Credit and Noncredit Course and Program. Submission and Approval Guide

Transcription

1 Credit and Noncredit Course and Program Submission and Approval Guide

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Page 2

3 Introduction Preparing a Credit and Noncredit Course and/or Program for Chancellor s Office Approval This credit and noncredit submission and approval guide, a companion document to the Program and Course Approval Handbook, assists California community college (CCC) faculty, staff, and administrators in the development of courses and programs and the submission of curriculum proposals for review by the Chancellor s Office. This submission and approval guide is organized into two major components: part one covers credit curriculum and part two covers noncredit curriculum. Each part is broken up into sections as follows: Introduction Page 3

4 Part 1: CCCCO Credit Course and Program Approval Process Section 1 Preparing a Credit Course for CCCCO Approval Part 1 Credit Course and Program Approval Process Page 4

5 Chancellor s Office Credit Course Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Credit Course Approval Process Page 5

6 Overview of the Chancellor s Office New Credit Course Approval Process Community college course proposals require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by the Chancellor s Office. Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new credit courses shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approval all credit courses (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a). Step 3. Submit the new course proposal to the CCCCO Once a course has received local curriculum committee and applicable District Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the course to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Courses that do not have a CCCCO control number assigned to them will not be counted for MIS reporting which may impact the institutions apportionment as well as student enrollment. Step 4. Add the New Course, Revisions, or Reactivation to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new courses must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Credit Course Approval Process Page 6

7 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Credit Course Approval Process Page 7

8 New Credit Course Proposal Flowchart Approval Process New Course Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Publish and Offer New Course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit courses must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Credit Course Approval Process Page 8

9 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields The following data elements are required for all courses submitted to the CCCCO for approval. CB00: Course Control Number* CB04: Credit Status CB01: Department Number This data element is generated by the Chancellor s Office D Credit Degree Applicable C Credit Not Degree Applicable N Noncredit CB02: Course Title CB03: TOP Code Select appropriate TOP Code CB05: Transfer Status A Transferable to both UC and CSU B Transferable to CSU only C Not Transferable CB06: Course Units Maximum CB07: Course Units Minimum CB08: Basic Skills Status B Course is a basic skills course N Course is not a basic skills Course CB09: SAM Priority Code A Apprenticeship B Advanced Occupational C Clearly Occupational D Possibly Occupational E Non-Occupational CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13:Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) N Is not part of a cooperative work experience education program C Is part of a cooperative work experience education program J Workforce Preparation Enhanced Funding K Other Noncredit Enhanced Funding L Non-Enhanced Funding Y Credit Course S Course is designated as an approved special class for students with disabilities N Course is not a special class Credit Course Approval Process Page 9

10 CB21: Prior Transfer Level A One level below transfer B Two levels below transfer C Three levels below transfer D Four levels below transfer E Five levels below transfer F Six levels below transfer G Seven levels below transfer H Eight levels below transfer Y Not Applicable CB22: Noncredit Category Y Credit Course, Not Applicable (will automatically be selected) CB23: Funding Agency Category A This course was primarily developed using Economic Development Funds B This course was partially developed using Economic Development Funds (Economic funds exceed 40% of the total development costs) Y Not Applicable (Funding not used to develop course) CB24: Program Status 1 Program Applicable 2 Not Program Applicable District Governing Board Approval Date Catalog Description Justification By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and *CB00 (Course Control Number) is generated by the Chancellor s Office. This data element uniquely identifies a course and may not be altered by the reporting college/district. CB00 is assigned after a course receives Chancellor s Office approval. All new courses require a control number from the Chancellor s Office before the course may be reported in a MIS data submission. Selecting the Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields In addition to the course outline of record, the Chancellor s Office review requires the submission of all state Management Information System (MIS) course data elements, also referred to as course basic (CB) codes. Problems with the data elements listed above can result in course submissions being returned to the college for revisions. This section provides guidance to help faculty, staff, and administrators select the appropriate code. Additionally, MIS CB Codes Quick Reference Guide is included in Appendix A. Credit Course Approval Process Page 10

11 CB04: Credit Status This data element indicates the credit status of a course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, ). Select the appropriate code for a credit course: D (Credit-Degree Applicable) or C (Credit-Not Degree Applicable). If course transfer status (CB05) is coded as A (Transferable to both UC and CSU) or B (Transferable to CSU only), then this element must be coded as D (Credit Degree Applicable). CB01: Department Number This identifier should be structured to include an abbreviation of the department to which the course belongs, followed by the numbers and /or letters used to distinguish it from other courses in the same department. It is the identifier that occurs on the student's academic transcript. For example: ARTS 110 Enter the Department Number, for example: ARTS110, exactly as it is entered into the college and/or district s enterprise resource system. If there are no spaces between the department and course number in the system, do not add a space in the Curriculum Inventory. Inconsistencies in data entry will impact MIS reporting. CB02: Course Title This data element records the official course title. Enter the Course Title. If the college uses long and short titles, enter the long title. The title must be entered exactly as it will appear in the course outline of record and the college catalog. This field is limited to a maximum of 68 characters including punctuation and spaces, and must be different from CB01. CB03: TOP Code This field is for recording the appropriate TOP code for the course. Select the appropriate TOP code using the drop-down menu. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational or career technical education TOP code. A link to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, 6th Edition is available on the Chancellor s Office website under Academic Affairs area, Curriculum and Instruction Unit. The TOP code is assigned according to the content and outcomes of the course, and must conform closely to the TOP code given to similar courses in other colleges around the state. The TOP code reflects the main discipline or subject matter. The TOP code is not based on local departmental structure, faculty qualifications, or budget groupings. A college that has difficulty identifying the most appropriate TOP code should contact the Chancellor s Office. The Chancellor s Office may change the proposed TOP code, if necessary, and will notify the college. Credit Course Approval Process Page 11

12 CB05: Transfer Status This data element indicates the transfer status of a course. The local college determines CSU transferability during the curriculum approval process. The designation of UC transferable requires UC approval. For the purposes of course submissions, the UC transferability indicated in this data element can be aspirational and subsequently amended if the course is denied this status upon UC review. Select the transfer status that corresponds with the previously selected CB04 Credit Status. Specifically, if CB04 is coded as D (Degree Applicable), then CB05 must be coded as A (Transferable to both UC and CSU) or B (Transferable to CSU only). If CB04 is coded as C (Not Degree Applicable) then CB05 must be coded C (Not Transferable). Course Units Maximum This data element indicates the maximum number of semester or quarter units of academic credit a student may earn from enrolling in a single section of the course. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units of academic credit a student may earn from enrolling in a single section of a course. This number must be entered as a decimal for example, one and one-half unit would be entered as 1.5. This number must be greater or equal to the number entered for CB07. Refer to the Courses and Program Approval Handbook for a detailed discussion of the relationship of hours to units to ensure the course units are in accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, section Course Units Minimum This data element indicates the minimum number of semester or quarter units of academic credit a student may earn from enrolling in a single section of the course. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units of academic credit a student may earn from enrolling in a single section of the course. This number must be entered as a decimal for example, one half unit would be entered as 0.5. This number must be less than or equal to the number entered for CB06. Refer to the Courses and Program Approval Handbook for a detailed discussion of the relationship of hours to units to ensure the course units are in accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, section CB08: Basic Skills Status This data element indicates the basic skills status of a course. Select the appropriate element B (Course is a basic skills course) or N (Course is not a basic skills course). If Credit Course Approval Process Page 12

13 this data element is coded as B (Course is a basic skills course), then the previously selected CB04: Credit Status must be coded as C (Not Degree Applicable). CB09: Student Accountability Model (SAM) Priority Code This data element indicates the SAM code. Select the appropriate SAM Priority Code: A (Apprenticeship), B (Advanced Occupational), C (Clearly Occupational), D (Possibly Occupational), or E (Non-occupational). SAM Codes are defined as follows: (A) Apprenticeship (offered to apprentices only) Apprenticeship courses are designed for an apprentice and must have the approval of the State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, and Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Apprenticeship Course Examples Carpentry, Plumbing or Electrician (B) Advanced Occupational (not limited to apprentices) Advanced occupational courses are those taken by students in the advanced stages of their occupational programs. A B course is offered in one specific occupational area only and clearly labels its taker as a major in this area. The course may be a capstone course that is taken as the last requirement for a career technical education program. Priority letter B should be assigned sparingly; in most cases no more than two courses in any one program should be labeled B. Each B level course must have a C level prerequisite in the same program area. Some examples of B level courses are: Dental Pathology, Advanced Radiology Technology, Fire Hydraulics, Livestock and Dairy Selections, Real Estate Finance, Cost Accounting. (C ) Clearly Occupational Clearly occupational courses will generally be taken by students in the middle stages of their programs and should be of difficulty level sufficient to detract drop-ins. A C level course may be offered in several occupational programs within a broad area such as business or agriculture. The C priority, however, should also be used for courses within a specific program area when the criteria for B classification are not met. A C level course should provide the student with entry-level job skills. Some examples of C level courses are: Soils, Principles of Advertising, Air Transportation, Clinical Techniques, Principles of Credit Course Approval Process Page 13

