NOVEMBER 2007

Myth Busters: Curriculum Edition

Stephanie Low, Specialist

Instructional Programs & Services

California Community Colleges System Office

CIO ConferenceNovember 2, 2007

NOVEMBER 2007

Things I thought I knew …

• System Office approval is difficult to get.

• System Office denies too many programs.

• System Office approval takes too long.

• Creating low-unit certificates avoids System Office approval.

• Credit courses are no longer approved by the System Office.

• Title 5 restricts curriculum development.MYTHBUSTER !!

MYTHBUSTER !!

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth: System Office approval is difficult to get.

July 1, 2004 – December 31, 2006Program Approval: • Received 465 applications for programs• Approved 423 applications (91%)“Stand-Alone” Credit Course Approval:• Received 1,020 applications• Approved 927 courses (90.8%)Apprenticeship Approval:• Received 18 applications• Approved 14 applications (78%)

FALSE

FALSE

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth: System Office denies too many programs.

• July 1 – December 31, 2004 – Received 69 applications– Denied 7 (10%)

• January – December, 2005 – Received 233 applications– Denied 7 (3%)

received 163approved 157denied 0unresolved 6

2006

FALSE

FALSE

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth: System Office approval takes too long.

Program Approval Decision Time• July 1 – December 31, 2004

– Average 133 days (4.4m)• January – December, 2005

– Average 173 days (5.7m)• January – December, 2006

– Average 107 days (3.5m)

• June – December, 2006– Average 65 days (2.17m)

TRUE

TRUE

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth: Creating low-unit certificates avoids System Office approval.

• System Office approved 329 certificates of 18 or more semester (27 or more quarter) units

Date Approved Certificate Degree

July-Dec. 2004 107 139

2005 127 147

2006 95 111

Total Awards 329 397

More …

NOVEMBER 2007

127

95

147

111

157

228

0

50

100

150

200

250

2005 2006

Low-unit Certificates

Certificate Only

Degree Only

Myth: Creating low-unit certificates avoids System Office approval.

System Office approved 329 certificates Colleges reported 385 “low-unit” certificates

TRUE?

More about this later…

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth: Credit courses are no longer approved by the System Office.

• After the district certifies that all colleges in the district have completed training, then credit stand-alone courses will not require System Office approval starting in Fall 2007.

• System Office approval is still required for:

– Noncredit courses

– Credit courses that are part of a proposed program

FALSE

FALSE

More about this later…

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth:Title 5 restricts curriculum development.

• § 55000. Definitions.

– Defines new terms or expands existing definitions (c) "Content review" (e) "Corequisite" (f) "Course" (g) "Educational program"(i) "Noncredit basic skills courses" (j) "Nondegree-applicable basic skills courses" (k) "Prerequisite"

FALSE

FALSE

NOVEMBER 2007

Myth:Title 5 restricts curriculum development.

§ 55000.5. Handbook; Monitoring and Review of Approved Courses and Programs.

• BOG formally adopts the Program and Course Approval Handbook, March 2003, and revisions

• Allows us to utilize the handbook to

– develop guidelines for best practice

– be more responsive to faculty developers

– revise processes as quickly as possible

FALSE

FALSE

NOVEMBER 2007

Revision of the Program and Course Approval Handbook

• SACC has been working with System Office staff for two years in order to revise the handbook

• Completion of the revision and approval of the BOG is expected in spring 2008

• Implementation of some of the changes have begun in fall 2007

• Full implementation will continue as quickly as possible in 2008

• Online in 2009!

NOVEMBER 2007

Revision of the Program and Course Approval Handbook

• Shift in philosophy from regulations enforcement to resources for curriculum development– Example: Approval Criteria Development Criteria

• Noncredit course and program approval included• Development guidelines for credit course approval• New forms for credit program approval

NOVEMBER 2007

New Credit Program ApplicationsOld Forms Being Replaced New Credit Forms

Application for Approval – New Occupational Program

Application for Approval – New Transfer Program

CCC-501. Application for New Credit Programs

Request to Add New Option or Certificate Within Existing Program

CCC-510. Substantial Changes to Existing Program

Non-substantial Changes to Approved Program

CCC-511. Non-substantial Changes to Existing Program

none CCC-520. Convert Non-compliant Degree to Compliant Degree or Certificate of Achievement

NOVEMBER 2007

• Primary Goal(s) of Program

– Career Technical Education

– Transfer

– Other

OTHER

Single Form for all new programs

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

§ 55063. Minimum Requirements for the Associate Degree.(a) Requirements for a major or area of emphasis. (1) At least 18 semester or 27 quarter units of study must be

taken – in a single discipline or related disciplines, as listed in

the community colleges "Taxonomy of Programs," or – in an area of emphasis involving lower division

coursework which prepares students for a field of study or for a specific major at the University of California or the California State University.

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

• A major may be defined

– by the lower-division requirements of a specific major at the University of California or California State University

– 18 units in a field or related fields selected by the community college

Other

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

• An area of emphasis is considered to be a broader group of courses and may be defined as 18 units in related fields intended to:– prepare for a particular major at 4-year institution

or – prepare for a particular field as defined by the

community college. – It is not expected that all courses will articulate

for transfer in a major, although they may.• May be as broad as "social sciences" or theme-based

interdisciplinary grouping of courses– "American Studies“ or "International Business“

Other

Other

NOVEMBER 2007

Remember this Myth?

• Creating low-unit certificates avoids System Office approval.

