Course Information

Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) offers three types of associate degrees, and the type of degree determines the minimum number of credits required in general education. The Associate in Applied Science degree requires a minimum of 16 credits in general education; the Associate in Science degree requires a minimum of 20 credits in general education; and the Associate in Arts degree requires a minimum of 33 credits in general education. These requirements are distributed across the disciplines of humanities, mathematics, science, and the social sciences. Actual distribution requirements will vary according to the demands of each program.

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

General education at QCC provides students with the skills, knowledge, and perspectives that enable them to achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. The following learning goals for general education are integrated into each associate degree program:

• Civic Learning and Engagement​ - Students will develop civic knowledge, skills and dispositions through learning and practice.
• Communication Skills - Students will read, write and speak effectively to build knowledge and convey meaning.
• Information and Digital Literacy - Students will engage in a reflective process of information discovery, use information responsibly and employ digital technologies to learn, communicate and collaborate.​
• Intercultural Knowledge and Competence - Students will demonstrate intercultural knowledge within a variety of cultural contexts and with culturally different ideas and individuals.​
• Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning - Students will apply concepts and methods of mathematics and science to acquire knowledge and solve problems.​

Information on Course Selection

Types of Courses

The following types of courses are offered at QCC:

College Level Courses: College level courses are defined as all credit courses offered by the College except the developmental (pre-college level) courses.

Developmental Courses: Developmental courses are courses offered by the College to improve academic skills of students, enabling them to succeed in college level courses. The following developmental courses cannot be used to satisfy degree or certificate requirements:

• CHM 090*
• ENG 090
• ENG 091
• ENG 092
• ENG 093
• ENG 095
• ENG 096
• ENG 097
• MAT 090*
• MAT 095
• MAT 098*
• MAT 099

Interdisciplinary Courses: Interdisciplinary courses are those courses which combine subject matter from more than one academic discipline. The interdisciplinary courses can also be used to satisfy a Liberal Arts Elective if they have an IDS designation in the course numbers.

Types of Course Modalities

The following types of course modalities are offered at QCC:

• In-Person: Course instruction is provided at a specific location on campus on a specific day and time. On the 'Course Offerings & Schedule,' terms that mean a class meets in-person include, but are not limited to, the following: Lecture, Lab, Clinic/Clinical, Honors Lecture, High School or High School Classroom, 7-week, and Emporium Method. These classes list a specific physical location where they are meeting.
• Online: Students log in to Blackboard to review course content and assignments. There are no scheduled meeting times; work is completed based on course deadlines as set by the professor. On the 'Course Offerings & Schedule,' terms that mean a class is online include, but are not limited to, the following: Online, 7-week Online, and High School Online.
• Remote Blended: Classes are held virtually at a specific day and time, using Zoom once a week (75 minutes). Additional coursework that meets course objectives is delivered asynchronously through Blackboard. These courses, in addition to the virtual class meeting, use various online tools that include, but are not limited to, discussion boards, assignments, testing, web links, videos, group work, journals, etc.
• In-Person Blended: This type of course delivery includes a combination of both in-person and online instruction where students will meet with their instructor once a week in class (75 minutes) at a specific day and time on campus. Additional coursework is delivered asynchronously through Blackboard that meets course objectives. These courses, in addition to the in-person class, use various online tools that include, but are not limited to, discussion boards, assignments, testing, web links, videos, group work, journals, etc.
• 7-week: 7-week courses run in a compressed time and either meet more often to ensure adequate contact time or utilize other proven accelerated learning methods to replicate the required contact hours. Specialized accelerated learning cognitive methods may also be used. A 7-week course may be offered online, real time remote, or in a hybrid modality.

Please note that under certain circumstances, course modalities may need to be modified to ensure the safety of our campus community and/or the professor’s ability to continue instruction and complete courses and academic semesters.

Types of Electives

The following types of electives are offered at QCC:

Electives: Any college level course qualifies as an Elective; a student may enroll in any college level course for which he or she meets the prerequisite(s).

