3 credits

CMTH220Introduction to Film

3 credits

CMTH225GScriptwriting

3 credits

CMTH230GIntro to Communication Theory

3 credits

CMTH231Small Group Communication

3 credits

ENGL253Creative Writing

3 credits

JOUR103Newswriting

3 credits

JOUR201Feature Writing

3 credits

 

MDLA102Elementary French I

3 credits

AND

MDLA112Elementary French II

3 credits

OR

MDLA122Intermediate French I

3 credits

 

MDLA103Elementary Spanish I

3 credits

AND

MDLA113Elementary Spanish II

3 credits

OR

MDLA123Intermediate Spanish I

3 credits

AND

MDLA133Intermediate Spanish II

3 credits

 

MDLA105Elementary Chinese I

3 credits

AND

MDLA115Elementary Chinese II

3 credits

OR

MDLA125Intermediate Chinese I

3 credits

AND

MDLA135Intermediate Chinese II

3 credits

 

MDLA107Elementary Arabic I

3 credits

AND

MDLA117Elementary 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.

CISC104Microcomputer Applications

4 credits

CISC115Computer Science I

4 credits

ACCT101Financial Accounting I

3 credits

BUSA101Introduction to Business

3 credits

BUSA115Intro to International Business

3 credits

BUSA131Principles of Marketing

3 credits

ECON201Macroeconomics

3 credits

ECON251GMicroeconomics

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
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

 

PSYC255Abnormal Psychology

3 credits

SOCA103Principles of Sociology

3 credits

SOCA150Deviance

3 credits

SOCA204Social Problems

3 credits

American Experience
ENGL265GAfrican-American Literature

3 credits

GEOG151Geography of U.S. 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

HUMA140Intro to Women and Gender Stds

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

GEOG101World Geography

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

HIST153Found Mod Euro Hist 1300-1815

3 credits

HIST167Vietnam

3 credits

HIST168History of the Middle East

3 credits

HIST173Modern European Hist 1815-Pres

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

POLS101Intro to Political Science

3 credits

POLS202International Relations

3 credits

SOCA102Cultural Anthropology

3 credits

SOCA160Issues in Contemporary Genocide and Mass Violence

3 credits

Cultural Understanding
ARCH100Arch Hist I - Antiquity to 1870

3 credits

ARTA101Art History Survey

3 credits

CMTH110Introduction to the Theatre

3 credits

CMTH211GPlays: Classical to Contemporary

3 credits

ENGL211GPlays: Classical to Contemporary

3 credits

CMTH220Introduction to Film

3 credits

ENGL201GBritish Literature I

3 credits

ENGL203GShakespeare

3 credits

ENGL205GAmerican Literature I

3 credits

ENGL215GMulticultural Adolescent Lit

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 Contemp 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 & Engr I

5 credits

PHYS225Physics for Science & Engr 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.