CURRICULUM COMPANION

CURRICULUM COMPANION

INTRODUCTION

Title 5 requires that those responsible for curriculum development and review know the state standards and requirements for curriculum review and approval, including the information in the Curriculum Standards Handbook and addenda, as well as general standards of good practice in curriculum and instructional design.

What follows is a summary and/or review of the various sections in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations that are related to curriculum development and review. The following discussion is not meant to be complete. It represents a review of those topics that most often appear in standard curriculum review and development. For a comprehensive discussion, consult the Curriculum Standards Handbook, and Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, Division 6. California Community Colleges.

The Mission College Curriculum Committee is a subcommittee of the Academic Senate. Presently, voting membership includes two representatives from Faculty Groups A, B, and C (Remnants of the now defunct cluster system) with two-year terms; Library Chair, Counseling Chair, an AFT representative; an ASO representative; Matriculation Coordinator, the Vice President of Academic Affairs; Curriculum Dean and Vocational Education Dean. The ex-officio members include Articulation Officer and Community Extension Director. Due to the changes in the cluster/department structure, faculty membership is being reviewed to establish effective representation.

The Chair of the committee is a faculty member, nominated and voted upon by the voting membership for a two-year term. Nominations and elections are held during the first month of the new academic year.

The primary duties of the Curriculum Committee are as follows:

1. Review all curriculum proposals.

2. Evaluate curriculum proposals in relation to the goals and objectives of the discipline and the college.

3. Insure that the curriculum proposals adhere to state mandates and locally accepted standards.

4. Determine the effect of the curriculum proposals on other curricula offered at the college as well as on student progress.

5. Recommend approval or disapproval of all curriculum proposals.

6. Recommend approval or disapproval of all prerequisites, core requisites, and advisories.

7. Evaluate the impact of curriculum proposals on facilities, budget, and LRC.

8. Address any other related curricular issues that arise.

THE DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

Section 70901 (b)(10) of the California Education Code requires the Board of Governors to establish minimum standards for credit and noncredit Classes, facilitate articulation with other segments of higher education, to review and approve all educational programs offered by community college districts, and to review and approve all courses not offered as part of an educational program. The California Education Code also permits the Board of Governors to delegate authority to the State Chancellor's Office, which in turn delegates authority to the local colleges.

The Board of Governors has delegated the following powers to the Chancellor's Office:

1. The approval of district comprehensive plans.

2. The approval of new programs.

3. The approval of new degree and non-degree credit courses not part of approved programs.

4. The approval of new noncredit courses.

5. The approval of repeatability for specified courses.

In turn, the Chancellor's office has delegated to colleges the following authority to act without separate Chancellor's Office approval:

1 . To approve of new credit courses that are not part of new programs.

2. To determine whether a given course meets the conditions of repeatability.

3. To enter into conjoint programs between specified colleges within a district that allow one college in the district to offer introductory and intermediate courses to be counted toward a degree or certificate approved by the Chancellor's Office for a different college.

4. To approve graduation requirements, including general education requirements, that apply to all students seeking the associate degree.

5. To recommend patterns of courses to students for transfer or to meet other student goals and publish them in the catalog as recommendations for the convenience of students and counselors.

6. To modify existing programs as needed to increase the effectiveness or maintain currency in relation to the original program goals and objectives.

The approval of new programs is not delegated to the colleges. The Chancellor's approval is required before a college can take any of the following actions:

1 . Offer either new degree programs or certificate programs requiring 18 or more units in specified courses.

2. Advertise such programs in catalogs, class schedules, and promotional materials.

The approval of new noncredit courses is also not delegated to the colleges. The Chancellor's approval is required before a college can offer new noncredit courses.

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL

Colleges must demonstrate, by their documented actions and practices, that all credit courses locally approved meet the relevant state standards. The college must maintain documentation that the conditions for delegation are being met. The conditions are as follows:

1 Knowledge. The first condition is that faculty and staff charged with curriculum review, will know state standards and requirements for curriculum review and approval, including in particular the information in the Curriculum Standards Handbook and addenda, as well as general standards of good practice in curriculum and instructional design.