14 Patient Care, Food and Nutrition, Sanitation/Safety, Small Business Management, Advanced Keyboarding, Technical Engineering. (D) Possibly Occupational Possibly occupational courses are those taken by students in the beginning stages of their occupational programs. The D priority can also be used for service (or survey) courses for other occupational Programs. Some examples of D level courses are: Technical Mathematics, Graphic Communications, Elementary Mechanical Principles, Fundamentals of Electronics, Keyboarding (beginning or intermediate), or Accounting (beginning). (E) Non-Occupational Non-occupational courses are not occupational. The SAM Priority Code selected must correspond with the CB03: TOP Code selected (for example, if a vocational or career technical TOP code is selected as denoted by an asterisk (*), then CB09: SAM Priority Code must equal A (Apprenticeship), B (Advanced Occupational), C (Clearly Occupational), or D (Possibly Occupational) and respectively cannot equal E (Non-occupational). CB10: Cooperative Work Experience This this data element indicates whether the course is part of a cooperative work experience education program, according to the provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, Section Select one of the following: C (part of a cooperative work experience educational program) or N (not part of a cooperative work experience educational program). CB11: Course Classification Status This data element classifies a course in accordance with its primary objective. This field is automatically populated with Y denoting the Classification Status is a Credit Course. CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) This data element indicates whether the course is an approved special class according to the provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, Section Select one of the following options: S (designated as an approved special class for disabled students) or N (not a special class). CB21: Prior Transfer Level This data element indicates the course-level status for English, writing, ESL, reading and mathematics courses. Indicate the relationship of the course to college level by selecting one of the following eight options: Y (Not applicable), A (One level below Credit Course Approval Process Page 14

15 transfer), B (Two levels below transfer), C (Three levels below transfer), D (Four levels below transfer), E (Five levels below transfer), F (Six levels below transfer), or G (Seven levels below transfer). CB21: Prior Transfer Level selected must correspond with the CB05: Transfer Status selected as well as with processing edit checks in the MIS Data Element Dictionary (DED); please consult the DED for a complete listing of fidelity and integrity checks for this element. Additionally, extensive rubrics were created to determine appropriate coding for this element. These rubrics can be found on the Basic Skills Initiative website at CB22: Noncredit Category This data element field is designed for noncredit courses. This field is automatically populated with Y denoting the course is credit course, Not Applicable. CB23: Funding Agency Category This data element describes whether or not a Chancellor s Office Workforce and Economic Development grant was used to fully or partially develop a course and/or curriculum. Select one of the following three options: A (primarily developed using Economic Development funds), B (partially developed using Economic Development Funds, exceeding 40% of total development costs), or Y (not applicable). CB24: Program Status This data element indicates whether or not a course is part of an educational program (Cal. Code of Regs., tit. 5, 55000). Enter 1 into this field for courses that are part of an approved program and 2 for programs that are not program applicable, or stand alone. Courses that are being submitted as part of a new or revised program should be submitted with a value of 1 in this field indicating that they are intended to be in a program, rather than stand alone. District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and courses require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the course was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the course. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the course. Catalog Description In the Catalog Description box, enter the catalog description exactly as it will appear in Credit Course Approval Process Page 15

16 the college catalog and in the Course Outline of Record (COR). Refer to Title 5 and the ASCCC document titled, The Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide (2008) available at for additional information about catalog descriptions. Justification box A brief description of the background and rationale for the course should be entered in this box. This might include a description of a degree or certificate for which the course is required or the relationship of this course to other courses in the same or other disciplines. Please note that a justification stating student need will not suffice. Supporting Documentation A credit course proposal requires only one item as supporting documentation the Course Outline of Record (COR). The Chancellor s Office review process requires the submission of a course outline of record that meets the standards for courses established in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section and contains, at a minimum, the following elements: The course outline of record shall specify: Unit value Contact hours for the course as a whole Prerequisites, co-requisites or advisories on recommended preparation Catalog description Objectives Content in terms of a specific body of knowledge Types or examples of required reading and writing assignments Other outside-of-class assignments Instructional methodology Methods of evaluation In addition to these components, chancellor s office review of credit courses requires the submission of all MIS data elements listed in in this document. While there is no regulatory requirement that these are listed on the COR, good practice suggests that MIS data elements should be included as part of the local curriculum review and submission process, whether on the COR or on attachments to the COR. Refer to the Courses and Program Approval Handbook for a detailed discussion of the components of the COR. Additionally, for a detailed discussion of good practices related to COR development and explanations of the standards for local course approval set forth in title 5, refer to the Academic Senate paper titled, The Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide (2008) which can be downloaded Credit Course Approval Process Page 16

17 from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) website at under the publications tab. Credit Course Approval Process Page 17

18 Checklist for a New Course Proposal This submission checklist provides a quick reference check for a credit course proposal submission; please refer to the detailed discussion of each field in this guide to ensure all requirements are met. Proposal fields All fields must be complete, no fields should be left blank. CB04: Credit Status CB01: Department Number CB02: Course Title District Governing Board Approval Date Catalog Description Justification of the new course Supporting Documentation The Course Outline of Record (COR) CB03: TOP Code CB05: Transfer Status Course Units Maximum Course Units Minimum CB08: Basic Skills Status CB09: SAM Priority Code CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) CB21: Prior Transfer Level CB22: Noncredit Category CB23: Funding Agency Category CB24: Program Status District Governing Board Approved Credit Course Approval Process Page 18

19 Overview of the CCCCO Credit Course Revision, Reactivation, and Inactivation Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all credit courses shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval (if applicable) The District Governing Board must approval all credit courses (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a). Refer to local college and/or district policies to determine if course revisions require District Governing Board approval. Step 3. Submit the course revision, reactivation, or inactivation proposal to the CCCCO Once a course revision, reactivation or deactivation has received local curriculum committee and applicable District Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the course to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The two types of course revisions are explained later in this section. Credit course nonsubstantial change proposals are expedited by the Chancellor s Office. The community college must ensure the following: The credit course nonsubstantial change proposal is in accordance to the Chancellor s Office Program and Course Approval Handbook; The course hours and units for each course is correct in accordance to the Chancellor s Office Course Calculations as defined in the Program and Course Approval Handbook; The current course outline of record is attached to the course as recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee and approved by the District Governing Board (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a) The estimated timeline to receive approval for a substantive change is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Courses that do not have a CCCCO control number assigned to them will not be counted for MIS reporting which may impact the institutions apportionment as well as student enrollment. Step 4. Add the Course Revision or Reactivation to the College Catalog and Other Publications All course revisions, reactivations and deactivations must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to Amend a Credit Course Page 19

20 students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to curriculum@cccco.edu Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to CITechIssues@cccco.edu. Amend a Credit Course Page 20

21 Credit Course Revision Proposal Flowchart Approval Process Course Revision Proposal *Refer to local college and/or district policies Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) regarding requirements for the board of trustees approval of course revisions. **Course revisions may impact the college s MIS data submission. It is good practice to submit Board of Trustees Approval* (Ed. Code, 70902) course revisions after MIS data is collected for the last semester the existing version of the course is offered. CCCCO Approval** (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines Publish and Offer Revised Course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit courses must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Amend a Credit Course Page 21

22 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Proposal Action CB00: Course Control Number* CB04: Credit Status** CB01: Department Number Substantial Change Nonsubstantial Change Active to Inactive This data element is generated by the Chancellor s Office and may not be changed D Credit Degree Applicable C Credit Not Degree Applicable N Noncredit CB02: Course Title CB03: TOP Code** Select appropriate TOP Code CB05: Transfer Status A Transferable to both UC and CSU B Transferable to CSU only C Not Transferable CB06: Course Units Maximum** CB07: Course Units Minimum** CB08: Basic Skills Status** B Course is a basic skills course N Course is not a basic skills Course CB09: SAM Priority Code** A Apprenticeship B Advanced Occupational C Clearly Occupational D Possibly Occupational E Non-Occupational CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) N Is not part of a cooperative work experience education program C Is part of a cooperative work experience education program J Workforce Preparation Enhanced Funding K Other Noncredit Enhanced Funding L Non-Enhanced Funding Y Credit Course S Course is designated as an approved special class for students with disabilities N Course is not a special class Amend a Credit Course Page 22

