General Education (for AA/AS Degree)
General Education course work
is intended to complement a concentrated study in a single discipline
or "major." It should provide a broad base of educational
experience about aspects of the world which a major area of study
may not include. The student who completes the general education
requirements at Fresno City College will have made noteworthy
progress towards becoming truly educated and prepared for a lifetime
of learning. Following are the major areas of General Education:
Natural Sciences
Courses in the natural sciences
are those which examine the physical universe, its life forms
and its natural phenomena. To satisfy the general education requirement
in natural sciences, a course should help the student develop
an appreciation and understanding of the scientific method through
direct experience and encourage an understanding of the relationships
between science and other human activities. This category would
include introductory or integrative courses in astronomy, biology,
chemistry, general physical science, geology, meteorology, oceanography,
physics and other scientific disciplines.
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Courses in the social and behavioral
sciences are those which focus on people as members of society.
To satisfy the general education requirement in social and behavioral
sciences, a course should help the student develop an awareness
of the method of inquiry used by the social and behavioral sciences.
it should stimulate critical thinking about the way people act
and have acted in response to their societies and how their actions
in turn change their society. It should also promote appreciation
of how societies and social subgroups operate. This category
would include introductory or integrative survey courses in anthropology,
economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology,
and related disciplines.
Humanities
Courses in the humanities examine
the philosophical, literary, aesthetic, and cultural expressions
of humans. These courses develop an awareness of the ways in
which people throughout the ages and in different cultures have
responded to themselves and the world around them through artistic
and cultural creation. They develop aesthetic understanding and,
through study of traditional and changing cultural perspectives,
foster better informed value judgments. These courses also offer
students the opportunity to explore their creativity and imagination
and to move consciously towards an awareness of their capability
for artistic self-expression. This category will include art
history, literature and film, philosophy and morality, comparative
religion, the fine and performing arts and language. When we
ask who we are, and what our lives ought to mean, we are using
the humanities.
Language and Rationality
Courses in language and rationality
are those which develop for the student principles and applications
of language that lead to logical thought, clear and precise expression,
and critical evaluation of communication in any endeavor.
1. English Composition: Courses
fulfilling this requirement include both expository and argumentative
writing.
2. Communication and Analytical
Thinking: Courses fulfilling these requirements include oral
communication, mathematics, logic, statistics, computer language
and programming, and related disciplines.
Course Classification
Pursuant to revisions to the
California Administrative Code, Title 5, Sections 55002 and 55805.5,
all courses listed within the college catalog fall into one of
the following classifications:
- Credit, Degree Applicable
- Credit, Nondegree Applicable
- Noncredit
The majority of courses have
retained their previous classification and are credit, degree
applicable. See Course Classification System, page 138
of the Fresno City College catalog, for a list of credit, nondegree
applicable and noncredit courses.
Also See:
Graduation
Requirements