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NOVA General Education Goals
The College has established goals for each degree program to enhance student learning experiences beyond the major area of study. The following are the College's general education goals, approved by the Administration Council in 2007:
Communication: Students will demonstrate the ability to interact with others, resulting in understanding and being understood.
Critical Thinking: Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate evidence carefully and apply reasoning to decide what to believe and how to act.
Cultural and Social Understanding: Students will demonstrate an awareness, understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness of the social and cultural dimensions within and across local, regional, state, national and global communities.
Information Literacy: Students will demonstrate the ability to recognize when information is needed and will have the ability to locate, evaluate and use if effectively.
Personal Development: Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and/or refine personal wellness goals. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and/or enhance the knowledge, skills, and understanding to make informed academic, social, personal, career and interpersonal decisions.
Quantitative Reasoning: Students will demonstrate the ability to use numerical, geometric, and measurement data and concepts, mathematical skills, and principles of mathematical reasoning to draw logical conclusions and to make well-reasoned decisions and possess the skills and knowledge necessary to apply the use of logic, numbers and mathematics to deal effectively with common problems and issues.
Scientific Reasoning: Students will demonstrate the ability to adhere to a self-correcting system of inquiry (the scientific method) and rely on empirical evidence to describe, understand, predict and control natural phenomena.
The Curriculum Committee has recommended that each program awarding a degree or certificate would be required to devise program-specific general education objectives. This approach to general education recognizes that student attainment of the general education goals of the college is achieved within the context of academic degree programs. The general education goals and program goals may overlap. Assessment of general education is most effective when embedded in program courses. In addition, the VCCS requires that general education be evaluated within the context of academic programs.