Pima County Community College District Board Policy

Board Policy Title:  General Education
Board Policy Number:  BP-3117
Adoption Date:  2/20/91
Revision Date(s):  6/9/99, 5/4/10, 10/13/10
Schedule for Review & Update:  Annually
Unit Responsible for Review & Update:  Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Services
Sponsoring Unit/Department:  Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Services
Motion Number(s):  4776, 5874, 6974
Legal Reference:
Cross Reference: BP-3104, BP-3105, BP-3106, and BP-3107

General education will be the core of learning in associate degree and certificate programs.  It demonstrates the College’s vision of an educated person and a commitment to education as a lifelong process.

The rationale for general education is:

General education requires that all students gain an understanding and appreciation of themselves; their own history and culture; the history and culture of the human species; the principles and impact of mathematics, science and technology; and the principles of effective communication.  Through an understanding and appreciation of these elements, the students should come to a realization of the interrelationships.

General education is also designed to develop the following thinking skills: comparing; interpreting; observing; summarizing; classifying; suggesting and testing hypotheses; imagining and creating; criticizing and evaluating; designing projects and investigations; identifying assumptions; applying principles in new situations; gathering and organizing data; and coding for certain patterns of thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making.  These skills are aligned with the College Student Learning Outcomes:  Learn, Communicate, Innovate, Participate, and Aspire.