2. Procedures. The second condition is that the procedures employed by the curriculum committee, in the development and approval of curriculum, assures that standards can be responsibly applied. Relevant indicators that this condition is met include:

a) Reviewers follow a process that is systematic and well publicized and that includes both those with disciplinary expertise in the subject matter at issue and those outside the discipline that are affected by the course.

b) Handbooks, checklists, and model outlines, or other aids, used in the review process, correctly address the Curriculum Standards Handbook.

c) Faculty are accorded the scope of responsibilities mandated in law.

d) Reviewers are provided information on the particular courses or programs that is substantive, complete, specific and timely enough to enable them to apply these standards independently and appropriately.

3. Curriculum. The third condition is that continuing delegation requires that Colleges be able to assure that they produce approvable Course Outlines of Record. That these outlines be in compliance with the standards specified in Sections 3 and 5 of Volume I of the Curriculum Standards Handbook (this information is reviewed in this document) and would typically be acceptable as meeting the requirements of transfer receiving institutions.

APPROVAL CRITERIA FOR COURSES AND PROGRAMS

The following are the five criteria used by the Chancellor's Office in approving courses and programs. Courses or programs whose documentation does not demonstrate that all of these criteria are met cannot be approved by the Chancellor's Office. Local colleges have the same responsibility to insure that course Outlines of Record and other documentation demonstrate that all five of the criteria listed below are met. Courses not meeting the criteria should not be approved.

1. Appropriateness to Mission. The stated goals and objectives of the proposed program, or the objectives defined in the course Outline of Record, are consistent with the mission of the community colleges and with the mission or master plan of the college. Curricula fall within the mission when designed to be taught to lower division students for credit towards the degree, and/or for purposes of transfer, occupational preparation, or career supplementation or upgrade, rather than for vocational use. Courses that develop the ability of students to succeed in college level Courses and adult noncredit instruction also fall within the mission.

For courses to be mission appropriate, they must also not be designed primarily to provide group activities or services, (e.g. physical activity, counseling, or assessment) but rather to provide systematic instruction in a body of content or skills whose mastery forms the basis of the student grade. A vocational, community service, and contract courses do not qualify for state funding, but do fall within the mission if they are self-supporting.

2. Need. There is a demonstrable need for a course or program that meets the stated goals and objectives, at this time, and in the region the college proposes to serve with the program.

3. Quality. Courses and programs are integrated, with courses designed to effectively meet their objectives and the goals and objectives of the programs for which they are required. Outlines of Record for each course meet the standards discussed in the next section.

4. Feasibility. The college has the resources to maintain the course or program in which the course is required at the level of quality described in the course's Outline of Record and the new program application. Local approval procedures for new curriculum incorporate a detailing of costs sufficient to determine that this criterion can be fulfilled by the college. In the case of programs, the college's affirmation of its ability to offer the program is based at least partly upon an analysis of cost estimates and includes a commitment to offer the required courses at least once every two years.

5. Compliance. The course or program complies with all other laws applicable to it, including federal regulations, and licensing requirements.

STANDARDS FOR COURSES

It is the responsibility of the college and its curriculum committee to assure that the standards in Division 6 of Title Five of the California Code of Regulations are fulfilled for all new and existing courses. It is also their obligation to assure that all courses that are offered for transfer meet the particular standards of the institutions for which they are to be counted as transfer, especially those put forward for inclusion in system wide agreements, such as IGETC.

Where Outlines of Record for new or existing courses are submitted to the Chancellor's Office as part of an application for a new program approval, it becomes the direct responsibility of the Chancellors Office to uphold these standards. New program applications whose course Outlines of Record do not meet these standards will not be approved. The Chancellor's Office may review a college's Outlines of Record as part of the process of continuing delegation. Outlines of Record for courses in particular areas of the curriculum that have been identified by the Board of Governors as problematic may be requested from colleges for review.

Title Five identifies five basic types of courses that may be offered by community colleges: associate degree credit course, non-degree applicable credit course, noncredit course, community service course, and contract classes. The majority of courses reviewed by local curriculum committees are the associate degree credit courses and they will be discussed in detail in this section. The fours other types of courses will be briefly reviewed. A more detailed description may be found in Title Five and the Curriculum Standards Handbook.