23 CB21: Prior Transfer Level** A One level below transfer B Two levels below transfer C Three levels below transfer D Four levels below transfer E Five levels below transfer F Six levels below transfer G Seven levels below transfer H Eight levels below transfer Y Not Applicable CB22: Noncredit Category** Y Credit Course, Not Applicable (will automatically be selected) CB23: Funding Agency Category A This course was primarily developed using Economic Development Funds B This course was partially developed using Economic Development Funds (Economic funds exceed 40% of the total development costs) Y Not Applicable (Funding not used to develop course) CB24: Program Status 1 Program Applicable 2 Not Program Applicable District Governing Board Approval Date Catalog Description Justification By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and *CB00 (Course Control Number) is generated by the Chancellor s Office. This data element uniquely identifies a course and may not be altered by the reporting college/district. **A change to this data element is considered a substantial revision, a new control number (CB00) is required. Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Colleges may amend an active course record by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, or Active to Inactive. Substantial Change A substantial change is an action to create a new course record based upon an active course record. A substantial change involves a change to any of the following MIS Course Data Elements: CB03, CB04, CB06, CB07, CB08, CB09, CB21, and/or CB22. Additionally, if the qualitative content of a course has substantially changed, a new Amend a Credit Course Page 23

24 course control number is required. The interpretation of substantially changed qualitative content refers to the extent to which the college faculty deem changes as substantially or fundamentally changing the COR content required in accordance with Tile 5, (Standards and Criteria for Courses). A substantial change will initiate a new control number (CB00) once the proposal is approved by the chancellor s office it is in essence a new course and requires its own unique control number. Either a proposal for a substantial change to an existing course or a proposal for a new course may be submitted to the Chancellor s Office the college may decide which type of submission is made via the CCC Curriculum Inventory. It is important to ensure a control number is assigned and the college retains active control numbers for MIS reporting of course enrollment. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is, is a minor change to an existing course that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A nonsubstantial change involves a change to any of the following MIS Course Data Elements: CB01, CB02, CB05, CB10, CB11, CB13, CB20, CB23, and/or CB24. When submitting a nonsubstantial change, select proposal fields will be unlocked for editing. Make desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation (course outline of record). Describe the change(s) and rationale for the changes in the Justification box on the proposal. After desired change(s) are made, submit the proposal to the Chancellor s Office for review. Active to Inactive The course status may be changed from active to inactive. This action is made effective immediately and will not issue a new control number. Inactive courses are maintained in the Curriculum Inventory for historical purposes. Inactive to Active The course status may be changed from inactive to active. This action is made effective immediately and will not issue a new control number. Amend a Credit Course Page 24

25 Checklist for Course Revision Proposal This submission checklist provides a quick reference check for a credit course proposal submission; please refer to the detailed discussion of each field in this guide to ensure all requirements are met. Proposal fields All fields must be complete, no fields should be left blank. CB04: Credit Status* CB01: Department Number CB02: Course Title CB03: TOP Code* CB05: Transfer Status District Governing Board Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Catalog Description Justification of the new course Supporting Documentation The Course Outline of Record (COR) Course Units Maximum* Course Units Minimum* CB08: Basic Skills Status* CB09: SAM Priority Code* CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) CB21: Prior Transfer Level* CB22: Noncredit Category* CB23: Funding Agency Category CB24: Program Status Amend a Credit Course Page 25

26 *A change to this data element is considered a substantial revision. A new control number (CB00) is required. Amend a Credit Course Page 26

27 Section 2 Preparing a Credit Program for CCCCO Approval Credit Program Page 27

28 Overview of Credit Programs An educational program is defined in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55000(g), as "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." All associate degrees and certificates of achievement that appear by name on a student transcript or diploma require Chancellor s Office approval, whether they are intended primarily for employment preparation (CTE), transfer (ADT), transfer preparation, as a record of academic achievement, or to fulfill other community needs. Program Types All associate degrees in the California Community College system are classified in four general categories: Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A. T) Associate in Science for Transfer (A.S. T) Associate of Arts (A.A.) Associate of Science (A.S.) Certificates of Achievement, defined in title 5, section 55070, are the only credit certificates that may appear by name on a student transcript, diploma, or completion award. Colleges must submit programs of 18 or more semester u its or 27 or more quarter units of degree-- applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval. Colleges may submit programs of 12 or more semester units or 18 or more quarter units of degree-- applicable coursework for Chancellor s office approval in order that the program may be included in the student transcript. Program Goal All programs submitted for Chancellor s Office review are required to state the primary goal of the program. This program goal is used to determine the standards and documentation for approval, but is not a component of state data tracking or reports and is not included for MIS data submissions. The three program goals are: Transfer: limited to ADTs and Certificates of Achievement for CSU GE or IGETC. Career Technical Education (CTE): limited to programs in a CTE TOP code. May include both CTE and transfer goals. Local: all other AA and AS degrees and certificates, not in a CTE TOP code, that are developed to meet locally defined needs Credit Programs Page 28

29 consistent with the system mission, including transfer preparation. This section is organized as follows: Associate Degrees: Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) AA-T and AS-T Career Technical Education (CTE) AA and AS Degrees Local AA and AS Degrees Certificates of Achievement: CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Patterns Certificate of Achievement CTE Certificate of Achievement Local (Non-CTE) Other types of Programs: Apprenticeships Collaborative Programs Credit Programs Page 29

30 Associate Degrees Associate Degree Page 30

31 Chancellor s Office Associate in Arts (A.A.-T) and Associate in Science (A.S.-T) for Transfer Degrees Approval Process sand Submission Guidelines Associate Degree for Transfer Page 31

32 Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) were developed in response to Senate Bill (SB) 1440 (Padilla) and subsequent revisions to California Education Code section 66746(a) that required community colleges to develop and offer associate degrees for transfer which fulfills the lower division component of a baccalaureate major at a California State University. The these degrees allow students to fulfill lower division major requirements at a community college and guarantee transfer with junior status at a CSU. Students who complete an ADT and transfer to a similar major at a CSU are guaranteed a pathway to finish their baccalaureate degrees in 60 semester or 90 quarter units. These degrees require students to meet both of the following requirements In addition, Education Code, 66746(b) prohibits a community college district from imposing any additional course requirements, in addition to these requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer. Furthermore,, Education Code, 66746(b), prohibits allowing remedial noncollegiate level coursework to be counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer (A.A.-T or A.S.-T). Title 5, 55002(b), describes such courses as nondegree-applicable credit courses. The following criteria are used to identify the programs in each CCC s Curriculum Inventory that are included in the SB 440 ADT development requirement: 1. Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following: a. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements (CSU GE-B) b. A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district. 2. Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0 The law authorizing these degrees also requires that students must earn a C or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A P (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in the major if Associate Degree for Transfer Page 32

33 the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. Education Code section 66746(b) prohibits a community college district from imposing any additional course requirements, in addition to these requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer, and subdivision (e) prohibits allowing remedial non-collegiate level coursework to be counted toward the units required for the associate degree for transfer (A.A.-T or A.S.-T). California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55002(b), describes such courses as non-degree applicable credit courses. Degree Standards The following standards apply to the development and approval of the Associate Degree for Transfer: 60 semester or 90 quarter units Minimum 18 semester or 27 quarter units in major or area of emphasis Must use CSU GE-B or IGETC May include transferable electives to reach 60 semester or 90 quarter units No local graduation requirements Must align with structure of TMC Constituent courses must have either C-ID or articulation / transfer status with CSU as specified on the TMC and CO Template. Major or Area of Emphasis: Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) An inter-segmentally developed Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) defines the major or area of emphasis for all ADT degrees. In the implementation process for SB 1440 and Education Code section 66746, the ASCCC, in collaboration with the CSU Academic Senate, has developed a Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) for certain majors that have been identified for students who transfer from a California community college to CSU. According to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55063, and Education Code, section 66746, the associate degree must include a major or area of emphasis consisting of a minimum of 18 semester or 27 quarter units. TMCs were developed as a means of facilitating a statewide response to the mandate that all California community colleges offer associate degrees for transfer. Draft TMCs are developed by intersegmental faculty (CCC and CSU, primarily) in the discipline and then made available for vetting at Associate Degree for Transfer Page 33

34 Once a TMC template is finalized, CCC faculty may then develop degrees that align with the TMC. The designators for these aligned TMC degrees are Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (A.S-T) When an associate degree for transfer is approved by the CCC Chancellor s Office, the CSU Chancellor s Office will be notified so that the approved associate degree may be included in the CSU Mentor transfer application and in other publications. This data is used to identify eligible students who apply to the CSU for admission as described in Education Code section Section of the Education Code requires that community colleges create an associate degree for transfer when they offer a degree in the same discipline (i.e., shares the same TOP Code) as an existing transfer model curriculum (TMC) according to the following timelines: 1. For any approved transfer model curriculum finalized prior to the start of the academic year, a community college must create an associate degree for transfer in the major and area of emphasis offered by that college, before the start of the academic year 2. For any approved transfer model curriculum approved subsequent to the commencement of the academic year, a community college must create an associate degree for transfer in every major and area of emphasis offered by that college within 18 months of the approval of the transfer model curriculum A TMC is considered to have final approval when the TMC Template is posted by the CCC Chancellor s Office. The approved TMC templates are located on the Chancellor s Office Academic Affairs Division ( website under the Transfer Model Curriculum section. Chancellor s Office A.A.-T and A.S.-T Degree Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new AA-T and AS-T degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes Associate Degree for Transfer Page 34

