What is the GECC?
The General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) is a selection of courses that are accepted by all public four-year institutions in the state of Illinois as well as many private institutions. Completion of the GECC ensures that transferring students have already completed the necessary general education requirements for an associate's or bachelor's degree and can now move on to courses specific to the student’s area of interest. This set of courses comprises about two-thirds of an associate's degree and about one-third of a bachelor's degree.
Why Complete the GECC?
Nearly all college degrees require a student to complete some number of general education courses. These are courses that encompass a wide range of disciplines in the Arts and Sciences. The purpose for general education courses is to ensure that all college graduates have some understanding of the scope of disciplines that offer insight into the world in which they live. For students uncertain about choosing a field of study, general education courses offer the opportunity to explore all that college has to offer. Completing the GECC at the Community College earns the Gen Ed Certificate and provides the student with low cost options that transfer smoothly and provide opportunities to move quickly into core course in their chosen field once they do transfer.
Specific Requirements
- Communications - 3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester credits) with a grade of C or higher and one course in oral communication (3 semester credits).
- Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include courses selected from at least two disciplines.
- Humanities and Fine Arts - 3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include at least one Humanities course and at least one Fine Arts course.
One course must fulfill the non-Western culture requirement.
- Mathematics - 1 course (3 - 5 semester credits)
- Physical and Life Sciences - 2 courses (8 semester credits)
Courses must be lab-based.
Must include one Life Science course and one Physical Science course, or two interdisciplinary courses.
Total - 12 to 13 courses (38 semester credits)
Available Courses
One course from Social and Behavioral Sciences, or Humanities, or Fine Arts must fulfill the non-Western culture requirement.
*Denotes courses that meet the non-Western requirement
Some four-year institutions also have a U.S. Minority course requirement.
**Denotes courses that may meet the U.S. Minority course requirement
HUM 122 - fulfills the U.S. Minority course requirement but is not a general education course.
Select the course prefix to find a class.
Communications
Complete either sequence:
COM 103, ENG 101, 102
COM 103, ENG 106
(ENG 101, 102, and 106 require a C grade or higher)
Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANT 101*, 103*, 105, 200
ECO 101, 102
GEO 140, 143*, 200*
HIS 101, 102, 104, 105, 108*, 109*, 120**, 121**, 123*, 128*, 129*, 140*
POS 120, 122, 124, 202
PSY 101, 205, 207, 208, 209, 223
SOC 101, 102, 200, 203**, 240
Humanities
FRE 104, SPN 104
HUM 101, 102, 103*, 104*, 105*, 106*, 107*, 109*, 121
LAS 188**
LIT 120, 121, 125, 126, 127, 141**, 146*, 147*
PHI 100, 103, 105
Fine Arts
ART 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166*
HUM 101, 102, 103*, 105*, 109*, 121
MUS 121, 123, 124*
THE 100, 101, 124, 125
Mathematics
MAT 106, 107, 108, 128, 129, 141, 143, 145, 160, 200, 228
(MAT 106 only satisfies the general education mathematics requirement for Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Special Education Associate's Degrees.)
Physical Sciences
AST 101, 102
CHE 100, 104, 106, 141
ESC 101, 102
PHY 121, 120/129, 141
(PHY 120 must be paired with PHY 129 to earn general education credit.)
Life Sciences
BIO 101, 104, 105, 107, 109, 141, 106/186
(BIO 106 must be paired with BIO 186 to earn general education credit.)
Interdisciplinary Physical and Life Sciences
SCI 108 (IAI LP 900L course)
SCI 208 (IAI LP 901L course)
(Students must select one IAI LP 900L course and one IAI LP 901L course.)
To earn the GECC credential, submit a GECC request online.