1. A non-degree applicable credit course is recommended by the curriculum committee and/or district curriculum committee to be a credit course that is not applicable to the associate degree. It falls within one of the following categories:

1 . Pre-collegiate basic skills courses

2. Courses designed to enable students to succeed in college-level work (including, but not limited to, college orientation and guidance courses, and discipline-specific preparatory courses such as biology, history, or electronics) that integrate basic skills instruction throughout and assign grades partly upon the demonstrated mastery of those skills.

3. Pre-collegiate occupational preparation courses designed to provide foundation skills for students preparing for entry into college-level occupational courses or programs

4. Essential occupational instruction

2. A noncredit course is recommend by the curriculum committee and/or district curriculum committee as a course meeting the needs of students. The course must be approved by the State Chancellor's Office. In order to be eligible for state apportionment, such courses are limited to the categories of instruction listed below:

1 Parenting, including parent cooperative preschools, classes in child growth and development and parent-child relationships, and classes in parenting.

2. Elementary and secondary basic skills and other courses and classes such as remedial academic courses or classes in reading, mathematics, and language arts.

3. English as a second language.

4. Citizenship for immigrants.

5. Education programs for substantially handicapped persons.

6. Short-term vocational programs with high employment potential.

7. Education programs for older adults.

8. Health and safety education.

3. A community services class is a class that meets the following minimum requirements:

1. Is approved by the local district governing board.

2. Is designed for the physical, mental, moral, economic, or civic development of persons enrolled therein.

3. Provides subject matter content, resource materials, and teaching methods which the district governing board deems appropriate for the enrolled students.

4. Is conducted in accordance with a predetermined strategy or plan.

5. Is open to all members of the community.

6. May not be claimed for apportionment purposes ("Not-for credit" refers to classes, including community services classes that are offered without credit and which are not eligible for apportionment).

4. Contract education means those situations in which a community college and/or district contracts with a public or private entity for the Purposes of providing instruction or services or both by the community college.

The Outlines of Record for courses that are to count towards the associate degree must integrate subject-specific critical thinking and problem solving skills into every component of the course, wherever appropriate. It is expected that this process will yield a coherent course in which the expectations laid out in the objectives are carried into the content, student assignments, and standards for student evaluations.

Courses that are to count towards general education and/or for transfer must present the core concepts that define each discipline systematically, not incidentally, and must hold students accountable for mastering these concepts and methods at the level appropriate to the course. This fact does not mean that only theoretical courses can count towards transfer. It is educationally desirable, and often occupationally essential, to use "real world" or "hands-on" applications, and/or studio practice, etc. to focus student interest, illustrate concepts, and to test both theoretical and practical understanding of the core concepts. In order for such courses to count for general education however, the concepts and theories that make up the core of the discipline must still be the main focus of instruction.

Philosophy and Criteria for Associate Degree and General Education

The governing board of a community college district shall adopt a policy which states its specific philosophy on General Education. In developing this policy governing boards shall consider the following policy of the Board of Governors:

The awarding of an Associate Degree is intended to represent more than an

accumulation of units. It is to symbolize a successful attempt on the part of the college to lead students through patterns of learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities and insights. Among these are:

1. The ability to think and to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.

2. To use mathematics.

3. To understand the modes of inquiry of the major disciplines.

4. To achieve insights gained through experience in thinking about ethical problems.

5. Be aware of other cultures and time.

6. To develop the capacity for self-understanding.

7. To possess sufficient depth in some field of knowledge to contribute to a lifetime interest.

Central to an Associate Degree, General Education is designed to introduce students to the variety of means through which people comprehend the modem world. It reflects the conviction of colleges that those who receive their degrees must possess in common certain basic principles, concepts and methodologies both unique to and shared by the various disciplines. College educated persons must be able to use this knowledge when evaluating and appreciating the physical environment, the culture and the society in which they live. Most importantly, General Education should lead to better self-understanding.

In establishing or modifying a general education program, ways shall be sought to create coherence and integration among the separate requirements. It is also desirable that general education programs involve students actively in examining values inherent in proposed solutions to major social problems.

The governing board of a community college district shall also establish criteria to determine which courses may be used in implementing its philosophy on the associate degree and general education. The governing board of a community college district shall, on a regular basis, review the established policy and criteria.

Types of Courses Appropriate the Associate Degree

Courses that fall into e following categories may be offered for associate degree credit:

1 . All lower division courses accepted toward the baccalaureate degree by the California State University or University of California or designed to be offered for transfer.

