Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Education Program Guide



 

General Education Philosophy:

The mission of Florida SouthWestern State College’s General Education Program is to provide students with trans-disciplinary learning experiences that empower them to be active, informed and ethical citizens. Our innovative curriculum promotes collaboration and communication in diverse settings, encourages greater understanding of the relationship between individuals and their natural surroundings and cultivates intellectual curiosity that leads to independent research, creative problem-solving and meaningful engagement with the global community.  We provide the framework for students to acquire both discipline-specific professional skills, necessary to make a living and a broad spectrum of skills in critical, creative and scientific problem-solving that will allow them to contribute in multiple real world settings.

In compliance with Florida Administrative Code 6A-14.0303, Florida Statute 1007.25, and Florida State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.02413 all degree-seeking students who successfully complete Florida SouthWestern State College’s General Education Program will demonstrate literacy in the following five required categories of General Education Competencies:

  • Communications
  • Humanities
  • Social Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Sciences

General Education Courses:

General Education Core courses differ from traditional survey courses by integrating a breadth of knowledge and skills essential to a complete education and are the foundation of knowledge upon which all degrees are built.

General Education Competencies:

  • Communicate clearly in a variety of modes and media
  • Research and examine academic and non-academic information, resources, and evidence
  • Evaluate and utilize mathematical principles, technology, scientific and quantitative data
  • Analyze and create individual and collaborative works of art, literature, and performance
  • Think critically about questions to yield meaning and value
  • Investigate and engage in the trans-disciplinary applications of research, learning, and knowledge
  • Visualize and engage the world from different historical, social, religious, and cultural approaches
  • Engage meanings of active citizenship in one’s community, nation, and the world

General Education Courses for the Associate in Arts or Baccalaureate degree: 36 credits


  • ENC 1101 - Composition I , must complete with a “C” or better1 3 credits
  • ENC 1102 - Composition II , must complete with a “C” or better 3 credits
  • Core Humanities General Education Course 3 credits
  • Any Humanities General Education Course 3 credits
  • Core Social Sciences General Education Course 3 credits
  • Any Social Sciences General Education Course 3 credits
  • Core Mathematics General Education Course, must complete with a “C” or better2 3 credits
  • Any Mathematics General Education Course, must complete with a “C” or better 3 credits
  • Core Natural Sciences General Education Course3 3 credits
  • Any Natural Sciences General Education Course 3 credits
    • A minimum of one of the two Natural Sciences General Education courses must have an associated laboratory. The lab may be a standalone course (courses with an “L” suffix, e.g., CHM 2045L) or combined within a course (courses with a “C” suffix, e.g., BSC 1051C).
  • Additional courses from any General Education category 6 credits

 

According to Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-14.0303 and 6A-10.030:

1 Any student who successfully completes a course with an ENC prefix for which ENC X101 is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the Communication Core.”

2 ”Any student who successfully completes a mathematics course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in mathematics is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the Mathematics Core.”

“Any student who successfully completes a natural science course for which one (1) of the general education core course options in natural science is an immediate prerequisite shall be considered to have completed the natural science core.”

 

COMMUNICATION CATEGORY; 6 credits required


Both courses must be completed with a “C” or better

Required Core Communication General Education Course


Other Required Communication General Education Course


Additional Communication General Education Courses


HUMANITIES CATEGORY; 6 credits required


Must complete one core course and one additional/core course

Additional Humanities General Education Courses


SOCIAL SCIENCES CATEGORY; 6 credits required


Must complete one core course and one additional/core course, and satisfy the Civic Literacy Requirement

Core Social Sciences General Education Courses


MATHEMATICS CATEGORY; 6 credits required


Must complete one core course and one additional/core course; both courses must be completed with a “C” or better

NATURAL SCIENCES CATEGORY; 6 credits required


Must complete one core course and one additional/core course; a minimum of one Natural Science course must have an associated laboratory

ADDITIONAL CATEGORY; 6 credits required


  • Additional courses from any General Education category 6 credits