Texas law mandates that all state-supported colleges and universities have a core curriculum consisting of 42 semester credit hours (SCH) that will automatically transfer to all Texas public colleges and universities. Students often refer to these courses as the basics. Embedded within the 42-hour core curriculum are general education student learning outcomes signifying what students learn by earning an Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), or Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT). The requirements of the Associate of Science in Engineering (AES) and the AA in Music include some, but not all, of the 42-hour core curriculum. Embedded in technical programs, leading to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), are 15 hours of general education drawn from courses found in the core curriculum. General education student learning outcomes represent the core objectives outlined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). San Jacinto College general education outcomes include the following:
Communication Skills – Students will communicate ideas, express feelings, and support conclusions effectively in written, oral, and visual formats.
Critical Thinking Skills – Students will develop habits of mind, allowing them to appreciate the processes by which scholars in various disciplines organize and evaluate data and use the methodologies of each discipline to understand the human experience.
Empirical and Quantitative Skills – Students will develop quantitative and empirical skills to understand, analyze, and explain natural, physical, and social realms.
Teamwork – Students will consider different points of view and work interdependently to achieve a shared purpose or goal.
Personal Responsibility – Students will develop habits of intellectual exploration, personal responsibility, and physical well being.
Social Responsibility – Students will demonstrate a global perspective toward issues of culture, society, politics, environment, and sustainability.