Aims of General Education
G-suffix Requirements
Regular Program Requirements: Core - BA/BS
Core - AA/AS Core
The ability to respond thoughtfully and emotionally to life experience by meeting it with understanding and resilience is generally accepted as the distinguishing characteristic of the liberally educated man or woman. An educated Christian sees his or her commitment to the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God to be the vital core around which all other characteristics grow and develop. An educated Adventist further recognizes that his or her commitment is strengthened by a faith in the nearness of the second advent of Christ.
To produce such educated individuals is the purpose of the general education requirements of Atlantic Union College. G-suffix courses especially affirm the spiritual and intercultural values that characterize the mission of Atlantic Union College, and prepare its graduates to have a strong and clearly distinct educational identity based on those values. Other general education courses teach the more comprehensive sense of identity and skills for learning and service needed in our multicultural church and society-symbolized on our campus, for example, by the John Henry Weidner Center for Cultivation of the Altruistic Spirit.
AUC's general education courses, therefore, are designed to foster certain skills. Among them, we suggest, are the following:
- To think logically and critically, and be willing to act upon one's convictions;
- To think creatively and with an educated imagination;
- To think deeply about the human condition, the nature of God, and people's relationships with God and with each other;
- To live with and respond to other human beings with respect, integrity, and compassion;
- To understand and explore ethnic, cultural, gender, age, and other diversities that truly represent the body of Christ and contemporary society in order to develop strategies for intercultural interaction;
- To develop skills enabling the individual to continue learning after formal learning has ended;
- To be aware of the needs of the student's immediate and greater communities that is expressed through active involvement within those communities;
- To examine personal attitudes, values, and goals in the light of Christian faith and expanded knowledge;
- To be able to cope with changing conditions.
The general studies core requirements listed above must include at least nine hours of G-suffix courses. The "G" suffix indicates specially designed courses that address the mission of the general studies program more intensely than do most classes.
These classes designed to be taught in innovative ways, using multiple viewpoints, a variety of ways of presenting information or evaluating performance, and often a team of instructors. They are always writing intensive. The General Studies Committee periodically reviews these classes to make certain that they are meeting the mission of the College and of the general studies program in ways that are relevant to students' changing contemporary needs.
ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 are prerequisites for all G-suffix
courses.
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The regular general education requirements for the Bachelor
of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Associate of Arts, and Associate
of Science degrees are given here. The Honors Core Program,
is described on pages 42-44
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A. College Seminar - 1-3 hours.
INDC 110 emphasizes the importance of higher education
and the development of skills and self-confidence needed for
success in college and future endeavors. It introduces the student
to the community service component of the general educational
requirements which continues at the John Henry Weidner Center
for Cultivation of the Altruistic Spirit. This course is for
freshmen only. The first 10 hours of required community service
will be satisfied by this class.
B. College Writing - 6 hours.
All students must complete ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 during
the freshman year except when a prerequisite course is required.
In no case can College Writing be delayed beyond the sophomore
year. Students who have completed English Language Institute
requirements will take the international section of ENGL 101.
Students enrolled at AUC are required to take ENGL 101 and ENGL
102 at AUC to be sure they are prepared to meet campus standards
in their writing. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in
ENGL 101 before enrolling in ENGL 102 and a minimum grade of
C in ENGL 102 to complete the College Writing requirement. No
G-suffix courses may be taken until both of these hours are
completed successfully.
C. Physical Education - 4 hours.
All students must complete PEAC 100 Fitness and Wellness
and two hours of Life Activity classes.
D. Foreign Language - 0-14 hours.
(For Bachelor of Arts, 14 hours) Students
with four years of high school language and/or students who
have completed the program of study in the English Language
Institute will have met this requirement. Others must take a
language through the intermediate level or demonstrate comparable
fluency.
(For Bachelor of Science, 8 hours) Students with two years of high school language and students who have completed the program of study in the English Language Institute will have met this requirement. Others must take a language through the beginning level or demonstrate comparable fluency.
