Mar 19, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Education



General Education at SUNY Ulster defines a set of common learning goals for all students in all curricula. It provides students with the skills and knowledge essential for continuing intellectual development beyond their college experience and creates a learning environment sensitive to the needs of students, the community, and society. General Education endeavors to equip students with the intellectual skills needed to continue their education, perform as productive workers, and leaders in their chosen fields and as effective and ethical citizens in a democratic society.

Learning Goals of General Education

  1. MATHEMATICS

Students will demonstrate the ability to interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics; represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically, and verbally; employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems; estimate and check mathematical results for reasonableness; and recognize the limits of mathematical and statistical methods.

  1. NATURAL SCIENCES

Students will demonstrate understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis; and application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences.

  1. SOCIAL SCIENCES

Students will demonstrate understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical and interpretive analysis; and knowledge of major concepts, models, and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences.

  1. AMERICAN HISTORY

Students will demonstrate knowledge of a basic narrative of American history: political, economic, social, and cultural, including knowledge of unity and diversity in American society; knowledge of common institutions in American society and how they have affected different groups; and understanding of America’s evolving relationship with the rest of the world.

  1. WESTERN CIVILIZATION

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the development of the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, of Western civilization; and relate the development of Western civilization to that of other regions of the world.

  1. OTHER WORLD CIVILIZATIONS

Students will demonstrate knowledge of either a broad outline of world history, or the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, of one non-Western civilization.

  1. HUMANITIES

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program.

  1. THE ARTS

Students will demonstrate understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein.

  1. FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Students will demonstrate basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a foreign language and knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying.

  1. BASIC COMMUNICATION

Students will produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms; demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts; research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details; develop proficiency in oral discourse; and evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria.

In addition, two competencies are infused throughout the General Education program:

  1. CRITICAL THINKING (REASONING)

Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own or others’ work; and develop well-reasoned arguments.

  1. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Students will perform the basic operations of personal computer use; understand and use basic research techniques; and locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of sources.

SUNY General Education Requirement (SUNY GER)

The SUNY-GER is the 30-credit requirement for SUNY baccalaureate, A.A. and A.S. degree recipients, which supports academic excellence as well as student choice, mobility and degree attainment by expecting students to demonstrate achievement of SUNY-wide learning outcomes.

  1. Thirty credits in a minimum of 7 of 10 SUNY-GER areas are required for all students in programs leading to A.A., A.S. and baccalaureate degrees.
  2. The SUNY- GER areas of Mathematics and Basic Communication are required. In addition, Natural Science, Social Science, and the Humanities are strongly encouraged, as these areas are required in nearly all bachelor’s degree general education programs, giving students who complete them the maximum flexibility for transfer options.