35 faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all AA-T and AS-T degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record, transfer model curriculum (TMC) template, and applicable transfer documentation. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit Courses with a C-ID descriptor for C-ID Approval C-ID articulation is required for courses to be included on the TMC template when a C-ID descriptor is listed. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Associate Degree for Transfer Page 35

36 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Associate Degree for Transfer Page 36

37 A.A.-T/A.S.-T Degree Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) C-ID Approval of Courses (C-ID Articulation is required before submitting the program to the CCCCO) Transfer Model Curriculum Template (TMC) New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Transfer Documentation CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Associate Degree for Transfer Page 37

38 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select Y-A.A.-T Degree or X-A.S.-T Degree) College has submitted all courses with C-ID descriptors to C-ID for review A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program Yes No This proposal cannot be submitted to the Chancellor s Office for review and approval until all of the applicable C-ID courses have received C-ID articulation. Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select only one) Program TOP Code: C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer O Other Designed to meet community needs Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Minimum): Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Maximum): Total Units for Degree (Minimum): Total Units for Degree (Maximum): Annual Completers: Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; Associate Degree for Transfer Page 38

39 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields approximately FTEF) New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Distance Education Yes No 0% 1-49% % District Governing Board Approval Date By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Associate Degree for Transfer Page 39

40 Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select the pre-designed program award (A.A.-T or A.S.-T) as noted on the Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) template. No deviations are allowed. C-ID This field indicates the C-ID status of the courses. Typically, all required core courses are identified by a C-ID descriptor, which sets the minimum standards for what should be included in the Course Outline of Record. When a C-ID descriptor is listed on the template, C-ID articulation is required for the course to be included in that section of the template. Select yes, to indicate the college has submitted all courses with C-ID descriptors to C-ID for review. Proposals cannot be submitted to the Chancellor s Office for review and approval until all courses have received the C-ID articulation. Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the pre-designated program title noted as CCC Major or Area of Emphasis on the TMC template; no deviations are allowed. Do not include descriptors, such as degree or for transfer in the title because these descriptors are attached to the title in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. For example, enter Anthropology for the Associate in Arts in Anthropology for Transfer Degree. Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Transfer. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the pre-designated TOP Code as noted on the TMC Template. No deviations are allowed. Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The unit value must match the units listed on the TMC Template. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The unit value must Associate Degree for Transfer Page 40

41 match the units listed on the TMC Template. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates the total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. In accordance with California Education Code section 66746(b), community colleges shall not any requirements in addition to the requirements of this section, including any local college or district requirements. Enter 60 semester or 90 quarter units as the minimum units. ADT degrees must require 60 semester or 90 quarter units. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. In accordance with California Education Code section 66746(b), community colleges shall not any requirements in addition to the requirements of this section, including any local college or district requirements. Enter 60 semester or 90 quarter units as the maximum units. ADT degrees must require 60 semester or 90 quarter units. Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the degree each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Estimated FTE Faculty Workload This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the program, in the program s first full-year of operation, regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the ADT during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three part- Associate Degree for Transfer Page 41

42 time positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the ADT and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the ADT. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Apprenticeship This field indicates whether or not if the ADT is an apprenticeship program. No will be automatically selected. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Associate Degree for Transfer Page 42

43 Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new ADT programs require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record, TMC template. These requirements are described in more detail below. Narrative Template for Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs) Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. When referring to ADT throughout the narrative, please use the following convention Associate in Arts or Associate in Science (in an approved discipline ) for Transfer. For example, Associate in Arts in History for Transfer. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Identify the California State University (CSU) baccalaureate degree program(s) for which the students will be prepared to enter upon successful completion of the ADT. Additionally, the intent of the ADT is to assist students in seamlessly transferring to a CSU; ensure that the narrative discussion makes references to this primary focus of the law. Helpful Tips Program Goals and Objectives Refers to the ADT using the following naming convention Associate in Arts or Associate in Science (in approved discipline) for transfer. For example, Associate in Arts in History for Transfer ; Identifies the goals and objectives for the program; Identifies the CSU baccalaureate degree programs for which students will be prepared to enter upon successful completion of the ADT; Identifies the intent of the ADT is to assist students in seamlessly transferring to a CSU; May include the program level student learning outcomes (SLOs); Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description of the proposed ADT represents a commitment to the student and must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. Additionally, Associate Degree for Transfer Page 43

44 include an overview of the knowledge and skills students will demonstrate upon completion. Pursuant to SB 1440 (Padilla, 2010), and California Education Code, 66746, amended by SB 440 (Padilla, 2013), the description must also include the following completion requirements: 1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following: a) The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements. b) A minimum of 18 semester or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district. 2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0. If the ADT program goal selected is Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer, list the potential careers students may enter upon completion. Helpful Tips Catalog Description The catalog description must: Be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog; Refer to the ADT using the following naming convention Associate in Arts or Associate in Science in (approved discipline) for Transfer. For example, Associate in Arts in History for Transfer ; Include an overview of the knowledge and skills students will demonstrate upon completion; Include ADT completion requirements pursuant to SB 440 (as cited in Supporting Documentation narrative subsection of this Guide); (1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following: (A) The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements. (B) A minimum of 18 semester or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district. (2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0. A list of the potential careers students may enter upon completion if the ADT program goal selected Associate Degree for Transfer Page 44

45 Items #3-7 No written response is required for Narrative Items #3-7. All ADTs are developed in accordance with Pursuant to SB 1440 (Padilla, 2010), and California Education Code, 66746, amended by SB 440 (Padilla, 2013). SB 1440 was authorized with alignment and in compliance with Title 5, and ADTS and corresponding transfer model curriculum (TMC) were developed collaboratively by intersegmental discipline faculty from the community colleges and the CSU. ADTS assist local community colleges in meeting master plan goals of enhancing transfer opportunities for students. Important note: Education Code 66746(b) prohibits community college districts from imposing any additional course requirements for a student to be eligible for an ADT, and Education Code 66746(e), prohibits allowing non-collegiate level coursework to be counted toward the units required for an ADT. If the college normally requires students to complete additional graduation requirements to obtain an associate degree, the catalog description must clearly state that the ADT does not require them. Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course listed on the Course Report and TMC Template in the Required Core and if present List A, List B, and List C. General Education course outlines are not required to be attached to the proposal. Note: For an ADT to be reviewed and approved by the CCCCO, effective January 1, 2013, all courses that appear on the TMC Template in the Required Core and List A for which a C-ID descriptor exists, must have the corresponding college Course Outline of Record (COR) submitted to C-ID ( Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) Template The Chancellor s Office develops a template for each approved TMC. The TMC templates are located on the Chancellor s Office Academic Affairs Division website under the Transfer Model Curriculum Section. The current, completed TMC template must be attached to all ADT submissions. Ensure the top two common errors are mitigated: 1) The College Name is entered in the space provided above the course grid; Associate Degree for Transfer Page 45

46 2) The number or range of total units for the major entered aligns with the total units for the major or area of emphasis proposal fields in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. C---ID or ASSIST Articulation Documentation The template specifies all of the courses that may be included in the ADT and the documentation required for each course when the degree is submitted for approval. Typically, all required core courses are identified by a C-- ID descriptor, the minimum standards for what should be included the course outline of record. When a C-ID descriptor is listed on the template, C ID articulation is required for the course(s) to be included in that section of the template. Additional information on C-ID descriptors and C-ID articulation is located on For example, as shown below the economics TMC lists C-ID Descriptors, ECON 202, 201, and MATH 110. The college courses designed to articulate with the C-ID descriptors must have C-ID approval before the ADT may be approved by the Chancellor s Office. C-ID Articulation Required Transfer Documentation Courses on the template that do not need an approved C-ID descriptor require different documentation to justify the inclusion of the course. These include: Articulation Agreement by Major (AAM) demonstrating lower division preparation Associate Degree for Transfer Page 46

47 at one CSU campus CSU Baccalaureate Level Course List (BCT) by Department showing the courses are CSU transferable CSU GE Certification Course List by Area (GECC) identifying the transfer general education area(s) for which the course was approved Please refer to the TMC Template for the specific type of transfer documentation required for the ADT discipline is listed on the TMC Template. The acronyms AAM, BCT, and GECC will appear in the C-ID Descriptor column directly next to the course to indicate which report needs to be attached to the proposal to support the inclusion of the course in the ADT. Transfer documentation for inclusion the application may be located on the articulation website ( ). AAM Articulation Agreement by Major Documentation Required BCCT Baccalaureate Level Course List Documentation Required GECC CSU GE Certification Course List Documentation Required Articulation and transfer reports may be downloaded from the ASSIST website ( ASSIST is the official online repository of articulation for California s Associate Degree for Transfer Page 47

