Early College Academy General Studies (A.A.)
Faculty and Administrators
Dr. Hans Momplaisir, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Chair, Human Relations
Ms. Stacie Hill, Dual Enrollment Advisor and Data Specialist
Description
The Early College Academy (ECA) is a dual enrollment program in partnership with Calvin Coolidge High School, providing Coolidge students the opportunity to obtain an Associates Degree while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. Students who attend Coolidge Senior High School apply to Coolidge to become a part of the Early College Academy at Trinity Washington University. All students must enter the program in their 9th grade year of high school and make a four-year commitment; two years at Coolidge followed by two years completing the Trinity ECA curriculum. Students enter the program in cohorts in order to stay on track and finish the A.A. in two years.
Students accepted to the Early College Academy in the 9th grade participate in a host of workshops and activities in the 9th and 10th grades designed to prepare them to be successful when they attend Trinity Washington University full-time in their 11th and 12th grade year.
The ECA curriculum at Trinity Washington University is rooted in the Liberal Arts. Students have the opportunity to explore multiple disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional studies to discover areas of study that captivate them. Students select electives in the second year of the program that foster their individual interests.
Degree Requirements (61 credits)
Core Curriculum (39 credits)
The Associate of Arts degree program requires students to fulfill a general education core (15 general education courses plus a capstone seminar). All students must take:[catalog-courses]
Skills for Life and Work (17 credits)
- Writing (3 credits):
- ENGL 107 College CompositionDevelops effective writing of evidence-based, thesis-centered academic essays. Emphasizes the research and documentation skills necessary for successful academic writing. Focuses on argumentative essays that build to a substantive research paper. Formerly ENG 107 College Composition.
3 credits
General Education: Foundational Skills Area
FLC Area I Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
- Communication (6 credits):
- COM 225 Intercultural CommunicationApplies basic principles of intercultural communication to the analysis of specific situations involving cultural differences. Emphasis is on the influence of culture on the communication process, including differences in values, assumptions, and communication. Models of intercultural communication analysis are developed and applied to issues dealing with relations between a dominant society and subcultures, social change, and international relations.
3 credits
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
- COM 290 Public SpeakingExamines theory and practice of public speaking. Students will prepare and present informative and persuasive speeches. Audience analysis, research, speech organization, delivery and effective persuasive strategies will be covered.
3 credits
FLC Area I
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
- Numeracy (4 credits):
- MATH 108 Finite MathematicsThis is a quantitative literacy and reasoning course designed for education majors and those students intending to study nursing and other allied health fields. Topics include: problem solving, set theory, logic, algebra, and measurement; including unit conversions and dimensional analysis. Additional topics include functions, graphs, systems of equations and inequalities, as well as probability and statistics. Real-world applications will be emphasized throughout the course. Formerly MATH 108 and MAT 108 Elementary Mathematical Modeling.
4 credits
Prerequisites: None
General Education Area: Foundational Skills OR MATH 109 Foundations of MathematicsThis quantitative literacy course is intended for social science and humanities majors. The course is designed to teach quantitative reasoning by emphasizing topics, both useful and relevant to a liberal-arts program, that enable students to become quantitatively literate. Topics include financial literacy, unit conversions, an introduction to linear and exponential functions and mathematical modeling, probability and statistics as well as math in politics.Formerly MAT 109 Foundations of Mathematics. This course may not be taken pass/fail by School of Professional Studies students.
4 credits
Prerequisites: None
General Education Area: Foundational Skills OR MATH 123 Pre-CalculusPrepares students for calculus. Subjects include the concept of a function, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions and coordinate geometry. A student who already has a good grasp of these topics should elect MAT 125 instead of this course. Formerly MAT 123 Pre-calculus.
4 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 102 with C or better or proficiency test with permission of instructor
General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area IV: Quantitative Analysis Cluster (4 credits)
- Information Literacy (4 credits)
- CRS 101 Critical Reading and Writing Seminar IThis course strengthens critical reading and academic writing skills through engagement with liberal arts texts with a focus on "Discovering your strength" as a Trinity woman. The ability to comprehend and write about arguments in academic texts is essential for success in all liberal arts courses and in lifelong learning. Students will develop the ability to identify a text's main argument and the evidence used to support that argument. Students will also reflect comprehension by accurately and clearly paraphrasing and summarizing texts' arguments. Students will also use annotation and argumentation strategies to respond to liberal arts texts with their own ideas.