2. Courses that apply to the major in non-baccalaureate occupational fields.

3. English courses not more than one level below the first transfer level composition course, typically known as English IA. Each student may count only one such course as credit toward the associate degree.

4. All mathematical courses above and including Elementary Algebra.

5. Credit courses in English and mathematics taught in or on behalf of other departments and which, as determined by the local governing board, require entrance skills at a level equivalent to those necessary for the courses specified in sections (3) and (4) above.

Standards For Approval of Degree Credit Courses

The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course for associate degree credit if it meets the following standards:

1. Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of essays, or in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.

2. Units. The course grants units of credit based upon a relationship specified by the governing board, between the number of units assigned to the course and the number of lecture and/or laboratory hours or performance criteria specified in the course outline. The course also requires a minimum of three hours of work per week, including class time for each unit of credit, prorated for short-term, laboratory and activity courses.

3. Intensity. The course treats subject matter with a scope and intensity that require students to study independently outside of class time.

4. Prerequisites and Core requisites. When the college and/or district curriculum committee determines, based on a review of the course Outline of Record, that a student would be highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade unless the student has knowledge or skills not taught in the course, then the course shall require prerequisites or core requisites. The prerequisites and core requisites shall be established according to the guidelines in the following section.

5. Basic Skills Requirements. If success in the course is dependent upon communication or computational skills, then the course shall require as prerequisites or core requisites, eligibility for enrollment in associate degree credit courses in English and/or mathematics, respectively.

6. Difficulty. The course work calls for critical thinking and the understanding and application of concepts determined by the curriculum committee to be at college level.

7. Level. The course requires learning skills and a vocabulary that the Curriculum committee deems appropriate for a college course.

Prerequisites. Core requisites and Advisories on Recommended Preparation

The above standards seek to assure college level-rigor in all courses that count toward the degree, by requiring that the Outlines of Record define rigorous expectations, including the setting of appropriate prerequisites and that each section of the course actually be taught to that level or rigor.

In order to ensure that each section of a course can be taught at the level of rigor intended in the approved Outline of Record, the following regulations have been established in Title 5. These regulations provide a fair and equitable process whereby students may be restricted from enrolling in a course unless they possess the preparation presupposed in the design of the course.

The following definitions apply:

1. Pre requisite. Means a condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet in order to demonstrate current readiness for enrollment in a course or educational program.

2. Core requisite. Means a condition of enrollment consisting of a course that a student is required to simultaneously take in order to enroll in another course.

3. Advisory On Recommended Preparation. Means a condition of enrollment that a student is advised, but not required, to meet before or in conjunction with enrollment in a course or educational program.

The governing board choosing to establish prerequisites, core requisites or advisories on recommended preparation shall adopt policies for the following:

1. The process for establishing prerequisites, core requisites, and advisories

on recommended preparation. Such policies shall provide that in order to establish a prerequisite or core requisite, the prerequisite or core requisite must be determined to be necessary and appropriate for achieving the purpose for which is it being established. District policies shall also specify the level of scrutiny that shall be required in order to establish different types of prerequisites, core requisites, and advisories on recommended preparation. At a minimum, prerequisites, core requisites, and advisories on recommended preparation shall be based on content review, with additional methods of scrutiny being applied depending on the type of prerequisite or core requisite being established. The policy shall provide that prerequisites and core requisites in communication and computational skills be established only on the basis of data collected using sound research practices. Determinations about prerequisites or core requisites shall be made on a course-by-course or program-by program basis.

2. Procedures to assure that courses for which prerequisites or core requisites are established will be taught in accordance with the course outline. particularly those aspects of the course outline that are the basis for justifying the establishment of the prerequisite or core requisite.

3. The process, including levels of scrutiny, for reviewing prerequisites and core requisites to assure that they remain necessary and appropriate. These processes shall provide that at least once each six years all prerequisites and core requisites established by the district shall be reviewed. These processes shall also provide for the periodic review of advisories on recommended preparation.