Behavioral Science Electives: Behavioral sciences involve seeking to discover general truths about human social behavior. Courses with the following designations are considered Behavioral Science Electives:

• Anthropology (ANT)
• Psychology (PSY)
• Sociology (SOC)

Business Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Business Electives:

• Accounting (ACC)
• Bookkeeping (BKK)*
• Business (BUS)
• Business Law (BSL)
• Business Office Support Specialist (BSS)
• Computer Information Systems (CIS)
• Economics (ECO)
• Finance (FIN)
• Hospitality & Recreation Management (HRM)
• Logistics (LOG)
• Management (MGT)
• Manufacturing Technology (MNT)
• Marketing (MRK)

Creative Arts Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Creative Arts Electives:

• Art (ART)
• Music (MUS)
• Theater (THA)

The following specific courses are also considered Creative Arts Electives:

• ENG 202
• ENG 203
• ENG 204
• ENG 209

Foreign Language Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Foreign Language Electives. (Note: These course designations are also considered Multiple Perspectives Electives or Humanities Electives):

• American Sign Language (ASL)
• French (FRC)
• German (GER)*
• Spanish (SPN)

Healthcare Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Healthcare Electives:

• Allied Health (ALH)
• Complementary Health (CHC)*
• Dental Assisting (DAS)
• Dental Hygiene (DHY)
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Medical Support Specialist (MSS)
• Nurse Education (NUR)
• Occupational Therapy (OTA)
• Paramedicine (MED)
• Practical Nursing Program (PNP)
• Public Health (PHA)
• Radiologic Technology (RDT)
• Respiratory Care (RCP)
• Surgical Technology (SUR)

The following specific courses are also considered Healthcare Electives:

• ASL 111
• BIO 221*
• BIO 232
• BSS 112
• CIS 111
• CIS 212
• IDS 101
• IDS 215
• PHI 131
• PHY 103*
• PSY 273
• SOC 211
• SOS 260
• SPN 113

Humanities Electives: The humanities courses present knowledge concerned with humanity and world culture: philosophy, literature, and the fine arts. These arts are distinguished from the sciences and are produced or intended primarily for beauty, not utility. Sculpture, painting, drawing, architecture, literature, drama, music, and dance are examples of such expressions. Courses with the following designations are considered Humanities Electives:

• American Sign Language (ASL)
• Art (ART)
• Communication (COM)
• English (ENG)
• French (FRC)
• German (GER)*
• Humanities (HUM)
• Music (MUS)
• Philosophy (PHI)
• Spanish (SPN)
• Speech (SPH)
• Theater (THA)

Liberal Arts Electives: The following types of Electives are also considered Liberal Arts Electives:

• Behavioral Science Electives
• Humanities Electives
• Mathematics Electives
• Science Electives or Lab Science Electives
• Social Science Electives

Literature, Philosophy, or Language Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Literature, Philosophy, or Language Electives:

• American Sign Language (ASL)
• French (FRC)
• German (GER)*
• Humanities (HUM)
• Philosophy (PHI)
• Spanish (SPN)

The following specific courses are also considered Literature, Philosophy, or Language Electives:

• ENG 200
• ENG 210
• ENG 212*
• ENG 215*
• ENG 231
• ENG 232
• ENG 241
• ENG 242
• ENG 251
• ENG 252
• ENG 256
• ENG 259*
• ENG 260
• ENG 261
• ENG 262

Literature Survey Electives: The following specific courses are considered Literature Survey Electives:

• ENG 231
• ENG 232
• ENG 241
• ENG 242
• ENG 251
• ENG 252
• ENG 261
• ENG 262

Mathematics Electives: Any college level mathematics course (MAT 100 or above, except for MAT 103, MAT 111, MAT 112, MAT 147, and MAT 148) qualifies as a Mathematics Elective, except as designated by specific programs. Note that some programs may have specific recommendations.

