General Education - College Academic Learning Goals
The College is dedicated to a comprehensive effort that encourages the attitude of inquiry, the skill of problem solving, and concern for the values of a democratic society in each student. This philosophy of general education seeks to give each student the knowledge, skills, and values needed for lifetime learning and for becoming a self-fulfilled individual.
Delaware County Community College has instituted nine College Academic Learning Goals (CALG) as the core of our general education program. Since the focus is on skills, knowledge and abilities rather than courses, there is no mandatory set of courses that every graduate will take to complete the general education portion of a degree program. Each degree, career, and transfer program has been designed by the College’s faculty to meet these goals. The goals are met either by general education courses or by required program courses that have been designed to meet one or more of the learning goals. Each degree program guides its graduates to achieve the College Academic Learning Goals in the way that is most reasonable and helpful to students in that field of study. Some certificates also include CALG-designated courses. The courses that meet the College Academic Learning Goals are part of, not in addition to, the program.
The nine College Academic Learning Goals are:
Critical Reasoning: Graduates will demonstrate critical reasoning. Course List
Diversity and Social Justice: Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of inequality, oppression, power, privilege, and the struggle for social justice faced by historically marginalized people. Course List
Global Understanding: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to recognize and analyze global topics and issues. Course List
Information Literacy: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information found in the course of their research. Course List
Information Technology: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to use information technology. Course List
Oral Communication: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to communicate orally by delivering and receiving messages competently. Course List
Quantitative Reasoning: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to apply mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning to solve problems. Course List
Scientific Inquiry: Graduates will demonstrate a conceptual and a quantitative understanding of natural science disciplines and develop scientific inquiry skills. Course List
Written Communication: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to compose coherent, evidence-based academic writing. Course List
Critical Reasoning (CR)
Graduates will demonstrate critical reasoning.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Computing | ||
| CS 102 | Introduction to Python * | 3 |
| CS 101 | Introduction to Computer Science * | 3 |
| Humanities | ||
| ENG 100 | English Composition I * | 3 |
| ENG 112 | English Composition II: Writing About Literature * | 3 |
| HUM 160 | Introduction to World Religions * | 3 |
| PHI 100 | Introduction to Philosophy * | 3 |
| Social Science | ||
| ECE 121 | Early Childhood Education Laboratory II * | 4 |
| HIS 110 | American History I * | 3 |
| HIS 120 | American History II * | 3 |
| HIS 150 | World Civilizations I * | 3 |
| HIS 160 | World Civilizations II * | 3 |
| HIS 200 | Civil War and Reconstruction * | 3 |
| HIS 224 | History of the First World War * | 3 |
| HIS 225 | History of the Second World War * | 3 |
| HIS 235 | 20th Century World History * | 3 |
| PSY 130 | Personal and Career Development | 3 |
| PSY 140 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 200 | Personality Theories | 3 |
| PSY 205 | Human Sexuality * | 3 |
| PSY 210 | Lifespan Human Development * | 3 |
| PSY 220 | Abnormal Psychology * | 3 |
| PSY 235 | Educational Psychology * | 3 |
| PSY 241 | Child Development * | 3 |
| PSY 242 | Adolescent Psychology * | 3 |
| SWO/PSY 203 | Counseling Skills * | 3 |
- *
Multiple College Academic Learning Goals Designations
Global Understanding (GU)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to recognize and analyze global topics and issues.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Business | ||
| ECO 210 | Macroeconomic Principles | 3 |
| ECO 220 | Microeconomic Principles | 3 |
| Arts & Humanities | ||
| ART 115 | History of Graphic Design | 3 |
| ART 116 | History of Photography | 3 |
| ART 117 | Art of the Ancient World | 3 |
| ART 118 | Art from the Medieval and Early Modern World | 3 |
| ART 119 | Art of the Modern World | 3 |
| ENG 240 | World Literature I * | 3 |
| ENG 241 | World Literature II * | 3 |
| HUM 121 | Myth * | 3 |
| HUM 160 | Introduction to World Religions * | 3 |
| PHI 100 | Introduction to Philosophy * | 3 |
| SPA 101 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 |
| SPA 102 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 |
| Science | ||
| BIO 102 | Humans and the Environment * | 4 |
| Behavioral & Social Science | ||
| ADJ 202 | Terrorism | 3 |
| HIS 110 | American History I * | 3 |
| HIS 120 | American History II * | 3 |
| HIS 150 | World Civilizations I * | 3 |
| HIS 160 | World Civilizations II * | 3 |
| HIS 224 | History of the First World War * | 3 |
| HIS 225 | History of the Second World War * | 3 |
| HIS 235 | 20th Century World History * | 3 |
