2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog 
    
    Apr 25, 2024  
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2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog [PREVIOUS CATALOG YEAR]

General Education

General Education

General Education is the core and foundation of the American educational experience, defining a set of values, skills and ideas that give a sense of coherence and connectedness to the learning process. Yavapai College recognizes that general education is essential for personal and intellectual growth, an effective and innovative workforce, and a successful and vibrant civic society; and is committed to providing students with both curricular and co-curricular experiences that facilitate these important ends. Yavapai College's General Education program is designed to encourage curiosity and an active interest in the world; practical, disciplined thinking; the development of personal and civic values; and a willingness to acknowledge and appreciate diverse cultural and historical perspectives.

Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) - The public universities and community colleges in Arizona have agreed to three transfer general education programs. These general education transfer programs are referred to collectively as the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC). This agreement ensures that the completion of the courses within an AGEC at Yavapai College will allow students to transfer lower division general education courses to any of the Arizona public universities without losing credits. Courses applied to the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) may not be taken for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading.

Three certificate programs have been designated to complete the specific 35 semester hour general education blocks of the AGEC requirements. These certificates are:

  1. Arizona General Education Curriculum A-AGEC-A fulfills the lower division general education requirements of liberal arts majors (e.g., social science, fine arts, humanities).
  2. Arizona General Education Curriculum B-AGEC-B fulfills the lower division general education requirements of business majors.
  3. Arizona General Education Curriculum S-AGEC-S fulfills the lower division general education requirements of majors with more stringent mathematics and mathematics-based science requirements.

Five degrees have been designated to include the specific 35-38 semester hour general education blocks.

These degrees are:

  1. Associate of Arts-AGEC-A
  2. Associate of Arts in Elementary Education-AGEC-A
  3. Associate of Arts in Fine Arts-AGEC-A
  4. Associate of Business-AGEC-B
  5. Associate of Science-AGEC-S

See individual degree and certificate programs for specific completion requirements. If the student does not complete the AGEC at Yavapai College, the same transfer status may not be granted by an Arizona public university as those who have completed the AGEC. Failing to complete the AGEC will result in having courses evaluated on a course-by-course basis by the transfer university.

Some majors, particularly in the professional fields, have specific prerequisites and/or program requirements that will not transfer within one of the three general education programs described in this section. Students should check with an advisor to confirm the status of such a major program. Since university requirements can change from year-to-year, it is advisable to maintain regular contact with an academic advisor.

General Education courses generally require critical reading and thoughtful writing. Students with college-level reading and writing skills have the foundation necessary for success.

In some cases a specific degree program may require the student to select particular courses, rather than to select freely from the list of approved General Education courses. The student should follow requirements of their specific degree program to ensure graduation and transfer of credits. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with an academic advisor to build an educational plan. Approved General Education courses are listed below, in their respective categories.

AGEC - Special Requirements incorporate additional university requirements. These are not separate courses, but instead are topics that, upon completion of an AGEC certificate, students will have encountered in their required course of study.

Intensive Writing and Critical Inquiry (IWR) - At least one course beyond the First-Year Composition requirement shall involve the development of competence in written discourse and involve the gathering, interpretation, and evaluation of evidence.

Awareness Areas

  1. Ethnic/Race/Gender/Class (ERG) Awareness - One course emphasizing ethnic/race/gender/class awareness is required.
  2. Global/International or Historical (GIH) Awareness - One course emphasizing contemporary global/international awareness or historical awareness is required.

General Education Categories/Courses

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