General Education Requirements
The requirements for an associate’s degree (A.A., A.S., A.A.S., A.E.S., or A.F.A.) consist of a minimum of 61 credit hours taken from three components: (1) general education core, (2) courses taken in the major/minor field and (3) electives.
Course work in the general education core:
Provides students with the ability to realize their potential as educated, responsible, and productive lifelong learners in a diverse and rapidly changing world. KCC’s general education program consists of a core of intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural experiences which introduce students to essential knowledge, skills, and values for future success in their field of study and the workplace and which encourage connections across disciplines.
For transfer students (A.A., A.S. or A.F.A.), the general education core ranges from 38 to 41 credit hours; for transfer students pursuing an Engineering degree, the A.E.S. requires 28 credit hours of general education; and for career students (A.A.S.), it requires at least 15 credit hours, depending on the program of study. Transfer students who complete their degree will fulfill all of the general education core requirements defined by the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) for the first two years of a baccalaureate program.
The general education requirements are distributed among the five traditional divisions of knowledge.
- Communication
- Mathematics
- Life and Physical Sciences
- Humanities and Fine Arts
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
The specific courses in each division will vary with the student’s degree or program. Students can contact an advisor in Student Affairs to determine the exact requirements.
While accurate information and advising assistance is always available regarding the general education core requirements, the major responsibility of getting a purposeful general education rests on each individual student. Thus, you should also familiarize yourself with the General Education Goals and Objectives in the next section that identify the traits of a generally educated person. By understanding these goals and objectives, you can begin to make informed selections of course work.