Curriculum
Procedures
Manual
Revised August 2003
Curriculum
Procedures
Manual
Revised August 2003
2.0 Requirements for Degrees and Certificates
7.0 Curriculum Advisory Committee Procedures
APPENDIX B: SCHEV Policies and Procedures for Program Approval
APPENDIX C: FORMS
C-2: VCCS 103 (for new/revised courses)
C-3: VCCS Discontinuation Form (for certificates)
C-4: SCHEV Discontinuation Form (for degrees)
1.1 Purpose
This manual describes procedures for the development, approval, modification, evaluation, and discontinuance of programs and courses at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). The term curriculum includes credit courses, certificates, degrees, and other areas related to the college instructional programs.
1.2 College Constituencies with Curricular Responsibility
Curricular actions must pass through several internal steps. The college constituencies described below often participate in curriculum development.
Campus Administration
The provost is the chief academic officer of the local campus and as
such is responsible for the approval and implementation of the programs
at the campus. Division deans are responsible for the administration of
academic programs and most credit courses. The coordinating division dean
and his/her provost review proposals for new or revised curricula to be
forwarded to the Curriculum Committee.
College Administration
The Vice President of Academic and Student Services is the college's
chief academic officer. The Associate Vice President for Curriculum
& Enrollment Services is responsible for the coordination of academic
policy, credit curricula, and credit course and program development. The
Curriculum Committee reviews all curricular proposals. The President and
the Administrative Council review and approve proposals for new academic
policies, new programs and courses, and proposals to discontinue programs.
Curriculum Advisory Committees
Local advisory committees must be utilized in the establishment, development
and evaluation of occupational/technical curricula and courses. Faculty
nominate the members. The Curriculum and Community Relations Committee
of the NVCC Board reviews all nominations. The President appoints nominees
approved by the Board. See section 8 of this manual for more detailed information
on the membership, roles, and responsibilities of curriculum advisory committees
or see the brochure, Procedures for Curriculum Advisory Committees:
Maintaining the Connection.
NVCC Board
The NVCC Board reviews all proposals to initiate or discontinue programs.
The Curriculum and Community Relations Committee of the Board considers
matters pertaining to instructional programs, curriculum advisory committees,
and community service programs. The Board typically holds five regular
meetings per year at which curricular issues may be presented.
As part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), NVCC must abide by VCCS policies. The VCCS is part of the state system of higher education, which is coordinated by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
VCCS1.4 Program and General Education Discipline Evaluation
State policies with regard to instructional programs are found in Section 5 of the VCCS Policy Manual.Academic Services and ResearchSCHEV (State Council of Higher Education for Virginia)
Academic Services and Research is the unit of the VCCS central office that deals with system-wide review of curricula and courses. This unit is headed by a vice chancellor and staffed by two directors of Educational Planning as well as other individuals who may assist with planning for academic programs. A Planning and Policy Specialist maintains the Master Course File (MCF), which is an online list of all courses approved for current use by any VCCS institution. A separate Workforce Development unit is headed by a different vice chancellor; however, the two units collaborate frequently.Academic and Student Affairs Council
The Academic and Student Affairs Council advises the Vice Chancellor for Academic Services and Research on policy issues. The Council includes the academic vice presidents and their associate vice presidents, provosts and deans of student services. The Academic and Student Affairs Council has several subcommittees whose work may influence NVCC curricular decisions. The Course Review Committee, which includes division deans, reviews proposals for new and revised courses. The Educational Programs Committee considers issues surrounding groups of courses or entire disciplines or groups of disciplines. The Faculty and Curricular Issues Committee, the Student Services Committee, and the Workforce Development Committee also may make recommendations that affect NVCC's curriculum.State Board for Community Colleges
The State Board for Community Colleges is the regulatory board for the VCCS. New diploma, certificate, and associate degree programs must be approved by the State Board.
Degree programs new to the College must be approved by SCHEV, which also requires periodic evaluation of all programs and assessment of student learning. SCHEV also promotes articulation among VCCS institutions and senior institutions in Virginia.Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is the regional accrediting body in the 11 southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. NVCC is accredited by SACS. In order to maintain this accreditation the college must adhere to requirements for educational programs as specified in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. Some SACS requirements, while not written, are "understood."Program Accreditation
Some occupational/technical programs participate in specialized accreditation offered by professional organizations. In some cases, this accreditation is required in order to enable graduates of the program to enter the work force and/or be eligible for certification and licensure. Specialized accreditation does not relieve a program of the state, college, and regional requirements.