Knowledge Areas

  1. Mathematics
  • MAT 101 - College Mathematics 3 cr.
  • MAT 105 - College Algebra 3 cr.
  • MAT 110 - Quantitative Reasoning 3 cr.
  • MAT 115 - College Algebra and Trigonometry 4 cr.
  • MAT 160 - Pre‐Calculus 4 cr.
  • MAT 170 - Calculus I 4 cr.
  • MAT 180 - Calculus II 4 cr.
  • MAT 203 - Calculus III 4 cr.
  • MAT 211 - Elementary Statistics 3 cr.
  • MAT 240 - Elem. School Geometry 3 cr.
  1. Natural Sciences
  • AST 101 - Astronomy of Stars and Galaxies 3 cr.
  • AST 102 - Solar System Astronomy 3 cr.
  • BIO 101 - Biology I for Nonscience Majors 3 cr.
  • BIO 103 - Biology of Nature 3 cr.
  • BIO 105 - General Biology I 4 cr.
  • BIO 106 - General Biology II 4 cr.
  • BIO 107 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 cr.
  • BIO 108 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 cr.
  • BIO 109 - Human Biology 3 cr.
  • BIO 206 - Genetics 4 cr.
  • BIO 207 - General Ecology 4 cr.
  • CHE 101 - Introductory Chemistry I 4 cr.
  • CHE 102 - Introductory Chemistry II 4 cr.
  • CHE 103 - General Chemistry I 4 cr.
  • CHE 104 - General Chemistry II 4 cr.
  • CHE 111 - Energy Alternatives 3 cr.
  • CHE 201 - Organic Chemistry I 3 cr.
  • CHE 202 - Organic Chemistry II 3 cr.
  • ESC 101 - Earth’s Atmosphere & Oceans 3 cr.
  • ESC 102 - Planet Earth 3 cr.
  • ESC 103 - History of Life 3 cr.
  • ESC 104 - Physical Geology 4 cr.
  • ESC 105 - Earth History 4 cr.
  • ESC 109 - Introduction to Meteorology 4 cr.
  • ESC 114 - Geology of the National Parks 3 cr.
  • ESC 140 - Earth’s Environment 3 cr.
  • ESC 230 - Geology of New York State 3 cr.
  • PHY 101 - Physics I 4 cr.
  • PHY 102 - Physics II 4 cr.
  • PHY 109 - General Physics I 4 cr.
  • PHY 110 - General Physics II 4 cr.
  • SCI 104 - Environmental Themes 3 cr.
  1. Social Sciences
  • ECO 101 - Introduction to Macroeconomics 3 cr.
  • ECO 102 - Introduction to Microeconomics 3 cr.
  • ECO 202 - History of Economic Thought 3 cr.
  • HIS 266 - Native American History 3 cr.
  • POS 201 - American Government 3 cr.
  • POS 204 - Political and Social Philosophy 3 cr.
  • POS 206 - Introduction to International Relations 3 cr.
  • PSY 101 - General Psychology 3 cr.
  • PSY 171 - Honors Psychology 3 cr.
  • PSY 200 - Psychology Child Development 3 cr.
  • PSY 201 - Social Psychology 3 cr.
  • PSY 203 - Abnormal Psychology 3 cr.
  • PSY 206 - Psychology of Adolescence 3 cr.
  • PSY 209 - Forensic Psychology 3 cr.
  • PSY 210 - Life Span Development 3 cr.
  • PSY 212 - Memory and Learning 3 cr.
  • PSY 220 - Personality Theory 3 cr.
  • SOC 101 - Principles of Sociology 3 cr.
  • SOC 203 - Criminology 3 cr.
  • SOC 206 - Social Problems 3 cr.
  • SOC 207 - Sociology of the Family 3 cr.
  • SOC 213 - Cultural Diversity 3 cr.
  1. American History

For all students:

  • HIS 103 - American History I 3 cr.
  • HIS 104 - American History II 3 cr.
  • HIS 206 - Immigration and Ethnicity in American History 3 cr.
  • HIS 264 - History of Women in the United States 3 cr.
  • HIS 265 - African-American History 3 cr.

For students scoring above 84 in NYS Regents American History:

