Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee:
AGSC REQUIREMENTS
AGSC stands for the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee. The AGSC was created in March of 1994 by the State Legislature through ACT 94-202.
AREA I - Written Composition (6SH)
Effective written communication skills are essential in a literate society.
Minimum requirements include at least 6 semester hours in written composition.
COURSE SYLLABUS REQUIREMENTS
Course proposals must have a syllabus that includes at least the following elements:
1. Course Alpha Listing, Number, and Title (e.g., HIS - World History);
2. Accurate Course Description;
3. Course Textbooks, Manuals, or Required Materials;
4. Course Objectives;
5. Course Outline of Topics
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR ALL COURSES IN THE GENERAL STUDIES CURRICULUM
Courses in the General Studies Curriculum are elements of an integrated system. Some courses provide essential skills in the communication of thought or in the manipulation of quantitative data while others develop aesthetic appreciation. Still others impart knowledge of history, language, literature, and the natural and social worlds. The General Studies Curriculum is designed to provide a foundation both for further study and for personal enrichment.
General guidelines and criteria for courses in the General Studies Curriculum are:
1. Courses must be collegiate-credit courses at the freshman or sophomore level (i.e., 100 or 200 level);
2. Courses must be broad in scope, present major intellectual or aesthetic ideas, and not be specialized or vocational in purpose;
3. Courses must present the essential characteristics and basic processes of inquiry and analysis in the discipline;
4. Courses must encourage the development of critical thinking skills and require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge;
5. Courses must consider the subject in its relation to other disciplines and its application to human concerns.
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA BY DISCIPLINE
Last Revised: 03/10/2005
Specific Guidelines and Criteria for Courses Submitted in WRITTEN COMPOSITION
Specific guidelines and criteria in Written Composition require that courses should provide instruction and practice in writing, analyzing, and evaluating standard edited American English. Students should meet prerequisite basic skills in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and sentence and paragraph structure before enrollment in freshman-level academic credit courses in Written Composition. These prerequisites should be determined at each institution through placement examinations or writing samples.
The following are specific guidelines and criteria for the first freshman-level course (English 101) in Written Composition:
1. Develop and use strategies for writing essays from development of subject through revision of essay;
2. Develop and use focused structure, incorporating logical and coherent generalizations and details on a variety of subjects;
3. Develop basic reference and documentation skills with emphasis on quotes and paraphrases;
4. Develop analytical and critical reading skills;
5. Must include at least six (6) extended compositions or equivalent assignments;
6. Should be taught with 25 or fewer students per section, to the extent possible, in compliance with NCTE standards;
7. Grading must be based on at least 80% of grades earned on compositions; 8. A grade of C or better must be required for passing or for transfer of credit.
Specific guidelines and criteria for the second freshman-level course (English 102) in Written Composition are:
1. Meet prerequisite of a grade of C in the first freshman-level course in Written Composition;
2. Require formal, analytical essays;
3. Require a research project using outside sources and/or references effectively and legally (e.g., documented essay);
4. Develop analytical and critical reading skills;
5. Must include at least six (6) extended compositions or equivalent assignments;
6. Should be taught with 25 or fewer students per section, to the extent possible, in compliance with NCTE standards;
7. Grading must be based on at least 80% of grades earned on compositions;
8. Require a grade of C or better for passing or for transfer of credit.
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