General Education Requirements

In addition to Major and Additional Course Requirements, all students enrolled in academic programs (i.e., A.A. Degrees, A.S. Degrees, A.A.S. Degrees, or Academic Certificates) must complete General Education Requirements. These requirements are designed to collectively expose students to courses beyond those associated with their major subject areas to provide a well-rounded, broad education. Faculty and administrators periodically review the requirements to ensure they are current, consistent with state guidelines, and meet the highest standards of academic excellence. The goals of the ECC general education program are as follows:

1. Written and Oral Communication: Students will communicate effectively in both speech and writing.
2. Quantitative Knowledge & Skills: Students will use appropriate mathematical and statistical concepts and operations to interpret data and to solve problems.
3. Scientific Knowledge & Reasoning: Students will use the scientific method of inquiry through the acquisition of scientific knowledge.
4. Technological Competency: Students will use computer systems or other appropriate forms of technology to achieve educational and personal goals.
5. Society & Human Behavior: Students will use social science theories and concepts to analyze human behavior and social and political institutions and to act as responsible citizens.
6. Humanistic Perspective: Students will analyze works in the field of art, music or theater; literature; and philosophy and/or religious studies; and will gain competence in the use of a foreign language.
7. Historical Perspective: Students will understand historical events and movements in World, Western, non-Western, or American societies and assess their subsequent significance.
8. Global and Cultural Awareness of Diversity: Students will understand the importance of global perspective and culturally diverse peoples.
9. Ethical Reasoning & Action: Students will understand ethical issues and situations.
10. Information Literacy: Students will address an information need by locating, evaluating, and effectively using information.

General Education Requirements vary depending on the type of academic program and comply with guidelines set forth by the statewide Transfer Agreement/Lampitt Bill (see http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/PDFs/XferAgreementOct08.pdf).

Students should consult the curriculum guide of their intended program of study to determine the exact general education courses required for their degree or academic certificate. A summary of the total minimum number of credits required in general education for each type of academic program at ECC is given in the table below. Note that the Ethical Reasoning & Action and Information Literacy general education goals are ‘incorporated course goals,’ which means that they are not addressed by stand-alone courses but, rather, are incorporated into general education courses that address one or more of the other general education goals listed above. In addition, while Certificates of Completion, which are different from Academic Certificates, have no required general education component, general education courses are often included in the curriculum of these programs.