TRUETRUE??

FALSEFALSE??

or

NOVEMBER 2007

• A.A. Degree

• A.S. Degree

• Certificate of Achievement

• Certificate of Achievement– 18 or more semester

(27 or more quarter) units– 12 or more semester

(18 or more quarter) units

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

§ 55070. Credit Certificates.Certificate of Achievement

– 18+ semester units / 27 + quarter units – degree-applicable credit coursework – requires System Office approval– may be listed on a student transcript– may not be given any other designation – symbolizes successful completion of patterns of

learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities that may be oriented to career or general education

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

§ 55070. Credit Certificates.

Shorter credit certificates (a.k.a. “low-unit” certificates)

• less than 18 semester (27 quarter) units

• do not require System Office approval

• may not be referred to as a certificate of achievement, a certificate of completion, or a certificate of competency

• may not be listed on a student's transcript

More options …

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

§ 55070. Credit Certificates.

Shorter credit certificates (a.k.a. “low-unit” certificates)

• 12 or more semester units or 18 or more quarter units of degree-applicable credit coursework

• District has the option to submit for approval as certificate of achievement

– may be listed on student’s transcript after approved by System Office

• the naming or designation of certificates shall become effective for the Fall 2008 term

NOVEMBER 2007

Back to Title 5 …

§ 55070. Credit Certificates.• Content and assessment standards for certificates

– defined by the local curriculum committee – ensure that certificate programs will be

• consistent with the mission of the college, • meet a demonstrated need, • be feasible, and • adhere to guidelines on academic integrity.

• certificate description must be published in the college catalog

NOVEMBER 2007

Revision of the Program and Course Approval Handbook

Substantial Modifications to Existing Program• goals and objectives of the program changed• job categories differ from previous categories• baccalaureate major to which students typically

transfer is now different• number of required units for a certificate is

increased to 18 or more semester units or to 27 or more quarter units.

NOVEMBER 2007

Revision of the Program and Course Approval Handbook

Substantial Modifications to Existing Program• Add new award in same 4-digit T.O.P. code• Split existing program into two or more tracks,

emphases, etc. in same 4-digit T.O.P. code– new option or certificate in 5-digit T.O.P.

sub-discipline may be considered

NOVEMBER 2007

We couldn’t make it any simpler than this. You still have to write a narrative and provide course outlines of record.

NOVEMBER 2007

Revision of the Program and Course Approval Handbook

Non-Substantial Changes to Existing Program• local title changes• T.O.P. code changes• units of program change• degree type changes (AA to AS or vice versa)• delete or inactivate program• re-activate an inactive program

NOVEMBER 2007

NOVEMBER 2007

NOVEMBER 2007

CCC-520. Convert Non-compliant Degree

• §55063 requires that all associate degrees must require 18 or more semester units in a major or area of emphasis

• Temporary form used to quickly convert approved degree to make it compliant

• CCC-520 Form may be used until July 1, 2008

NOVEMBER 2007

NOVEMBER 2007

1. Describe existing degree 2. List changes to this description3. Attach new program description and requirements4. Submit one copy with attachments.

1 2

3

NOVEMBER 2007

Local Approval of Stand-Alone Courses

• Program-applicable Course: – credit course is part of a certificate or degree that

is approved by the System Office– required or restricted electives for an approved

certificate or associate degree, including general education requirements

• Stand-alone Course: – credit course is not required or a restricted

elective for any credit program approved by the System Office

NOVEMBER 2007

Local Approval of Stand-Alone Courses

• Title 5 §55100

• All credit courses must be approved by

– college curriculum committee

– district governing board

• District certifies that all faculty and staff involved in curriculum approval have completed training

• Courses must be modified & re-approved if they were previously denied by the System Office

NOVEMBER 2007

Local Approval of Stand-alone Courses

• Submit courses for approval as a program when 18 or more semester units (or 27 quarter units) are linked in a sequence of prerequisite or corequisite courses.

• Students may not be allowed to count 18 or more units of stand-alone courses to fulfill the requirements of a degree, major or certificate

NOVEMBER 2007

Local Approval of Stand-alone Courses

• Local district annually certifies each college.

• Local approval may be terminated if district fails to comply with all of the requirements.

• Training Certification Process

1. Curriculum chair* is trained on regulations.

2. Curriculum chair* trains others on campus.

3. Sign certification form and submit to System Office.

4. College offers new stand-alone courses next term.

* CIO may designate another trainer.

NOVEMBER 2007

Implementation: Fall 2007

• Training certification due November 1, 2007– Certifies that on-campus training has occurred

• Each college will report new courses electronically• Course control numbers required for MIS reporting• Reporting processes are coming soon:

– MIS submission to get course control number– Document date of local board approval

• As e-mail attachment for now• Web site is under development

NOVEMBER 2007

Summary

• Review associate degrees

– Include a major or area of emphasis

– Convert IGETC or CSU Breadth patterns to Certificates of Achievement

• Revise names of certificates in Fall 2008 catalog

• Review low-unit certificates

– Submit 12-18 semester (18-27 quarter) unit certificates for approval if necessary

• Report new credit courses to get control numbers

CCC-520

CCC-501

NOVEMBER 2007

Questions Later

Contacts: Stephanie Low, CCCCO(916) 322-6888

Email: lows@cccco.edu

Website: Academic Affairs Division

Instructional Programs & Serviceshttp://www.cccco.edu/divisions/esed/aa_ir/ips.htm

July 2007