48 public colleges and universities. ASSIST provides the most up-to-date information about student transfer in California. Double Counting for General Education The TMC template also requires the IGETC and CSU-GE Breadth status of each course and how the units may be double counted, i.e., how the units may be used to fulfill both major preparation and transfer general education requirements. The general guidelines for double counting are: The maximum number of double counted units is limited to the number of units assigned to each GE Area (see Submission and Approval Guide for a listing of CSU GE and IGETC areas and assigned units). Example: A college s Calculus course is 5 units maximum number of units allowed for CSU GE-- B Area B4 units of the Calculus course can be double counted for the CSU GE-- B Area B4 or IGETC Area 2. Courses can only be double counted in one GE Area. Double Counting Example The Early Childhood Education Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) identifies C-ID CDEV 100 as applicable to CSU GE Area D and Area E. However, the double counted units can only apply to either CSU GE Area D or E, but not both. (The course maximum for either CSU GE Area D or E is 3.) See Appendix XX for additional guidance regarding double counting. Associate Degree for Transfer Page 48

49 Checklist for an Associate in Arts for Transfer or Associate in Science for Transfer Degree Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Title C-ID Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Program Narrative o Item 1. Statement of Program Goals and Objectives o Item 2. Catalog Description Course Outlines of Record Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) Template Transfer Documentation Associate Degree for Transfer Page 49

50 Amend an Existing ADT Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an Existing ADT Colleges may amend an active ADTs by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change A substantial change is an action to create a program record based upon an active program record. At this time no substantial changes may be made to an approved (active) ADT. A new proposal must be submitted to the Curriculum Inventory. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing ADT, that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to an ADT entails the addition or removal of courses from an active ADT. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes the following is required: The course report must be updated to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record are attached as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report. Submit a revised CCCCO approved Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) Template. Please ensure you have the most recent version available for the discipline prior to submitting your curriculum proposal to the Chancellor s Office for review. Revision dates are shown at the top right header of each template. Submit revised appropriate ASSIST documentation as follows: Articulation Agreement by Major (AAM) demonstrating lower division preparation in the major at a CSU; CSU Baccalaureate Level Course List by Department (BCT) for the transfer courses; and/or, CSU GE Certification Course List by Area (GECC). Please refer to the TMC Template for additional information. Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 50

51 Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active ADT degree inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate an ADT which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make an ADT active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Overview of the Chancellor s Office A.A.-T and A.S.-T Degree Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all AA-T and AS-T degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all AA-T and AS-T degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 51

52 Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record, transfer model curriculum (TMC) template, and applicable transfer documentation. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit Courses with a C-ID descriptor for C-ID Approval C-ID articulation is required for courses to be included on the TMC template when a C-ID descriptor is listed. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Courses that do not have a CCCCO control number assigned to them will not be counted for MIS reporting which may impact the institutions apportionment as well as student enrollment. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Submit a revised CCCCO approved transfer model curriculum (TMC) template. Ensure you have the most recent version available for the discipline prior to submitting your curriculum proposal to the Chancellor s Office for review. The TMC templates are located on the Chancellor s Office Academic Affairs Division website under the Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 52

53 Transfer Model Curriculum Section. Revision dates are shown at the top right header of each template. Template Version and Date Submit revised transfer documentation. Please refer to the TMC Template for the specific type of transfer documentation required for the ADT discipline. Articulation and transfer reports may be downloaded from the ASSIST website at ASSIST is the official online repository of articulation for California s public colleges and universities and provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 53

54 Flowchart to Amend and Existing A.A.-T/A.S.-T Degree Approval Process Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Udpate Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) C-ID Approval of Courses (C-ID Articulatio is required before submitting the program to the CCCCO) Transfer Model Curriculum Template (TMC) Transfer Documentation Amend a Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 54

55 Checklist to Amend an Associate in Arts for Transfer or Associate in Science for Transfer Degree Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Proposal Type: Program Title C-ID Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Program Narrative o Item 1. Statement of Program Goals and Objectives o Item 2. Catalog Description Course Outlines of Record Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) Template Transfer Documentation Amend an Associate Degree for Transfer Page 55

56 Chancellor s Office Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) Career Technical Education (CTE) Degrees Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 56

57 Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. The standards for all associate degrees are set forth in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section These include demonstrated competence in reading, in written expression, and in mathematics, and satisfactory completion of at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree--applicable credit course work in a major or area of emphasis, general education and elective courses, if needed to meet the minimum unit requirement. Associate degrees are classified as CTE when they are in a Taxonomy of Program (TOP) code designated as career technical education or vocational in the TOP Manual. CTE degrees may include transfer preparation as a component or as the primary intent of the program. TOP Code Manual For reference, the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Career Technical Education or vocational TOP Codes are denoted with an asterisk (*). Degree Standards The following standards apply to the development and approval of the CTE associate degree: Minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units; Minimum 18 semester or 27 quarter units in major or area of emphasis as described in 55063(a); General Education: any pattern allowed by regulations as determined by the college in accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55061; May include local graduation requirements; Must be offered in a vocational TOP code; Must be approved by appropriate Regional Consortium; and May be designed for both CTE and transfer preparation. Chancellor s Office A.A and A.S. CTE Degree Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new associate degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 57

58 established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all associate degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in the major or area of emphasis, labor market information (LMI), advisory committee recommendation, regional consortium approval, appropriate transfer preparation documentation if the program is designed for both CTE and transfer preparation. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 58

59 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 59

60 A.A./A.S. CTE Degree Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Labor Market Information New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Advisory Committee Recommendation Regional Consortium Approval Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines [ Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) CTE Regional Consortium Approval CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 60

61 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select A-A.A. Degree or S-A.S.-T Degree) Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select only one) Program TOP Code: A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer Preparation O Other Designed to meet community needs For CTE programs choose appropriate vocational TOP Code denoted with an asterisk (*) Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Minimum): Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Maximum): Total Units for Degree (Minimum): Total Units for Degree (Maximum): Annual Completers: Net Annual Labor Demand: (CTE Only) Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; approximately FTEF) Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 61

62 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Distance Education Yes No 0% 1-49% % CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Yes No All CTE programs require CTE regional consortium approval By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 62

63 Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select only one program award. The Chancellor s Office supports the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges (ASCCC) resolution 9.06, spring 2008, in which associate degrees are classified as follows: Associate of Science (A.S.) is strongly recommended for any science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field and for all CTE programs. Associate of Arts (A.A.) is strongly recommended for all other disciplines. All new associate degree majors and areas of emphasis are required to be separately approved. Each proposed program must be submitted individually. Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the exact title that is proposed for the catalog. The title must clearly and accurately reflect the scope and level of the program. Do not include descriptors, such as degree or for transfer in the title because these descriptors are attached to the title in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. For example, enter Biotechnology. Note the Associate Degree for Transfer is reserved for degrees that comply with Education Code section Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Career Technical Education or Career Technical Education and Transfer Preparation. Note, only the program goal of transfer is limited to ADTs and Certificates of Achievement for CSU GE or IGETC. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the appropriate TOP Code. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational TOP code. Refer to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, which may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The number of semester or quarter units reported here should include only required courses, restricted electives, and closely associated prerequisites. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 63

64 Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The number of semester or quarter units reported here should include only required courses, restricted electives, and closely associated prerequisites. Note If the degree major or area of emphasis units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates minimum the total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. Enter the minimum total units required to complete the degree including the units in the item above, plus all required general education, open electives, and other requirements. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the maximum total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. Enter the maximum total units required to complete the degree including the units in the item above, plus all required general education, open electives, and other requirements. Note If the total units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the degree each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). An explanation for this entry must be provided in the Program Narrative, 5. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Net Annual Labor Demand: This field indicates the workforce demand for program graduates. Enter the estimated number of annual job openings, minus the annual number of program completers of Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 64

65 other programs within the same service area or counties in the college service areas. The projected net annual labor demand should be based on regional data. The number entered here must be explicitly stated and consistent with the Labor Market and Analysis provided as supporting documentation. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Estimated FTE Faculty Workload This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the program, in the program s first full-year of operation, regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the degree during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three parttime positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the degree and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the degree. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 65

66 Gainful Employment This field indicates if the program meets U.S. Department of Education gainful employment criteria. A complete set of resource documents is available on the U.S. Department of Education website under the Gainful Employment Information section ( Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Note This data is used for Chancellor s Office generated reports only. It is the sole responsibility of the college to submit gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education. The college may use or modify the detailed records created by the Chancellor s Office or elect to use their own records. Apprenticeship This field indicates whether or not if the degree is an apprenticeship program. See the apprenticeship section for further information and guidelines. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. CTE Regional Consortium Approved This field validates the program has received the appropriate CTE Regional Consortium approval. For programs with a selected program goal of Career Technical Education (CTE), by selecting yes, the college certifies that the degree was approved by the CTE regional consortium (including delegated authority), pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130(b)(8)(E). District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new associate degree programs require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record, labor market information, advisory committee Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 66

