General Education

All Prince George’s Community College degree recipients have satisfied the requirements of their programs of study. The requirements include transferable general education courses that are specified for each program of study and provide the academic background that every student receiving an associate degree should have. If a student changes his or her program of study, the required general education courses also may change, in which case previously taken general education courses may not satisfy the requirements for the new program of study (The approved courses for each category are listed below.)

Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.)

The A.A. and A.S. degrees parallel the first two years of bachelor’s degree study and transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Students who plan to transfer are urged to meet with a Prince George’s Community College advisor as early as possible to ensure that all or most of their course credits will transfer to the four-year institution of their choice. For more information about transfer opportunities, see Transfer Opportunities . In addition to the courses in their major area of study, students need to take a minimum of 31 credit hours of general education courses that include the following. Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements or may not require courses in all the categories below. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information. Additionally, a minimum of 18 credits of general education and/or program requirements must be taken at the 2000-level unless otherwise noted in the program sequence.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)

Programs of study for an A.A.S. degree are designed for employment and career advancement within a particular area of study. These programs are not designed to parallel the first two years of study for a bachelor’s degree, but many of the courses in A.A.S. programs will transfer to four-year institutions. Students should consult with a Prince George’s Community College advisor to determine which courses transfer. For more information about transfer opportunities, see Transfer Opportunities . In addition to the courses in their major area of study, students need to take a minimum of 21 credit hours of general education courses that include the following. Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements or may not require courses in all the categories below. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information. Additionally, a minimum of 18 credits of general education and/or program requirements must be taken at the 2000-level unless otherwise noted in the program sequence.

Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.)

A.A.T. degrees are offered in early childhood education, elementary education, and secondary education. An A.A.T. degree provides the first two years of courses and other qualifications that a student needs to meet the entrance requirements to colleges of education in the state of Maryland. For more information about transfer opportunities, see Transfer Opportunities . A 2.75 GPA and a passing score (state of Maryland criteria) on the PRAXIS I exam are required for this degree. Following is the list of required general education courses and credits. Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements or may not require courses in all the categories below. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information. Additionally, a minimum of 18 credits of general education and/or program requirements must be taken at the 2000-level unless otherwise noted in the program sequence.

General Education List

General education courses are sufficiently broad in nature and scope to fulfill the intent of the general education requirements. The approved courses for general education are listed here for easy reference. Courses that are not approved for general education use will not be counted toward satisfying the general education requirements. Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements or may not require courses in all the categories below. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information. Note: If a student changes his or her program of study, some general education courses may not be applicable to the new program of study. A student must consult the sequence of study for his or her new program of study to determine which general education courses are required or recommended.

Student Core Competencies

General education courses support the outcomes of specific degree programs and demonstrate the college’s commitment to ensuring that all graduates of these programs have met the Student Core Competencies. Attaining these knowledge, skills, and values identifies an individual as a college graduate. Students who successfully complete degree programs (A.A., A.S., A.A.T., or A.A.S.) at Prince George’s Community College will demonstrate college level competency in:

These six Student Core Competencies are measured by seventeen measurable outcomes that are embedded in courses across the curriculum, and are directly addressed in general education courses. These measurable outcomes also are our Institutional Learning Goals. For a complete explanation of the Student Core Competencies and measurable outcomes see Assessment .