Multiple Perspectives Electives: Courses designated as Multiple Perspectives Electives involve the study of diversity of people with respect to culture (national origin, language, religion, and ethnicity), gender, race, social class, age, sexual orientation, and ability. The study can be focused on diversity in America or global diversity in a non-Western context. The following specific courses are considered Multiple Perspectives Electives:

• ANT 111 and ANT 221*
• ART 260*
• ASL 111, ASL 112, ASL 113, ASL 114, ASL 200, ASL 211, ASL 212, and ASL 215*
• BIO 141*
• CHC 151*, CHC 250*, and CHC 255*
• COM 101 and COM 102
• CRJ 110
• ECE 133*
• ENG 231, ENG 232, ENG 256, ENG 261, and ENG 262
• FRC 111, FRC 112, FRC 211*, and FRC 212*
• GEO 210
• GER 111*, GER 112*, GER 211*, and GER 212*
• GRT 101
• HST 104, HST 105, HST 106, HST 133, HST 152*, HST 157*, HST 203, HST 204, HST 205, HST 215*, HST 216, and HST 241*
• HUM 147* and HUM 211
• HUS 221
• IDS 101 and IDS 141*
• MUS 121
• PHA 102
• PHI 121, PHI 123*, and PHI 201
• PSY 142
• SOC 111, SOC 201, SOC 211, SOC 215, and SOC 220*
• SPN 111, SPN 112, SPN 211*, and SPN 212*

Science Electives or Lab Science Electives: These courses present systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation. Electives that are specifically designated as Science Electives do not require a lab; however, a science course with a lab will also fulfill the requirement. Electives that are specifically designated as Lab Science Electives require a science course that includes a lab (4 credits). Courses with the following designations are considered Science Electives (3 credits) or Lab Science Electives (4 credits):

• Biology** (BIO)
• Biotechnology (BTT)
• Chemistry (CHM)
• Physics (PHY)
• Science (SCI)

Social Science Electives: All the social sciences are concerned with the study of people and their behavior, both individually and as a member of groups, nations, cultures, and societies. Courses with the following designations are considered Social Science Electives:

• Anthropology (ANT)
• Economics (ECO)
• Geography (GEO)
• History (HST)
• Political Science (PSC)
• Psychology (PSY)
• Social Science (SOS)
• Sociology (SOC)

Social Science Foundational Electives: The following specific courses are considered Social Science Foundational Electives:

• ANT 111
• ANT 221*
• ECO 215
• ECO 216
• GEO 210
• PSC 201
• PSY 101
• SOC 101

Technology Career Electives: Courses with the following designations are considered Technology Career Electives:

• Computer Information Systems (CIS)
• Computer Science (CSC)
• Computer Systems Engineering Technology (CST)
• Electromechanical Technology (ELM)
• Electronics Technology (ELT)
• Interactive Media Digital Design (IMD)
• Interactive Media Game Design (IMG)

U.S. or World History Survey Electives: The following specific courses are considered U.S. or World History Survey Electives:

• HST 104
• HST 105
• HST 106
• HST 115
• HST 116

Anticipated Course Offerings

The College has attempted to identify the cycle of course offerings. The following notations can be found at the end of course descriptions:

• F: Indicates course is offered during Fall semester
• S: Indicates course is offered during Spring semester
• SU: Indicates course is offered during Summer sessions (Sessions I & II will be determined at time of offering)
• IN: Indicates course is offered during Intersession

Courses that are not offered every year may be designated with an F or S and a specific year. Thus, a course designated F, 2024 means that the course will be offered in Fall semester, 2024. Students are encouraged to work with their Academic Advisors to plan a sequence of courses that takes into consideration when courses will be offered.

The College reserves the right to deviate from the indicated cycles, although such deviations are anticipated to be minimal. The College also reserves the right to cancel courses and sections that are under-enrolled.

*Indicates courses or course designations that are no longer offered 
**BIO 140 (no longer offered) is not a Lab Science Elective​