4. The bases and process for an individual student to challenge the application of a prerequisite or core requisite.

Prerequisites or core requisites may be established for any of the following purposes:

1 The prerequisite or core requisite is expressly required or expressly authorized by statute or regulation

2. The prerequisite will assure that a student has the skills, concepts, and/or information that is needed in the course or program for which it is being established, such that a student who has not met the prerequisite is highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade in the course for which the prerequisite is being established

3. The core requisite course will assure that a student acquires the necessary skills, concepts, and/or information, such that a student who has not enrolled in the core requisite is highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade in the course or program for which the core requisite is being established

4. The prerequisite or core requisite is necessary to protect the health and safety of a student or the health and safety of others

A course in communication or computation skills may be established as a prerequisite or core requisite for any course other than another course in communication or computation skills. But in addition to conducting a content review, the district or curriculum committee must gather data according to sound research practices that shows that a student is highly unlikely to succeed in the course unless the student has met the proposed prerequisite or core requisite. If the curriculum committee initially determines that a new course needs to have a communication or computation skill prerequisite or core requisite, the prerequisite or core requisite may be established for a single period of not more than two years. During this time research shall be conducted and a final determination shall be made.

A student may challenge any prerequisite or core requisite on one or more of the grounds listed below. The student shall bear the initial burden of showing that grounds exist for the challenge. Challenges shall be resolved in a timely manner and, if the challenge is upheld, the student shall be permitted to enroll in the course or program in question. Grounds for challenge are:

1. The Prerequisite or core requisite has not been established in accordance with the districts process for establishing prerequisites or core requisites.

2. The prerequisite or core requisite is in violation of this section.

3. The prerequisite or core requisite is either unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.

4. The student has the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course or Program despite not meeting the prerequisite or core requisite.

5. The student will be subject to undue delay in attaining the goal of his or her educational plan because the prerequisite or core requisite course has not been made reasonably available.

6. Such other grounds for challenge as may be established by the district governing board.

Repeatability of Courses

Colleges with delegated approval authority may approve and offer courses which are

repeatable, and designate such courses in its catalog. Colleges are not required to submit these courses to the Chancellors Office for approval. Repeatable courses are reported to the Chancellors Office through the statewide Management Information System (MIS).

The district must determine and certify that each identified course is one in which the course content differs each time it is offered, and that the student who repeats it is gaining an expanded educational experience for one of the two following reasons:

1. Skills or proficiencies are enhanced by supervised repetition and practice within class periods. Each such repetition of a course must be designed to create a discernibly higher level of achievement such that the academic progress is clearly defined and the grading standards increase substantially with each repetition.

2. Active participatory experience in individual study or group assignments is the basic means by which learning objectives are obtained.

A given student may take the repeatable course for credit, and for state apportionment for up to the number of times the college has specified, but for no more than a total of four times altogether.

A college may indicate the sequence of repeatable courses with differing letters or numbers or course titles, such as 101 A-D, or 101-4, or "Beginning", "Intermediate", and "Advanced". Or the college may simply permit a student to enroll up to three additional times after completion the course in question for the first time. But the college may not do both: it cannot both designate a series of courses of increasingly advanced work in the same subject area, and then permit repeated enrollment at each of those levels.

Distance Learning Courses

Distance education means instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology. The same standards of course quality shall be applied to distance education as are applied to traditional classroom courses. Courses are accepted by the college toward completion of an appropriate educational sequence leading to an associate degree, and will be recognized by an institution of the University of California or the California State University upon transfer to that institution. In addition, nontransferable courses that meet associate degree requirements and noncredit courses may also be offered as distance education courses.

All approved courses offered as distance education shall include regular effective contact between instructor and students, through group or individual meetings, orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study sessions, field trips, library. workshops, telephone contact, voice mail, e-mail, or other activities. All distance education courses shall be delivered consistent with guidelines issued by the Chancellor pursuant to Section 409 of the Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors.

Each proposed or existing course delivered by distance education shall be separately reviewed and approved, according to the district’s certified course approval procedures. Districts are to review courses with a specific emphasis on regular effective contact between instructor and student

The number of students assigned to any one course section offered by distance education shall be determined by and be consistent with other district procedures related to faculty assignments. Procedures for determining the number of students assigned to a course section offered by distance education may include a review by the curriculum committee.

Finally, the district shall maintain records and report data through the Chancellor's Office Management Information System on the number of students and faculty participating in new courses or sections of established courses.