Assessment activities at NVCC focus on the improvement of student learning. The periodic and systematic review of academic programs is the primary activity through which we determine that the academic programs are effective and that our students are learning. All degree programs along with their related certificates and career studies certificates, as well as "stand-alone" certificates, career studies certificates, and general education disciplines are reviewed according to a schedule approved by the Curriculum Committee and the Administrative Council. Degree programs, certificates, and career studies certificates are to be evaluated every five years. General education disciplines are to be evaluated on a ten-year cycle. Programs that are accredited or approved by external agencies are reviewed on a cycle that mirrors their accreditation or approval schedule.
Program and discipline reviews culminate in a report that includes an action plan. The Curriculum Committee accepts these reports, sometimes with modifications to the action plan. The Administrative Council approves action plans for implementation. Cluster chairs submit implementation reports to the Curriculum Committee approximately one and two years after their action plan was approved. The Curriculum Committee may recommend additional implementation reports if action plans have not been implemented satisfactorily.
Programs accredited by external agencies submit a modified evaluation report to the Curriculum Committee including the recommendations of the accrediting agency and an action plan based on those recommendations. The program and general education discipline evaluation process is detailed in Guidelines for Program and Discipline Review.
2.1 Curriculum Structure and Terminology
SCHEV and the VCCS structure curricula in several levels. The broadest level is the cluster. There are seven clusters: transfer, agriculture and natural resources technology, arts and design technology, business technology, engineering and industrial technology, health technology, and public service technology. Under clusters are several programs (identified by the SCHEV or CIP [Classification of Instructional Programs from the National Center for Education Statistics] Code). Under each of the programs there may be one or more majors. A degree or a certificate may be a major, and each has a separate VCCS code number. Specializations to degree majors, plans of study for Technical Studies, and career studies certificates are not identified by VCCS or SCHEV by a separate code but do have an NVCC curriculum code. This means that when the VCCS or SCHEV review productivity, they view a parent degree and its specializations as one curriculum and they view all career studies certificates as one program. Sometimes curricula that the College considers separate programs, such as Accounting and Business Management, share the same CIP code and so are considered as one program for SCHEV productivity purposes.
2.2 Types of Degrees
NVCC offers four types of degrees: AA, AS, AAA, and AAS.
Associate in Science (AS)
The AS degree is awarded for completion of two-year curricula in a
variety of pre-professional programs. The 60-63 credit AS degree is designed
for students who plan to transfer to four-year degree-granting institutions
for completion of a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. A significant portion
of the AS degree is in general education that is typical of the first two
years of a BS program at most institutions.
Associate in Applied Arts (AAA)
The 65-69 credit AAA degree is awarded for a two-year curriculum designed
to prepare the student to work in the arts and/or music. These degrees
have specific occupational objectives. Although the AAA is primarily an
occupational program, it may transfer to institutions that offer the Bachelor
of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
The 65-69 credit (up to 72 for some health technologies) AAS degree
is awarded for completion of two-year occupational/technical curricula
that are designed to prepare students for employment immediately following
graduation. In some AAS degree programs a summer term may be required and
in exceptional cases two summer terms may be required. In no case can the
program extend beyond 24 calendar months of full-time study. The general
education requirements for AAS degrees are less than for the transfer (AA
and AS) degrees; however, in some cases transfer agreements may be arranged
to allow students academic pathways into four-year degree programs.
Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences (AA&S)
The AA&S is a college transfer degree that is recognized by the
VCCS but not offered at NVCC.
NVCC offers two types of certificates: certificates and career studies certificates.
Career Studies Certificate
A career studies certificate is awarded for a short (9-29 credit) program
of study, typically of less than one year. Career studies programs may
be designed to develop and enhance job and life skills; retrain existing
employees for career change; or facilitate the investigation of career
possibilities. A career studies certificate should be developed from an
existing program and should consist primarily of existing courses; if that
is the case, credit earned in the career studies program may be used to
meet the requirements of other certificates or degrees.
NVCC does not offer diploma programs.
2.5 Submitting Proposals for New or Revised Curricula
Proposals for new or revised degree majors, specializations, or certificates may originate with any faculty member, curriculum advisory committee or NVCC Board member, division or student development dean, or provost. The initiator of a proposal should contact the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services early in the development process to ensure proper coordination and scheduling of the steps in the proposal process. All draft materials should be submitted electronically to the Associate VP for review at least three weeks before the Curriculum Committee meeting at which the initiator wishes the proposal to be considered. The initiator is responsible for preparing all materials. All proposals and supporting materials must be submitted to the Associate VP through the appropriate division dean and campus provost for Curriculum Committee review.
