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
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 |
| COMM104 | Media and Society | 3 credits |
| THEA111 | Acting I | 3 credits |
| THEA115 | Technical Theatre and Design | 3 credits |
| CMTH126 | The Communication Arts | 3 credits |
| COMM205 | Public Speaking | 3 credits |
| THEA206 | Directing | 3 credits |
| THEA212 | Acting II | 3 credits |
| COMM214 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 credits |
| COMM215 | Intercultural Communication | 3 credits |
| COMM220 | Introduction to Film | 3 credits |
| CMTH225G | Scriptwriting | 3 credits |
| COMM230G | Introduction to Communication Theory | 3 credits |
| COMM231 | Small Group Communication | 3 credits |
| ENGL253 | Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| JOUR201 | Feature Writing | |
| JOUR204 | Newswriting | 3 credits |
| MDLA102 | Elementary French I | 3 credits |
| MDLA112 | Elementary French II | 3 credits |
| MDLA122 | Intermediate French I | 3 credits |
| MDLA103 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 credits |
| MDLA113 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 credits |
| MDLA123 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 credits |
| MDLA133 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 credits |
| MDLA105 | Elementary Chinese I | 3 credits |
| MDLA115 | Elementary Chinese II | 3 credits |
| MDLA125 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 credits |
| MDLA135 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 credits |
| MDLA107 | Elementary Arabic I | 3 credits |
| MDLA117 | Elementary 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.
| CADM100 | Engineering Graphic Essentials | 3 credits |
| CISC104 | Information Systems and Resources | 4 credits |
| CISC115 | Computer Science I | 4 credits |
| ACCT101 | Financial Accounting I | 3 credits |
| BUSA101 | Introduction to Business | 3 credits |
| BUSA115 | Introduction to International Business | 3 credits |
| BUSA232 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits |
| ECON201 | Macroeconomics | 3 credits |
| ECON251G | Microeconomics | 3 credits |
| ENTR101 | Entrepreneurial 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
| 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 | Psychopathology | 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 | Cultures, Economies and Environments of the US 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 | Introduction to Women and Gender Studies | 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 | Peoples and the Environments of the World | 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 | Foundations of Modern European History - 1300-1815 | 3 credits |
| HIST168 | History of the Middle East | 3 credits |
| HIST173 | Modern European History - 1815-Present | 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 | Introduction 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 | Architectural History I - Antiquity to 1870 | 3 credits |
| ARTA101 | Art History Survey | 3 credits |
| THEA110 | Introduction to the Theatre | 3 credits |
| THEA211G | Plays: Classical to Contemporary | 3 credits |
| ENGL211G | Plays: Classical to Contemporary | 3 credits |
| COMM220 | Introduction to Film | 3 credits |
| ENGL201G | British Literature I | 3 credits |
| ENGL203G | Shakespeare | 3 credits |
| ENGL205G | American Literature I | 3 credits |
| ENGL215G | Multicultural Adolescent Literature | 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.
| BIOS104 | Field Ecology | 4 credits |
| BIOS105 | Contemporary Biology | 4 credits |
| BIOS107 | Biology I | 4 credits |
| BIOS110 | In Your Genes | 4 credits |
| BIOS115 | Essentials of Biology | 4 credits |
| BIOS126 | Environmental Science | 4 credits |
| BIOS150 | Biology II | 4 credits |
| BIOS160 | Human Biology | 4 credits |
| BIOS202 | Microbiology for Allied Health | 4 credits |
| BIOS204 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 credits |
| BIOS206 | General Ecology | 4 credits |
| CHEM105 | Chemistry in Contemporary Society | 4 credits |
| CHEM120 | General Chemistry I | 4 credits |
| CHEM135 | Chemistry of Life | 4 credits |
| GEOG150 | Astronomy | 4 credits |
| GEOG210 | Weather and Climate | 4 credits |
| GEOL201 | Physical Geology | 4 credits |
| PHYS101 | Physics I | 4 credits |
| PHYS151 | Physics II | 4 credits |
| PHYS152 | Physical Science II | 3 credits |
| PHYS215 | Physics for Science & Engineering I | 5 credits |
| PHYS225 | Physics for Science & Engineering II | 5 credits |
| MATH120 | Nature of Mathematics | 3 credits |
| MATH140 | College Algebra | 3 credits |
| MATH145 | Trigonometry | 3 credits |
| MATH150 | Introductory Statistics | 3 credits |
| MATH160 | Pre-Calculus | 4 credits |
| MATH165 | Applied Calculus | 3 credits |
| MATH175 | Calculus I with Review (Part 1) | 4 credits |
| MATH176 | Calculus I with Review (Part 2) | 4 credits |
| MATH180 | Calculus I | 4 credits |
| MATH181 | Calculus II | 4 credits |
| MATH210 | Calculus III | 4 credits |
| MATH211 | Differential Equations | 4 credits |
+ 3/4 credits must be math; 3/4 credits must be lab science.