General Education
BCTC General Education
BCTC supports a general education core curriculum that enables graduates from BCTC Programs to be intellectually flexible, articulate, reflective, creative, and prepared for continuous learning. For all students, this implies some understanding of the value of higher education and the world of work and career fields related to their own abilities, interests, and needs. The goal of general education courses is to enable students to develop their own values, pursue goals, and contribute to the political, moral, social, and cultural enrichment of society, while developing skills that can be applied to any career.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes
BCTC General Education Program Learning Outcomes (PLO’s) are defined by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) as the Statewide General Education Student Learning Outcomes. These outcomes have been aligned with the KCTCS General Education Competencies found within the KCTCS Course Catalog. The General Education PLO’s have been grouped into five categories:
- Written & Oral Communication – English, Communications
- Quantitative Reasoning – Mathematics, Statistics, Logic
- Arts, Humanities & History – Art, Music, Literature, Humanities, History, etc.
- Natural Sciences – Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.
- Social & Behavioral Sciences – Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, etc.
General Education Categories and Student Learning Outcomes
- Written and Oral Communication (WOC)
- Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
- Arts and Humanities [and History] (AHH)
- Natural Sciences (NS)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)
Written and Oral Communication (WOC)
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| WOC-1 | Write clear and effective prose in several forms, using conventions appropriate to audience (including academic audiences), purpose, and genre. (KCTCS A, B, C, D) |
| WOC-2 | Listen and speak competently in a variety of communication contexts, which may include public, interpersonal, and/or small-group settings. (KCTCS B, C, D) |
| WOC-3 | Find, analyze, evaluate, and cite pertinent primary and secondary sources, including academic databases, to prepare speeches and written texts. (KCTCS B, D) |
| WOC-4 | Identify, analyze, and evaluate statements, assumptions, and conclusions representing diverse points of view; and construct informed, sustained, and ethical arguments in response. (KCTCS B, C, D) |
| WOC-5 | Plan, organize, revise, practice, edit, and proofread to improve the development and clarity of ideas. (KCTCS B, D) |
Written Communication courses must meet WOC-1 and Oral Communication courses must meet WOC-2, with both types of courses meeting at least two of the remaining three SLOs.
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| QR-1 | Interpret information presented in mathematical and/or statistical forms. (KCTCS B) |
| QR-2 | Illustrate and communicate mathematical and/or statistical information symbolically, visually, and/or numerically. (KCTCS A, B, C) |
| QR-3 | Determine when computations are needed and to execute the appropriate computations. (KCTCS B) |
| QR-4 | Apply an appropriate model to the problem to be solved (KCTCS A, C, D) |
| QR-5 | Make inferences, evaluate assumptions, and assess limitations in estimation modeling and/or statistical analysis. (KCTCS B, C, D) |
Quantitative Reasoning courses should meet all 5 SLO’s, QR-1 through QR-5.
Arts and Humanities [and History] (AHH)
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| AHH-1 | Utilize basic formal elements, techniques, concepts, and vocabulary of specific disciplines within the Arts and Humanities. (KCTCS A and B) |
| AHH-2 | Distinguish between various kinds of evidence by identifying reliable sources and valid arguments. (KCTCS B) |
| AHH-3 | Demonstrate how social, cultural, and historical contexts influence creative expression in the arts and humanities. (KCTCS A and B) |
| AHH-4 | Evaluate the significance of human expression and experience in shaping larger social, cultural, and historical contexts. (KCTCS A, B and C) |
| AHH-5 | Evaluate enduring and contemporary issues of human experience. (KCTCS A and D) |
| AHH-6 | Foreign Language: Demonstrate competency in a foreign language. Foreign language study develops essential skills and cultural awareness critical for success in a multilingual world. |
Each Arts, Humanities and History course should meet at least three of the five SLO’s AHH-1 through AHH-5. At least two AHH courses must be taken to meet all student-learning outcomes.
Natural Sciences (NS)
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| NS-1 | Demonstrate an understanding of the methods of science inquiry. (KCTCS A, B) |
| NS-2 | Explain basic concepts and principles in one or more of the sciences. (KCTCS A, B) |
| NS-3 | Apply scientific principles to interpret and make predictions in one or more of the sciences. (KCTCS A, B, D) |
| NS-4 | Explain how scientific principles relate to issues of personal and/or public importance. (KCTCS A, B, C, D) |
| NS-5 | Conduct a hands-on project using scientific principles (category experience). |
NS courses should meet SLO’s NS-1 through NS-4. Each institution’s general education natural science block must meet the category experience, NS-5.
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)
| Category | Outcome |
|---|---|
| SBS-1 | Demonstrate knowledge of at least one area of the social and behavioral sciences. (KCTCS A, D) |
| SBS-2 | Apply knowledge, theories, and research methods, including ethical conduct, to analyze problems pertinent to at least one area of the social and behavioral sciences. (KCTCS A, B, C, D) |
| SBS-3 | Understand and demonstrate how at least one area of the social and behavioral sciences conceptualizes diversity and the ways it shapes human experience. (KCTCS A, B, C, D) |
| SBS-4 | Integrate knowledge of at least one area of the social and behavioral sciences into issues of personal or public importance. (KCTCS A, B, C, D) |
| SBS-5 | Communicate effectively using the language and terminology germane to at least one area of the social and behavioral sciences. (KCTCS A, D) |
Social and Behavioral Sciences courses should meet at least 3 of the 5 SLO’s. At least two SBS courses from different disciplines must be taken to meet all student-learning outcomes.
