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Section II: COC Core Requirement

2.7.3 In each undergraduate degreee program, the institution requires the successful completion of a general education component at the collegiate level that (1) is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree, (2) ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3) is based on a coherent rationale. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent. These credit hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts; social/behavioral sciences; and natural science/mathematics. The courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession. If an institution uses a unit other than semester credit hours, it provides an explanation for the equivalency. The institution provides a justification if it allows for fewer than the required number of semester credit hours or its equivalent unit of general education courses. (General Education)

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JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

√ Compliance             Partial compliance          Non-compliance

NARRATIVE

This response will describe the current general education model and the new model to be implemented August, 2008.  Currently Richard Bland College delivers a general education component for the two degrees offered (A.A. and A.S.) which includes 48 of the 63 semester hours required for graduation.  Breadth is achieved by requiring courses from the traditional liberal arts areas of humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and social sciences.  It also requires credits in physical education.  Courses from each area are organized by levels of increasing complexity and depth (for example, students attempting Math 217, Introductory Statistics, must have completed Math 101 College Algebra).  No general education courses focus on skills or techniques unique to a particular occupation.

This curriculum is based in two principles:  the first is attached directly to the institutional mission and our responsibility for preparing students for transfer as all courses made a part of the general education requirements must meet the expectations of receiving senior institutions at both the course level and the broader area of general education (see Core Requirement 2.7.2 for transfer agreements); the second principle is grounded in commonly held assumptions about the relationship between disciplines and the human experience as expressed in the College’s curriculum goals. These goals focus on building fundamental skills of writing and computation as well as exposure to broad areas of knowledge and ways of knowing.

The impending changes in the new model for the general education program resulted from a review of the current model in light of the need to enhance options for transfer and in light of the data received on issues RBC students faced in transfer. Two significant steps occurred as a result of discussions held with receiving schools, most particularly The College of William and Mary.  First, RBC has developed and piloted revisions to the writing and mathematics programs to include reduced class size and enhancements to the writing and mathematics centers.  Second, RBC has expanded program-to-program articulation options in order to assure that our graduates enter senior institutions at the same level and place as native students in major programs.

The review began with analyses of each discipline conducted by the faculty in that discipline.  A clear example may be seen in the analysis of the art program.  Results of the review resulted in establishing an associate degree with emphasis in the fine arts, which Virginia Commonwealth University will accept in transfer as equivalent to their Art Foundation Program.  A Hypermedia Studio and Portfolio Development Center were established to assist RBC students in preparing improved transfer portfolios.  An Art Transfer CD was also created and distributed to clarify transfer requirements.

The review moved to analysis of the general education program overall, conducted by the Instructional Programs Committee.  The Committee submitted its final proposal to the entire faculty where it was unanimously recommended in May of 2007for full implementation in fall of 2008. The Provost and Dean of Faculty, and the President have approved the program.

One of the results of the increased focus on program-to-program articulations is to have a larger number of credits for elective within both the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science Degrees.  That expansion was achieved by bringing the general education core into line with common practice at the associate level of having no more than half of the degree requirements satisfied by the core.  The following comparison depicts the nature and substance of the change.

GENERAL EDUCATION CORE

Through 2007-2008		Beginning Fall 2008
Humanities	15	English Composition Art of Language and Ideas Language/History of Fine Arts	6 3 3
Natural Sciences and Mathematics	14	Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Investigating the Natural World	3 4
Social Sciences	12	The Human Experience        U.S. and World Cultures	3 3
Computer Proficiency	3	Computer Proficiency	0-3
Physical Education	4	Physical Fitness and Wellness	2
TOTAL CORE	48	TOTAL CORE	27-30
Foreign Languages	0-6	Foreign Languages	0-6
Electives	9-15	Electives	30-36
TOTAL	63	TOTAL	63

Students will be able to choose a curriculum which resembles the current generalist Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degrees, or they may structure a curriculum around a potential baccalaureate major through discipline-specific courses.  For each area these courses have been identified as courses expected of entering third-year students at a receiving institution.  For example, a student planning a history major at the baccalaureate level will be required to earn twelve hours in survey and elective courses in history beyond those required in the general education core.  Finally, students choosing an area of emphasis will also be required to add depth to the general education disciplines important to that area, so that the history student, for example, will also be required to achieve a 200-level foreign language competency, complete one additional mathematics course, and one additional laboratory science course as foundational to their intended major.

Course requirements of the current program are published in the RBC Undergraduate Catalog 2006-2008 and are available on the College website, and on Degree Completion Forms.

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Page updated February 15, 2008  | Questions or comments? Email sacsparc@rbc.edu

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Petersburg, Virginia