67 recommendation, regional consortium approval, appropriate transfer preparation documentation from the list of allowable documents if the program is designed for both CTE and transfer preparation. These requirements are described in more detail on page XX. Narrative Template for CTE Associate Degrees Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Based upon the program goals, objectives appropriate to these goals, and program design consistent with these objectives, the determination is made as to whether the proposed program is appropriate to the mission of the local college and community college system. For example, a program must be directed at the appropriate level for community colleges that is, it must not be directed at a level beyond the certificate or the first two years of college. Similarly, a program must address a valid transfer, occupational, basic skills, civic education, or lifelong learning purpose. The program may not be primarily avocational or recreational. The statement of goals and objectives serves to define the degree over time and is one of the major factors in determining whether future changes to the degree are considered substantial or nonsubstantial for Chancellor s Office review purposes. The program goal(s) must address a valid occupational purpose and may address transfer preparation. The statement must include the main competencies students will have achieved that are required for a specific occupation. The statement must, at a minimum, clearly indicate the specific occupation(s) or field(s) the program will prepare students to enter and the basic occupational competencies students will acquire. Student Selection and Fees: If the program is selective, describe relevant entry criteria, the selection process for admission to the program, and compliance with provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and Similarly, specify all mandatory fees (for materials, insurance, travel, and/or uniforms) that students will Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 67

68 incur, for the program as a whole or any of its constituent courses, aside from the ordinary course enrollment fee prescribed in Education Code section Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. The description must include program requirements, prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations, student learning outcomes, and information relevant to the program goal. The Chancellor s Office recommends the following: Convey the associate degree s goal(s) and objectives; suggest how they differ from the goals and objectives of other programs Provide an overview of the knowledge and skills that students who complete the requirements must demonstrate (student learning outcomes) List all prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations Suggest some caveats that students must be aware of where job market data or other factors are documented in the proposal. These warnings must be as clearly conveyed in the catalog description as possible. The catalog description needs to mention any risks, such as occupations that are inherently competitive or low-salaried and/or occupational areas where inexperienced graduates are not generally hired. If the associate degree program goal selected is Career Technical Education (CTE), then the description must list the potential careers students may enter upon completion. If applicable, advise students if this is a high-unit program (more than 60 semester or 90 quarter units) and how this impacts degree completion If applicable, reference accrediting and/or licensing standards including an explanation of any departures from the standards. In some occupations, while there is no legal requirement for a license to practice, there is a widely recognized certification provided by a professional association. For example, the American Massage Therapy Association certifies massage therapists; the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors certify counselors in that field. In these cases, the Chancellor s Office expects that the description will specify whether the program will fully prepare completers for the recognized professional certification. The description must also convey what students may expect as an outcome. The catalog description represents a commitment to the student. For a program designed with scaffolds among program awards, ensure the catalog description describes but does not overstate this relationship. Assertions of transfer applicability as well as career applicability must be reasonable and capable of being documented. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 68

69 Item 3. Program Requirements The program requirements must be consistent with the catalog description (as entered in Item 2 above). This section should include the number of units, specific course requirements and design of individual courses, and the sequence of the courses must be coherent, complete, and appropriate, given the program objectives and the resources with which the college has to work. The Chancellor s Office will rely on the educational judgment of local faculty within the discipline and curriculum committees in regard to the appropriateness of program requirements. Display the program requirements in a table format that includes all courses required for completion of the program (core requirements and required or restricted electives), subtotal of core units, general education pattern/s (local, CSU-GE-Breadth, or IGETC), number of units for each pattern, and total program units. For each course, indicate the course department number, course title, and unit value. Course Sequence (Recommended Best Practice) ensure the program requirements demonstrate how the required courses must be completed in sequence by term (semester or quarter), including prerequisite courses if applicable. The sequence must be arranged so that a full-time student could complete a degree program in two years, except in the case of a high-unit technical or health occupation program where a sequence longer than two years is necessary. Students who begin college in need of developmental courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics may need more than two years to complete a two-year program. Ensure the general education requirement pattern(s) specified does not constrain students' individual general education choices unless specific general education courses are recommended to enhance student preparation for a field of study. The program requirements table may include the course sequence (as shown in the sample on the next page) or the course sequence may be shown separate from the program requirements table, so long as both are addressed in item three of the narrative. A sample table format (with program requirements and course sequence combined) is shown on the next page (for illustration purposes only): Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 69

70 Sample A.S. Biotechnoloy Requirements Dept. Name/# Course Title Units CSCU-GE* IGETC* District GE Sequence Required Core BIOL 215 Organismal Biology: Core I 5 Year 1, Fall BIOL 230 Introduction to Cell Biology: Core II 5 Year 1, Spring BIOL 240 General Microbiology 4 Year 1, Spring CHEM 234 Organic Chemistry I 3 Year 1, Fall CHEM 235 Organic Chemistry II 3 Year 2, Spring CHEM 237 Organic Chemistry Lab I 2 Year 2, Fall CHEM 238 Organic Chemistry Lab II 2 Year 1, Spring Required Major Total Completion of District GE (Possible double counting: units) Transferable electives (as needed to reach 60 units) TOTAL UNITS 24 units 60 units Proposed Sequence (Recommended Best Practice): Year 1, Fall = 15 units Year 1, Spring = 15 units Year 2, Fall = 15 units Year 2, Spring = 15 units TOTAL UNITS: 60 units Documentation of applicable general education requirements should be in the form of a range that, combined with the degree requirements, totals 60 semester or 90 quarter units (or higher, as justified in Narrative Item 4. Specific recommendations for appropriate general education course choices for students in this program may be included. If the total of required and general education courses may equal less than 60 semester or 90 quarter units, the college should include the range of other transferrable electives to make the total program requirements equal 60 semester or 90 quarter units. For all associate degrees, the courses designated for the program must, collectively, be sufficient to enable students to fulfill the program goals and meet the program objectives. Courses must be required that will address the college level communication and analytic skills necessary for success in a transfer program or that will generally enable graduating students to participate as full team members in a company, maintain Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 70

71 currency in rapidly changing fields, and/or advance in selected occupations over a lifetime. Colleges are required to explain how the set of program requirements reflect the thinking of the advisory committee, as indicated in advisory committee minutes that are submitted as part of the proposal. If the CTE program requirements do not reflect the advisory committee s recommendation, then the college must explain its departure from those recommendations. This item will be attached separately in the program proposal for Chancellor s Office review and approval. Item 4. Master Planning Given the stated goals and objectives, this discussion addresses the role the proposed program will fulfill in the college s mission and curriculum offerings, the placement of the proposed program in the district master plan, and how the program is appropriate to the objectives and conditions of higher education and community college education in California by confirming to statewide master planning (pursuant to Title 5 sections 55130(b)(6) and 55130(b)(7)). This discussion may include some history of the program proposal origins, a description of the program purpose, and/or the program s relevancy for the region and college including related community support. The proposal must demonstrate a need for the program that meets the stated goals and objectives in the region the college proposes to serve with the degree. Furthermore, a proposed new degree must not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college. Need is determined by multiple factors, including the master plan of the college or district and accreditation standards. Colleges are required to periodically review curriculum through program review, during which the faculty and administrators review the program requirements and related course content in consultation with appropriate advisory groups. Program review is a planning process whereby academic departments determine the future needs and goals of their educational programs. Both new and revised curriculum must reflect the fulfillment of this planning requirement. If any expenditure values were entered in proposal fields, then please explain the specific needs for facilities and equipment in this section. Note what is already available, what is planned or in some stage of development, and what would need to be acquired after approval in order to implement the program. Programs that require new facilities, major renovation to existing facilities, or an expenditure of over $100,000 in district and state funds for equipment must submit an itemized matrix that details program costs and anticipated revenue (either public or private), both for the initial year of operation and in the near future years. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 71

72 If applicable, this section may also be used to justify program objectives or the inclusion of a given course as a requirement. Similarly, high-unit programs (above 60 semester or 90 quarter units) must be addressed in this section by providing a rationale for the additional unit requirements (e.g.; mandate, law, baccalaureate requirement, etc.). Finally, if the selected program goal is Other Designed to meet local community needs, then a description of the community or other need leading to the program development is required. If the CTE program is to be offered in close cooperation with one or more specific employers, a discussion of the relationship must be provided. For example, an employer's facilities may be used to provide the training, or the program may be structured to meet training needs of a specific employer. The proposal must include an explanation of how the open enrollment requirements for California community college courses (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, and ) will be observed in this context. It is not necessary to repeat information covered elsewhere in the proposal, as long as the proposal includes a cross-reference to a page number or section number. If reference is made to appended meeting minutes, then corresponding section(s) in the minutes must be highlighted in the attachment. Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections This item should justify the number of projected students or annual completers to be awarded the degree each year after the program is fully established as entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory proposal field (discussed in sub-section one of this Guide). The justification must include either: (A) enrollment (student headcount) data or (B) a survey of prospective students and completer projections information. (A) Enrollment Data Use a table format (sample provided on the next page*) to provide final (not census) enrollment data for all required existing courses for the last two years to validate the need for this program in the college service area. Include course department number, course title, annual sections, and annual enrollment total. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 72

