Chapter Four – Programs and Courses Program Degree, Certi cate and Course Descriptions..........................................................................................................................71-210

CHAPTER 4

Programs and Course Descriptions

This section describes programs and courses approved by the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board and o ered at Contra Costa College. Students with questions about programs and courses listed in the catalog should consult a counselor (SSC Room-108, 510-215-3935).

Credit Category De nitions (Title V)

All courses o ered at Contra Costa College will have one of three designations: degree credit, non-degree credit, or noncredit.

Degree Credit (DG)

This designation means the course o ers degree credit at Contra Costa College, and the units of credit awarded for the course can be applied to all certi cates and degrees conferred by this and other two-year colleges. In addition, many of the courses will also transfer to four-year colleges and universities according to existing agreements. Courses in this category will be identi ed by the abbreviation DG appearing on the line with the units of credit.

Non-Degree Credit (ND)

This designation means the course is not a college-level course but is designed to prepare students in the skills necessary to complete degree credit college work. The units of credit awarded for these courses cannot be applied toward degrees and certi cates; however, the units of credit awarded for completing these courses will count in de ning the status of a full-time student. Courses in this category will be identi ed by the abbreviation ND appearing on the line with the units of credit. Only units of credit awarded in degree credit applicable courses apply when determining probation and dismissal status. Nondegree applicable courses are not included in the calculation of grade point average for a degree.

Noncredit Courses (N)

Noncredit courses are those courses o ered by Contra Costa College for which no college credit is given. Noncredit courses are designed for a variety of purposes including personal interest, short-term vocational training, college preparation and success, and certain basis skills preparation. These courses do not apply to any credited certi cated programs or degrees, are not transferable, do not count in determining grade point average, and do not count in de ning student status. These courses are identi ed with the letter “N” after the course number.

Unit of Credit

A “unit” as used in this catalog and in the course schedule, means a “unit of credit.” Units of credit are established based on the minimum amount of time students will need to achieve the intended learning outcomes as described by Title 5, section 55002.5. In general, for a fullterm lecture course students spend on average of three hours each

week in class and six hours of study time out of class, totaling a minimum of 9 hours each week to earn three-units of credit. The number of units established for laboratory courses is based on the number of hours of laboratory work alone, although many laboratory courses may also require study outside of laboratory hours. For short-term courses including summer, the total hours required in and outside of class are proportionally adjusted. Online classes require more hours of independent work in lieu of face-to-face meetings, therefore students should expect to spend more time than the minimum stated above.

The following examples illustrate the minimum expected hours of study for a variety class formats:

Term Type Units Lecture hours Laboratory Activity hours Minimum out of class study hours Total hours Typical hours per week

Full (16 weeks) 3 54 0 108 162 9+

Full (16 weeks) 4 54 54 108 216 12+

Full (16 weeks) 1 0 54 0 54 3+

Short (8 weeks) 3 54 0 108 162 18+

Short (8 weeks) 4 54 54 108 216 24+

Grading Options

Credit Courses: LR, P/NP, SC

Each of the course descriptions in this chapter will include one of the following designators to inform students how the course will be graded:

LR Only letter grades, “A” through “F”, will be assigned to students who remain in the course past the nal date for withdrawal.

P/NP Only the grade of “P” (Pass) or “NP” (No Pass) will be assigned to students who remain in the course past the nal date for withdrawal.

SC Students will receive a letter grade (LR) unless they complete a credit/no credit (CR/NC) petition in the Admissions and Records O ce no later than the end of the sixth week of a semester-length course (or before 30 percent of a short-term course).

Please see Chapter 2 for more information about grading options and policies.

Noncredit Courses: P/NP/SP

Graded noncredit courses are ones that lead to a noncredit certi cate or are designed for skill building for college readiness or speci c vocational training. Noncredit courses designed primarily for personal interest are not typically graded. Noncredit courses that are graded will be identi ed by the abbreviation P/ NP/SP appearing on the line under the course number.

P/NP/SP Only the grade of “P” (Pass), “NP” (No Pass) or “SP” (Satisfactory Progress) will be assigned to students who remain in the course past the nal date for withdrawal.

Prerequisite, Corequisite, Advisory and Notes

In many of the courses o ered by Contra Costa College, you will see one or more of these notations under the course title. They are de ned as follows:

Prerequisite:

A prerequisite says that you must complete a certain course, or possess the knowledge or skill level you would obtain in that course, before you will be allowed to enroll in this course. Your enrollment in the course will be blocked until you complete the prerequisite or successfully challenge it. (Please see Chapter 2 for information on challenging a prerequisite.)

Corequisite:

A corequisite is a course that must be taken at the same time as the course for which it is a corequisite. Generally, it means that related material is taught in the corequisite course (i.e. it may be the lab for the lecture).

Advisory:

An advisory provides information relevant to the course. The advisory may suggest that completion of another course or courses is advisable to help you successfully complete this course.

Note:

A note may tell you that an insurance fee or a materials fee will be charged for the course.

Transfer Codes:

The following designations indicate whether a course is transferrable to either California State Universities and/or University of California campuses. CSU=California State University UC=University of California

C-ID:

The Course Identi cation Numbering System designation identi es comparable courses at di erent community colleges. See Chapter 3 for a more detailed explanation of the C-ID. A course that has been C-ID approved will have the C-ID notation.