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Curriculum Requirements

State University of New York General Education Framework (SUNY-GE)

SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Areas, and Core Competencies

All students enrolled in programs leading to A.A., A.S., and baccalaureate degrees are required by the State University of New York to complete 30 credits of SUNY General Education Framework (SUNY-GE) in a minimum of seven of 10 areas. All students enrolled in A.A.S. degrees are required to complete 20 credits of SUNY-GE in four specified areas. Students must take the following:

1. Knowledge and Skills Areas 

The following four are required for all undergraduate-degree programs:

    • Communication – written and oral
    • Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
    • Mathematics (and quantitative reasoning)
    • Natural Sciences (and scientific reasoning)

In addition, a minimum of three of the following six are required for A.A., A.S., and all baccalaureate-degree programs:

    • Humanities
    • Social Sciences
    • The Arts
    • U.S. History and Civic Engagement
    • World History and Global Awareness
    • World Languages

2. Core Competencies (incorporated within all degree programs)

    • Critical Thinking and Reasoning
    • Information Literacy
    • Civic Discourse (in effect starting Fall 2026)

See below for the courses at Suffolk County Community College that fulfill the SUNY General Education Framework.

The ArtsGEAR

ART101, ART109, ART111, ART112, ART113, ART114, ART116, ART120, ART126, ART130, ART133, ART135, ART141, ART145, ART161, ART171, ART181, ART202, ART209, ART210, CIN114, CIN117, CIN156, DIA115, DNC101, DNC105, ENG202, GRD207, INT101, MTR105, MUS101, MUS103, MUS105, MUS117, MUS118, MUS121, MUS122, MUS123, MUS131, MUS132, MUS133, MUS134, MUS135, MUS136, MUS138, MUS206, MUS210, THR101, THR105, THR115, THR116, THR117, THR118, THR119, THR120, THR127, THR152, THR153, THR154, THR155, THR206, THR207, THR210, THR211, THR214

    Civic DiscourseGECD

      Communication – writtenGECW

      ENG100, ENG101, ENG121

        Communication – oralGECO

        BUS117, COM101, COM102, COM105, COM107, COM121, COM131, COM202, EDU201, HUS103, MUS210, PAR101

          Critical Thinking and ReasoningGECT

          ENG100, ENG101

            Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social JusticeGEDI

            ADS252, ANT101, ANT105, ART109, COM202, ENG211, ENG212, ENG227, GEO101, HIS102, HIS104, HIS107, HIS108, HIS118, HIS119, HIS120, HIS205, HIS206, HIS225, HIS250, HUS101, PHL113, POL107, PSY216, SOC101

              HumanitiesGEHM

              ART101, ART109, ART111, ART112, ART113, CIN111, CIN112, CIN114, CIN156, CIN242, COM101, COM105, COM107, COM121, COM131, COM192, ENG102, ENG130, ENG131, ENG140, ENG141, ENG142, ENG202, ENG204, ENG205, ENG206, ENG209, ENG210, ENG211, ENG212, ENG213, ENG214, ENG215, ENG216, ENG218, ENG219, ENG220, ENG221, ENG223, ENG227, HUM111, HUM114, HUM116, MUS101, MUS206, MUS210, PHL101, PHL104, PHL105, PHL107, PHL111, PHL113, PHL149, PHL201, PHL211, PHL212, PHL215, THR211, WST116

                Information LiteracyGEIL

                COL101

                  MathematicsGEMT

                  MAT101, MAT102, MAT103, MAT111, MAT111L, MAT112, MAT120, MAT121, MAT129, MAT131, MAT141, MAT142, MAT200, MAT203, MAT204, MAT205, MAT206, MAT210

