General Education

Consistent with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s commitment to student success, the general education program provides students with a knowledge base of historical, societal, and environmental contexts for succeeding in the changing global community. The general education program represents a full spectrum of English composition, communication, and literature; humanities and fine arts; social and behavioral sciences; natural sciences; chemistry and physics; mathematics; and related elective components.

The purposes of the general education program are to facilitate student acquisition and sharing of knowledge, to encourage social interaction, and to promote an educated citizenry. General education courses develop broad, cross-curriculum knowledge and skill sets that prepare the student to successfully master the challenges of post-graduation endeavors.

Upon successful completion of the general education requirements, the student will have mastered the following cross-curriculum competencies:

1. Demonstrate effective speaking, writing, reading and listening skills.
2. Demonstrate proficiency in analyzing problems and making logical decisions through locating, evaluating, and using information.
3. Demonstrate proficiency with math skills and/or natural science knowledge by organizing and analyzing information to come to logical conclusions.
4. Demonstrate basic competency in computer technology.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural diversity.

Learning Communities: 
Interdisciplinary Studies

Emphasizing interdependency between varied disciplines encourages students to view their education as a comprehensive experience.  The interdisciplinary unifying structure is an invitational approach connecting individual courses and demonstrating the necessity of such links for a more conscious experience.  A-B Tech’s Interdisciplinary Studies Program includes linked courses from the general education program.  These learning communities allow students to understand the relationships connecting natural and social sciences, humanities, and history. 

The IDS Program includes 25 of the 44 general education credit hours for the A.A. Degree or Diploma.  It is an ideal avenue for those planning to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree. The program is designed to be completed in 4 semesters:  IDS1 and 3 during fall semester and IDS 2 and 4 during spring semester. IDS1=HIS 111 and ENG 111; IDS2=ENG 113 and SOC 225; IDS3=BIO 110 and HUM 115; and IDS4= HIS 112 and HUM 220.

Degrees Conferred
Associate in Arts
Associate in Science

Associate in Fine Arts
A.A.S., Biotechnology
A.A.S., General Occupational Technology

Diplomas Awarded
Associate in Arts
Associate in Science

General Occupational Technology