Completion of the program satisfies all of the general education requirements for the Associate in Arts degree except in mathematics. It provides a comprehensive survey of the development of Western Civilization through a study of history, literature, drama, art, religion, philosophy, psychology, and the natural sciences. Honors Interdisciplinary Studies 1101 examines the origins of Western Civilization and Greco-Roman traditions in classical antiquity. IDS 2103 follows the development of the scientific worldview, the Age of Reason, the emphasis on the irrational in the nineteenth century, and twentieth century phenomena such as Modernism, Post-modernism, Existentialism, psychoanalysis, Marxism, contemporary religious developments and the emergence of the United States as major power in Western Civilization. In order to enroll in the program, they must first see an SPJC counselor, who will help them determine whether they qualify for the program based on their scores on the SPJC entrance-placement exam.
Enrollment is limited in order to maintain a low student-teacher ratio.