                    Natural SciencesGENS

                    AST101, AST102, AST201, AST202, AST203, AST204, BIO101, BIO103, BIO105, BIO109, BIO111, BIO130, BIO132, BIO144, BIO150, BIO155, BIO210, BIO244, BIO245, BIO246, BIO250, BIO262, BIO272, CHE100, CHE105, CHE120, CHE122, CHE133, CHE134, CHE200, CHE250, CHE251, ENV101, ESC101, ESC102, ESC125, ESC201, ESC251, MAR105, MAR111, MAR255, MET101, MET104, MET201, PHY103, PHY104, PHY105, PHY118, PHY119, PHY121, PHY122, PHY130, PHY132, PHY220, PHY222, PHY230, PHY232, PHY247, PHY248

                      Social SciencesGESS

                      ANT101, ANT103, ANT105, COM192, ECO111, ECO112, GEO101, GEO102, HIS101, HIS102, HIS103, HIS104, HIS107, HIS118, HIS119, HIS120, HIS201, HIS205, HIS206, HIS225, HIS250, HUS101, POL103, POL105, POL107, POL111, POL201, PSY101, PSY201, PSY202, PSY203, PSY205, PSY210, PSY213, PSY215, PSY216, PSY217, PSY220, SOC101, SOC200, SOC203, SOC205

                        U.S. History and Civic EngagementGEUS

                        HIS103, HIS104, HIS108, HIS205, HIS206, HIS225, POL105

                          World History and Global AwarenessGEWH

                          ANT101, ANT105, COM202, GEO101, GEO102, HIS101, HIS102, HIS107, HIS118, HIS119, HIS120, HIS201, HIS250, HUM112, POL107, POL111

                            World LanguagesGEWL

                            ASL101, ASL105, ASL201, ASL210, ASL220, CHI101, CHI102, FRE101, FRE102, FRE201, FRE202, GER101, GER102, ITL101, ITL102, ITL113, ITL201, ITL202, JPN101, JPN102, LAT101, SPN101, SPN102, SPN113, SPN122, SPN126, SPN127, SPN201, SPN202, SPN220, SPN223

                              SUNY Transfer Paths

                              The State University of New York (SUNY) has implemented the Seamless Transfer Initiative to assist students, who have obtained an A.A. or A.S. degree at Suffolk County Community College, to transfer to a SUNY four-year institution with junior status. Seamless transfer is achieved by completing seven of the 10 SUNY General Education Framework areas and passing the required Transfer Path courses within the intended major with a minimum of a “C.”

                              Transfer Paths include lower division course requirements that are common to all SUNY campuses with the similar major. Transfer Paths exist for many degrees at Suffolk County Community College. Visit SUNY Transfer Paths to determine the courses that should be completed before transferring to the SUNY four-year institution.

                              Core Education Graduation Requirement

                              As a condition of graduation, students in all Suffolk County Community College degree programs must satisfy core education requirements.

                              Students in A.A. degree programs must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

                              ENG101: Standard Freshman Composition - 3 credits
                              ENG102: Introduction to Literature - 3 credits
                              Humanities Electives (only one course may be English) - 9 credits
                              Social Science Electives - 6 credits
                              History Elective - 3 credits
                              Mathematics Elective - 3-4 credits
                              Laboratory Science Elective - 4 credits
                              Physical Education Electives - 2 credits
                              College Seminar - 1 credit
                              34-35 credits

                              Students in A.S. degree programs must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

                              ENG101: Standard Freshman Composition - 3 credits
                              English Elective - 3 credits
                              Humanities Elective (other than English) - 3 credits
                              History Elective - 3 credits
                              Social Science Elective (other than History) - 3 credits
                              Mathematics Elective - 3-4 credits
                              Laboratory Science Elective - 4 credits
                              Physical Education Elective - 1-2 credits
                              College Seminar - 1 credit
                              24-26 credits

                              Students in A.A.S. degree programs must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

                              ENG101: Standard Freshman Composition - 3 credits
                              English Elective - 3 credits
                              Humanities Elective (other than English) - 3 credits
                              Social Science Elective - 3 credits
                              Mathematics Elective - 3-4 credits
                              Laboratory Science Elective - 4 credits
                              Physical Education Elective - 1-2 credits
                              College Seminar - 1 credit
                              21-23 credits

                              * Currently, some programs exist with exceptions to one or more of these requirements.