  • HIS 172 - Honors History II 3 cr.
  • HIS 265 - African-American History 3 cr. 
  1. Western Civilization
  • ART 101 - Introduction to Visual Arts I 3 cr.
  • ART 107 - Art History I 3 cr.
  • ART 108 - Art History II 3 cr.
  • HIS 101 - Western Civilization I 3 cr.
  • HIS 102 - Western Civilization II 3 cr.
  • HIS 171 - Honors History I 3 cr.
  • HIS 173 - Honors History II 3 cr.
  • HIS 209 - Europe in the 20th Century 3 cr.
  • HIS 213 - Ancien Rome: Republic and Empire 3 cr.
  • HIS 223 - The Early Middle Ages 3 cr.
  • HIS 243 - Global Slavery 3 cr.
  1. Other World Civilizations
  • COM 219 - World Cinema 3 cr.
  • ENG 214 - Contemporary World Literature 3 cr.
  • HIS 230 - History of Early China 3 cr.
  • HIS 231 - Modern China 3 cr.
  • HIS 233 - Modern India 3 cr.
  • HIS 235 - Modern Japan 3 cr.
  • HIS 240 - Africa Before 1870 3 cr.
  • HIS 241 - Africa Since 1870 3 cr.
  • HIS 243 - Global Slavery 3 cr.
  • HIS 250 - Latin America Through Independence 3 cr.
  • HIS 266 - Native American History 3 cr.
  • MAT 221 - History of Non-Western Math 3 cr.
  • PHI 216 - Religions of the East 3 cr.
  • PHI 271 - Honors: Ethics Across Cultures 3 cr.
  • SOS 221 - Contemporary Latin America 3 cr.
  1. Humanities
  • ART 101 - Introduction to Visual Arts I 3 cr.
  • ART 107 - Art History I 3 cr.
  • ART 108 - Art History II 3 cr.
  • ART 110 - 20th Century Art History 3 cr.
  • COM 124 - Media and Society 3 cr.
  • COM 171 - Honors Public Speaking 3 cr.
  • COM 203 - Oral Interpretation 3 cr.
  • COM 209 - Art of the Film 3 cr.
  • CRJ 233 - Ethics in Criminal Justice 3 cr.
  • ENG 102 - College English II 3 cr.
  • ENG 171 - Honors English I 3 cr.
  • ENG 172 - Honors English II 3 cr.
  • ENG 201 - English Literature I 3 cr.
  • ENG 202 - English Literature II 3 cr.
  • ENG 203 - American Literature I 3 cr.
  • ENG 204 - American Literature II 3 cr.
  • ENG 206 - Literature: Major Themes 3 cr.
  • ENG 207 - Contemporary Literature 3 cr.
  • ENG 212 - The Short Story 3 cr.
  • ENG 215 - Shakespeare 3 cr.
  • ENG 218 - Classics of Children’s Literature 3 cr.
  • ENG 220 - Introduction to Drama 3 cr.
  • ENG 223 - Introduction to Poetry 3 cr.
  • ENG 225 - Creative Writing 3 cr.
  • ENG 240 - The Modern Novel 3 cr.
  • ENG 245 - Literature of American Ethnic Minorities 3 cr.
  • MUS 101 - Music Theory I 3 cr.
  • MUS 102 - Music Theory II 3 cr.
  • MUS 105 - Music Appreciation 3 cr.
  • MUS 108 - History of Music 3 cr.
  • MUS 171 - History of Jazz 3 cr.
  • PHI 101 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 cr.
  • PHI 203 - Logic 3 cr.
  • PHI 205 - Ethics 3 cr.
  • PHI 210 - Professional Ethics 3 cr.
  • PHI 222 - Images of America 3 cr.
  • PHI 233 - Ethics in Criminal Justice 3 cr.
  • PHI 271 - Honors: Ethics Across Cultures 3 cr.
  • THE 101 - Introduction to the Theatre 3 cr.
  1. The Arts
  • ART 101 - Introduction to Visual Arts I 3 cr.
  • ART 103 - Drawing & Composition I 3 cr.
  • ART 104 - Drawing & Composition II 3 cr.
  • ART 105 - Painting I 3 cr.
  • ART 106 - Painting II 3 cr.
