Programs of Study
Core IMPACTS
Approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents on October 4, 2023, Core IMPACTS is designed to ensure that students acquire essential knowledge in foundational academic areas and develop career-ready competencies. There are seven Core IMPACTS areas. As presented in the table below, IMPACTS is a mnemonic for students to appreciate the impact of the overall core curriculum. Each institution’s Core IMPACTS requirements must add up to 42 semester credit hours, with minimum credit hours in each area.
Each degree may require specific courses for degree completion. Students should refer to the requirements listed for each degree.
| Core IMPACTS | Area Shorthand | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional Priority | Institution | at least 3 credit hours |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Skills | Mathematics | at least 3 credit hours |
| Political Science & U.S. History | Citizenship | at least 3 credit hours |
| Arts, Humanities & Ethics | Humanities | at least 6 credit hours |
| Communication in Writing | Writing | at least 6 credit hours |
| Technology, Mathematics & Sciences* | STEM | at least 7 credit hours |
| Social Sciences | Social Sciences | at least 3 credit hours |
*At least 4 of the STEM credit hours must be in a lab science course.
Students must complete all Core IMPACTS requirements in order to earn associate of arts, associate of science, nexus, bachelor of arts, or bachelor of science degrees.
The Core IMPACTS framework establishes common system wide Learning Outcomes and Career-Ready Competencies for each area, ensuring that courses completed in an area at one institution or through eCore are fully transferable to the same area at any other USG institution. Students do not have to complete all the requirements for a Core IMPACTS area to transfer credit within that area. In some cases, a student may transfer from a sending institution that has a higher amount of credit in a core area than the receiving institution to which the student is transferring. In those cases, students should still get full credit for courses at the receiving institution, with the excess credit being applied to another core area.
| Core IMPACTS (Area Shorthand) | Orienting Question | Learning Outcome(s) | Career-Ready Competencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institutional Priority (Institution) | How does my institution help me to navigate the world? | Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems related to academic priorities at their institution. | Critical Thinking Teamwork Time Management |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Skills (Mathematics | How di I measure the world? | Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems related to academic priorities at their institution. | Critical Thinking Teamwork Time Management |
| Political Science and U.S. History (Citizenship) | How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen? | Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the United States, the history of Georgia, and the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia. | Critical Thinking Intercultural Competence Persuasion |
| Arts, Humanities & Ethics (Humanities) | How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works? | Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts or of works in the visual/performing arts. | Ethical Reasoning Information Literacy Intercultural Competence |
| Communicating in Writing (Writing) | How do I write effectively in different contexts? | Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar, and writing conventions. Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources. Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience. Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts. | Critical Thinking Information Literacy Persuasion |
| Technology, Mathematics & Sciences* (STEM) | How do I ask scientific questions or use data, mathematics, or technology to understand the universe? | Students will use the scientific method and laboratory procedures or mathematical and computational methods to analyze data, solve problems, and explain natural phenomena. | Inquiry and Analysis Problem-Solving Teamwork |
| Social Sciences (Social Sciences) | How do I understand human experiences and connections? | Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change. | Intercultural Competence Perspective-Taking Persuasion |
*At least 4 of the STEM credit hours must be in a lab science course.
Core IMPACTS
Each degree may require specific courses for degree completion. Students should refer to the requirements listed for each degree.
INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY (Institution)
COMM 1110 is a required course. PRSP 10XX is required for all first time AA, AS, and Bachelor's degree-seeking students during their first semester at DSC. Transfer students with more than 29 credit hours choose from the other electives listed.