In cases of multi-campus programs, the proposal should first be reviewed by the appropriate faculty discipline cluster and each division dean who has responsibility for the program. It is not necessary for each of these parties to recommend approval of a proposal for it to be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for consideration. However, the Curriculum Committee typically works through consensus. Programs having multi-campus impact which are strongly opposed by one or more campuses are less likely to be recommended for approval. When a discipline is offered at more campuses than is the program for which it forms the basis (e.g., MKT), the division deans at those campuses must be informed of proposed new curricula before the curricula are brought to the Curriculum Committee. Similarly, if campuses have related but different programs (e.g., Construction Management AAS and Carpentry Apprenticeship Certificate), division deans should be informed of program proposals prior to their submission to the Curriculum Committee. In both cases, any major objections should be considered seriously and, if the proposal moves forward, addressed in the memorandum justifying the program proposal.
Occupational/technical programs must also be reviewed by the appropriate curriculum advisory committee prior to submission. In cases of new occupational/technical programs where a curriculum advisory committee does not exist, a curriculum advisory working group consisting of representatives from the industry where graduates are to be employed must be formed to assist in the development of the program.
Avoid duplication of existing programs and courses. The VCCS will not approve courses that duplicate those that already exist. Degree and certificate programs are reviewed to assure that they do not duplicate those at other VCCS colleges in the region; since NVCC is its own region, this is generally not a problem. When proposing new specializations in degree programs, avoid spreading a limited potential student population over too many courses, and, therefore, reducing the productivity of all courses.
2.5.1 Establishing New Curricula
The curriculum development process is outlined below:
Once all documents are complete, the Associate VP emails the proposal to the Curriculum Committee. This must occur at least a week and preferably ten days before the meeting. The Curriculum Committee usually meets in September, October, late November or early December, late January or early February, March, and April. Proposing faculty and their division dean should plan to attend the Curriculum Committee meeting at which the proposal will be presented.
Checklist for Proposal Submitted to Curriculum Committee--Degree
___NEW ____REVISED ___AA ___AS ___AAA ___AAS
Program Title:
_ Electronic Cover Memo
_ Correct title
_ Purpose/objectives
_ Total credits per semester correct w/no more than 18 credits/semester unless STD is an additional 1 credit
_ Overall total correct
_ Total credits (60-63 for AA or AS; 65-69 for AAA or AAS; 65-72 for health technologies except Nursing)
_ General education
| General Education Requirements | AA | AS | AAA | AAS |
| College Composition | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Oral Communication | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 6 | - | - | - |
| Social Sciences | 12 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Mathematics | 6 | 6 | 0-3* | 0-3* |
| Natural Science 8 8 0-3 0-3* | 8 | 8 | 0-3* | 0-3* |
| STD Elective 1 1 1 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Physical Education/Wellness 2 2 2 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Computer Competencies** 0-3 0-30-3 0-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 |
| Total credits of general education 50-53 41-44 18-21 18-21 | 50-53 | 41-44 | 18-21 | 18-21 |
_Electronic VCCS 102 Form
_ Correct title_ If Courses New to the VCCS Included (see checklist for new courses)
_ Initiation date
_ Classification
_ Costs
_ Faculty
_ Enrollment goals
_Job openings or transfer opportunities
If community resources will be important for the
provision of human, physical, or financial resources, explain what will
happen if the community resources are discontinued.
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*New fees are subject to State Board approval.
Checklist for Proposal Submitted to Curriculum Committee-- Certificate
Program Title:
_ Electronic Cover Memo
Checklist for Proposal Submitted to Curriculum Committee--Career Studies Certificate
Program Title:
_ Electronic Cover Memo
2.5.2 Revising Existing Programs
Substitutions of program-specific courses for other program-specific courses that do not change the total number of credits and that have support of all campuses offering the program may be approved by the Vice President of Academic and Student Services. For minor revisions that do not change the intent of the program, the award, or the total credits by more than six credits, the Curriculum Committee has final approval. Submit the following to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services:
Discontinuation at All Campuses
The following items should be submitted through
the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services to the Curriculum
Committee to request discontinuation of an academic program:
Discontinuation at One of Multiple Campuses
The division dean intending to discontinue a program
that is also offered at other campuses must inform the other division deans
no later than December 1 of the academic year prior to discontinuation.