                              Minimum Credits and GPA for Graduation

                              In order to graduate from any curriculum, students must complete a minimum of 60 credits for a degree and complete all curriculum requirements for a certificate while attaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0, both cumulatively and in their major courses. The courses constituting the major in each curriculum are designated with a ♦ symbol. Only the Adolescence Education programs, Childhood Education Studies and the Liberal Arts and Sciences: General Studies curricula do not designate major courses.

                              Two 2-credit courses may be used to fulfill a 3-credit unrestricted elective. All of the credits required for an unrestricted elective must be satisfied.

                              Goal

                              In order to support students with certain academic needs related to college readiness, Suffolk County Community College provides developmental courses in reading, mathematics, English or English as a Second Language (ESL). These courses are designed to help students refine scholastic skills, and, thereby, effect a smooth transition to college-level courses. While developmental courses do not carry credit toward a degree or certificate, successful completion of these courses is required and may serve as a prerequisite to enrollment in college-level programs at Suffolk. Developmental courses may lengthen the time needed to complete a degree program. However, faculty at Suffolk County Community College continue to develop multiple approaches to enable students to begin college-level course work in a timely manner.

                              Course Placement

                              Newly admitted full- and part-time matriculated students are enrolled in college-level or developmental courses based on scores earned on the required Computerized Placement Test (CPT), certain high school Regents exams, and other available test scores and measures. Students entering Suffolk who have completed appropriate college-level courses may be waived from part or all of the CPT requirement.

                              Scores on placement tests may determine that students need to enroll in one or more of the following developmental courses, which do not fulfill degree requirements:

                              ENGLISH
                              ENG009: Basic English Skills
                              ENG010: Developmental Writing

                              ENG011: Enhanced Writing Skills
                              ENG012: Emerging Writers Workshop

                              MATHEMATICS
                              MAT001: Developmental Mathematics Skills
                              MAT006: Pre-Algebra and Algebra I
                              MAT007: Algebra I
                              MAT009: Mathematical Literacy

                              READING
                              RDG096: Essential College Reading
                              RDG098: Introduction to College Reading
                              RDG099: Reading in the Content Areas

                              In addition, students for whom English is a second language may be required to take any or all of the following:

                              ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

                              ESL011-012: ESL: College Reading I and II
                              ESL013-014: ESL: Intensive Grammar I and II
                              ESL015-016: ESL: College Listening Speaking Skills I and II
                              ESL017-018: ESL: College Composition I and II

                              Enrollment Requirements

                              Students required to take developmental courses in two or more subject areas or one developmental course at the lower-level English, reading, or ESL (ENG009/ESL017 or RDG098/RDG096/ESL011) may enroll in up to 14.5 credit hours per semester which would include the required developmental courses and courses from the student’s chosen curriculum. Courses are arranged by the counseling staff in consultation with the student. Students enrolled in developmental courses may drop or add courses only after written approval by a faculty advisor, counselor, Academic Chair, or Associate Academic Dean.

                              Full-time students placed into developmental reading, English, or mathematics courses must register for them during the first semester. If two levels of a developmental course are required, students successful at the lower-level must continue to the higher-level during the subsequent semester. Students earning a U, R, or W must repeat the lower-level course before moving on to the higher-level.

                              Part-time students placed into two or more developmental courses may take them in conjunction with certain approved courses. Students placed only in developmental mathematics are required to take it during the student’s first semesters.

                              New students who are applying for financial aid with state aid eligibility must earn at least 3 college-level credits toward their current degree. In the subsequent semester the student must earn at least 6 college-level credits toward their current degree.

                              Any grade issued for a developmental course is binding. A test and retest score on the CPT cannot be used to substitute for or replace an earned grade.