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Area III Academic Committee

Composition & Terms of Appointments

  • The Council of Chief Academic Officers appoints the 14 four-year members.
  • The Community College System Office appoints 14 two-year members.
  • Each member serves a 3-year term with the first group’s membership with staggered terms (1-year, 2-year, and 3-year) so that a new 3rd rotates on each year.
  • Each committee elects a Chair and a Vice-Chair (one would be from the 4-year reps and one would be from the 2-year reps). The chair and vice-chair will serve 3-year terms.
  • The members must have experience teaching in at least one of the fields in natural science and mathematical science.
  • The members should also have some broad knowledge of the discipline areas (natural science and mathematical science).
  • The member could be a college dean or department head, but it is not a requirement.
  • Recommendations of course approvals and template ratifications from the committee to the AGSC require 15 YES votes to move the item forward to the AGSC for final approval or ratification. Members may vote by written proxy or by representative.

Roles & Responsibilities

The AREA III Natural & Mathematical Sciences Academic Committee shall:

  1. Review/make recommendations for courses and review/establish templates in the following discipline areas:
    1. Biological Science
    2. Chemistry
    3. Geography (Physical)
    4. Geology, Earth Science, & Environmental Science
    5. Mathematical Science
    6. Physics, Physical Science, & Astronomy
    7. Other discipline areas considered to be in Natural or Mathematical Sciences
  2. Review and recommendation for approval or disapproval of new courses from two-year and four-year institutions. NOTE: (In evaluating a course, a committee is not to mandate a specific model, but to determine that the course is within the general parameters that the committee has established and that it is broad enough in scope to meet the general studies designation.)
  3. Review of revised courses proposed by institutions as general studies courses in the discipline.
  4. Review previously approved courses under the following conditions...
    • When there is a significant change in the content of a course.
    • When the institution wishes a course to be considered for approval for a different AREA.
    • (or) When AGSC deems it appropriate to review a course.
  5. Review of the established discipline specific guidelines for their discipline.
  6. Review discipline templates and development of new discipline templates (transfer guides), as necessary.

Email Members

Chairperson

Vice Chairperson

Voting members

4-Year Members

Institutional Points of Contact

14 votes from this group.

2-Year Members

Alabama Community College System Office

14 votes from this group.

Course Requirements

Course guidelines for courses submitted in discipline areas covered in Areas I & II. Note if you do not see the specific disicipline area that you are looking for, please contact our office and we will help direct you.

Biological Sciences

Specific guidelines and criteria in the natural sciences require that courses in the natural sciences should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to an aspect of a discipline, and may include interdisciplinary science courses. Natural science courses must include laboratory experiences which emphasize the scientific method.

General studies courses in the Biological Sciences should include content from a majority of the following topics:

  1. scientific method
  2. zoology and botany
  3. genetics and evolution
  4. cell biology and biochemistry
  5. microbial biology
  6. human biology
  7. ecology

Course syllabi should include a description of the laboratory experiences and their relationship to the course content.

In most cases, the following course titles suggest contentAPPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Introduction to Biology
  • Principals of Biology
  • Biology for Non-Majors

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content NOT APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • History of Biology
  • Field Studies
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology
  • Marine Science
  • Medical Terminology
  • Human Biology

Chemistry

Specific guidelines and criteria in the natural sciences require that courses should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to an aspect of a discipline, and may include interdisciplinary science courses. Courses in the natural sciences must include a laboratory component that provides hands-on experience that emphasizes the scientific method. The lab must meet for at least 20 contact hours during the semester. Courses which serve as prerequisites for certain disciplines or professions may require special attention (e.g., calculus-based physics for engineering).

General studies courses in Chemistry must develop an understanding of the properties and dynamics of matter. Courses must include a laboratory setting for a minimum of two hours weekly and provide hands-on experiences that emphasize the scientific method.

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • General Chemistry
  • College Chemistry
  • Introduction to Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content NOT APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Better Living Through Chemistry

Geography (physical)

Specific guidelines and criteria in the natural sciences require that courses in the natural sciences should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to an aspect of a discipline, and may include interdisciplinary science courses. Courses in the natural sciences must include laboratory experiences which emphasize the scientific method. General studies courses in Physical Geography must include at least one designated period per week that involves hands-on laboratory or field experiences with emphasis on the scientific method.