| PSY 210 | Lifespan Human Development * | 3 |
| PSY 235 | Educational Psychology * | 3 |
| PSY 241 | Child Development * | 3 |
| PSY 242 | Adolescent Psychology * | 3 |
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology * | 3 |
| SOC 120 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 210 | Cultural Anthropology * | 3 |
- *
Multiple College Academic Learning Goals Designations
Diversity and Social Justice AND Global Understanding
Some programs may require a course selection with dual Diversity and Social Justice and Global Understanding designation.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Arts & Humanities | ||
| ENG 240 | World Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 241 | World Literature II | 3 |
| HUM 121 | Myth | 3 |
| HUM 160 | Introduction to World Religions | 3 |
| Behavioral & Social Science | ||
| HIS 110 | American History I | 3 |
| HIS 120 | American History II | 3 |
| HIS 150 | World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIS 160 | World Civilizations II | 3 |
| HIS 235 | 20th Century World History | 3 |
| PSY 210 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| PSY 235 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 241 | Child Development | 3 |
| PSY 242 | Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 120 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 210 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
Information Literacy (IL)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information found in the course of their research.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Humanities | ||
| ENG 100 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 112 | English Composition II: Writing About Literature | 3 |
| Social Science | ||
| EDU 206 | Teaching with Technology * | 3 |
| SOC 260 | Research Methodology | 3 |
- *
Multiple College Academic Learning Goal Designations.
Oral Communication (OC)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to communicate orally by delivering and receiving messages competently.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Business | ||
| BUS 130 | Business Communication | 3 |
| Humanities | ||
| COMM 100 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 111 | Public Speaking | 3 |
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to apply mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning to solve problems.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Business | ||
| BUS 220 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MAT 120 | Modern College Mathematics | 3 |
| MAT 121 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| MAT 125 | Mathematics for Teachers of Children I | 3 |
| MAT 128 | Algebra | 4 |
| MAT 135 | Business Precalculus | 3 |
| MAT 151 | College Algebra | 4 |
| MAT 152 | Precalculus | 4 |
| MAT 160 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MAT 210 | Statistics | 3 |
| Not intended for transfer | ||
| BUS 104 | Mathematics for Business | 3 |
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
Graduates will demonstrate a conceptual and a quantitative understanding of natural science disciplines and develop scientific inquiry skills.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Science | ||
| BIO 100 | Biological Sciences | 4 |
| BIO 102 | Humans and the Environment * | 4 |
| BIO 110 | General Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 150 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| CHE 101 | Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
| CHE 110 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| ESS 100 | Earth Science | 4 |
| ESS 105 | Astronomy | 4 |
| ESS 110 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| PHY 110 | College Physics I | 4 |
| PHY 131 | University Physics I | 4 |
| Not intended for general transfer but may be accepted in related curricula via articulation | ||
| Allied Health | ||
| Science | ||
| AHM 208 & AHM 220 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology and Applied Microbiology | 5 |
| PHY 107 | Technical Physics | 4 |
- *
Multiple College Academic Learning Goals Designations
Information Technology (TC)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to use information technology.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Computing | ||
| CS 100 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| CS 101 | Introduction to Computer Science * | 3 |
| CS 102 | Introduction to Python * | 3 |
| CS 110 | Introduction to C++ | 3 |
| NET 110 | Network Communications | 3 |
| Social Science | ||
| ECE 111 | Methods and Materials for Teaching (bundled with ECE 112, 121, 130, 140, 201) | 3 |
| EDU 206 | Teaching with Technology | 3 |
| Discipline Courses 1 | ||
| ART 211 | Digital Imaging | 3 |
| ART 236 | Digital Photography I | 3 |
| EMTP 200 | Summative Field Clinical | 8 |
| NUS 110 | Concepts and Practice I | 8 |
| PLG 130 | Technology in the Law | 3 |
- 1
Discipline courses may be available only to students in certain majors.
Written Communication (WC)
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to compose coherent, evidence-based academic writing.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course List, as of Fall 2024: | ||
| Humanities | ||
| ENG 100 | English Composition I * | 3 |
| ENG 112 | English Composition II: Writing About Literature * | 3 |
| HUM 121 | Myth * | 3 |
- *
Multiple College Academic Learning Goals Designations