General Education Program and Requirements
The General Education program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech)
helps students meet certificate and degree requirements through courses in English,
math, humanities, social science, and science. These courses assist in preparing LWTech
students for success in technical programs, careers, and further education. As LWTech’s
accrediting body, the Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities, notes, the intent of general education is to help “students develop the breadth
and depth of intellect to become more effective learners and to prepare them for a
productive life of work, citizenship, and personal fulfillment.”
About General Education Courses and Requirements
For each area of the general education program, a list of courses that meet certificate and degree requirements is provided. Different programs in many cases require different courses, so always check the webpage supporting your intended program to ensure you are selecting the general education courses that meet that program’s requirements. Most often, transfer degrees (Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program Degrees (DTA/MRP) and Associate of Applied Science Transfer (AAS-T) Degrees) will require one or two English composition courses; one or more college-level math classes; and one to three courses from the humanities, social science, and science categories. Professional-technical Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees usually require English 101 plus one college-level course from the math, humanities, and social science categories, while certificates require any one of the listed courses from the English, math, or social science categories.
Courses with an ampersand (&) in their title are Washington State common courses and transfer to any Washington State community or technical college, as well as to most public universities. When selecting courses for transfer, it is again important to check in with the institution to which you are transferring to verify that your courses will be accepted. Taking this step in advance can help you progress more quickly toward your degree.