Contents
Catalog Links

General Education Review Procedure

There are two types of review for general education. First, a full review of the general education philosophy, learning outcomes, and coursework in both A.S. and for the A.A. degree is an important College-wide process undertaken periodically, typically about every five years. Second, courses can be considered for the addition or deletion of a general education course designation in between the full review. Each process is driven by faculty and guided by the General Education Council (“the Council”). The Council is comprised of faculty representatives from each general education area.

Full Review of the Philosophy, Outcomes, and Coursework

  1. The process may be initiated by the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) or the General Education Council.
  2. The Council helps prepare draft documents of the current general education philosophy, learning outcomes, and coursework for cluster review and input. The cluster system allows faculty College-wide to provide input into the review process.
  3. Clusters make recommendations on changes to the general education philosophy, related institutional learning outcomes, and for the addition or deletion of general education courses. The recommendations are compiled for Council review.
  4. The Council incorporates these recommendations into draft changes to the general education philosophy, outcomes, and/or coursework. Changes are sent to faculty College-wide electronically and/or clusters for a second review.
  5. New comments and recommendations on the draft document are compiled by the Council for review.
  6. The Council prepares a final recommendation document for submission to the VPAA for final review and approval.
  7. The approved changes to the general education philosophy and coursework are communicated to the college community and will take effect the following fall term.

Review of General Education Course Changes Outside of the Full Review

General education course offerings are established based on several criteria, some of which are required by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE1) and/or the College’s regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC2). Other factors include scheduling, curriculum, and transfer processes and general education requirements for the associate of science (A.S.) and bachelor’s degree programs. Faculty who wish to request the addition or deletion of a general education course designation may do so outside of the full review process if all criteria are met and the process is followed.

Process to Request the Addition of a General Education Course Designation

  1. Faculty identify the benefit to students in the PBSC associate in arts (A.A.), associate in science (A.S.), or bachelor degree programs, and identify any impact to their transfer to in-state public universities, if the general education designation is added.
  2. Cluster faculty meet with clusters in the proposed general education area for the course, and with the program directors or associate deans of any program that may be affected if the general education designation is added.
  3. Originating cluster approves, formally documenting justification and cluster agreement/approval in the minutes.
  4. All clusters in the proposed general education area must document in their minutes the number of cluster faculty for and against the proposed addition of the course to the general education area.
  5. Cluster chair or designee must complete the Course Change Request to Add General Education Designation Form (page 2) and submit to Academic Services.
  6. Curriculum Coordinator forwards as an agenda item to the General Education Council chair.
  7. General Education Council chair coordinates meeting date and time with cluster representative(s).
  8. Cluster representatives from the submitting cluster and any clusters in the proposed general education area meet with the General Education Council to discuss request.
  9. General Education Council makes recommendation to Curriculum Committee through Academic Services.
  10. Curriculum Committee makes recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA).
  11. VPAA makes recommendation to the District Board of Trustees (DBOT) for final decision (per DBOT policy 6Hx-18-2.013).
  12. Approvals become effective in the subsequent academic year if catalog scheduling permits (the year after otherwise).

Criteria for General Education Courses

Courses that count toward the required general education credits must meet criteria established by the College, the state, and SACSCOC. General education courses…

  • …support the PBSC general education philosophy and at least one applicable institutional learning outcome.4
  • …fit within at least one pathway (based on meta majors until formal pathways are announced).5
  • …support internal programs and transfer to in-state public universities.
  • …fit within one of the following areas: communication, humanities (literature and fine arts), mathematics, natural science, and social science to align with state and accreditation requirements.6
  • …include “high-level academic and critical thinking skills” to align with state requirements.1
  • …contribute to general education as a whole, rounding out the “breadth of knowledge” to align with regional accreditation requirements... reinforce cognitive skills, and not be focused on “skills, techniques, and procedures specific to the student’s occupation or profession” to align with regional accreditation requirements.7

Requesting the Deletion of a General Education Course Designation

The FLDOE has established several general education “core” courses. These are noted at PBSC as “Tier 1” courses. The general education designation cannot be removed from a core course. Additionally, faculty who wish to request the deletion of a general education designation from a non-core course must review and report the potential implications of the change before moving forward for action.

Process

  1. Faculty identify any impact on students in the PBSC associate in arts, associate in science, or bachelor’s degree programs, and identify any impact of their transfer to in-state public universities, if the general education designation is removed.
  2. Cluster faculty meet with program director or associate dean of any program that may be affected if the general education designation is removed. This meeting should verify alternate provisions for prerequisite or corequisite courses if the course to be removed is a prerequisite or corequisite course for the program.
  3. Cluster approves, formally documenting the justification and cluster agreement/approval in the minutes.
  4. Cluster chair or designee must complete the Course Change Request to Delete General Education Designation Form and submit to Academic Services.
  5. Curriculum Coordinator forwards as an agenda item to the General Education Council chair.
  6. General Education Council chair coordinates meeting date and time with cluster representative(s).
  7. Cluster representative(s) meet(s) with the General Education Council to discuss request.
  8. General Education Council makes recommendation to Curriculum Committee through Academic Services.
  9. Curriculum Committee makes recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA).
  10. VPAA makes recommendation to the District Board of Trustees (DBOT) for final approval (per DBOT policy for Curriculum Control, #6Hx-18-2.01)8.
  11. Approvals become effective in the subsequent academic year if catalog scheduling permits (the year after otherwise).

Process enacted July 2004 in Section G from existing policy. Revised July 2009, July 2010, July 2011; July 2014; March 2019; June 2020.

1FL Statute 1007.25: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1007/Sections/1007.25.html

2SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2017, pp.20-22): http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/2018PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf

3DBOT Policy #6Hx-18-2.01: https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/boardoftrustees/Documents/BoardPolicies/Section2/2.01.pdf

4PBSC General Education Philosophy and Learning Outcomes: https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/ire/CollegeEffectiveness/ilos-2018/gen-ed.aspx

5Meta-majors at PBSC: https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/academicservices/curriculum-and-programs/metamajor.aspx

6FL Statute 1007.25: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1007/Sections/1007.25.html; SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2017, pp.20-22): http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/2018PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf

7SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2017, pp.20-22): http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/2018PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf

8DBOT Policy #6Hx-18-2.01: https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/boardoftrustees/Documents/BoardPolicies/Section2/2.01.pdf