In the Liberal Arts program at Berkshire Community College, there is a set of skills that are expected to be honed by the completion of your degree. I have listed them below, with the accompanying courses I took that sharpened those skills.
Information Literacy
- Conservation of Natural Resources: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/env-environmental-science/100/env-101/
The assigned text for this class talks about media perception of climate change, as well as government reasons to deny it among other things. There is a section in a chapter that provides a guide on “bullcrap detection,” which walks you through a series of questions as to why someone might’ve published what they published.
- Elementary Statistics: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/mat-mathematics/100/mat-123/
This class teaches you not only how to make a statistical graph, but also how to interpret them correctly, what can’t be assumed from a graph, as well as to consider when there is a confounding, invisible variable that makes it appear that two causes are connected when they are not.
- Introductory Sociology: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/soc-sociology/100/soc-105/
A very large part of this class is assessing your own internal biases and only using real data to come to conclusions. With this, you also learn how to read and interpret data and graphs.
Scientific Literacy
- Environmental Monitoring & Assessment: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/env-environmental-science/200/env-205/
This course takes the student through both lab and field work in the natural world, with a particular focus on water quality. You learn about EPA standards, as well as using their certified lab equipment. As well as gaining results, you interpret what these numbers mean in the greater scheme of the body of water the sample came from, and how it can be helped/ what could be causing an issue.
Critical, Creative, and Strategic Thinking
- Liberal Arts Capstone: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/lar-liberal-arts/200/lar-285/
Liberal Arts Capstone is a required course for achieving your associated degree at Berkshire Community College. In this class, it is largely independent work, as well as spurring critical thinking with peers in forums.
Quantitative Reasoning
- Elementary Statistics: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/mat-mathematics/100/mat-123/
While the arithmetic involved for introductory statistical analysis is not difficult, there is a lot of critical thinking required to understanding the variables in a procedure and what any outcomes mean in relation to what is “normal.”
Written and Oral Communication
- Introduction to Liberal Arts: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/lar-liberal-arts/100/lar-101/
This class, while not necessarily an English class, heavily focused on sharpening writing skills and group work. This, combined with learning about the world in a broader context, taught students to communicate effectively.
Global Awareness and Historical Context
World History Since 1500: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/his-history/100/his-122/
In World History Since 1500, students are taught beyond the western/ European-centric history that is taught in high school. The context of the world beyond that is important and is still the cause of certain things at play today.
Introductory Psychology: https://berkshirecc.smartcatalogiq.com/current/catalog/courses/psy-psychology/100/psy-107/
An understanding of basic psychology is critical to understanding behavior in the world. From the Skinner box to knowing how long to take a nap to knowing how certain parts of the brain function, nothing is as specific yet broad as understanding the human mind.