Topics covered in an introductory course in Physical Geography include weather, climate and climate regions, natural vegetation and vegetation regions, natural landscape processes and natural landscape regions, natural resources, soils and soil regions, and water resources.

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Introduction to Physical Geography
  • Physical Geography

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content NOT APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Plate Tonics
  • The Effects of Plants and Animals on Land Forms
  • Map Techniques

Geology, Earth Science & Environmental Science

Specific guidelines and criteria in the natural sciences require that courses in the natural sciences should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to an aspect of a discipline, and may include interdisciplinary science courses. Courses in the natural sciences must include laboratory experiences which emphasize the scientific method. General studies courses in Geology and Earth Science must include at least one designated period per week that involves hands-on laboratory or field experiences with emphasis on the scientific method. Courses in this area may include courses in Environmental Science.

Topics covered in an introductory course in Geology include rocks and minerals, composition of Earth's interior, plate tectonics, geomorphic processes and the development of the present day landscape, natural resources, origin and evolution of Earth through time, and life on Earth through time as recorded in rocks and fossils.

Topics covered in an introductory course in Earth Science include astronomy, geology, meteorology, and oceanography.

Topics covered in an introductory course in Environmental Science include the interactions of natural systems, human population growth, natural resources, natural and human-induced environmental problems, and the use of scientific principles to solve environmental problems. Course syllabi should include a description of the laboratory experiences and their relationship to the course content.

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Introduction to Geology
  • Geology
  • Introduction to Earth Science
  • Earth Science
  • General Earth Science
  • Environmental Science

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content NOT APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Geotechnical Studies
  • Hydrosphere
  • Understanding Natural Disasters

Mathematical Sciences

Specific Guidelines and Criteria for Courses Submitted to the Mathematics Committee

Specific guidelines and criteria in mathematical sciences require that courses should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to a discipline outside of the mathematical sciences (such as statistics for biology or business). The basic college-level general studies courses in mathematical sciences include Pre-Calculus Algebra, Finite Mathematics, Elementary Statistics, or similar courses; courses must have as prerequisite high school mathematics through algebra that includes linear and exponential functions, or the equivalent.

General studies courses in the mathematical sciences should include student learning outcomes that focus on mathematical and/or statistical reasoning such as:

  • Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of mathematical topics and their various representations (algebraic, graphical, verbal, and tabular).
  • Students will use symbolic reasoning as a tool to de-contextualize problems, solve them, and then re-interpret the results in the original context.
  • Students will evaluate and explain the results of quantitative analyses of data.
  • Students will evaluate important assumptions in estimation, modeling, and data analysis.
  • Students will appropriately use quantitative evidence to support an argument.

Physics, Physical Science & Astronomy

Specific guidelines and criteria in the natural sciences require that courses in. the natural sciences should be broad in scope and content rather than specific to an aspect of a discipline, and may include interdisciplinary science courses. Courses in the natural sciences must include laboratory experiences which emphasize the scientific method. Courses which serve as prerequisites for certain disciplines or professions may require special attention (e.g., calculus-based physics for engineering).

Courses in Physics, Physical Science, and Astronomy must have course syllabi that include a description of the laboratory experiences and their relationship to the course content.

Topics covered in Physics courses include but are not limited to Newtonian classical mechanics (force and motion, conservation laws, etc.), oscillation, waves, sound, heat and thermodynamics, basic principles of electricity and magnetism, properties of matter, fluids, optics and modern physics.

Topics covered in Physical Science courses include but are not limited to selected basic principles of physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, atmospheric sciences, and cosmology.

Topics covered in Astronomy courses include but are not limited to astronomical instruments, galaxies, milky way, solar system, planets, star formation, and evolution and cosmology.

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Introduction to Physics
  • Introduction to Astronomy
  • Principals of Physical Science
  • Introduction to Physical Science
  • Calculus-based Physics for Engineers

In most cases, the following course titles suggest content NOT APPROPRIATE for general studies:

  • Nuclear Physics
  • Sound and Light
  • Planets and Galaxies

Other

Other discipline areas considered to be in Mathematical or Natural Sciences - Please contact our office for assistance.