Vernon College General Education Philosophy Statement
General Education at Vernon College reflects the institution’s deep conviction that successful, satisfying lives require a wide range of skills and knowledge. We are dedicated to providing educational opportunities that develop the academic, career, and personal capabilities of individuals so that they may achieve self-fulfillment and participate fully and positively in a democratic society. Vernon College accepts the charge of providing a college atmosphere free of bias, in which students can exercise initiative and personal judgment, leading to a greater awareness of personal self-worth. We strive to provide every student with opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become a contributing, productive member of society. General education, in essence, provides the basis for the more advanced or specialized training which students receive in their chosen majors and cultivates a knowledgeable, informed, and literate human being.
Effective with the 2014-2015 academic year, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has identified and established the following college-level competencies which are generated from and addressed by the THECB approved Texas Core Curriculum:
General Education Core Objectives
- Critical Thinking Skills to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
- Communication Skills to include effective written, oral, and visual communication.
- Empirical and Quantitative Skills to include applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.
- Teamwork to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
- Social Responsibility to include intercultural competence, civic knowledge, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
- Personal Responsibility to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Based on the mission of Vernon College, the general education core objectives developed by the THECB represent the academic proficiencies and personal behaviors believed necessary for students to be successful in the 21st Century. Furthermore, Vernon College believes that every student who graduates with a degree should exhibit these proficiencies and behaviors regardless of their degree or field of study. To ensure that the College supports this belief, every degree program includes a minimum of 15 semester credit hours of general education courses as prescribed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and in accordance with the THECB’s Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and Guidelines for Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE).