Guide to Curricular Procedures, Section Two: Associate Degree Curriculum
Associate majors lead to the following degrees: Associate in Arts, Associate in Engineering Technology, or Associate in Science. (SR:9/13/88)
Procedures for preparing proposals to add, change, or drop associate degree majors, options, and minors, are the same as those for baccalaureate programs (see Section One, Item I. Baccalaureate Degree Curriculum).
In the Bulletin listing for associate degree majors, the offering unit must indicate a minimum of 7 credits that require a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44.
A. United States Cultures (US) and International Cultures (IL) Course Requirement
On April 27, 2004, the University Faculty Senate adopted legislation that replaced the Intercultural and International Competence Requirement. Associate degree students enrolling Summer Session 2005 and thereafter must complete a 3-credit course designated as United States Cultures (US), designated as International Cultures (IL), or designated as both United States Cultures and International Cultures (US;IL). For additional information on United States Cultures and International Cultures courses refer to Section 1, Item G–United States Cultures and International Cultures Requirements.
B. General Education
On April 28, 1987, the University Faculty Senate established a General Education program for associate degree students to become effective Summer Session 1988. On April 26, 1994, the legislation was modified eliminating references to the Breadth and Depth categories. This action became effective Summer Session 1994. In addition, the University Faculty Senate, at its meeting on December 2, 1997, mandated an integration of key competencies and emphasis on active learning (writing, speaking, quantitative skills, information and computer literacy, problem solving and critical thinking, team-work, and intercultural and international competence), as appropriate, in all General Education courses. For additional information on General Education refer to Section 1, Item F–General Education Component.
The General Education program for Penn State associate degree students consists of 21 credits distributed among communication and quantification skills (6 credits), the Knowledge Domain areas (15 credits), including courses in the natural sciences (3 credits), arts (3 credits), humanities (3 credits), and social and behavioral sciences (3 credits), and an additional 3 credits in any General Education area, including Health and Wellness (GHW). Up to six credits of Inter-domain courses may be used for any Knowledge Domain requirement, but when a course may be used to satisfy more than one requirement, the credits from the course can be counted only once.
FOUNDATIONS – Build a basis of effective communication and quantitative literacy. (Integrative Studies: Inter-domain courses may not be used for this requirement.)
Total 6 credits
- Requirement: Writing/Speaking (GWS)* – 3 Credits
- Requirement: Quantification (GQ)* – 3 Credits
*Requires a grade of C or better
BREADTH IN KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS – Practice applying a specific way of constructing knowledge to examine a topic. (Integrative Studies: Inter-domain courses may be used but may only apply to one requirement.)
Total 12 credits
- Requirement: Natural Sciences (GN) – 3 Credits
- Requirement: Arts (GA) – 3 Credits
- Requirement: Humanities (GH) – 3 Credits
- Requirement: Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS) – 3 Credits
EXPLORATION- Follow intellectual curiosity to deepen or widen learning
Total 3 credits
In addition to the above Knowledge Domains course requirements, associate degree students must complete 3 credits in any General Education area. Integrative Studies courses may be used for this requirement.
The General Education program extends the concept of flexibility to all aspects of the degree program. Penn State wants students to use General Education as an opportunity to experiment and explore, to take academic risks, to discover, and to learn.
To these ends, students may substitute a 200- to 499-level course for an Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, or Social and Behavioral Sciences course found on the General Education list. For example, a student may take a 400-level course in history and use it to meet the General Education requirement satisfied by a comparable lower-level history course.
C. Writing Across The Curriculum
On April 18, 1989, the University Faculty Senate established a Writing Across the Curriculum graduation requirement. Effective Summer Session 1992, all students entering the University as associate degree candidates must complete at least 3 credits of writing intensive (W) courses offered within General Education or the major.
Refer to Section One, Item H “Writing Across the Curriculum,” of the Guide for additional information on the writing requirement.