All students will be expected to work toward the following learning goals:
Explore and develop values, especially those relating to social justice, race, and gender, through the study of and response to a variety of academic texts;
Develop confidence as readers and writers;
Actively read, summarize, and analyze texts;
Articulate and support an argument;
Write clearly, logically, and with attention to audience;
Formerly CRS 101 - Critical Reading Seminar.
4 credits
Prerequisitea: None.
Understanding Self, Society, and Nature (22 credits)
- Arts & Humanities (6 credits chosen):
- HIS 132 Twentieth Century United StatesIntroduces the critical issues of 20th-century United States, including the transition to a post-industrial society, the challenge of the Civil Rights and feminist movements, the development of the modern welfare state, and the consequences of the United States' role as a global superpower.
3 credits
Core Area II: Understanding Self and Society
General Education: Knowledge & Inquiry OR HIS 211 World History: Industrialization to GlobalizationExplores world history from industrialization to globalization. Considers how large-scale historical phenomena (the rise of empires, wars, disease, environmental change, migrations, conflicts over race, gender, identity & belonging) have impacted the development of human societies and ongoing struggles for political and economic power. Examines the everyday experience of societal change as shaped by individuals, groups, and cultures as well as the intersection of politics, economics, and social movements. Sharpens critical reading, writing, and analytical skills.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
- FNAR 241 Experiencing Musical ArtExamines the way that music exists within cultures. The course explores musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and texture as they are experienced in rituals, religious and healing ceremonies, dancing, and performance in the United States and around the world. No prior experience in music is required for this course. Formerly MUS 201 Experiencing Musical Art.
3 credits
General Education: Applications Area
FLC Area II
- Social Sciences (6 credits chosen):
- PSYC 101 Introductory PsychologyIntroduces the student to the scientific study of the mind and behavior. All major sub-areas of psychology (social, developmental, clinical, physiological, motivation and emotion, sensation and perception) are explored, as well as the major theoretical perspectives (behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and humanistic). Formerly PSY 121 Introductory Psychology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core: Area II
- SOCY 100 Introduction to SociologyIntroduces students to the science of sociology and prepares students for upper-level social science course work. Formerly SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
Core Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
- Scientific Understanding (4 credits):
- ENVS 101 Discovering Planet EarthIntroduces non-science majors to evolution, earth science, and plate tectonics with an emphasis on the mid-Atlantic region. Labs include use of the scientific method, development of observational skills, computer-assisted learning, and several field trips. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course. Formerly ENV 101 Discovering Planet Earth.
4 credits
General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area IV
Core Area II: Understanding Self, Society, and Nature
- Philosophy and Ethics (6 credits):
- PHIL 103 Reasoning and ArgumentationPresents examples of analysis and argumentation in order to examine what constitutes either a deductive and an inductive argument, the notions of validity and truth, the justificatory power of evidence as well as common informal fallacies. The course provides practice in various techniques of argumentation and critical analysis. Formerly PHI 103 Reasoning and Argumentation.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Foundational Skills Area
FLC Area III
Prerequisite CRS 101 - CAS Only
- PHIL 245 Ethics IIntroduces the student to social ethics and the concepts of person and community by examining the moral traditions that inform our understanding of the individual. The course traces the focus of ethics from a concern about what kind of person to be to the more modern and narrow concern in how to act in both the public and private domains, acknowledging the ways in which our cultural and historical practices help shape our vision. Formerly PHI 212 The Moral Dimension: Persons and Community.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs Area
Core Area III: Ethics and Moral Reasoning
General Studies Degree Core (10 credits)
Students in the General Studies Associate of Arts program take the following classes in their major:
- INT 100 Academic Success SeminarStudents will learn the behavioral and life skills necessary for success in college. Topics include academic planning, time management and study skills, effective relationship management and teamwork, critical and creative thinking, and techniques for successful academic performance.