The campus discontinuing the program should consider how currently placed
students will complete the program and what, if any, the personnel implications
are. The division dean at the campus wishing to discontinue the program
should request data from OIR on program placed students and recent graduates,
and send an information memo to the Curriculum Committee through the Associate
VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services. Any implications for personnel
reallocation will be the prerogative of the Administrative Council.
The following NVCC requirements incorporate the requirements specified by the state (listed in Table 5-1 of the VCCS Policy Manual, see Appendix A), SACS requirements, and those requirements defined by the College.
The SACS Principles do not specify as much as the VCCS does; however, in its 2002 report on NVCC's self-study, the SACS visiting team noted that "speech is not a humanities course" and commented that some math courses (e.g., Introduction to Math) NVCC uses as general education courses are "too narrowly defined" to be used for general education.
The VCCS Policy Manual states: "General Education is that portion of the collegiate experience which addresses the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values characteristic of educated persons. It is unbounded by disciplines and honors the connections among bodies of knowledge. The following eight elements embody the essence of general education: communication; learning skills; critical thinking; interpersonal skills and human relations; understanding culture and society; understanding science and technology; and wellness."
Degrees
| General Education Requirements | AA | AS | AAA | AAS |
| College Composition | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Oral Communication | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 6 | - | - | - |
| Social Sciences | 12 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Mathematics | 6 | 6 | 0-3* | 0-3* |
| Natural Science | 8 | 8 | 0-3* | 0-3* |
| STD Elective | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Physical Education/Wellness | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Computer Competency | 0-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 |
| Total credits of general education | 50-53 | 41-44 | 18-21 | 18-21 |
| MAJOR AREA REQUIREMENTS | 7-13 | 22-24 | 44-47 | 44-47 |
| TOTAL CREDITS ALLOWED | 60-63 | 60-63 | 65-69 | 65-69 |
Eligible Courses: Only courses numbered 100 and above may be used to meet degree requirements. AA and AS degrees should only include courses commonly accepted for transfer.Oral and Written Communication
Each degree must contain courses that ensure competence in oral and written communication. Various combinations of courses may be used to meet this requirement depending on the degree to be awarded. Because ENG 111 is a foundation course in each degree curriculum, it must appear in the first semester.For AA and AS degrees, ENG 111-112, College Composition I-II, are required. A 3-credit oral communication course (most often, SPD 110) is also required.
For AAA and AAS degrees, 3 credits in English composition (usually ENG 111, College Composition or ENG 131, Technical Report Writing) and 3 credits in oral communication are required.
Humanities/Fine Arts
Humanities requirements in AA, AS, and AAS degrees may be met by survey courses in art (ART), literature (ENG), humanities (HUM), music (MUS), philosophy (PHI), religion (REL), sign communication (SCM), or the foreign languages. Skill-based courses such as studio art or applied music courses may NOT be used to meet the humanities requirement. Beginning in 2003-04, the catalog will include a list of courses that may be used to meet humanities and other general education requirements.The major field in AAA degrees is usually one of the humanities or fine arts so a separate humanities elective is not required.
Foreign Language
The VCCS requires that AA degrees include at least 6 credits in foreign language. NVCC requires proficiency in a foreign language at the intermediate (201-202, 6 credits) level which is consistent with the lower division requirements for most BA degrees. Students who must take the introductory 101-102 sequence in the language to qualify for intermediate level courses may use this credit as humanities or general electives in their degree.Students for whom English is not the first language may have the foreign language requirement waived by the responsible division dean and may substitute electives for the required 6 hours of foreign language. Alternatively, these students may obtain credit for their foreign language proficiency through CLEP exams if such exams exist for their language.
The following footnote should accompany foreign language requirements in AA degrees:
Intermediate level (201-202) proficiency in a foreign language is required. These courses require a 101-102 sequence in the language or equivalent proficiency. Waivers or credit by exam (through CLEP) for previous experience may be available for some languages.
Unlike other transfer degrees, the Engineering AS degree requires only 6 credits of social science.
The following is the standard wording for the footnote when social sciences are listed as electives:
Physical Education/Wellness
The 2-credit physical education/wellness requirement may be met by
one of the following options:
be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of computing concepts, components, and operations to accomplish educational and career tasks;
Major Area Requirements
The major area requirements include both courses within the major discipline
and courses in other disciplines that support studies in the major. Only
courses numbered 100 through 299 may be used to meet major area requirements.
