
Sciences & Humanities
General Education in sciences & humanities provides essential skills and knowledge that help students succeed in their chosen field.
PA College believes that a strong general education curriculum in the sciences and humanities provides the foundation for any educational program. In addition, students use the skills learned in the sciences and humanities courses to further their intellectual, personal and professional growth.
Curriculum
The current core curriculum for the associate and baccalaureate degrees is illustrated in the following tables. The College embraces this model as one that provides a common learning experience for all students but also flexibility within the requirements to meet the needs of different majors.
Associate in Science in Nursing Degree: Sciences and Humanities Core Curriculum
Core Area | Associate in Science in Nursing Degree Required Courses | Credits |
Humanities 4 Credits | ENG 100 English Composition | 3 |
PHI 210 Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences | 1 | |
Mathematics 3 Credits | MAT 150 Clinical Mathematics for the Health Sciences or MAT 160 College Algebra | 3 |
Science 11 Credits | BIO 175 Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
BIO 176 Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 | |
BIO 185 Microbiology or CHE 100 General Chemistry I or PHY 150 Physics | 3 | |
Social Science 3 Credits | SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 200 Cultural Diversity | 3 |
Total | 21 |
Health Sciences Associate Degrees: Sciences and Humanities Core Curriculum
Sciences & Humanities Courses | Credits |
College Studies Seminar | 3 |
Communication (Incudes English Composition) | 3 |
Ethics | 1 |
Math | 3 |
Sciences (at least one course with a lab) | 8 |
Social Sciences | 3 |
Intensives | |
Writing | 3 |
Problem Solving | 3 |
Diversity | 3 |
Digital Literacy | 3 |
Total | 33 |
Baccalaureate Degree: Sciences and Humanities Core Curriculum
Core Area | Baccalaureate Degree Required Courses |
Sciences & Humanities 42-44 Credits | CSS 101 College Studies Seminar |
ENG 100 and Any other ENG course |
|
PHI 210 Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences or PHI 330 Ethical Issues in Health Care and Any ENG, HUM or SPA course |
|
MAT 260 Statistics and Any other MAT course |
|
BIO, CHE, PHY and SCI Courses (at least 1 with lab) | |
ECO 310 American Health Care System and Any two ECO, HLT, PSY or SOC Courses from two different disciplines |
|
BIO, CHE, ECO, ENG, HLT, MAT, PHI, PHY, PSY, SCI, SOC or SPA electives | |
Interprofessional Collaboration 10 Credits | IPC Courses |
Intensives 24 Credits | Writing |
Critical Thinking & Analysis | |
Community Engagement | |
Diversity | |
Digital Literacy | |
Total Credits | 24 |
Disciplines
Sciences and humanities education at PA College is offered through four distinct disciplines: Humanities, Mathematics, Science and Social Science. Each discipline has its own goals that contribute to the students’ overall learning, supporting both the sciences and humanities and College educational outcomes.
Humanities
The goals of Humanities are to foster opportunities that help students to:
- Stimulate intellectual and imaginative curiosity
- Critically and creatively evaluate personal and professional experiences.
- Communicate thoughtfully and effectively
- Reflect on ways to appropriately engage in global citizenship
Humanities courses offered at PA College include the following:
- CSS 101 College Studies Seminar
- ENG 202 Advanced Communication
- ENG 300 Advanced Composition for Health Care
- ENG 310 Business Communication
- ENG 350 Health Care Stories
- HUM 210 World Religions
- HUM 310 Death, Dying & Bereavement
- PHI 210 Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences
- PHI 330 Ethical Issues in Health Care
- SPA 150 Introduction to Medical Spanish
Subjects that may transfer in as Humanities electives include art, literature, history, music, philosophy, communications, theatre, foreign languages and religion.
Mathematics
The goals of Mathematics are to:
- Mold students into confident users of mathematics.
- Develop students as critical mathematical decision makers.
- Enable students to become lifelong learners who continue to grow in their chosen professions and
function as productive citizens.