1 credit
Enrollment limited to Future Focus students (1 credits)
- POLS 101 Politics, Power, and You: Democracy at the CrossroadsIntroduces students to the fundamentals of political history and theory. Explores current U.S. political and public policy issues to advance student?s ability to analyze and understand contemporary political events. Formerly PSC 120 Politics, Power, and You: Democracy at the Crossroads.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Applications Area (3 credits)
- RST 102 Religions of the WorldA Survey of the great religious traditions of the world - Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the religions of Primal peoples. S pecial emphases will be given to the history, belief systems, ceremonies, and structures of these traditions as they touch upon and reflect the human quest for ultimate meaning. Formerly RST 290 - Religions of the World.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
Gen Ed: Values and Beliefs (3 credits)
- INT 290 Capstone ProjectThe capstone course allows students an opportunity to create a body of work which will show that they have met the goals of the Associate Degree Program.
Specific student goals include: preparedness to metriculate to a Trinity Bachelor's Degree program; acquisition of core skills in quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving, technological literacy, and communication; an appreciation of the interrelatedness of knowledge from various academic disciplines, and an understanding of how the program goals will assist students in becoming ethical, engaged citizens as well as successful professionals.
This course is open only to students in the Associate's degree program. (3 credits)
General Studies Electives (12 credits)
General Studies majors select four (4) courses to fulfill their electives requirement. Students may combine courses from several different disciplines or students may choose courses within one discipline and develop a concentration in arts and humanities, business, social and behavioral sciences, or a professional disciple.
Electives includes but are not limited to the following courses:
- AFST 200 Intro to Africana StudiesExplores the academic field of Africana Studies, including an intellectual genealogy of the discipline and introduction to the major concepts, methods, terms, and techniques used in thinking about the Africana experience through time and space. Follows a narrative progression of the Africana experience beginning with the origin of humanity and spanning human history; the African experience in the U.S. is a tiny fraction of that larger historical arc (one that has unfortunately framed the study of Africana in general). Moves beyond this debilitating circumstance to build knowledge incrementally using discussion and interpretation of evidence through disciplinary lenses; assigned texts provide evidentiary anchors and interpretive frames for discussion.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
- BADM 101 Introduction to BusinessThis course provides students with an overview of the core functions and operations of business organizations. Topics discussed include forms of business ownership, research and development, marketing, finance, accounting, production, materials management, and human resource management. Formerly BUA 105 Introduction to Business.
3 credits
- BADM 110 Foundations of ManagementFoundations of Management would provide an overview of key concepts and practices in the field of management and organization. Topics would include structure and design, decision making, goals and effectiveness, culture and performance measures. Th is course would introduce students to a broad range of the basics of management preparing them for more specialized courses in the business program.
3 credits
General Education Applications Area: Leadership
- BIOL 101 Introduction to BiologyExplores various aspects of biology from cell structure to metabolism, diversity and ecology. The course consists of two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Recommended for non-science majors. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course. Formerly BIO 101 Introduction to Biology.
4 credits
FLC Area I
Core Area II
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry (students graduate with 62 credits)
- CJUS 100 Introduction Criminal JusticeIntroduces students to the scientific study of crime by focusing on definitions, history, types, causes, and consequences of crime as well as the responses of the criminal justice system to crimes, criminals, and the victims of crimes. Formerly SOC 202 Criminology: An Introduction and SOCY 205 Criminology: An Introduction.
3 credits
- CMSC 111 Introduction to ProgrammingIntroduces fundamentals of computer programming for beginners. Covers basics of programming logic, problem-solving techniques, and Python syntax. Formerly MAT 141 Introduction to Programming.
- ECON 101 Microeconomics ITeaches how to think like an economist and make more informed decisions. Builds models of economic activity that provide a framework for understanding the real world. Explores the supply-demand model of competitive markets, followed by other models that show how markets operate when they aren't purely competitive. Assesses the proper role of government in the marketplace and how government can improve welfare when markets fail to be efficient. ECON 101 is a prerequisite for all higher-level economics courses and fulfills the Social Science General Education requirement.
3 credits or ECON 102 Macroeconomics IPresents key variables that summarize an economy. Uses economic analysis to explain why economies grow over time but also exhibit repeated cycles of boom and bust. Explores government-level policies that affect an economy as a whole, and models for analyzing their effects. Fulfills the Civic Knowledge General Education requirement and is required for upper level economics courses.
