Statement on General Education and Liberal Learning

A liberal education prepares students to lead ethical, productive, and creative lives and to understand how the pursuit of lifelong learning and critical thinking fosters good citizenship. General education courses form the core of a liberal education within the higher education curriculum and provide a coherent intellectual experience for all students by introducing the fundamental concepts and methods of inquiry in the areas of mathematics, the physical and natural sciences, the social sciences, the arts and the humanities, and composition. General education courses develop students’ abilities to communicate effectively in oral and written English and to perform numerical analyses at a college level; develop students’ abilities to think and express themselves analytically, critically, and creatively, and to read with comprehension; foster qualities of open-mindedness, inquiry, and the rational assessment of data; provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills in solving complex problems and to apply ethical principles to inquiry; prepare students to adapt to the increasing integration of information technology in all fields of knowledge; encourage students to connect knowledge across these disciplines and to understand themselves as well as their social, aesthetic, political, and physical environment; and foster in students an understanding of and respect for diverse human cultures. Howard Community College recognizes the development of ethical judgment as an integral part of one’s education and supports the integration of ethical issues into the core curriculum.