Core curriculum

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the core curriculum is “predicated on the judgment that a series of basic intellectual competencies—reading, writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking, and computer literacy—essential to the learning process in any discipline. Although students can be expected to come to college with some experience in exercising these competencies, they often need further instruction and practice to meet college standards and, later, to succeed in both their major field of academic study and their chosen career or profession.” These competencies include:

Reading – Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials-books, articles, and documents. A core curriculum should offer students the opportunity to master both general methods of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject matter of individual disciplines.

Writing – Competency in writing is the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. Although correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are essential in any composition, they do not automatically ensure that the composition itself makes sense or that the writer has much of anything to say. Students need to be familiar with the writing process, including how to discover a topic, how to develop and organize it, and how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities can be acquired only through practice and reflection.

Speaking – Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media.

Listening – Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.
Critical thinking – Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking used to address an identified task.

Computer literacy – Computer literacy at the college level means the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-education students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology, and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.

Another imperative of a core curriculum is that it contain courses that help students attain:

• Broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which he or she lives, and an understanding of the responsibility of living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world
• A capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and social aspects of life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society
• Recognition of the importance of maintaining health and wellness
• A capacity to use knowledge of how technology and science affect their lives
• Personal values for ethical behavior
• The ability to make aesthetic judgments
• Use of logical reasoning in problem solving
• Understanding of the interrelationship of the scholarly disciplines

After completing the core curriculum or general education requirements, students are expected to possess the intellectual competencies described above. Demonstration of these skills is shown by student achievement of exemplary educational objectives. These educational objectives have been defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and are specific to different component areas of the Core Curriculum, such as Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Humanities, etc. The following exemplary educational objectives should be used as basic guidelines for selected component areas.

Communication (composition and speech) – The objective of a communication component of a core curriculum is to enable the student to communicate effectively in clear and correct prose in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience. Exemplary educational objectives are to:

• Understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation.
• Understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose and to select appropriate communication choices.
• Understand and appropriately apply modes of expression, i.e., descriptive, expository, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive, in written, visual, and oral communication.
• Participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding.
• Understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument.
• Develop the ability to research and write a documented paper and/or to give an oral presentation.

Mathematics – The objective of the mathematics component of the core curriculum is to develop a quantitatively literate college graduate. Every college graduate should be able to apply basic mathematical tools in the solution of real-world problems. Exemplary educational objectives are to:

• Apply arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, higher-order thinking, and statistical methods to modeling and solving real-world situations.
• Represent and evaluate basic mathematical information verbally, numerically, graphically, and symbolically.
• Expand mathematical reasoning skills and formal logic to develop convincing mathematical arguments.
• Use appropriate technology to enhance mathematical thinking and understanding and to solve mathematical problems and judge the reasonableness of the results.
• Interpret mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables and schematics, and draw inferences from them.
• Develop the view that mathematics is an evolving discipline, interrelated with human culture, and understand its connections to other disciplines.

Natural Sciences – The objective of the study of a natural sciences component of a core curriculum is to enable the student to understand, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences, and to enable the student to understand the bases for building and testing theories. Exemplary educational objectives are to:

• Understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the study of natural sciences.
• Recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the differences between these approaches and other methods of inquiry and to communicate findings, analyses, and interpretation both orally and in writing.
• Identify and recognize the differences among competing scientific theories.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing modern science, including issues that touch upon ethics, values, and public policies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and their influence on, and contribution to, modern culture.

Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts – The objective of the humanities and visual and performing arts in a core curriculum is to expand students’ knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought, through study in disciplines such as literature, philosophy, and the visual arts, and develop an appreciation of the arts and humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society. Students should have experiences in both the arts and humanities. Exemplary educational objectives are to:

• Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
• Understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and social context.
• Respond critically to works in the arts and humanities.
• Engage in the creative process or interpretive performance and comprehend the physical and intellectual demands required of the author or visual or performing artist.
• Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.
• Develop an appreciation for the influence of the aesthetic principles that guide or govern the humanities and arts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the influence of literature, philosophy, and/or the arts on intercultural experiences.

Social and Behavioral Sciences – The objective of a social and behavioral science component of a core curriculum is to increase students’ knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity. Exemplary educational objectives are to:

• Employ the appropriate methods, technologies, and data that social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition.
• Examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods, social structures, and cultures.
• Use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories.
• Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues.
• Comprehend the origins and evolutions of U.S. and Texas political systems, with a focus on the growth of political institutions, the constitutions of the U.S. and Texas, federalism, civil liberties, and civil and human rights.
• Understand the evolution and current role of the U.S. in the world.
• Differentiate and analyze the historical evidence (documentary and statistical) and differing points of view.
• Recognize and apply reasonable criteria for the acceptability of historical evidence and social research.
• Analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public policy problems.
• Assume one’s responsibility as a citizen in a democratic society by learning to think for oneself, by engaging in public discourse, and by obtaining information through the news media and other appropriate information sources about politics and public policy.
• Identify and understand differences and commonalties within diverse cultures.

General education

General education courses are designed to prepare associate degree graduates with the knowledge and skills to prepare for a career, further their educational study, and contribute to society. These courses help associate degree students to attain:

• Sufficient literacy skills of writing, reading, speaking, and listening to communicate effectively above the 12th grade level
• Understanding of numerical data and their implications for daily living
• Consciousness of our society
• The ability to think and analyze at a critical level
• Appreciation of multicultural, multiethnic contributions to our country
• Understanding of our technological society
• Basic skills in the use of computers

In addition, graduates of all associate degree programs must be able to demonstrate competency in the basic use of computers by using computer technology in solving problems, communicating, and acquiring information. Basic computer skills may be obtained by completing a proficiency test or specific computer courses, completing courses that require use of the computer, or completing an associate degree that has computer courses as part of the degree plan.