• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Social behavior and interactions

The general education core competencies enable students to develop their own values, pursue goals, and contribute to the political, moral, social, and cultural enrichment of society. Competencies are integrated throughout the general education program. Course syllabi outline objectives, minimum learning outcomes, assessment, and evaluation methods. Core general education courses explicitly incorporate objective measurement tools to assess student achievement of the core competencies as follows:

• Communicate Effectively. Read and/or listen with comprehension and write clearly using Standard English. Students will demonstrate competence in reading/listening and writing. This competence is necessary to successfully complete a proctored essay exam and appropriately formatted (MLA) formal research paper or report. The assessments currently given by course are as follows: formal research paper and essay exam in degree-level ENG 1101, Composition & Rhetoric; formal research paper in ENG 1102, Literature & Composition; researched business report in ENG 1105, Technical Communications; research report in diploma-level ENG 1010, Fundamentals of English I. Each Lanier Technical College student must achieve a Developing level or higher (70% or above) on these assessments. The developing level is defined as identifies the central idea; provides adequate examples; support from information read or heard is evident, but insubstantial; only some errors in grammar and language; and generally conforms to format requirements.
• Think Critically. Use appropriate search strategies and resources to find, evaluate, and use information. Each Lanier Technical College student must be aware of basic bibliographic research methods to successfully complete a research paper or research report. An additional method of assessment of general education competencies is a library skills test. The assessments currently given by course are as follows: formal research paper in degree-level ENG 1101, Composition & Rhetoric, and ENG 1102, Literature & Composition; researched business report in ENG 1105, Technical Communications; research report in diploma-level ENG 1010, Fundamentals of English I; and library skills test in degree-level ENG 1101, Composition & Rhetoric, and diploma-level ENG 1010, Fundamentals of English I. Each Lanier Technical College student must achieve a Developing level or higher (70% or above) on these assessments. This developing level means the graduate is able to identify some methods involved in finding and synthesizing information; locates and analyzes some information; evaluates material inconsistently; and conforms to MLA format at a beginning level.
• Solve Problems. Use quantitative techniques to organize, analyze, and synthesize data to solve a mathematical problem. Students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of mathematics operations and fundamental numeracy concepts; and of how those fundamental concepts may be applied in problem solving as necessary in all professional and technical careers. These concepts are a part of the competencies of each natural science/mathematics courses that may be taken to satisfy the core general education requirement depending on the program of study. Problem solving questions that evaluate learning outcomes for quantitative problem solving competencies included on the comprehensive final exam in the entry level natural science/mathematics course required by a student's program will be used to assess achievement of this core competency. The assessment is currently administered in the following courses: degree level-MAT 1100, Quantitative Skills & Reasoning; MAT 1101, Mathematical Modeling; MAT 1111, College Algebra; diploma level-MAT 1011, Business Math; MAT 1012, Foundations of Mathematics; MAT 1013, Algebraic Concepts. The student must achieve a Developing level or higher (70% or above) on this assessment. This developing level means the graduate is able to identify some factors involved in solving a mathematical problem; correctly solves simplistic mathematical problems requiring little organization, analysis or synthesis.
• Understand social behavior and interactions. Students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of the principles of human relations/behavior. An understanding of these fundamental concepts and how to apply them will provide the basic foundation for understanding social behavior and human interaction. In addition, they may be applied for success in technical and professional careers. These concepts are a part of courses that may be taken as part of satisfying the core general education requirement depending on the student's program of study. Therefore, specific questions concerning social behavior and human interaction will be included on a final comprehensive examination in the course taken to assess the students' understanding of these concepts. The assessment is currently administered in the following courses: degree level-PSY 1101, Introduction to Psychology; diploma level-PSY 1010, Basic Psychology. The student must achieve a Developing level or higher (70% or above) on this assessment. This developing level means the graduate is able to identify important dimensions of human behavior and appropriate social interactions in some situations; to analyze and apply rules and norms correctly to common situations.