General Studies AA: Studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Area of Concentration (STEM Core): 611B

: 611B

Studies in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) core allows students to develop an interdisciplinary course of study emphasizing the science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics disciplines. The STEM core is designed to allow students to pursue a general exploration of these disciplines while deepening knowledge through a selected academic focus. For additional information, please visit the General Studies website.

In this core, students will develop an intentional academic plan that reflects personal, academic, and career goals emphasizing the following discipline areas or individual courses:

Astronomy (ASTR)
Biology (BIOL)
Chemistry (CHEM)
Data Science (DATA)
Computer Science (CMSC)
Electrical Engineering (ENEE)
Engineering Science (ENES)
Geology (GEOL)
Mathematics (MATH)
Meteorology (AOSC)
Networking (NWIT)
Nutrition (NUTR)
Physical Science (PSCI)
Physics (PHYS)

Students may elect to take any of the following individual courses as part of their STEM core requirements to enhance their selected academic focus; however, transferability of these courses should be carefully reviewed:

Architecture Technology (ARCH 101 )
Biotechnology (BIOT 110 )
Computer Application (CMAP 120 )
Landscape Technology (LNTP 100 )

NOTE: This core may not be appropriate for students intending to transfer to another institution for a life sciences, engineering, or mathematics degree program; students should meet with an advisor before selecting this core.

General Degree Requirements

In order to complete this degree, students must

complete of a minimum of 60 credit hours including:
- 31 credit hours of General Education program requirements ***
- 15 credit hours in STEM core courses with a minmum of 3 credit hours at the 200 level
- up to 11 elective credit hours as needed to complete 60 credit hours
complete a minimum of 15 credit hours at the 200 level
have a 2.0 GPA or higher.

Suggested Course Sequence

All students should review the Program Advising Guide and consult an advisor.

First Semester

ENGL 101 - Introduction to College Writing 3 semester hours *
Mathematics Foundation 3 semester hours (MATF) ‡
Natural Sciences Distribution with Lab 4 semester hours (NSLD) ††
General Education Institutional Requirement 3 semester hours (GEIR) †
Elective 3 semester hours

Second Semester

English Foundation 3 semester hours (ENGF) ‡
Behavioral and Social Sciences Distribution 3 semester hours (BSSD) **
Humanities Distribution 3 semester hours (HUMD)
Natural Sciences Distribution with or without Lab 3 semester hours (NSD)
Elective 3 semester hours

Third Semester

Arts Distribution 3 semester hours (ARTD or HUMD)
Behavioral and Social Sciences Distribution 3 semester hours (BSSD) **
STEM Core Course 1 3 semester hours
STEM Core Course 2 3 semester hours
General Education Institutional Requirement 3 semester hours (GEIR) †

Fourth Semester

STEM Core Course 3 3 semester hours
STEM Core Course 4 3 semester hours
STEM Core Course 5 3 semester hours
Elective 3 semester hours ‡‡
Elective 2 semester hours ‡‡

Total Credit Hours: 60

* ENGL 101 /ENGL 101A , if needed for ENGL 102 /ENGL 103 , or select an elective.

** Behavioral and social sciences distribution (BSSD) courses must come from different disciplines.

*** Students must complete one global or cultural perspectives designated course as part of their General Education program.

‡ Students should attempt ENGL and MATH foundation requirements within completion of the first 24 credits of college-level work or at the completion of any prerequisite or required non-credit coursework.

‡‡ Any credit hours beyond the minimum General Education credit hours (31) or core courses are counted toward elective credit hours.

† Two General Education institutional requirement (GEIR) courses are required from the following General Education courses: COMM, HLTH, or one ARTD or HUMD. Students may only take one course from ARTD or HUMD to fulfill General Education institutional requirements.

†† Consult a counselor or program advisor for NSND/science course selection. Students potentially interested in science, health or engineer transfer programs should consider a 4-credit lab science course.

NOTE: Exact semester credit counts may vary based on specific course selections.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program a student will be able to:

Articulate a plan for their educational and career development that relates their coursework to their goals.
Identify available resources related to their ongoing educational and professional development.
Apply critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and/or scientific reasoning skills by articulating, analyzing, and evaluating problems and scenarios across discipline areas.
Find, evaluate, use, and synthesize information needed to address increasingly complex problems and scenarios.
Use technology effectively to accomplish a variety of general and discipline specific activities.
Communicate effectively in writing and orally appropriately across disciplines.
Articulate an academic identity that reflects an integrated, interdisciplinary view of their formal, co-curricular and personal learning.
Make and articulate the connections within their course of study.