73 <Year 1> <Year 2> CB01: Course Department Number CB02: Course Title Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total *Use as many rows as required to provide requested data. As a point of reference, refer to the Chancellor's Office Data Mart ( click on the DATAMART hyperlink on the top right header) for historical completion rates by academic year for each TOP Code. (B) Survey (Optional) In the case of a survey, the survey questionnaire, a description of the population surveyed, and survey results must be included. If the associate degree program goal selected is Career Technical Education (CTE), then the enrollment and completer projections must be compared to the net annual labor demand projection entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory field and stated in the Labor Market Information and Analysis provided as Supporting Documentation. The data must demonstrate adequate demand for the completer projections. Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Before completing this section, review the college s existing program inventory in the CCC Curriculum Inventory, then address the following questions: 1. Do any active inventory records need to be made inactive or changed in connection with the approval of the proposed program? If yes, please specify. 2. Does the program replace any existing program(s) on the college s inventory? Provide relevant details if this program is related to the termination or scaling down of another program(s). 3. What related programs are offered by the college? Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 73

74 Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) If a CTE program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, briefly describe the attached transfer preparation documentation and how the degree prepares students for transfer. Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Describe all similar programs offered by colleges within commuting distance of the college, commonly known as the college service area. A brief description of each program is required. Pages from other colleges' catalogs may be included as additional attachments to the proposal in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Similarities and differences need to be described, and justification for a program of this type and in this region needs to be provided. In most instances, a college proposing a new program needs to make a convincing case that the existing capacities at other colleges are insufficient to meet the demand. If the proposed program has a different emphasis than similar programs at other colleges, targets a different market, demonstrates state-of-the-art offerings, or for a number of reasons will be a stronger program, documentation and/or explanation need to be provided. The college needs to provide evidence that faculty affiliated with the program proposal have been in communication with faculty offering similar programs at other community colleges, as well as with transfer institutions (if applicable). The college also must demonstrate how such communication helped to design the proposed program. When two or more colleges in the same region are seeking approval for new programs of a similar kind at or near the same time, evidence of collaboration is especially important. Generally, competition between districts is not an issue for transfer programs, nor is redundancy of offerings, since every college is presumed to have the right to offer a range of transfer majors. For transfer programs, the main reason for considering programs in neighboring colleges is to compare the program requirements. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 74

75 Supporting Documentation Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course listed on the Course Report and Narrative Item 3. General Education and recommended elective course outlines are not required to be attached to the proposal. Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis Pursuant to Education Code section 78015, labor market information (LMI) data are specifically required for new CTE programs. Current labor market information and analysis, or other comparable information, must show that jobs are available for program completers within the local service area of the individual college and/or that job enhancement or promotion justifies the proposed curriculum. Regional, statewide, or national labor market evidence may be included as supplementary support but evidence of need in the specific college service area or region is also necessary. The program proposal must include projections from LMI for the most applicable Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes and geographical regions to be served by the program. If these projections do not suggest adequate job openings in the college service area to provide employment for all program completers, then the proposal must explain what other factors may justify the program and make the LMI figures misleading. If LMI is not available, other data sources may include: Recent employer surveys Industry studies Regional economic studies Letters from employers attesting to the service area need Minutes of industry advisory committee meetings (beyond required advisory committee meeting minutes) Job advertisements for positions in the individual college s service area Newspaper or magazine articles on industry or employment trends Applicable studies or data from licensing agencies or professional associations A commonly referenced data source is the Employment Development Department s Labor Market Information system ( which provides statistical projections of growth in specific jobs by county (or labor market area) from. California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, requires the college seeking approval of a new program to show "the relation of the proposed program to a job market analysis." The applicable lines for the program being proposed on the printout of the data from the Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 75

76 LMI should be highlighted in the labor market analysis data documentation. It is insufficient to merely provide a link to the other applicable LMI source. Target the search for specific data and avoid including unnecessary or irrelevant statistical printouts in the proposal. Labor Market Analysis Suggested Areas of Discussion Net Job Given the number of enrollments that are projected for the program that are necessary to support it, are there enough openings locally to permit placement of the expected number of graduates? What is the viability of the job market? Has job market been declining slowly? Holding steady? Growing slowly? Growing rapidly? Recently emerging? Earning Potential What is the average initial salary placement? What is the average percentage of salary increase within 2 years? Within 5 years? Program Credibility/Career Potential Consider the following questions: Is there sufficient evidence that employers would preferentially hire or promote graduates with this education, other things being equal? How likely is it that employees with only the education provided by this program, and lacking experience, will be hired at all? Or that experienced employees with only this education would be promoted? If advanced degrees are typically needed for career advancement, will the courses required for this program transfer towards completion of the requirements for those degrees? Will the program s academic preparation permit students to stay current in their field? Does the program teach basic principles and theory, as well as applications? Is program current? Does the program curriculum contain sufficient rigor to assure the capacity to continue to follow the literature and learn new techniques? Does the program curriculum provide sufficient generality to allow for later shifts in a career or related careers? Does the program preparation provide significant secondary expertise to prepare Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 76

77 Emerging Occupations Competitive Fields students for primary careers? Is the program designed primarily or in part to meet the needs of those already employed for upward mobility, entrepreneurship, or other career advancement(s)? Does the program prepare students to work in an ethnically diverse workforce and an ethnically diverse, global market? In circumstances where job market data are not available or are not appropriate for a new occupational program such as in an area of emerging social need or technology, it becomes important to provide a careful analysis and explication of the specific demands of this new occupation. It is in anticipating emerging demands that colleges can play an essential leadership role, but can also most readily be misled as to the actual job requirements or prospects in a field and thus inadvertently mislead students. A carefully designed employer survey can elicit documentation of the fact that (a) employers share the college's assumption as to where the field is going and what skills this emerging industry will require of employees and (b) will recognize the value of the proposed degree or certificate in their hiring or promotion. Colleges are often called upon to provide training that students greatly desire, even where the job prospects are limited and the field is highly competitive. In such occupations often in the arts and entertainment it is talent, rather than education, that is the bottom line in hiring. While no community college certificate can substitute for talent, a program that is exceptionally well designed to identify, develop, and demonstrate the presence of talent can still be justified when few programs of similar quality exist in the service area. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 77

78 Career Technical Education Fields Small Business or Cottage Industries Many kinds of certificates are of occupational benefit to students already employed. In such circumstances, the program objectives and design, including the sequencing of courses, should fit the needs of students likely to be already employed by building on their prior experience and spacing course requirements to accommodate working students. However, all community college programs should either include opportunities for entry-level students, or should be paired with related entry-level training at the same college. A program should not entirely exclude students who are not already employed in a particular industry, unless the college makes available to such students a practicable entry-level training route that would qualify them, upon completion, for the advanced training. Entrepreneurial opportunities and the market for cottage industries yield few statistics. Yet these are a source of employment for an increasingly large proportion of the workforce and constitute a legitimate vocational goal for a community college program, especially in rural areas. An application for approval of a program designed to meet the needs of such students should show a careful analysis of their needs and of the market within which they must compete, and relate this analysis to the design of the program. Employer Survey When the current labor market information and analysis is not available to demonstrate adequate local employment opportunities for program completers, an employer survey may be submitted. Provide a copy of the survey, including the number of those surveyed, number of responses, and a summary of the results. The survey must address to what extent the proposed degree or certificate, with its stated objectives and proposed courses, will be valued by prospective employers. In communicating with survey respondents, the questionnaire should convey as much information as possible regarding the intended program design, with the proposed equipment, facilities, work experiences proposed, and/or faculty qualifications. The survey can then be used to determine whether, on that basis, the employer would preferentially hire someone with such a degree or certificate over someone without it, other things being equal. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 78

79 This section should, at minimum, specify: Methodology: when the survey was taken, and by what methodology (mail, telephone); Response Rate: how many employers were surveyed and how many responded; Scope: the specific title(s) of the positions covered by the survey; Projections: How many openings the employer anticipates, due to separations and new jobs (growth), in the next full year and over the next full five years; Whether the employer believes the program as described would qualify students for the specific positions; and Whether the employer would preferentially hire students who have completed the program. A copy of the questions asked in the survey and a full summary of responses should be provided either within this section or as an attachment. Program applications will be evaluated in terms of whether the case was made that the net number of job openings that employers are planning to fill--annually and over the next five years-given turnover, growth, etc., will be equal to or greater than the number of students the program will graduate per year, after taking account of the number of graduates from similar programs in other institutions who will be entering the job market within the geographical region from which employers are being surveyed. Letters of support from businesses in the college s service area are sometimes included with an approval application. These can be useful and are welcome, although not required. However, the most useful letters of support are specific, rather than general. The most useful letters are those from actual employers who will hire the program completers. An effective letter of support should specify that the employer is familiar with the proposed program, has need for the program completers, and intends to hire them. If possible, the letter should indicate approximately how many program completers the employing company estimates it might hire per year. Letters such as this are especially important if it has been infeasible, for some reason, to conduct a complete employer survey. Other evidence of job market need may be included if available. Again, if an employer survey has not been conducted, these other materials may be provided in partial substitution. Or they may be provided in addition to the employer survey. Examples of other evidence of need include job advertisements or listings, regional economic studies, and industry trend studies. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 79