3 credits
Prerequisites: ECON 101 is preferred, but students may take ECON 102 first.
- EDCC 220 Foundations of EducationAllows teacher candidates to examine some of the historical, philosophical, and cultural foundations of American education. Curriculum content and organization and basic teaching competencies are introduced in light of professional organization. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision-making are stressed. A Praxis component is introduced along with an explanation of the teacher education program in light of the standards in teacher education. Field component is an integral part of the course. Students also are required to engage in Praxis I preparation through weekly completion of an on-line Praxis program.
Formerly EDU 260 Foundations of Education.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
- ENGL 150 Writing about LiteratureThis course introduces students to the study of literature. Students will engage in critical reading, analysis and discussion, founding argument on close textual reading, and the development and writing of thesis-centered essays about literature. Literary criticism and theory, research methods, and documentation techniques will also be covered.
3 credits
General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry
- ENGL 220 African American LiteratureThis course introduces students to the study of African American literature, including the vernacular tradition, the New Negro Renaissance of the early twentieth century, periods of realism and modernism in the late 1940s and early 1960s, the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, and newer voices at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century. Students will practice literary analysis and study the literary techniques and genres belonging to this literature, as well as the ways in which the texts attempt to reinvent, disrupt, or challenge traditional European/North American literary traditions and criticisms. Many of the texts will engage the meaning of race, the forced migration of Africans to the Americas, racism and black resistance to it, institutionalized enslavement and strategies for survival, economic oppression, the celebration of blackness, and the literary achievements of black authors. Biographical, historical, and political contexts will be examined as ways to enrich the reading of the texts.
3 credits
General Education Requirement: Knowledge and Inquiry or ENGL 267 Multicultural United States LiteratureExamines largely contemporary writings by writers representing the diverse cultures in the US with a consideration of the ways in which difference or "the other" may be constructed. Formerly ENG 200 Multicultural US Literature.
3 credits
General Education Requirement: Knowledge and Inquiry
Core Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
- HUMR 201 Introduction to Human RelationsThis course is designed to provide students with a conceptual framework within which to examine some of the major human relations problems faced by society and to introduce students to the breadth and depth of the field of human relations. Emphasis is on the processes of communication, problem solving, decision making, conflict and change as they occur in individuals, interpersonal, group and intergroup relations. The course emphasizes key ideas of theorists who have contributed to the interdisciplinary field of human relations. Formerly HUMR 201 - Special Topics in Human Relations.
3 credits
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and SOCY 100
- ITEC 100 Introduction to Data AnalyticsCovers basics of how data are used to reduce uncertainty in decision-making. Introduces a set of widely used data mining tools, techniques, and applications using R software. Presents a variety of case studies and practical examples to demonstrate use of these tools.
3 credits
Pre: MATH 110
- ITEC 102 Introduction to Information TechnologyExplores the multifaceted realm of Information Technology (IT), including core concepts, tools, and applications essential to IT in the digital era. Topics range from basics of computer systems to the social implications modern technological advancements.
- JAMS 201 Fundamentals of JournalismIntroduces the fundamentals of news gathering and journalistic writing, including basic newswriting, reporting, and editing techniques. Develops skills of fact-gathering, observation, writing in journalistic style, understanding freedom of information, and ethics. Focuses on rules and styles unique to journalism utilizing the Associated Press Stylebook for news concepts, feature stories, and more.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
- MATH 110 Introduction to StatisticsThis course presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, graphical representations of data, normal probability distributions and the Central Limit Theorem, linear correlation and regression and probability theory. This course also offers an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 102, MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course.
- PEH 121 Nutrition & WellnessIdentifies nutritional challenges affecting overall health. Topics include making conscious choices regarding nutrition, incorporating new food groups, identifying signs of emotional eating, body image issues, stress and time management, online tools to evaluate one?s food consumption and activity levels, and finding and utilizing available nutrition resources.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
- POLS 201 Civil Rights and LibertiesProvides an introduction to legal opinions that focus on the 1st and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The cases and the societal issues surrounding them are presented in their historical context. Some specific topics examined in the course are Supreme Court decisions that affect the civil rights movement, free speech, and privacy issues involving Internet communications. Formerly PSC 216 Civil Rights and Liberties.