  • ART 107 - Art History I 3 cr.
  • ART 108 - Art History II 3 cr.
  • ART 110 - 20th Century Art History 3 cr.
  • ART 112 - Fashion Drawing & Design I 3 cr.
  • ART 113 - Fashion Drawing & Design II 3 cr.
  • ART 117 - Introduction to Drawing I 3 cr.
  • ART 124 - Introduction to Design Foundation 3 cr.
  • ART 130 - Photography I 3 cr.
  • ART 131 - Photography II 3 cr.
  • ART 132 - Introduction to Color Photography 3 cr.
  • ART 150 - Two‐Dimensional Design 3 cr.
  • ART 161 - Graphic Design I 3 cr.
  • ART 165 - Digital Imaging I 3 cr.
  • ART 180 - Introduction to Web Page Design 3 cr.
  • ART 209 - Life Drawing/Anatomy I 3 cr.
  • ART 210 - Life Drawing/Anatomy II 3 cr.
  • ART 262 - Graphic Design II 3 cr.
  • ART 263 - Graphic Design III 3 cr.
  • COM 203 - Oral Interpretation 3 cr.
  • COM 204 - Oral Interpretation - Children’s Literature 3 cr.
  • COM 209 - Art of the Film 3 cr.
  • MUS 101 - Music Theory I 3 cr.
  • MUS 102 - Music Theory II 3 cr.
  • MUS 105 - Music Appreciation 3 cr.
  • MUS 107 - College Chorus 2 cr. *
  • MUS 111 - Vocal Ensemble 1 cr. *
  • MUS 116 - Small Instrumental Music Groups 1 cr. *
  • MUS 117 - Multiple Small Instrumental Music Groups 2 cr. *
  • MUS 126 - Applied Music 1 cr. *
  • MUS 127 - Applied Music 1 cr. *
  • MUS 128 - Applied Music 2 cr. *
  • MUS 129 - Applied Music 2 cr. *
  • MUS 136 - Introduction to Guitar 2 cr. *
  • MUS 141 - Class Piano I 2 cr. *
  • MUS 142 - Class Piano II 2 cr. *
  • MUS 145 - Class Voice I 2 cr. *
  • MUS 146 - Class Voice II 2 cr. *
  • MUS 153 - The Computer and the MIDI Keyboard I 3 cr.
  • MUS 171 - History of Jazz 3 cr.
  • MUS 175 - History of Rock Music 3 cr.
  • THE 101 - Introduction to the Theatre 3 cr.
  • THE 108 - Theatre Arts Production 3 cr.
  • THE 109 - Production Participation 1 cr. *
  • THE 110 - Introduction to Acting 3 cr.
  1. Foreign Language
  • SGN 113 - Beginning Sign Language I 3 cr. **
  • SGN 114 - Beginning Sign Language II 3 cr. **
  • SGN 115 - Intermediate Sign Language I 3 cr. **
  • SGN 116 - Intermediate Sign Language II 3 cr. **
  • FRE 101 - Elementary French I 4 cr.
  • FRE 102 - Elementary French II 4 cr.
  • FRE 111 - Basic Conversational French II 3 cr.
  • FRE 115 - Accelerated Elementary French I and II 6 cr.
  • FRE 201 - Intermediate French I 4 cr.
  • FRE 202 - Intermediate French II 4 cr.
  • FRE 207 - Advanced Conversational French 4 cr.
  • FRE 208 - Advanced French Grammar and Composition 3 cr.
  • FRE 215 - Accelerated Intermediate French I and II 6 cr.
  • SPA 101 - Elementary Spanish I 4 cr.
  • SPA 102 - Elementary Spanish II 4 cr.
  • SPA 110 - Basic Conversational Spanish I 3 cr.
  • SPA 111 - Basic Conversational Spanish II 3 cr.
  • SPA 112 - Elementary Spanish Review 3 cr.
  • SPA 115 - Accelerated Elementary Spanish I and II 6 cr.
  • SPA 201 - Intermediate Spanish I 4 cr.
  • SPA 202 - Intermediate Spanish II 4 cr.
  • SPA 207 - Advanced Conversational Spanish I 4 cr.
  • SPA 208 - Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition 3 cr.