General Education and Graduation Requirements

The governing board of a community college district shall confer the degree of Associate in Arts or Associate in Science upon a student who has demonstrated competence in reading, in written expression, and in mathematics, and who has satisfactorily completed at least 60 semester units of college work. This course work requirement must be fulfilled in a curriculum accepted toward the degree by a college within the district (as shown in its catalog.) It must include at least 18 semester units in General Education and at least 18 semester units in a major as prescribed in this section. Of the required units, at least 12 semester units must be completed in residence at the college granting the degree. The governing board may make exceptions to residence requirements for the associate degree when it determines that an injustice or undue hardship would be placed on the student.

1. Major Requirements. At least 18 semester units of study taken in a single discipline or related disciplines, as listed in the Community Colleges '7axonomy of Programs" shall be required.

2. General Education Requireme nts. Students receiving an Associate Degree shall complete a minimum of 18 semester units of general education, including a minimum of three semester units in each of the areas (A), (B) and (C) and the same minimum in each pair of (D). The remainder of the units requirement is also to be selected from among these four divisions or learning or as determined by local option:

A. Natural Sciences. Courses in the natural science are those which examine the physical universe, its life forms, and its natural phenomena. To satisfy the General Education Requirement in natural sciences, a course shall be designed to help the student develop an appreciation and understanding of the scientific method, and encourage an understanding of the relationships between science and other human activities. This category would include introductory or integrative courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, general physical science, geology, meteorology, oceanography, physical geography, physical anthropology, physics and other scientific disciplines.

B. Social and Behavioral Sciences. Courses in the social and behavioral sciences are those which focus on people as members of society. To satisfy the general education requirement in social and behavioral sciences, a course shall be designed to develop an awareness of the methods of inquiry used by the social and behavioral sciences. It shall be designed to stimulate critical thinking about the ways people act and have acted in response to their societies and should promote appreciation of how societies and social subgroups operate. This category would include introductory or integrative survey courses in cultural anthropology, cultural geography, economics, history, political science, psychology, and sociology and related disciplines.

C. Humanities. Courses in the humanities are those which study the cultural activities and artistic expressions of human beings. To satisfy the general education requirement in the humanities, a course shall be designed to help the student develop an awareness of the ways in which people through the ages and in different cultures have responded to themselves and the world around them in artistic and cultural creation. Also, to help the student develop aesthetic understanding and an ability to make value judgments. Such courses could include introductory or integrative courses in the arts, foreign language, literature, philosophy, and religion.

D. Language and Rationality. Courses in language that cover the principles and applications of language toward logical thought, clear and precise expression and critical evaluation of communication in whatever symbol system the student uses.

1. English Composition. Courses fulfilling the written composition requirement shall be designed to include both expository and argumentative writing.

2. Communication and Analytical Thinking. Courses fulfilling the communication and analytical thinking requirement include oral communication, mathematics, logic, statistics, computer languages and programming, and related disciplines.

While courses might satisfy more than one general education requirement it may not be counted more than once for these purposes. A course may be used to satisfy both a general education requirement and a major requirement whether it may be counted again for a different degree requirement is a matter for each college to determine. Students may use the same course to meet a general education requirement for the Associate Degree and to partially satisfy a general education requirement at the California State University, if such a course is eligible under established provisions..

Ethnic Studies will be offered in at least one of the required areas.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

An Educational program is an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher education (Title 5, 55000).

The "organized sequence of courses" refers to courses that are required for a specified degree or certificate, including general education courses and courses among a set of restricted electives, i.e., a restricted list of courses that count towards the degree or certificate from which the student chooses electives. Courses not required for a certificate or for an associate degree with a specified concentration, or that do not satisfy restricted elective or general education requirements for such an award, do not count as part of educational programs under this definition.

It is the stated goals and objectives, together with the set of required courses, that define the actual scope of the program and clearly distinguish it from other programs. It is these goals that justify the program, necessitate its particular student objectives, and determine its course requirements and restricted electives. And, finally, it is these goals and objectives that are the benchmark against which program outcomes are to be judged and subsequent changes to the program design justified.

New programs require approval of the college's curriculum committee, District, and the state Chancellor's Office. The exception is new transfer programs that are the subject of an articulation agreement that specifies that all courses required in the new community college program will be counted by a four year college towards the fulfillment of either its own general education or the major requirements in a specified discipline.