| COMM 1110 | Fundamentals of Speech | 3 |
| ENGL 1105 | Intro to Greek Mythology | 1 |
| ENGL 1110 | Creative Writing | 1 |
| GEOL 1000 | Natural Hazards | 1 |
| HIST 1050 | Appalachian Hist-Special Topic | 1 |
| HIST 1051 | Sports Hist & Amer Character | 1 |
| HLTH 1030 | Health and Wellness Concepts | 1 |
| HUMN 1000 | Mystery Fiction in Pop Culture | 1 |
| HUMN 1300 | Christian Fiction/Pop Culture | 1 |
| PRSP 1010 | Perspectives in Liberal Arts | 1 |
| PRSP 1020 | Perspectives in Business | 1 |
| PRSP 1030 | Perspectives in Education | 1 |
| PRSP 1040 | Perspectives in Health Edu | 1 |
| PRSP 1050 | Perspectives in STEM | 1 |
MATHEMATICS & QUANTITATIVE SKILLS (Mathematics)
| MATH 1001 | Quantitative Skills/Reasoning | 3 |
| MATH 1101 | Intro to Mathematical Modeling | 3 |
| MATH 1111 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 1401 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
POLITICAL SCIENCE & U.S. HISTORY (Citizenship)
POLS 1101 and HIST 2111 or 2112 are required courses.
| HIST 2111 | United States History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 2112 | United States Hist since 1877 | 3 |
| POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
ARTS, HUMANITIES, & ETHICS (Humanities)
| ARTS 1100 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| ENGL 2000 | Topics in Literature & Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 2111 | World Literature I | 3 |
| ENGL 2112 | World Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL 2120 | British Literature I | 3 |
| ENGL 2121 | British Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL 2130 | American Literature I | 3 |
| ENGL 2131 | American Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL 2201 | Intro to Film as Literature | 3 |
| HUMN 1201 | Expressions of Culture I | 3 |
| MUSC 1100 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUSC 1110 | World Music | 3 |
| MUSC 1120 | American Music | 3 |
| THEA 1100 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
COMMUNICATION IN WRITING (Writing)
| ENGL 1101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 1102 | English Composition II | 3 |
TECHNOLOGY, MATHEMATICS & SCIENCES (Stem)
| ASTR 1010 | Astronomy of the Solar System | 3 |
| ASTR 1020 | Stellar and Galactic Astronomy | 3 |
| BIOL 1011K | Introductory Biology w/ Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 1012K | Introductory Biology II w/ Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 1105K | Environmental Studies | 4 |
| BIOL 1107K | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| BIOL 1108K | Principles of Biology II | 4 |
| BIOL 1203K | Botany | 4 |
| BIOL 1224K | Principles of Entomology | 4 |
| CHEM 1151K | Survey of Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 1211K | Principles of Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 1212K | Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
| CMPS 1301 | Principles of Programming I | 3 |
| CMPS 1302 | Principles of Programming II | 3 |
| CSCI 1301K | Computer Science I | 4 |
| DATA 1501 | Introduction to Data Science | 3 |
| ENVS 2202 | Environmental Sciences | 3 |
| GEOL 1110 | Environmental Hazards | 3 |
| GEOL 1121K | Principles of Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 1122K | Historical Geology | 4 |
| GEOL 1131K | Geology & the Environment | 4 |
| MATH 1113 | Precalculus Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 1401 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| MATH 2181 | Applied Calculus | 3 |
| MATH 2253 | Calculus and Analytic Geom I | 4 |
| MATH 2254 | Calculus and Analytic Geom II | 4 |
| PHYS 1111K | Introductory Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 1112K | Introductory Physics II | 4 |
| PHYS 2211K | Principles of Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 2212K | Principles of Physics II | 4 |
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Social Sciences)
| ANTH 1102 | Intro to Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 1103 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ECON 2105 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 2106 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| GEOG 1100 | Introduction to Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 1101 | Intro to Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 1111 | Intro to Physical Geography | 3 |
| HIST 1111 | World Civilization to 1500 CE | 3 |
| HIST 1112 | World Civilization since 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 2111 | United States History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 2112 | United States Hist since 1877 | 3 |
| PHIL 1103 | Intro to World Religions | 3 |
| PHIL 2010 | Intro to Philosophical Issues | 3 |
| PHIL 2020 | Logic and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
| POLS 2101 | Intro to Political Science | 3 |
| POLS 2201 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| POLS 2301 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 2401 | International Relations | 3 |
| PSYC 1101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2101 | Psychology of Adjustment | 3 |
| PSYC 2103 | Human Development | 3 |
| SOCI 1101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 1160 | Social Problems | 3 |
Majors, Minors, and Areas of Concentration
At Dalton State College, all credit-based programs of study include a major or area of concentration, and some students elect to earn minors as well. Each of these terms is defined as a group of courses, organized in a coherent and focused manner, that includes content and student learning experiences directly related to the specialization incorporated within each program of study. The term Core IMPACTS is used to define the specialization within mini-certificate, certificate, and degree programs. The terms “major” and “minor” are used to define specialization within bachelor’s degree programs. Some bachelor's degrees also include a concentration depending upon major requirements.