In the AAS and AAA degree, courses in the major discipline should account for approximately 50% of the total requirements for the degree.
Minimum/Maximum Credit Hours
Transfer degrees (AA and AS) must require between 60 and 63 credits.
Occupational/ Technical degrees (AAA and AAS) must require between 65 and
69 credits. Health technologies other than nursing should be between 65
and 72 credits.
No single fall or spring semester may require more than 18 credits except for semesters which contain STD 100 where the total may be as high as 19 credits. No summer term should require more than 10 credits.
Exceptions to Credit Limits
Requests for exceptions to the maximum or minimum credits for a degree
must be approved by the chancellor.
VCCS policy states that certificates may include courses numbered 10 through 299. Those certificates that are part of a degree program may only include courses numbered 100 through 299. At NVCC, certificates include only 100 and 200 level courses.
Minimum/Maximum Credit Hours
Minimum/Maximum Credit Hours
A career studies certificate must contain at least 9 credits but not
more than 29 credits. Career studies certificates should be as short as
possible since their purpose is to provide quick training. However, students
placed in programs of fewer than 16 credits are not eligible for federal
financial aid.
Sequencing Course Requirements
The order in which courses are listed in a curriculum is a primary
advising tool for students. The following should be considered when planning
the order in which courses are specified in a curriculum.
Transfer Options
Where appropriate, guidance to students concerning course selection
to facilitate transferring to specific programs or institutions should
be included. Reference to options for transfer in occupational programs
should be carefully worded so as not to imply that the degrees are primarily
designed to transfer to four-year degree programs.
Each degree and certificate is assigned a code by SCHEV, VCCS and the College. The office of the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services enters these codes into the NVCC computer information system. There are several curriculum code numbers that may be associated with a curriculum.
VCCS Code
VCCS assigns a unique three-digit code for each degree or certificate.
These are identified as "majors" under the SCHEV program code. All career
studies programs are assigned 221 (NVCC also uses 222 and 223 but all are
reported to VCCS as 221).
NVCC Codes
In the legacy student information system, NVCC added a prefix number
to indicate the type of degree and a suffix number or letter that indicated
a specialization, if any. With the new SIS, students will enter much information
themselves but will not be able to self-place into restricted programs
such as Nursing.
Prefix Numbers (these will not be used in PeopleSoft)
Examples:
VCCS Code for AAS in Business Management is 212
NVCC Code for AAS in Business Management is 62120 (dropping
the 6 for PeopleSoft)
NVCC Code for AAS in Business Management, specialization in International
Business is 62121 (dropping the 6 for PeopleSoft)
VCCS Code for all career studies certificates is 221 (or 222 or 223)
NVCC Code for Career Studies Certificate in International Business
is 4221Z
Program Placement Codes
These codes are entered by Admissions and Records or Student Services
personnel in the legacy SIS. The program placement code is the NVCC curriculum
code plus an alphanumeric prefix to denote student level or status.
Student Level Codes
2.12 Implementation Schedule for Curricular Proposals
Each curricular proposal must include a recommended implementation
date. Implementation dates are indicated on forms VCCS 102 and VCCS 103
and in cover memos forwarding curricular proposals.
Additional considerations:
VCCS Program Productivity Requirements
The following are program productivity standards set by the VCCS in 2002:
- Transfer degree programs (AA and AS programs) must average at least 20 FTES over the most recent three years.
- Occupational-technical degree programs (AAA and AAS programs) must average at least 15 FTES over the most recent 3 years.
- Certificate programs must average at least 12 students.
3.1 VCCS Master Course File (MCF)
The VCCS maintains the Master Course File (MCF), which lists
all approved courses offered in the VCCS. The online version (www.vccs.edu/mcf/alphabut.htm)
lists all courses that are available for any given semester. NVCC may use
any course listed in the MCF.
3.2 Proposals for New or Revised Courses
For a new course or revisions to existing course title, credit, description,
prerequisites, or contact hours, submit the following electronically:
1.
Cover memo including:
Summary of proposed change or new course
Justification
Cluster faculty and division dean support
Support from discipline faculty at other VCCS colleges
Effect on transferability (for a transfer course)
Curriculum advisory committee review/comments (for occupational
courses)
2.
Emails documenting support by division deans and other VCCS colleges
3.
VCCS 103 Request for New or Revised Course
4.
