General Education Competencies

To earn an associate degree from Butler County Community College, students must meet the general education requirements that are embedded in each program. The BC3 General Education Program will enable students to develop the following nine competencies:


Thinking critically, reasoning analytically, and solving problems.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The student will be able to evaluate a diverse collection of evidence related to a specific research question/thesis.
  2. The student will be able to synthesize the evidence and draw conclusions.
  3. The student will be able to compile a written, verbal, or visual response to the evidence that acknowledges alternative explanations and views.

Defining information needed and accessing, evaluating, and utilizing information.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The student will be able to use databases, web search engines, library catalogs, and other finding aids to locate information.
  2. The student will be able to critically evaluate information and its sources.
  3. The student will be able to use information ethically and legally to accomplish a specific purpose.

Communicating effectively in standard spoken English to an audience.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The students will be able to give effective oral presentations to groups in a public address format.
  2. The students will be able to analyze and critique speeches.
  3. The students will be able to design and integrate audio-visual aids into his/her presentations.
  4. The students will be able to integrate primary and secondary sources into his/her oral presentations.
  5. The students will be able to cite sources per an academic style guide as assigned by the instructor.
  6. The students will be able to interact in small groups to complete class assignments.

Understanding and working with numerical data.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The students will be able to solve applications (word problems).
  2. The students will be able to solve problems involving formulas.
  3. The students will be able to solve equations using methods, rules or techniques.

Understanding how the natural world works through observing natural phenomena.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The student will be able to apply the scientific method.
  2. The student will be able to utilize basic laboratory equipment appropriate to the discipline.

Applying computing software and electronic communication in their discipline.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The students will be able to demonstrate the application of basic software in the discipline.
  2. The students will be able to utilize electronic communication.

Committing to a healthy lifestyle.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The student will be able to describe intelligent life decisions with regard to health-related choices which can have a lifelong impact on one’s physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.
  2. The student will be able to create a strategy for achieving personal wellness goals through interpreting personal wellness information, making healthy modifications, and developing personal wellness goals.

Communicating effectively and critically in standard written American English.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. The student will be able to complete a business letter using Standard American English syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  2. The student will be able to organize and write an essay that includes in-text citations with both paraphrases and direct quotations and a Works Cited page, following MLA or APA formatting.

Assessing personal values and ethical principles in diverse settings.

Student Learning Outcome

  1. Values and Ethics | The student will be able to examine ethical problems from a variety of social and professional perspectives.
  2. Diverse Perspectives | The student will be able to examine the complexity of global humanity diversity and the various forces that shape it.