10. Basic Communication

  • COM 103 - Oral Communication 3 cr.

and

  • ENG 101 - College English I 3 cr. or
  • ENG 171 - Honors English I 3 cr. 
  • COM 105 - Public Speaking 3 cr.

and

  • ENG 101 - College English I 3 cr.  or
  • ENG 171 - Honors English I 3 cr.   
  • ENG 227 - Technical Writing 3 cr.

Skill Areas

1. Critical Thinking

  • COM 103 - Oral Communication 3 cr.
  • COM 105 - Public Speaking 3 cr.
  • ENG 101 - College English I 3 cr.

2. Information Management

  • LIB 111 - Information Literacy 1 cr.

Note:

* Fewer than 3 credits
** CRJ, EDU, NUR, and HUS majors only

General Education Requirements for the A.A.S. Degree

SUNY Ulster’s faculty members have adopted the following General Education requirements for students pursuing Associate in Applied Science degrees: Students must complete 19-21 credits in four of the A.A.S. General Education areas. Areas 1: English and Communications and 2: Mathematics are required. *Courses may be used to fullfill only one category, but multiple courses can be taken from the same category.

  1. English and Communications 6 cr.
  • ENG 101 - College English I 3 cr.
  • ENG 102 - College English II 3 cr.
  • ENG 171 - Honors English I 3 cr.
  • ENG 172 - Honors English II 3 cr.
  • ENG 227 - Technical Writing 3 cr.
  • BUS 104 - Business Communications 3 cr.
  1. Mathematics 3-4 cr.
  • MAT 098 - Basic Algebra 3 cr. or any higher numbered MAT course,
  • ACC 101 - Principles of Accounting I 4 cr.
  • BUS 102 - Mathematics for Business and Industry 3 cr.
  1. Social Sciences 3 cr.
  • Any course in ECO, HIS, POS, PSY, SOC, or SOS
  1. Arts and Humanities 3 cr.
  • any course in ART, MUS, THE, PHI, FRE, SPA, or GER,
  • COM 103 - Oral Communication 3 cr.
  • COM 105 - Public Speaking 3 cr.
  • SGN 113 - Beginning Sign Language I 3 cr.
  • SGN 114 - Beginning Sign Language II 3 cr.
  • SGN 115 - Intermediate Sign Language I 3 cr.
  • SGN 116 - Intermediate Sign Language II 3 cr.
  • any 200-level ENG course except
    • ENG 205 - Advanced Composition Workshop 3 cr.
    • ENG 227 - Technical Writing 3 cr.
    • ENG 229
  1. Sciences 3-4 cr.
  • IND 210 - Materials & Manufacturing Processes 4 cr.

or

  • any course in AST, BIO, CHE, PHY, ESC, or SCI
  1. Information Literacy/Computers/Technology 1 cr.
  • LIB 111 - Information Literacy 1 cr.
  • BUS 171 - Computer Applications in Business 3 cr.
  • BUS 272 - Spreadsheets for Business 3 cr.
  • ART 124 - Introduction to Design Foundation 3 cr.
  • ART 150 - Two‐Dimensional Design 3 cr.
  • ENG 227 - Technical Writing 3 cr.
  • GEG 122 - Introduction to Geographic Information Science 3 cr.
  • any course in CIS or CSC 

Electives

When electives are specified in the curriculum listings on the following pages, electives may be chosen from the following:

Humanities Electives

Any course from the following disciplines:

  • Art (ART)
  • Communications and Media Arts (COM)
  • 200-Level English (except ENG 227) (ENG)
  • French (FRE)
  • German (GER)
  • Humanities (HUM)
  • Music (MUS)
  • Philosophy (PHI)
  • Sign Language (SGN)
  • Spanish (SPA)
  • Theater (THE)

Math Electives

Math electives are curriculum-specific. Refer to the curriculum for your program.

Science Electives

Any course in the following disciplines:

  • Astronomy (AST)
  • Biology (Except BIO 100) (BIO)
  • Chemistry (Except CHE 100) (CHE)
  • Earth Science (ESC)
  • Physics (PHY)
  • Science (SCI)

Social Science Electives

Any course from the following disciplines:

  • Economics (ECO)
  • History (HIS)
  • Political Science (POS)
  • Psychology (PSY)
  • Social Science (SOS)
  • Sociology (SOC)

Liberal Arts Electives

Any courses listed above under the following:

  • Computer Science (CSC)
  • Geography (GEG)
  • Humanities
  • Math
  • Social Sciences
  • Science

More information about Liberal Arts courses at SUNY Ulster is available in the Course Descriptions portion of this catalog.

Open Electives

Any credit-bearing courses and a maximum of 2 credits in Physical Education courses (PED).