3 credits
FLC Area V
General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry
- POLS 231 Introduction to Comparative PoliticsOffers an introduction to the major concepts and analytical frameworks of the sub-field. While it is designed as the appropriate first course in comparative politics, its theoretical focus makes it appropriate for more advanced students as well. Formerly PSC 200 Introduction to Comparative Politics.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area V
- PSYC 211 Social PsychologyStudies the individual interacting in a social context. Theories of attitude formation and change, social perception, and small group behavior are examined, as well as current theories, research, and methodology. Formerly PSY 255 Social Psychology.
3 credits
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor
- PSYC 243 Lifespan DevelopmentLifespan development explores the changes, both growth and decline from conception to death. Development is a lifelong process that will be examined over three developmental domains: physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. Emphasis will be placed on the impacts of culture and roles of nature and nurture on each stage of development. Topics will include prenatal environment, language development, self-esteem and identity, attachment and relationships, retirement, and death and dying.
- RST 101 Religion and Human ExperienceAn introduction to the study of religion as an academic discipline. Students examine contemporary expressions and understandings of religion, especially religious traditions other than their own, and the role that religion plays in our time not only in constructive but also in destructive ways. The course examines the expression of religious experience in history as well as psychological and sociological perspectives on religious experience. In addition to methods for studying religion, attention is given to the roles of myth, creed and symbol in religious discourse.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
General Education Area: Values and Beliefs
- RST 221 African American SpiritualityOffers an overview of the history, spirituality and culture of African Americans. Beginning with the greatness of Africa, takes a holistic approach to the African American experience and emphasizes the spiritual gifts of joy, community, and contemplation. Presents and brings understanding to the struggle for justice from a faith perspective. Open to students of all faiths and backgrounds, invites all to develop a deeper appreciation of the spirituality of people who descend from Africa.
Prerequisites: None
3 Credits
- SNHP 201 Introduction to Public HealthIntroduces the population health approach to public health, including a history of public health and an overview of core disciplines, current events, and issues in the field. Topics range from infectious disease outbreaks and control, the role of diet and physical activity in chronic disease, and the intersection of emergency services and preparedness with public health. Examines public health institutions and systems at the local/state, federal and global levels, and explores the future of public health.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: None
- SOCY 131 Global Social IssuesSurveys the global problems of hunger, overpopulation, energy, pollution, war, and extremism (slavery, apartheid, relocation, genocide), and how they are built into society. Formerly SOC 254 Global Social Issues.
3 credits
FLC Area V
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry
- SOCY 261 Family and SocietyIntroduces students to the role of the family in the social structure. Examines the family in historical perspective, the institution of marriage, socialization, the importance of gender, and current issues in the modern family. Formerly SOC 261 Family and Society.
- SOWK 211 Introduction to Social WorkIntroduces the profession of social work and the wide range of factors that influence generalist social work practice. Surveys the historical development of pro-social policy and practices of the profession, with particular focus on issues of social justice. Methods, fields of practice, knowledge and skills fundamental to social work are presented throughout. Discussion will also include current issues confronting the profession, volunteer and para-professional experiences, and guest speakers. Formerly HRE 200.
3 credits
- SPAN 213 Latina VoicesFosters awareness and understanding among women of the Americas, their different cultures and traditions as told through their own stories. Students will also reach a better understanding of the ethnic and racial diversity that characterizes the whole American continent including the United States, thus becoming more able to participate in a multicultural environment, both in the labor force and in their personal lives. Readings and discussions will be in English. Native speakers of Spanish may choose to do written assignments in Spanish. Formerly SPA 210 Latina Voices.
3 credits
FLC II
General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry
- WST 240 Introduction to Women's StudiesProvides a basic structure of ideas for examining questions of gender differences in history, culture, and contemporary society. Students learn central concepts and research methods in women's studies and use them to examine such topics as family, religion, work, gender, sexuality, and social change.
3 credits
Program Policies
Students enrolled in the Early College Academy A.A. degree are subjected to the same program policies as outlined for College of Arts and Sciences programs.