Course Catalog

Associate in Arts Degree Requirements

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60 credits

  1. Minimum cumulative grade-point average: 2.0 GPA or better for all courses used to meet the degree requirements. Transfer coursework is not calculated into the GPA.
  2. 60 credits, all in courses numbered 100 or above.
  3. A maximum of 48 transfer credits earned at other colleges may be applied towards the degree.
  4. The 60 credits are composed of:
    1. 31 credits in General Education Core requirements (12 credits in Foundation, 19 credits in Diversification)
    2. 29 credits of electives
    3. Graduation Requirements (Focus Requirements)
  5. A minimum of 12 credits of courses number 100 or above must be earned at Leeward Community College (CC).

Foundations Requirements: 12 credits

  • 3 credits in Written Communication (FW)
  • 3 credits in Quantitative Reasoning (FQ) or Symbolic Reasoning (FS).
    Students entering Fall 2018 and thereafter must take FQ.
  • 6 credits in Global Multicultural Perspectives (FG)

Foundations courses are intended to give students skills and perspectives that are fundamental to undertaking higher education. Courses taken to fulfill the Foundations requirement may not be used to fulfill Diversification or Focus requirements. Only courses taken after they have an official Foundations designation (FW, FS, or FG) will count as meeting the Foundations requirement. To enroll in a course that meets the Foundations requirement, students must first meet the prerequisites, if any. Approved Courses are listed on the Foundation Requirements page.

Written Communication (FW): 3 credits

Written Communication courses introduce students to the rhetorical, conceptual, and stylistic demands of writing at the college level; courses give instruction in composing processes, search strategies, and composing from sources. These courses also provide students with experiences in the library and on the Internet and enhance their skills in accessing and using various types of primary and secondary materials.

Symbolic Reasoning (FS): 3 credits
or Quantitative Reasoning (FQ) 3 credits
Students admitted prior to Fall 2018 and who have not had a break in enrollment in the  University of Hawai‘i (UH) system can select FS or FQ; students entering Fall 2018 and thereafter must take FQ.

Symbolic Reasoning or Quantitative Reasoning courses expose students to the beauty and power of formal systems, as well as to their clarity and precision; courses will not focus solely on computational skills. Students learn the concept of proof as a chain of inferences. They learn to apply formal rules or algorithms; engage in hypothetical reasoning; and traverse a bridge between theory and practice. In addition, students develop the ability to use appropriate symbolic techniques in the context of problem solving and to present and critically evaluate evidence.

Global and Multicultural Perspectives (FG): 6 credits
Global and Multicultural Perspectives courses provide thematic treatments of global processes and cross-cultural interactions from a variety of perspectives. Students will gain a sense of human development from prehistory to modern times through consideration of narratives and artifacts of and from diverse cultures. At least one component of each of these courses will involve the indigenous cultures of Hawai‘i, the Pacific, or Asia. To satisfy this requirement, students must take six credits; the six credits must come from two different groups. See the Foundation Requirements page for groups A, B and C.

Diversification Requirements: 19 credits

  • 6 cr. in Arts, Humanities, and Literatures (DA, DH, DL)
  • 6 cr. in Social Sciences (DS)
  • 7 cr. in Natural Sciences (DB, DP, DY; 2 courses and 1 lab)

 

The Diversification requirement is intended to assure that every student has a broad exposure to different domains of academic knowledge, while at the same time allowing flexibility for students with different goals and interests. To enroll in a course that meets the Diversification requirement, students must first meet the prerequisites, if any. Some courses that satisfy the Diversification requirement may also simultaneously satisfy Focus requirements. (See a counselor for "Requirements that may be Double-Dipped.") Approved courses are identified in this Catalog on the Diversification Requirements page. They are also indicated by designations after the course description.

Arts, Humanities, and Literatures (DA, DH, DL): 6 credits
To satisfy this requirement, students must take six credits from two separate sub-categories. Each course must be taken from a different discipline. Arts area courses are designated "DA," Humanities area courses as "DH," and Literatures area courses as "DL" in the course descriptions of this Catalog.

Social Sciences (DS): 6 credits
To satisfy this requirement, students must take six credits from two different disciplines. Approved courses are identified in this Catalog with the letters "DS" after the course description.

Natural Sciences (DB, DP, DY): 7 credits
To satisfy this requirement, students must take two courses and a lab for a total of seven credits. The three courses must include a biological science (DB), a physical science (DP) and a laboratory (DY) course; one of the courses must have a matching lab class. Course numbers with an "L" are separate lab courses. Some DB and DP courses have a lab embedded. Approved courses are identified in this Catalog with the appropriate letters after the course description. Designations are: "DB" for Biological science courses, "DP" for physical science courses and "DY" for laboratory courses.

Graduation Requirements

Focus Requirements (5 courses)

  • 1 course: Contemporary Ethical Issues (ETH)
  • 1 course: Hawaiian, Asian, & Pacific Issues (HAP)
  • 2 courses: Writing Intensive (WI)
  • 1 course: Oral Communication (OC)

Focus Requirements

The Focus requirements identify important additional skills and discourses necessary for living and working in diverse communities. Only Focus courses taken after they have received official designation can count as meeting the Focus requirement. Focus courses are not shown in this Catalog but appear in each semester's Class Availability listing. Because the approved Focus courses may change each semester, students should consult the College's up-to-date online course listing before they register.

Contemporary Ethical Issues (ETH): 1 course

These courses are designed to give students tools for the development of responsible deliberation and ethical judgment. Courses fulfilling this requirement are offered in departments across the curriculum. Approved sections are identified in the College's Class Availability with an "ETH" on the left-hand column and the letter "E" preceding the title; offerings vary each semester. Courses designated "ETH" fulfill the E-focus requirement at Leeward CC, but not at UH Mānoa. UH Mānoa requires a 300-level E-focus course for graduation. All approved E-focus courses from UH Mānoa, University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu (UHWO), or any community college, will meet the Leeward CC E-focus graduation requirement.

Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues (HAP): 1 course

These courses focus on issues in Hawaiian and Asian or Pacific cultures and history; they promote cross-cultural understanding between nations and cultures. Courses fulfilling this requirement are offered in departments across the curriculum. Approved sections are identified in the College's Class Availability with a "HAP"; offerings vary each semester.

Writing Intensive (WI): 2 courses

Because writing helps students both to learn and to communicate, Leeward CC requires students to take two writing intensive courses. Small writing intensive classes, in which instructors work with students on writing related to course topics, are offered in various disciplines. Students need to satisfy the Written Communication "FW" requirement with a grade of C or better before they enroll in writing intensive courses. Approved sections are identified in the College's Class Availability with a "WI"; offerings vary each semester.

Oral Communication (OC): 1 course

These courses will give students explicit training, in the context of the class, in oral communication concerns relevant to the assignment or activity. Courses fulfilling this requirement are offered in departments across the curriculum. Approved sections are identified in the College's Class Availability with an "OC" on the left-hand column and the letter "OC" preceding the title; offerings vary each semester. Courses designated "OC" fulfill the OC Focus requirement at Leeward CC, but not at UH Mānoa. UH Mānoa requires a 300 level OC-Focus course for graduation. All approved OC-Focus courses from UH Mānoa, UHWO, or any community college, will meet the Leeward CC OC-Focus graduation requirement.