Course content summary in proper NVCC format
Draft materials must be submitted electronically to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services at least three weeks before the Curriculum Committee meeting at which the initiator wishes to present the proposal. After review by the associate VP, the initiator forwards electronic copies to all division deans with the course prefix in which the new course is to be listed. The associate VP must electronically receive the final cover memo, 103 form, course content summary, and supporting emails at least 10 days prior to the Curriculum Committee meeting.
A proposal for a new course that has been approved by the Curriculum Committee and the Administrative Council is usually forwarded to the VCCS for review and approval by the Course Review Committee. However, if that course prefix is being reviewed system-wide at that time, the System Office will instead give the proposal to the prefix review committee so it can become a part of the new set of courses. The Course Review Committee will not consider new courses within one year of approval of a course review packet in the discipline.
New courses will be added to the next catalog in accordance with VCCS Policy, which states, AAll courses to be offered by a college shall be listed in the college catalog.@
If the new course is to be repeatable, the proposing
division dean must include this information in the cover memo forwarding
the course proposal. If the course is approved, the associate VP will ask
the programmer to do the requisite programming and, once the programming
has been completed, will inform registrars and discipline faculty that
this is the case.
Checklist for Proposal Submitted to Curriculum Committee--Course
COURSE TITLE:
___ NEW ___ REVISED
___ Cover Memo
___ Summary of proposed change or new course___ VCCS 103 Form
___ Justification
___ Summary of effect on transferability (for a transfer course)
___ Cluster faculty and division dean support
___ Support from discipline faculty at other VCCS colleges
___ Curriculum advisory committee review/comments (for occupational courses)
___ Title correct (max 6 words)___ Course Content Summary/Outline
___ No related course exists in the VCCS Master Course File
___ Description correct (active verbs, max 60 words)
___ Prerequisites
___ Credit/contact hours correct
___ Justification correct
___ Starting date (after next VP's Meeting)
___ Classification information
___ Provost's signature (optional since VP can sign)
Must be included for every campus that offers courses in the course prefix
___ AL
___ AN
___ LO
___ MA
___ WO
3.3 Course Discontinuation
The discipline cluster may request that a course
be discontinued by submitting a paper or e-mail memo through the coordinating
division dean to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services.
Courses that were not taught for three years or which do not have a current course content summary on file will be removed from the Catalog and computer database. Courses that have not been taught for three years at any VCCS college are discontinued by the VCCS. Discontinued courses may be reactivated by submitting a current course content summary to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services. If the course has been discontinued at the VCCS level, the associate VP forwards a VCCS 103 form and the new course content summary prepared by the requesting faculty to the VCCS for approval by the Course Review Committee.
3.4 Approval to Offer Courses at Campuses not
Approved to Offer a Complete Program (Faculty Handbook 3.8500)
A campus not authorized to offer a given program
may offer introductory courses in the major discipline which are required
in that program only with prior email approval of the division dean
at a campus authorized to offer that program. Upper-level required
courses may not be offered by campuses that lack the program. Campuses
without the program may offer general usage courses in the discipline but
the division dean should inform the division dean(s) of the campus(es)
that offer the program. The content of these courses in the major or discipline
shall be under the instructional control of a campus authorized to offer
the program. Instructional control encompasses faculty qualifications,
course syllabus, textbooks, and specialized equipment.
When the campus requesting the specialized course offering receives a negative response from the campus authorized to offer the program, the requesting campus may appeal that response to the VP of Academic and Student Services for resolution.
If a campus is authorized to offer a certificate only in a program that has an associate degree, the campus may offer all required courses in the certificate without approval from the campuses offering the degree. However, elective courses in the discipline must be approved.
3.5 Course Numbers
Courses numbered 01-09 are developmental courses.
The credits earned in these courses are not applicable toward a degree
or a certificate. Courses numbered 10-99 are freshman level courses that
may apply to certificate programs (by VCCS policy; NVCC does not do this).
The credits earned in these courses are not applicable toward an associate
degree. Courses numbered 100-299 are applicable toward associate degrees
and certificate programs.
3.6 General Usage Courses
The Catalog specifies several categories
of "general usage" courses. These are course numbers that may be used by
any discipline. The college generally discourages the use of these courses
as specified courses in a degree or certificate program because students
may experience difficulty in transferring courses that lack a defined content.
Disciplines may use the general usage courses to test new courses and to respond quickly to requests for rapid implementation of courses.
General usage courses may be implemented with a division dean's approval. College-wide review and course content summaries are not required.
The 93 and 95 series courses are used for regular class sections, whereas the other series are used for individual students.
90-190-290 Coordinated Internship (1-5 CR.)