Student service programs, such as re-entry programs, or other special programs even with course sequences specially designed to meet particular student needs, are not educational programs under the Statutory definition as long as they do not lead to a particular degree, certificate, licensure, or transfer. Such programs do not require Chancellors Office approval, nor are courses included among such patterns or services considered "part of an approved program" for purposes of authorizing the college to offer them without separate approval from the Chancellor’s Office. Likewise, the publication in the catalog of recommended patterns of courses that are not required and that yield no subject specific degree or certificate do not count as a program and do not require separate Chancellor’s Office approval.

Colleges that receive state approval of a new program are authorized to:

1 . Award a degree or certificate with the designated program tide.

2. Publish it in the catalog and otherwise promote the program and its requirements.

3. Require specific courses for the completion of the degree or certificate.

4. Offer new courses that are required for the completion of the approved degree or certificate, without seeking separate approval from the Chancellor's Office, provided the courses meet the standards for degree credit courses and are clearly justified by the stated program goals and objectives

5. Modify objectives, requirements, or approved courses, or make any other changes in the curriculum or instruction that improve the effectiveness of the program in achieving the goals for which the program was originally approved, in general; or for particular students; or that maintain currency in the program by reflecting changes in the knowledge and methods in the field of study, in the requirements for transfer, or in the technology or occupational requirements of the occupation for which the program was originally approved

State approval requires the submission of an application detailing the program goals and objectives, requirements, and rationale and documenting the projected enrollments, job market data, and program cost data. The application must also include copies of the Outlines of Record for all required courses, including an example of one general education course in each of the five areas of general education. These outlines must meet the standards for courses laid out in Title 5 and the Curriculum Standards Handbook.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I add a new course to the curriculum?

Check the Directory of Educational Programs & Courses to see if the course is already offered at any of our district colleges. The directory is available in the Office of Academic Affairs and in each Chair’s office. If the course is currently offered at another college in the district, you can obtain an existing course outline to use as a model. You will be adding a course that already exists in the District and the approval of the local curriculum committee is the only approval required. If the course does not exist in the Directory of Educational Programs & Courses, you will be requesting the approval for a new course. This approval process, which involves District review and approval, generally requires a semester. The August Curriculum Committee meeting is the deadline for courses to be included in the spring semester schedule. The January Curriculum Committee meeting is the deadline for courses to be included in the fall semester schedule of classes and the new catalog. Fill out a Proposed New Course Request (PNCR) form. Blue forms are to be used for a credit course, degree applicable. Yellow forms are for a credit course, non-degree applicable. Pink forms are for a non-credit course. Be sure to complete all information requested.

What if I want to include a pre/core requisite?

If the course you are submitting includes a pre/core requisite, be sure to indicate the specific course or skill required. In order to require pre/core requisites; Title 5 mandates they must be validated/scrutinized. Our Curriculum Committee has developed a form which is to be submitted with the course outline and the PNCR form. A sample of the It is available either from your Department Chair or form is included in Appendix the Office of Academic Affairs.

What do I do if I want the course articulated?

You should indicate the level of articulation desired in sections #1 2 and #1 3 of the course outline; i.e., transferability to a specific institution, IGETC, or GE Certification. Once the course is reviewed and accepted by the Curriculum Committee, the college Articulation Officer will proceed in securing the requested level of articulation.

How specific should a course outline of record be?

The course outline of record should be sufficiently specific to enable any instructor to understand what is expected in terms of the objectives, the scope, the nature of the text, and the assignments that students will complete. Please see appendix for examples of acceptable Course Outlines of Record.

What will the Curriculum Committee be looking for when reviewing courses submitted for approval?

Accurate and precise information must be provided when completing the forms. Every item must be complete. Chairs, Curriculum Committee members, and the Deans of Academic Affairs can provide assistance. Also, specific instructions for completing any curriculum forms are available, beginning on page .

The Committee will be reviewing and evaluating courses based on the Standards for Approval as outlined in Tile 5, (section 55002), of the California Code of Regulations:

1 Grading Policy: The course provides for measurement of student Performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter, at least in part by means of essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, problem-solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.

