The CCRI General Education Committee was established to help CCRI fulfill the General Education requirements of the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

NECHE Standards for the Academic Program

Undergraduate Degree Programs

4.15 Graduates successfully completing an undergraduate program demonstrate competence in written and oral communication in English; the ability for scientific and quantitative reasoning, for critical analysis and logical thinking; and the capability for continuing learning, including the skills of information literacy. They also demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific, historical, and social phenomena, and a knowledge and appreciation of the aesthetic and ethical dimensions of humankind.

General Education

4.16 The general education requirement is coherent and substantive. It reflects the institution’s mission and values and embodies the institution’s definition of an educated person and prepares students for the world in which they will live. The requirement informs the design of all general education courses, and provides criteria for its evaluation, including the assessment of what students learn.

4.17 The general education requirement in each undergraduate program ensures adequate breadth for all degree-seeking students by showing a balanced regard for what are traditionally referred to as the arts and humanities, the sciences including mathematics, and the social sciences. General education requirements include offerings that focus on the subject matter and methodologies of these three primary domains of knowledge as well as on their relationships to one another.

4.18 The institution ensures that all undergraduate students complete at least the equivalent of 40 semester credits in a bachelor's degree program, or the equivalent of 20 semester credits in an associate's degree program in general education.

From: NECHE Standards for Accreditation (Effective January 1, 2021)

NECHE Standards for Accreditation

The CCRI General Education Core Curriculum

Minimum Credits: A minimum of 20 Credits distributed over the three domains of knowledge is required to meet NECHE Standards. All eligible courses are 3-credit courses (minimum) but 4 and 5 credit courses may be required by a program. All course selections must be 1000 level or above (Developmental courses may not be used to satisfy "core" requirements). The three domains of knowledge are:

Humanities (HUMN)

  • Art
  • Communications
  • English
  • Media Studies
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • World Languages
  • Theatre

Math/Sciences (MSCI)

  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Mathematics
  • Oceanography
  • Physics

Social Sciences (SSCI)

  • Economics
  • History
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Competency Rule: As a whole, general education course selections (below) must develop the competencies set forth in CCRI's "Definition of an Educated Person."

Distribution Rules: Select a minimum of 6 credits from each of the "domains of knowledge" listed above. Select a final 3 credits from one knowledge area. Altogether, general education credits should total at least 20, but may be more.

Services & Resources

Common Goals, Different Paths

The three public institutions of higher education in Rhode Island each offer courses in general education for their students. Each institution has a distinctive mission, and each has the responsibility to establish and maintain its own general education program with separate course requirements. It is agreed these different paths do converge, and, therefore, many general education courses will transfer, with all three schools having the following common goals:

  • Clear, correct and effective writing in English
  • Persuasive speaking in English
  • Engaged reading
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Cultural diversity and understanding human differences
  • Information access and technology application
  • Scientific literacy
  • Quantitative reasoning and analysis
  • Literary and artistic thought and expression
  • Ethically and morally informed decision making
  • Appreciation of global wisdom and historical perspectives

CCRI's Definition of an Educated Person

The faculty and staff of the Community College of Rhode Island have established four critical abilities that define the learning outcomes of a CCRI graduate. These four abilities can be applied in many contexts and are critical skills that must be developed not only at CCRI, but over the course of a lifetime. These core abilities guide students, faculty and staff in establishing educational goals and assessing learning within and across the primary domains of knowledge: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and the social sciences. Effective Fall 2025:

  1. Effective Communication
    • Create written work that develops and expresses ideas and that addresses a given context and target audience.
    • Communicate effectively via oral and visual presentations, performances, and participation in group work.
  2. Critical Thinking
    • Identify, analyze, and apply evidence and ideas, question assumptions, and draw logical conclusions.
    • Develop information literacy to locate, evaluate, and synthesize information using online tools and/or AI to accomplish a specific purpose.
  3. Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning
    • Articulate and apply scientific principles, theories, and methods.
    • Solve problems and support arguments with quantitative evidence in a variety of formats (e.g. words, tables, graphs, equations, etc.).
  4. Awareness of Oneself and the World
    • Identify and apply a variety of cultural, global, and historical perspectives.
    • Function effectively in social and professional environments and make reasoned decisions based on ethical standards, self-awareness, and personal responsibility.

Assessment of Student Learning

CCRI is committed to providing quality education and to assuring that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful. Assessment of student learning provides the information we need to make improvements in program structure, course content, and pedagogy. To this end, information, including samples of student work, may be collected at the classroom, department, and institution levels. The information collected will be completely anonymous and will have no impact on student grades. Aggregated results will be used for program planning purposes and may be included in institutional research analyses and reports. In addition, students may be asked to submit samples of their course work and engage in focus groups. They may also be asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the quality of academic services. These activities help us determine the extent to which students demonstrate competency in the areas outlined in the Definition of an Educated Person and in their area of concentration.

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