Supervised on-the-job training in selected business,
industrial, or service firms coordinated by the College. Credit/work ratio
maximum 1:5 hrs. May be repeated for credit.
93-193-293 Studies In (1-5 CR.)
Experimental courses to test their viability as
permanent offerings. An experimental course may be offered twice, after
which the course must be approved following VCCS processes for adding new
courses to the Master Course File. Credit/work ratio maximum 1:5 hrs. May
be repeated for credit.
95-195-295 Topics In (1-5 CR.)
Exploration of topical areas of interest to or
needed by students. May be used also for special honors courses. May be
repeated for credit.
96-196-296 On-Site Training In (1-5 CR.)
Career orientation and training program without
pay in selected businesses and industry, supervised and coordinated by
the College. At NVCC, we use this mostly in health technology programs.
Credit/work ratio not to exceed 1:5 hrs. May be repeated for credit.
97-197-297 Cooperative Education (1-6 CR.)
Supervised on-the-job training for pay in approved
business and government organizations. See eligibility requirements in
the catalog. Credit/work ratio not to exceed 1:5 hrs. May be repeated for
credit.
98-198-298 Seminar and Project (1-5 CR.)
Completion of a project or research report related
to the student's occupational objective and a study of approaches to the
selection and pursuit of career opportunities in the field. May be repeated
for credit.
99-199-299 Supervised Study (1-5 CR.)
Assignment of problems for independent study incorporating
previous instruction and supervised by the instructor. May be repeated
for credit.
3.7 Titles
VCCS guidelines state that:
1. Course titles should not exceed six words or 55 characters, including spacing. Wording of the title should indicate a clear relationship to the prefix or discipline.3.8 Descriptions
2. Courses should not be cross-listed with other disciplines. Course titles cannot be duplicated except in sequence courses.
3. Abbreviations should not be used.
4. References to specific machinery or software should not be included in the title.
5. References to licensure or certification should be avoided.
VCCS guidelines for course descriptions specify that course descriptions for existing courses should be identical to the description in the MCF (some license is acceptable if it is intended simply to clarify course content or to add prerequisites). In addition:
EXAMPLES:
ENG 111-112 COLLEGE COMPOSITION
I-II (3 CR.) (3 CR.)
Prerequisite: satisfactory score
on English reading and writing placement exams. Develops writing ability
for study, work, and other areas of writing based on experience, observation,
research, and reading of selected literature. Guides students in learning
writing as a process: understanding audience and purpose, exploring ideas
and information, composing, revising, and editing. Supports writing by
integrating experiences in thinking, reading, listening, and speaking.
Lecture 3 hours per week.
CHM 140 SURVEY OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(3 CR.)
Prerequisite: high school chemistry
or equivalent.
Introduces fundamentals of organic
chemistry for students not intending to specialize in chemistry. Focuses
on nomenclature, classification, and reactions of organic compounds.
Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 2 hours.
Total 4 hours per week.
Lecture Credit Hour
One academic hour per week for 15 weeks plus one hour final exam time
of lecture, seminar, and similar experiences is equivalent to one semester
credit hour. In non-standard terms (shorter or longer) an equivalent amount
of time (800 minutes, including final exam) must be provided for each lecture
credit hour.
Laboratory Credit Hour
One laboratory credit hour is equivalent to three hours of laboratory,
clinical training, supervised work experience, coordinated internship,
or other similar experiences per week for 15 weeks plus a one hour examination
period.
In some disciplines each laboratory period consists of two hours of structured class experience plus a minimum of one hour practice, research, or other out-of-class assignment. Examples of this would be music classes that require additional out-of-class practice time and IST classes that require students to spend additional time outside of scheduled classes to complete assignments on the computer.
During non-standard terms, a total of 46 academic hours (2300 minutes) of instruction is required for three contact hour laboratories and 31 academic hours (1550 minutes) of instruction is required for two contact hour laboratories. These time requirements include a one hour final exam period.
Variable Credit
Some courses are listed in the VCCS Master Course File as having variable
credit. This means variable across the VCCS, not within a given college.
When NVCC adopts a course from the MCF, it must be offered for a
fixed amount of credit. The exceptions to this policy are the General
Usage courses.
If a course exists in the MCF for a fixed credit value and NVCC wishes to offer it for 1 credit more or less, NVCC may submit a VCCS 103 form to revise the credit to make it variable. Course credits may not vary within the VCCS by more than one semester hour.
