204: AGEC-S Requirements

Effective Date: April 28, 2006; Revised February 14, 2019; Revised June 6, 2019; Revised September 5, 2019; Revised February 4, 2021
Purpose: To define the purpose, subject area and special requirements of the AGEC-S.
Sources: N/A
Responsibility & Approval: GEATF / AZTransfer Steering Committee

Policy
AGEC-S is a 35-37 semester-credit* lower division general education curriculum block that fulfills the lower division general education requirements of majors with more stringent mathematics and mathematics-based science requirements. The block will transfer without loss of credit from any Arizona public community or tribal college to any other Arizona public community or tribal college or ASU, NAU, or UA, and is for students who intend to transfer into majors with more stringent mathematics and mathematics-based science requirements.

I. Subject Area Distribution:
a. English Composition: 6 semester credits*
b. Mathematics: 3 semester credits
c. Arts and Humanities: 6 semester credits
d. Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 semester credits
e. Physical and Biological Sciences: 8 semester credits
f. AGEC-S Options: Mathematics or Science appropriate to major: 6-8 semester credits

TOTAL: 32-37 semester credits*

II. Subject Area Requirements
a. ENGLISH COMPOSITION: The English Composition requirement must be fulfilled by completion of a one-year lower division English Composition sequence. Courses designed exclusively for satisfaction of preparatory composition cannot be counted toward fulfillment of this requirement. (*An exception is made for ASU’s ENG 105, NAU’s ENG 105, and UA’s ENGL 109H, where that single course will meet this composition requirement as outlined in AGEC Policy 305.)
b. MATHEMATICS: Acceptable courses include the first course in the calculus sequence or any mathematics course for which that course is a prerequisite.
c. ARTS AND HUMANITIES: Courses that can be used to fulfill this requirement may include, but are not limited to, art, dance, humanities, literature, music, philosophy, religion, theatre arts, or western civilization. Students are encouraged to choose course work from more than one discipline.
d. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES: Courses in this requirement may include, but are not limited to, anthropology, economics, ethnic/race/gender/class studies, history, political science, psychology, cultural geography, linguistics, or sociology. Students are encouraged to choose course work from more than one discipline.
e. PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: 8 credits of university chemistry (SUN CHM 1151 & SUN CHM 1152), or 8 credits of university physics (SUN PHY 1121 & SUN PHY 1131), or 8 credits of university biology (SUN BIO 1181 & SUN BIO 1182) or 8 credits of geology (SUN GLG 1101 & SUN GLG 1102). Students should select the science appropriate to the major.
f. AGEC-S OPTIONS: Includes additional courses approved for subject area or special requirements which enhance the AGEC-S and expand the preparation of students prior to transfer. Courses in this area should be selected according to lower division requirements for the student’s intended Bachelor of Science degree. Courses in this requirement may include, but are not limited to, mathematics courses above Calculus I and/or science courses from astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, geology, physical geography,physics or zoology.

III. Special Requirements
An approved AGEC-S must contain an intensive writing and critical inquiry component and specified awareness area components.
a. Intensive Writing and Critical Inquiry. At least one course after the completion of one semester of the English Composition requirement shall involve the development of competence in written discourse and involve the gathering, interpretation, and evaluation of evidence.
b. Awareness Areas
1) One course emphasizing ethnic/race/gender/class awareness is required.
2) One course emphasizing contemporary global/international awareness or historical awareness is required.

IV. Special Requirement Structures
The requirements for the intensive writing and critical inquiry component and the specified awareness area components may be met through one of the alternatives listed below.
a. Alternative 1 – Specific Course Alternative
i. At least 3 semester credits of course work in intensive writing and critical inquiry
ii. At least 3 semester credits of course work in ethnic/race/gender/class awareness.
iii. At least 3 semester credits of course work emphasizing contemporary global/international awareness or historical awareness.
b. Alternative 2 – Program Alternative Requirements embedded in total general education course work program.
c. Alternative 3 – Any combination of Alternative 1 and Alternative 2.

Implementation: AZTransfer Facilitator