The minimum numbers of semester credit hours required by program type for a major or area of concentration are shown below.
| Program | Hours |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 30 |
| Associate of Arts/Science Degree | 18 |
| Associate of Science in Nursing Degree | 37 |
| Associate of Applied Science Degree | 36 |
| Certificate | 21 |
| Mini-Certificate | 8 |
A minor must contain 15 to 18 semester hours of coursework, including at least 9 hours of upper-division courses at the 3000-4000 level. Courses taken to satisfy Core IMPACTS may not be counted toward completion of the minor, but courses taken in the Field of Study may be used to fulfill minor requirements.
Baccalaureate Programs
Students can earn a baccalaureate degree in a wide range of programs at Dalton State College.
Three degrees and twelve majors are administered by the School of Arts and Sciences:
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree is offered with majors in Communication, English, History, and Interdisciplinary Studies (optional Secondary Teacher Education Certification in English and History).
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is offered in Biology, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Mathematics, and Psychology (optional Secondary Teacher Education Certification in Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics).
- Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in Engineering Technology and Information Technology.
One degree and six majors are administered by the Wright School of Business:
- A Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree is offered with majors in Accounting, Finance and Applied Economics, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Management, Management Information Systems, and Marketing.
A Bachelor of Science (B.S.Ed.) in Elementary Education with optional ESOL and/or Autism endorsement is offered and administered by the School of Education.
Three degrees and five majors are offered by the School of Health Professions:
- Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)
- RN-BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with majors in Health and Wellness, Organizational Leadership, and Respiratory Therapy.
The completion of these programs of study normally requires four years of full-time enrollment. Program curricula and other requirements are listed in other sections of the catalog.
Transfer Associate Degree Programs
Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) transfer programs are designed for students who plan to pursue baccalaureate degrees. These programs of study provide the freshman and sophomore years of academic course work required for a bachelor’s degree.
The approximately 60 hours of degree credit for the A.A. or A.S. degree can be earned in the equivalent of two academic years: four semesters of enrollment for 15-16 degree credit hours each semester or five or more semesters of enrollment for fewer than 15-16 degree credit hours each semester. Students who have earned acceptable credits at other colleges or through credit-by-examination may satisfy the requirements for an A.A. or A.S. in fewer than four semesters.
The curricula of all A.A. and A.S. transfer programs fulfill the Core Curriculum of the University System of Georgia. A student who completes one of these programs can expect to receive full transfer of credit toward a bachelor’s degree in the same field of study at any school in the University System of Georgia. Credits earned in the A.A. and A.S. programs also transfer freely to private institutions and to public colleges and universities in other states. Students who change majors when they transfer to other institutions may lose hours and/or be required to take additional course work to satisfy the freshman and sophomore requirements in the new field of study.