3.11 Course Content Summaries
Course content summaries must contain each of the following:
Members of the discipline faculty, division deans, and provosts may initiate a request for the review and updating of a course content summary. Such requests should be directed to the division dean responsible for the appropriate discipline cluster with a copy to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services.
The NVCC course dictionary is a database listing all currently offered courses at NVCC. It specifies the campuses on which each course may be offered. In order to enter a course into the Schedule of Classes, a division must be approved to offer that course. The Office of Curriculum & Enrollment Services maintains the course dictionary.
4.1 Function/Membership
The function of the Curriculum Committee is to study the instructional
programs of the College, to consider proposals for the development of new
programs and their assignment to campuses, to consider proposals for course
changes, and to make recommendations for improvement of curricula and related
academic policies. Appropriate recommendations are made to the president.
The committee is appointed annually by the president for staggered two-year terms and consists of the following members:
4.4 Quorum and Voting Procedures
A simple majority of the total committee membership is needed to conduct
any vote. The chair votes only in case of a tie. The executive secretary
has no vote. Any vote on college policy or new programs requires
a majority of those present and voting to pass. Abstentions are not counted
as affirmative or negative votes.
Meetings are open to all NVCC faculty. Visitors who are not College employees may be invited to attend meetings at which items about which they are knowledgeable are
discussed. However, visitors who do not work for NVCC must leave the room while the committee completes debate and votes on those items.
4.5 Minutes
The Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services is the executive
secretary for the Curriculum Committee and records, distributes and maintains
a permanent record of the minutes of committee actions. Draft minutes will
be emailed to committee members soon after the meeting. Final minutes are
attached to the Curriculum & Enrollment Services web site upon approval
by the committee.
4.6 Meeting Notices
A tentative schedule of meetings for the academic year is developed
by the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services and distributed
prior to the first meeting of the year. The approved meeting schedule is
posted on the Curriculum & Enrollment Services web page and published
in the Intercom. Approximately two weeks prior to each meeting reminders
are distributed to committee members, division deans, and persons submitting
proposals.
4.7 Agenda Items
Agenda items may be submitted by any member of the NVCC faculty. Items
must be forwarded to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services
through the faculty member's division dean or supervisor and campus provost.
Items that affect more than one campus must include evidence that the other
affected campuses have been consulted; this evidence is usually in the
form of email from other division deans. Agenda items must emailed to
the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services at least 10 days
prior to the meeting, including all supporting materials. In most cases,
the final agenda item is the result of several drafts edited by the associate
VP. Agenda items lacking complete supporting material generally will be
tabled until a future meeting.
4.8 Catalog Deadlines
Typically, the November/December meeting of each academic year is the
last meeting at which curricular items not requiring state approval may
be submitted for the following year's catalog (example: November 2001 was
the last meeting for the 2002-03 Catalog). This includes new and
revised courses, new specializations and career studies certificates, program
discontinuances, and revisions of existing curricula.
The last Spring Semester meeting of each academic year is generally the last meeting at which curricular items requiring state approval may be submitted for the catalog for two academic years later (example April 2003 was the last meeting for state-approved items for the 2004-05 Catalog). This includes new degree majors and certificates.
4.9 Guidelines for Readers of Program & Discipline Evaluation
Reports
Two members of the Curriculum Committee are appointed to read and review
each program or discipline evaluation report. Readers will receive a copy
of the complete report. Because of their length, appendices will normally
not be provided but readers may request a copy of the appendices by contacting
the office of the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services.
After reviewing the report, readers should compare impressions and recommendations. They should then discuss their impressions and specific concerns with the chair of the cluster being evaluated and the chair of the cluster.
Readers should present a single, joint report to the full Curriculum Committee. Readers should provide all committee members and representatives of the program with a copy of their comments. Except for the readers, committee members will have only the executive summary and action plan portions of the report. If the readers wish to suggest an addendum to the report, this should be sent to the Associate VP for Curriculum & Enrollment Services' office for inclusion with agenda materials.
The chair of the evaluation committee and appropriate division deans, assistant division deans, and assistant division dean/program heads will be invited to attend the meeting to respond to the questions and comments of the readers. It is important that the reviews be presented in an objective and constructive manner.
Readers should refer to the Program and Discipline Review Guidelines to see what the review committees are expected to do.
Readers should provide the committees with a written summary of the information indicated below. Information in the body of the report that supports any recommendations should also be provided in the readers= report (remember members won’t have the full report). Written comments of the readers should be forwarded to the chair of the evaluation committee and the coordinating division dean prior to the review at the meeting.