2. Units: The course grants units of credit based upon the Carnegie Rule. (See Appendix .

3. Intensity: The course treats subject matter with a scope and intensity which requires students to study independently outside class time.

4. Entrance Requirements: When the Curriculum Committee deems appropriate, the course may require entrance skills and consequent prerequisites or core requisites for the course pursuant to Section 58106.

5. Basic Skills Requirements: If success in the course is dependent upon

computation or communication skills, the course may require as pre/core requisites eligibility for enrollment in credit courses for English or Mathematics. However, deeming these requisites must be in accordance with rifle 5.

6. Difficulty: The course work includes critical thinking and an understanding of concepts.

7. Level: The course requires learning skills and a vocabulary, which the Curriculum Committee deems appropriate for a college level course.

What if a locally approved course is not recommended for approval at the District Curriculum Committee?

Administration Regulation E65, (see Appendix ) provides for an appeal

process:

Step 1: Appeal is made to the District Curriculum Committee or to the District Senate, whichever body failed to reach consensus.

Step 2: If approval is not obtained in step one, an appeal may be made directly to the Board of Trustees.

What do you do if you wish your course to be considered for IGETC approval?

Be sure the course outline conforms to the IGETC criteria. For more specific information see the IGETC requirements in appendix . When submitting your course outline, you must indicate consideration for IGETC and the specific IGETC AREA under which your course qualifies. In December, new courses for IGETC consideration are submitted once per academic year to UCICSU.

How does the course outline differ from the course syllabus?

A course outline may be likened to a set of design specifications used by engineers or architects. They set the standards that many different designs can and must meet. The syllabus is an individual design which may be modified to meet the needs of students, including the sequence, content for each week or the specific assignments.

How available should the course outline of record be?

All course outlines are kept on file in the Office of Academic Affairs. Newly assigned instructors should be given a copy for reference when developing their syllabus for the course.

How do I change course data, (title, number, units, hours, and repeatability)?

Fill out a Course Change request and LAMC Credit Course Outline of Record. If the course for which you are requesting a change exists at any other college in the district, you should check with your District Discipline Committee before making course changes. For sample of form, see Appendix . Submit the completed forms to your Chair who will review, sign, and forward them on to the Office of Academic Affairs. The outline is then distributed to all members of the Curriculum Committee who will review your request at their next regularly scheduled meeting. You are expected to attend the meeting to participate in any discussion of your proposal. Be sure to check time lines for submitting courses. Your Chair, the Deans of Academic Affairs, or any member of the Curriculum Committee can provide you with that information.

What other kinds of topics would be referred to the District Discipline Committee?

Topics referred to the Discipline Committee may include, but are not limited to, renumbering of courses, restructuring of graduation requirements, restructuring of competency requirements, uniformity of course content across the district, and articulation requirements with four-year colleges and high schools.

How do I modularize a course?

Fill out a Standard Module Request Form (while) and LAMC Credit Course Outline (shortened version) for each module. An entire course must be modularized, not just one segment of it. It is important that the unit/hour ratio is consistent with the parent course. For a sample of the form, refer to appendix

What makes a course college level?

College level courses require critical thinking. They teach theory, principles, and concepts. College courses require written essays where appropriate and require independent homework. They presuppose college level communication, computation, learning skills, and vocabulary. The level and definition of each of those areas will be judged by individual college curriculum committees.

What is the definition of a transferable course?

A transferable course is accepted for CSU and/or UC elective credit, and it should be equivalent in scope and objectives to a lower-division course at an accredited four-year institution. A transferable course, if applicable, may be certified for IGETC, and/or certified by CSU breadth, and/or part of an articulation agreement.

What is the definition of a vocational course?

A vocational course is required for a vocational degree or certificate, or is listed as a restricted elective for a degree or certificate. It is offered at the request of employers or approved by an industry advisory committee, has a job market, entrepreneurial or job upgrade use, and provides perspectives and skills that are of occupational value.

How many times may a course be repeated?

The college may allow a student to enroll up to three additional times after completion of the course in question for the first time. It must be demonstrated that course content differs each time it is offered, and that the student who repeats it is gaining an expanded educational experience for one of the two Following reasons:

2. Active participatory experience in individual study or group assignments is the basic means by which learning objectives are obtained.