Mathematics courses offered at PA College include the following:
- MAT 100 Quantitative Reasoning & Skills
- MAT 150 Clinical Mathematics for the Health Sciences
- MAT 160 College Algebra
- MAT 600 Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice
Subjects that may transfer as mathematics courses include mathematics, computer science (not computer
applications) and statistics
Science
The goal of Science is to provide a learner-centered foundation in the elements of scientific method, theory, applicability and laboratory practice that will encourage the student to:
- Acquire an in-depth appreciation of the scientific endeavor.
- Evaluate the quality of scientific information and its interpretation.
- Apply this knowledge in evidence-based practice decisions.
Science courses offered at PA College include the following:
- BIO 105 Human Biology/Laboratory
- BIO 175 Human Anatomy & Physiology I/Laboratory
- BIO 176 Human Anatomy & Physiology II/Laboratory
- BIO 185 Microbiology/Laboratory
- BIO 230 Immunology
- BIO 250 Nutrition for Life
- BIO 376 Pathophysiology
- BIO 380 Epidemiology
- CHE 100 General Chemistry I/Laboratory
- PHY 150 Physics/Laboratory
- SCI 100 Survey of Science
Subjects that may transfer in as science electives include biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and
geology.
Social Science
The goals of Social Science are to use the social sciences to:
- Promote intellectual and personal growth.
- Expand cultural and global awareness.
- Foster understanding and sensitivity to diversity.
- Encourage individuals to make enlightened judgments that are informed by theoretical, empirical
and practical understandings of the social world.
Social Science courses offered at PA College include the following:
- ECO 150 Survey of Economics
- ECO 310 American Health Care System
- ECO 350 The Economics of Health Care
- HLT 150 Wellness for Life
- PSY 100 General Psychology
- SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
- SOC 200 Cultural Diversity
- SOC 300 Social Problems
Subjects that may transfer in as social science electives include anthropology, criminology, cultural
studies, economics, education, health, human geography, political science, psychology, sociology and
social work.
Intensives Requirements
In order to advance the student’s knowledge in key competencies required of healthcare professionals students are expected to fulfill the requirements in the following areas. These are not additional required courses, but rather courses from the healthcare professional core or programmatic specific coursework that meet identified criteria for the intensive. Courses meeting an intensive requirement are identified as WI (writing intensive), CT (critical thinking & analysis), PS (problem solving), DV (diversity), or DL (digital literacy) in the College catalog and on the Portal. The associate level intensives are designed to scaffold skills necessary for further development at the baccalaureate level.
Approved Intensive Courses:
Writing Intensive (WI)
- ENG 100 English Composition
- ENG 202 Advanced Communication
- ENG 300 Advanced Composition for Health Care
- ENG 310 Business Communication
- ENG 350 Telling the Stories of Medicine
Critical Thinking & Analysis (CT)
- IPC 401 Research in Health Care
- MAT 260 Statistics
Digital Literacy (DL)
- CSS 101 College Studies Seminar
Community Engagement (CE)
- IPC 450 Capstone
- NUR 410 Issues and Trends in Nursing
Diversity (DV)
- HUM 210 World Religions
- NUR 310 Human Diversity and Health Care
- NUR 311 Cultural Care in Nursing
- NUR 312 Human Diversity and Cultural Care in Nursing
- SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
- SOC 200 Cultural Diversity
- SOC 300 Social Problems
Problem Solving (PS)
- MAT 100 Quantitative Reasoning and Skills
- MAT 150 Clinical Math
- MAT 160 College Algebra
Intensive requirements may be transferred in as follows:
- Community engagement (bachelor only) and digital literacy courses must be taken at PA College.
- Writing Intensive courses may be transferred in if the course transfers in as one of our own writing intensive designated English courses.
- Diversity intensive courses may be transferred in if the course transfers in as one of our own diversity intensive designated courses.
- Critical Thinking & Analysis courses (bachelor only) may be transferred in if the course transfers in as our Research or Statistics courses.
- Problem solving intensive courses (associate only) may be transferred in if the course transfers in as one our our own problem solving intensive designated Math courses.