Students are encouraged to select a specific transfer/pathway program as early as possible in order to receive maximum credits toward their baccalaureate degrees. Those who are undecided about a baccalaureate major should concentrate on the general education courses in Areas A through E of the General Studies transfer programs (A.A. or A.S.) until they identify their major-related academic interests and goals. Students planning to transfer to private or out-of-state public colleges may use the extensive elective choices in the General Studies transfer programs to design, in consultation with their academic advisors, curricula that satisfy the freshman and sophomore requirements of those institutions.
Many four-year institutions will accept more academic credit hours than the minimum required for the A.A. or A.S. degree at Dalton State College. Students wishing to take additional hours at Dalton State College should contact the institution to which they plan to transfer to determine the number of additional hours and specific courses, if any, that will transfer.
Career Associate Degree Programs
The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) programs and the Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) are designed for students who wish to gain a foundation in general education and specific career skills for initial or continuing employment after graduation. Students who intend to pursue a baccalaureate degree other than the B.A.S. or B.S.N. should consider the associate's degree transfer program.
The credit hours required for a career associate degree, which vary from program to program, can be earned in four semesters of enrollment for fifteen or more hours each semester. Students completing fewer than fifteen hours per semester must enroll in additional semesters to accumulate the credits needed for their degrees. Students who have earned acceptable credits at other institutions or through credit-by-examination may satisfy the requirements for a career degree in fewer than four semesters. Except for science, technical, and professional sequence courses in the allied health and technology programs, there is no time limit for the completion of a career degree by students who maintain satisfactory academic progress.
The general education component of each career associate degree includes, at a minimum, one course each in mathematics, written communication and speech, and at least 12 additional credit hours of course work from the Core Curriculum. Many of the career programs offer Core Curriculum courses within the field of study. Career degree students who decide to pursue an associate degree transfer program at Dalton State College, or decide to transfer to a four-year college or university, can expect to receive credit for some or all of the Core Curriculum credits earned, depending upon the new major field of study.
Information about career opportunities and assistance in assessing career interests and preferences are available to all students through the Office of Academic Resources. Job assistance is also available to students and graduates seeking employment.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs are designed for students who wish to gain skills for entry-level employment in vocational and technical occupations.
The credit hours required for a Certificate, which vary from program to program, can be earned in three or four semesters by students who enroll for a full load each semester. Credits to complete a certificate program may also be accumulated over a longer period of time by students who enroll on a part-time basis. Students who have earned acceptable credits at other post-secondary institutions or through credit-by-examination may satisfy the requirements for a certificate in fewer than three or four semesters.
The curriculum of each certificate program provides opportunities for students to acquire or improve the skills in oral and written communications, reading, and mathematics that are essential for success in the modern workplace.
Students who complete certificate programs may be able to apply the credit hours earned toward an Associate of Applied Science degree.
Information about career opportunities and assistance in assessing career interests and preferences are available to all students through the Office of Academic Resources. Job assistance is also available to students and graduates seeking employment.
Regents' Engineering Pathway Program
Dalton State College is one of many institutions in the University System of Georgia approved to offer the Regents' Engineering Pathway Program (REPP), formerly the Regents' Engineering Transfer Program (RETP). This program allows Georgia residents interested in engineering careers to complete the first two years of the engineering degree at a college close to home. Upon satisfactory completion of the pre-engineering curriculum and additional course requirements, students may transfer to one of the five REPP institutions (Georgia Southern University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Kennesaw State University, Mercer University, or University of Georgia) to complete the remaining course and degree requirements. This program is an excellent fit for families of students who are interested in saving money on tuition or simply staying close to home for the first couple years of college.
Honors Program
The Honors Program at Dalton State College is designed for motivated, high-achieving students to excel by exploring their passions through in-depth learning experiences. The program will challenge students with a rigorous curriculum and meaningful, practical experiences such as service learning, study abroad/study away, leadership development, and off-campus educational opportunities.
Dalton State honors students will be challenged by enrolling in specialized, smaller sections of core courses with other honors students in their cohort. In upper-division courses, honors students will work with faculty members to complete honors projects that will afford them a unique educational experience. Click HERE for more information.