Why General Education?
General education represents a program of coursework that students experience regardless of their major. This coursework provides students a breadth of knowledge beyond their major and opportunities to integrate that knowledge into a solid foundation that serves them well in their future education, career, and life as a citizen in a democratic republic. General education is designed to liberate and empower students, developing in them agency as they appreciate the “ways of knowing” of the liberal arts and sciences, gain important quantitative and communicative skills, better understand the world outside the United States, and practice applying knowledge in new contexts. SLCC’s general education program uses reflective ePortfolios as a signature pedagogy so students can showcase their learning and become the kinds of reflective practitioners that are valued by the marketplace and the wider world.
The General Education Learning Outcomes mirror the College-Wide Unified Learning Outcomes. Through the General Education program, students at SLCC will:
- Acquire substantive knowledge throughout the general education requirements.
- Communicate effectively.
This includes developing critical literacies-reading, writing, speaking, listening, visual understanding-that they can apply in various contexts; organizing and presenting ideas and information visually, orally, and in writing according to standard usage; and understanding and using the elements of effective communication in interpersonal, small group, and mass settings.
- Develop quantitative literacies necessary for their chosen field of study.
This includes approaching practical problems by choosing and applying appropriate mathematical techniques; using information represented as data, graphs, tables, and schematics in a variety of disciplines; and applying mathematical theory, concepts, and methods of inquiry appropriate to program-specific problems.
- Think critically and creatively.
This includes reasoning effectively from available evidence; demonstrating effective problem solving; engaging in creative thinking, expression, and application; engaging in reflective thinking and expression; demonstrating higher-order skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; making connections across disciplines; and applying scientific methods to the inquiry process.
- Develop civic literacy and the capacity to be community-engaged learners who act in mutually beneficial ways with community partners. This includes producing learning artifacts indicating understanding of the political, historical, economic or sociological aspects of social change and continuity; thinking critically about-and weighing the evidence surrounding-issues important to local, national, or global communities; participating in a broad range of community-engagement and/or service-learning courses for community building and an enhanced academic experience.
- Develop the knowledge and skills to work with others in a professional and constructive manner.
This includes engaging with a diverse set of others to produce professional work; interacting competently across cultures; understanding and appreciating human differences; and understanding and acting on standards of professionalism and civility, including the SLCC Student Code of Conduct.
- Develop computer and information literacy.
This includes using contemporary computer hardware and software to effectively complete college-level assignments; gathering and analyzing information using technology, library resources, and other modalities; understanding and acting upon ethical and security principles with respect to computer technology and to information acquisition and distribution; and distinguishing between credible and non-credible sources of information and using the former in their work in an appropriately documented fashion.
- Develop the attitudes and skills for lifelong wellness.
This includes understanding the importance of physical activity and its connection to lifelong wellness and learning how participation in a fitness, sport, or leisure activity results in daily benefits including stress reduction, endorphin release, and a sense of well-being.
General Education ePortfolio
SLCC’s Electronic Portfolio (ePortfolios) is a course-level requirement in all general education courses at SLCC. Students in each general education course will be asked to put at least one signature assignment into his/her ePortfolio. As students take general education courses, they will build a showcase of their breadth and depth of knowledge and skills.
Instructors will also ask students to reflect on the signature assignment in the portfolio, on its connection to other general education assignments, on the students’ own intellectual growth, on the connection between general education and the program of study, and/or on progress toward SLCC’s college-wide learning outcomes. Moreover, the General Education ePortfolio will allow students to document goals, extracurricular activities, and work in their program and elective courses.
While instructors are responsible for making assignments, helping students complete them successfully, and grading them, faculty are not responsible for helping the student build the ePortfolio itself. SLCC has ePortfolio labs with expert staff, workshops and online tutorials that can help. For more information about this help and the overall General Education ePortfolio initiative, visit www.slcc.edu/gened/eportfolio.
| TRANSFER NOTE: SLCC’s AS or AA degrees satisfy the lower division general education requirements for a Baccalaureate degree at Utah’s public colleges and universities as well as Brigham Young University and Westminster College. Students who transfer without the AS or AA degree may elect to complete SLCC’s general education requirements and obtain a General Education Certificate of Completion, which will also be recognized by Utah’s public colleges and universities as satisfying lower-division general education requirements. Students transferring to BYU with an AS, AA, or General Education Certificate of Completion will meet most general education requirements with the exception of Advanced Written and Oral Communication, Languages of Learning, and BYU religion requirements. |
General Education Requirements by Degree
Associate of Science (AS)/Associate of Arts (AA) Degree General Education Requirements
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree General Education Requirements
Associate of Pre-Engineering Degree (APE) General Education Requirements
The Associate of Pre-Engineering degree is a specialized associate degree that requires reduced general education requirements. Students will be required to satisfy remaining general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree at the transfer (receiving) institution or SLCC. Unless specified by program, courses can meet multiple degree requirements. SLCC engineering students should meet with the SLCC Engineering Advisor as well as a transfer advisor from the receiving institution regarding general education requirements specific to Engineering majors.
Certificate of Completion in General Education
The Certificate of Completion in General Education meets the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) general education requirements as outlined in Board of Regents Policy R470. The Certificate provides verification to all USHE institutions that the students has satisfied the lower division general education requirements of an AA or AS degree. The Certificate of Completion in General Education is awarded when a student completes all of the general education requirements for an AA or AS as described above. Students must complete 9 credit hours or 25% of the required credits directly from SLCC, must hold matriculated status, and must earn an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. This Certificate of Completion is not a stand alone program; students seeking a degree should enroll in their program of choice.
SLCC General Education Course Categories
Core Skills
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for AAS and CER |
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Institutional Requirements
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- The Lifelong Wellness (LW) requirement can be fulfilled by completing a course with the (LW) designation or by submitting a DD 214 document from the military.
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General Education Distribution Areas
AA and AS degrees at SLCC require students to take a total of five courses (15 credits ) from the General Education Distribution Areas, with one course from each of the following areas: Fine Arts (FA), Humanities (HU), Life Sciences (LS), Physical Science (PS), and Social Sciences (SS). One of the courses must also be designated as a Diversity (DV) course. Diversity courses critically examine the history, contributions of and challenges confronting diverse groups within our multicultural society.
AAS degrees at SLCC require students to take one or two courses (3 to 6 credits) from the list of General Education Distribution Areas.
Interstate Passport
The Interstate Passport enables successful transfer of a block of lower-level general education learning to other institutions participating in the Interstate Passport Network. Students who complete their Passport at Salt Lake Community College will not be required to repeat or take additional course work to meet lower-division general education requirements in the Passport’s nine areas when they transfer to any other Passport institution. Salt Lake Community College will begin transcripting the Interstate Passport following the Fall 2016 semester. Students with an interest in achieving the Passport should see our website at http://www.slcc.edu/gened/ and contact their advisor.
Notice to Students in Prior Catalog Years
The Interdisciplinary (ID) and Student Choice Intensive (IN) categories have been discontinued in the catalog year.
Two new categories have taken their place:
Students with questions should consult with their academic advisor.
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