*Waiver Exam must be taken by the sophomore year
E. Community Service - 0 hours.
Students must complete a minimum of 40 clock hours
of community service in keeping with the criteria and requirements
established by the John Henry Weidner Center for the Cultivation
of the Altruistic Spirit. Beginning with the first semester
of the sophomore year, each AUC student will register for INDC
301 Community Service every semester, completing a minimum of
5 hours for each registration period. The first 10 hours will
be satisfied by the College Seminar course. Students will only
be accounted 5 hours each semester even if they go over the
allotted hours. Students may receive a full years’ allotment
- 10 hours - of community service if they go on a mission trip
sanctioned by the College. Students completing a full year of
student missionary work will be considered to have completed
their community service hours. Forty accounted community service
hours are required for graduation. No tuition is charged for
this non-credit graduation requirement.
F. Humanities - 9 hours.
Art, literature, music, philosophy
One course must be in literature; one course must be in an area
other than literature.
G. Religion - 12 hours.
RELT 123 Fundamentals of Biblical Teachings 3 hours
RELB 125 Life and Teachings of Jesus 3 hours
or
RELB 113 The Gospels (3)
Religion Electives 6 hours
Transfer students from institutions other than Seventh-day Adventist colleges must take one course per year in residence, starting with the required courses.
H. Science - 12 hours.
Astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics,
and physics
One course must be in the physical sciences, one in the life sciences, one in mathematics and one course in computer science. Students may meet the computer science requirement through demonstration of the required computer competency.
I. Social Science - 9 hours.
Anthropology, economics, geography, history, political
science, psychology, sociology.
At least one course must be in history and at least one in anthropology,
psychology, or sociology.
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CORE REQUIREMENTS for Bachelor Degrees (B.A. and B.S.)
The following general education core requirements are for all students seeking a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and/or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Substitutions for these requirements are allowed for discipline specific programs. Detailed descriptions of the following core requirements are on pages 34-35.
Core Requirements: |
63-69 hours |
|
ENGL 101 |
College Writing I |
3 |
ENGL 102 |
College Writing II |
3 |
INDC 110 |
College Seminar |
3 |
INDC 301 |
Community Service (10 clock hours per year of residence) |
0 |
PEAC 100 |
Fitness and Wellness |
2 |
RELB 125 |
Life and Teachings of Jesus |
3 |
|
or |
|
RELT 123 |
The Gospels (3) |
|
RELT 123 |
Fundamentals of Biblical Teachings |
3 |
|
Foreign Language |
0-14 |
|
Humanities (Art, literature, music, philosophy) |
9 |
|
Physical Activity Course (two 1-hour courses) |
2 |
|
Religion Elective |
6 |
|
Science (Astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science mathematics, physics) |
12 |
|
Social Science (Anthropology , economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology) |
9 |
CORE REQUIREMENTS for Associate Degrees (A.A. and A.S.)
The following general education core requirements are for all students seeking a Associate of Arts (A.A.) and/or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree. Substitutions for these requirements are allowed for discipline specific programs. Detailed descriptions of the following core requirements are on pages34-35.
Core Requirements: |
29 hours |
|
ENGL 101 |
College Writing I |
3 |
ENGL 102 |
College Writing II |
3 |
INDC 110 |
College Seminar |
3 |
INDC 301 |
Community Service (10 clock hours per year of residence) |
0 |
PEAC 100 |
Fitness and Wellness |
2 |
RELB 125 |
Life and Teachings of Jesus |
3 |
|
or |
|
RELT 113 |
The Gospels (3) |
|
|
or |
|
RELT 123 |
Fundamentals of Biblical Teachings (3) |
|
|
*Humanities (Art, literature, music, philosophy) |
3 |
|
Religion Elective |
3 |
|
*Science (Astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science mathematics, physics) |
3 |
|
*Social Science (Anthropology , economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology) |
3 |
|
Elective in Humanities, Science, or Social Science |
3 |
* The General Studies Core Requirements listed above must include at least one 3-hour G-suffix class.