Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 GCC Catalog 
    
2019-2020 GCC Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Liberal Arts and Sciences, AA


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The Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) is designed for students who wish to complete a rigorous course of study in preparation for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program. A broadly integrated curriculum will provide students with an essential understanding of traditional discipline areas, as well as the academic skills necessary to engage them. Students will become familiar with techniques of inquiry in humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences, allowing them to continue their education with confidence toward a 4-year degree in the discipline of their choice.

Courses which satisfy the requirements for an Associate’s degree in the Liberal Arts and Sciences at Gateway are in many cases the same as those taught in the first two years of the Bachelor’s degree program at receiving schools. With an LAS degree, students may pursue a professional degree (e.g., in education, business, science, law, medicine, social work, etc.) or a liberal arts degree at the bachelor’s level (e.g., in English, philosophy, natural science, or mathematics, etc.). In order to ensure maximum transfer credit to the college or university of choice, students are strongly encouraged to study the catalog of the institution to which they intend to transfer and consult directly with its admissions office. Students should also confer each semester with the LAS program coordinator, or a qualified transfer advisor as they proceed.

Students considering transfer within the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities should consider a CSCU Transfer Ticket A.A. Degree: [Discipline] Studies. Visit www.ct.edu/transfer for more information.

For more information, contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Lauren Doninger, at LDoninger@gatewayct.edu.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students will be able to:

  • Communicate effectively orally and in writing
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the human experience from an historical perspective
  • Draw from multiple disciplines and recognize the difference between reliable and unreliable sources in conducting an argument, and use reliable sources to think and argue critically and logically
  • Employ scientific and quantitative reasoning skills to solve problems
  • Articulate aesthetic and ethical aspects of human endeavor
  • Analyze sociocultural context on the behavior of individuals and groups

General Education Requirements


In order to transfer as efficiently as possible and complete your baccalaureate degree without taking extra credits, all course selections should be made based on intended transfer institution and intended major. Seek advising.

 

Course Area Courses Credits
Written Communication I (WC I) ENG* 101   3
Written Communication II (WC II) ENG* 102  or ENG* 200   3
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) MAT* 137  , MAT* 137A  , or MAT* 137C  (or higher) 3
Social Phenomena (SP) Any course designated for Social Phenomena 3
Historical Knowledge (HK) Any course designated for Historical Knowledge 3
Scientific Knowledge (SK) Any course designated for Scientific Knowledge 3
Critcal Analysis & Logical Thinking (CALT) PHL* 101  or PHL* 111   3
  Total Credits 21

 

Program Requirements


Course Area Courses Credits
Foreign Language FRE*/ITA*/SPA* 102 or higher (requirement may be waived for bilingual students and students who have completed level II of a foreign language in high school.  Credits may be filled with open elective–consider transfer institution requirements and seek advising) 3
Scientific Reasoning (SR) Choose any 4 credit course in: BIO*, CHE*, EAS*, EVS*, PHY* 4
Aesthetic Dimension (AD) ART* 101  , ART* 102  , MUS* 101  3
Oral Communication (OC) COM* 173   3
Liberal Arts & Sciences Electives Students are strongly encouraged to seek advisement and carefully consider transfer issues and intended baccalaureats major. LAS elective course prefixes are: ANT*, ART*, BIO*, CHE*, COM*, EAS*, ECN*, ENG*, EVS*, FRE*, GEO*, HIS*, HUM*, ITA*, MAT*, MUS* (non-performance), PHL*, PHY*, POL*, PSY*, SGN*, SOC*, SPA*, THR* 15
Open Electives Students are strongly encouraged to seek advisement and carefully consider transfer issues. 12
  Total Program Credits 40

Total Degree Credits: 61


Liberal Arts and Sciences Transfer Opportunities

Gateway Community College Liberal Arts and Sciences students are able to transfer seamlessly to nearly any college/university for which they are qualified. Students have successfully transferred to, and graduate from colleges across the state and nation, including many top-tier institutions, and Ivy League schools. Requirements of baccalaureate institutions vary greatly as do the award of transfer credits. Therefore, students should select a transfer institution and major early, work with their Admissions Office, and meet with the Liberal Arts and Sciences program coordinator or a qualified transfer advisor to ensure maximum transfer credit of their course selections.

Connecticut State University System (Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western)

Students with an associate degree from a Connecticut Community College are guaranteed admission to any Connecticut State University. However, admission to competitive majors is not guaranteed. Students may be better served with the CSCU Transfer Ticket A.A. Degree: [Discipline] Studies. Visit www.ct.edu/transfer for more information.

Southern Connecticut State University

Students graduating with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences may transfer to SCSU having satisfied the Southern Liberal Education Program (LEP – their general education core), provided they have taken the correct math course, and in some cases, specific courses required by certain majors which are included in SCSU’s LEP. The LEP LAS graduates will have the SCSU foreign language requirement waived. Capstone must be completed at SCSU. Southern provides active, regular advising at Gateway.

Pathway to Teaching – Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)

The Pathway to Teaching is designed for Liberal Arts and Sciences students who intend to become certified elementary or secondary teachers in Connecticut. The Pathway prepares students to apply to the School of Education at SCSU and transfer seamlessly. Students interested in becoming elementary school teachers should contact Carmelita Valencia-Daye (cvalencia-daye@gatewayct.edu). Students interested in becoming a middle or high school teacher should contact Lauren Doninger (ldoninger@gatewayct.edu).

University of Connecticut

The Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) is a transfer agreement between Connecticut Community Colleges and the University of Connecticut that guarantees admission to the University in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (select majors), or the School of Business. First time students who have attempted no more than 30 transferable credits may apply to GAP. Students must graduate from GCC with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (3.3 for School of Business) and an associate degree in a Liberal Arts and Sciences. Former UConn degree-seeking students are not eligible to participate in GAP. Visit http://admissions.uconn.edu/apply/transfer/gap. To complete the required application and begin the GAP advising process, see Dr. Lauren Doninger (Ldoninger@gatewayct.edu).

University of Bridgeport

Gateway Community College and the University of Bridgeport (UB) have an articulation agreement that guarantees admission to UB and provides substantial scholarships based on GPA. GCC students must have completed their associate’s degree and have earned a 2.5 GPA to be guaranteed admission. Program pathways are specified in the articulation agreement. UB will accept all GCC general education courses as equivalent to UB core curriculum or electives. There is no application fee and students will receive joint GCC and UB advising. Students participating in the UB articulation are eligible for the UB accelerated degree program – IDEAL. To complete the application and begin the dual-admission advising process, see Dr. Lauren Doninger (Ldoninger@gatewayct.edu). Visit www.bridgeport.edu.

Albertus Magnus College

Gateway Community College and Albertus Magnus College (AMC) have an articulation agreement that guarantees admission with junior standing to all AA and AS degree graduates. The agreement includes the traditional AMC undergraduate program. AMC provides guaranteed scholarships based on GPA. There is no application fee and students will receive joint GCC and AMC advising. Visit www.albertus.edu.

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