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Programs & Assessment: General Education Assessment

General Education at HCC

In compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) standards, General Education at Hagerstown Community College offers a wide range of courses intended to expose students to new areas of intellectual experience, thus expanding their cultural and global awareness, and preparing them to make well-reasoned judgments inside and outside of their academic fields.  General Education courses are reviewed and assessed regularly by College faculty and staff.

Arts/Humanities

Arts and Humanities courses examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form, and explore the relationship between theory and practice. They also examine the values of cultural heritage that establish the framework for the inquiry into the meaning of life (COMAR).

In order for a course to be designated as an Arts and Humanities General Education course at HCC, it must align with the following outcomes:

​AH1. Analyze formal elements of a cultural artifact or text, including composition and medium
AH2. Analyze contextual elements of a cultural artifact or text, including historical, cultural, and geographic influences
AH3. Evaluate cultural artifacts or texts

The following courses have been approved as Arts and Humanities General Education courses:

Behavioral/Social Science

​Behavioral and Social Sciences courses are concerned with the examination of society and the relationships among individuals within a society (COMAR).  

In order for a course to be designated as a Behavioral and Social Sciences General Education course at HCC, it must align with the following outcomes:

BSS1. Demonstrate understanding of concepts, theories, and methods of inquiry used in social and behavioral science disciplines
BSS2. Evaluate ways in which cultures, institutions, and societies shape individual and group behavior, contemporaneously and in an historical perspective
BSS3. Apply behavioral/social science concepts, theories and research findings

The following courses have been approved as Behavioral/Social Science General Education courses:

Biological/Physical Science

Biological and Physical Sciences courses examine living systems and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect, interpret and apply scientific data, and to the relationship between scientific theory and application (COMAR).

In order for a course to be designated as a Biological and Physical Sciences General Education course at HCC, it must align with two (2) or more of the following outcomes:

SC1. Utilize appropriate tools in order to acquire data and information needed to utilize the scientific method for purposes of inquiry, analysis, critical thinking and problem solving to develop a valid conclusion or explanation for an observed phenomenon
SC2. Apply the fundamental principles, vocabulary and methods essential for the acquisition of knowledge basic to the science
SC3. Develop an understanding of the historical, societal and ethical context of living systems and the physical universe in relation to emerging scientific issues and technologies
SC4. Discriminate between scientific and non-scientific arguments or sources of information in order to explain scientific information using appropriate written and oral communication

The following courses have been approved as Biological/Physical Science General Education courses:

Diversity

​Diversity courses explore and analyze new ideas, and promote understanding of the value of moral sensitivity and cultural diversity.

In order for a course to be designated as a Diversity General Education course at HCC, it must align with the following outcomes:

GD1. Use disciplinary knowledge to evaluate the impact of human and cultural diversity on one or more of the following: the arts, social, political, technological, religious, and/ or economic issues
GD2. Reflect critically on how one’s worldview, assumptions, and values are shaped by culture and experience, as well as how one’s background affects interactions with diverse groups
GD3. Analyze the impact of physical and/or social (human-made) systems on relationships among groups, such as those that contribute to inequality

The following courses have been approved as Diversity General Education courses:

English

English Composition General Education courses provide students with the communication knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry and academic research (COMAR).

In order for a course to be designated as an English Composition General Education course at HCC, it must align with the following outcomes:

EC1. Write an organized, coherent, fully developed essay or report that uses standard English and cites outside sources
EC2. Evaluate a text for bias, rhetorical purpose, organization, and evidence for claims
EC3. Demonstrate the use of research strategies to gather information

The following courses have been approved as English Composition courses:

Mathematics

​Mathematics General Education courses provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical, and problem-solving skills (COMAR).

In order for a course to be designated as a Mathematics General Education course at HCC, it must align with three (3) or more of the following outcomes:

MA1. Apply mathematical methods involving arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and graphs to solve problems
MA2. Represent mathematical information and communicate mathematical reasoning symbolically and verbally
MA3. Interpret and analyze numerical data, mathematical concepts, and identify patterns to formulate and validate reasoning
MA4. Utilize technological tools in order to solve mathematical problems
MA5. Explain mathematical information using appropriate written, visual and oral communication

The following courses have been approved as Mathematics General Education courses:

General Education Assessment Documents

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