80 When a proposed program is in an emerging occupation, finding relevant regional or local data may be challenging. One source of data for emerging occupations is available from the Centers of Excellence, an initiative of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Division. The Initiative website ( includes comprehensive reports on emerging occupations, called Environmental Scans, as well as information about requesting customized reports if no scan has been published. Advisory Committee Recommendation This document (in a single attachment) must include the following three components: 1. Demonstrate how the advisory committee is comprised of typical/prospective employers, discipline faculty from transfer institutions, entrepreneurs, or others qualified to provide guidance in developing and reviewing the program by providing a list of advisory committee member names, job titles, and business affiliations. 2. Minutes of the advisory committee meetings at which the program was discussed and approved must be included. Highlight using an electronic highlighter or another easily visible method in the attachment the approval action in the minutes. Minutes of other meetings, such as curriculum committee meetings, may also be included if they reflect relevant discussion. Meeting minutes must include the date and place of the meeting and names of all who attended. 3. A summary of the advisory committee recommendations and discuss how the proposed program aligns with the recommendations. If it was not possible to incorporate all of the recommendations, describe how decisions were made when selecting major topics to be addressed in the program. Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes California community colleges are organized into 10 economic regions ( served by seven consortia of CTE faculty and administrators from community colleges in that region. The Career Technical Education Regional Consortia provide leadership for colleges to: Integrate and coordinate economic development and CTE programs and services Develop and coordinate staff development Increase the knowledge of programs and services in the region, and to disseminate best practices In addition to Advisory Committee recommendation for approval (with a motion approved in meeting minutes), Title 5, section 55130(b)(8)E, also requires that credit programs be reviewed by Regional Consortia, when applicable. Consequently, proposals for credit programs with a selected program goal of Career Technical Education (CTE), must also include a recommendation for approval from the Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 80

81 appropriate Career Technical Education Regional Consortium. Minutes of the regional consortia meeting(s) at which the program was discussed and approved must be included. The recommendation should be clearly stated with a motion approved in the meeting minutes. Highlight using an electronic highlighter or another easily visible method in the attachment the approval action in the minutes. Highlight portions of the minutes that deal with substantive issues of program need, objectives, design, and resource requirements. Suggestions included in the minutes, questions or concerns that were raised, and decisions noted must be specifically addressed in the proposal. Meeting minutes must include the date and place of the meeting and names of all who attended. Transfer Preparation Documentation If a CTE program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, then it must include at least one of the following documents to substantiate the alignment of the degree with transfer preparation standards. When programs are designed to provide transfer preparation for more than one baccalaureate institution, documentation should demonstrate alignment with the requirements for lower division major preparation at more than one institution. Appropriate documentation may include, but is not limited to, any of the following that sufficiently demons rate this requirement: Programmatic articulation agreements ASSIST documentation verifying that a majority of the courses in the program are articulated for the major (AAM) at the baccalaureate institutions to which the program s students are likely to transfer Table of major requirements from the most recent catalogs, with catalog dates and page numbers cited, for targeted transfer institutions showing a crosswalk with the CCC program requirements Summary of lower division major preparation published or endorsed by relevant professional bodies or programmatic accreditors, with citations included Formal letters from the intended receiving institution that verify alignment of proposed program with their program curriculum. Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 81

82 CHECKLIST for CTE A.A./A.S. DEGREE Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Net Annual Labor Demand Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation CTE (Excluding Apprenticeships) Narrative Template Item 1.Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis Advisory Committee Recommendation Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes Transfer Documentation Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 82

83 Amend an Existing CTE Associate Degree Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an Existing CTE Associate Degree Colleges may amend an active associate degree by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, a program that has been approved by the Chancellor s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is modified in any substantial way. A program is considered substantially modified in any of the following situations: The goals and objectives of the program are substantially changed; The job categories for which program completers qualify are substantially different from the job categories program completers previously qualified for; The baccalaureate major to which students typically transfer is different from the baccalaureate major students previously typically transferred to; An existing program is split into two or more tracks; A new certificate is added (each award must be approved separately); or The TOP Code is changed.. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing associate degree that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to an associate degree may include: A change to the local title; or The addition or removal of courses from an certificate of achievement. This includes certificate unit changes that are made to keep a program current with changing job, certification, or external accrediting agency requirements, evolving applications of technology within the same occupation; or evolving knowledge within a particular field. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes the following is required: Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 83

84 The course report must be updated to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record are attached as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report. A description of the program requirements. It is helpful if the specific changes are notated in the description. Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active associate degree inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate an associate degree which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make an associate degree active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Overview to Amend an Existing CTE Associate Degree Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all CTE associate degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 84

85 senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all CTE associate degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained in the previous section, programs that are substantially changed require the following documentation: updated program narrative, labor market information (LMI) and analysis, advisory committee recommendation, a regional consortia approval meeting minutes, and updated transfer preparation documentation if applicable. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree changes. Nonsubstantially changed programs require an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. Note Submit new courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for approval. All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program revision to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 85

86 Submit revised documentation for substantial changes including labor market information (LMI) and analysis, advisory committee recommendation, regional consortium approval meeting minutes and transfer documentation if applicable. Submit revised documentation for nonsubstantial changes including updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications Substantial program changes require re-approval by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 86

87 Flowchart to Amend an Existing CTE A.A. or A.S. Degree Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Description/ Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Labor Market Information* Advisory Committee Recommendation* Amend a Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Regional Consortium Approval* Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines CTE Regional Consortium Approval* CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. *Required for Substantial Changes Only Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 87

88 CHECKLIST to Amend an Existing CTE A.A./A.S. DEGREE Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Net Annual Labor Demand Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation (Excluding Apprenticeships) Narrative Template* Item 1.Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis* Advisory Committee Recommendation* Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes* Transfer Documentation* *Only required for substantially changed programs. Amend a Career Technical Education Associate Degree Page 88

89 Chancellor s Office Local Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Local Associate Degree Page 89

90 Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. The standards for all associate degrees are set forth in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section These include demonstrated competence in reading, in written expression, and in mathematics, and satisfactory completion of at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree--applicable credit course work in a major or area of emphasis, general education and elective courses, if needed to meet the minimum unit requirement. All associate degrees other than ADTs and CTE degrees are considered local for the purposes of submission to the Chancellor s Office. However, this designation may include degrees intended to prepare students for transfer to a particular baccalaureate program or major. The local designation is limited to the submission and approval process and has no bearing on how these degrees are tracked for other purposes. TOP Code Manual For reference, the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Career Technical Education or vocational TOP Codes are denoted with an asterisk (*). Degree Standards The following standards apply to the development and approval of the local associate degree: Associate degrees classified as Local must meet the following standards: Minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units Minimum 18 semester or 27 quarter units in major or area of emphasis as described in 55063(a) General Education: any pattern allowed by regulations, as determined by the college May include local graduation requirements Must be offered in a non-career technical education or non-vocational TOP code May be designed to serve either transfer preparation and/or community needs. Chancellor s Office Local A.A./A.S. Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new associate degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be Local Associate Degree Page 90

91 established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all new local associate degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in the major or area of emphasis, appropriate transfer preparation documentation from the list of allowable documents if the program is designed in total or in part for transfer preparation, and community need documentation if applicable. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Local Associate Degree Page 91

92 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Local Associate Degree Page 92

93 Local A.A./A.S. Degree Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation (if applicable) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Appropriate Documentation to support Community Need (if applicable) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit courses must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Local Associate Degree Page 93

94 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select A-A.A. Degree or S-A.S.-T Degree) Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select only one) Program TOP Code: A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer Preparation O Other Designed to meet community needs (are we adding a new goal Transfer Preparation? CT will not work because these certificates may not be CTE) May not be assigned a vocational TOP Code denoted with an asterisk (*) Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Minimum): Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Maximum): Total Units for Degree (Minimum): Total Units for Degree (Maximum): Annual Completers: Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; approximately FTEF) Local Associate Degree Page 94

95 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Distance Education Yes No 0% 1-49% % District Governing Board Approval Date By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select only one program award for a local A.A./A.S. degree. The Chancellor s Office supports the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges (ASCCC) resolution 9.06, spring 2008, in which associate degrees are classified as follows: Local Associate Degree Page 95

96 Associate of Science (A.S.) is strongly recommended for any science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field Note Local A.A. and A.S. degrees may not be assigned a career technical education or vocational TOP Code. Associate of Arts (A.A.) is strongly recommended for all other disciplines. All new associate degree majors and areas of emphasis are required to be separately approved. Each proposed program must be submitted individually. Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the exact title that is proposed for the catalog. The title must clearly and accurately reflect the scope and level of the program. Do not include descriptors, such as degree or for transfer in the title because these descriptors are attached to the title in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. For example, enter Peace Studies. Note the Associate Degree for Transfer is reserved for degrees that comply with Education Code section Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Transfer Preparation or Other Designed for Community Need. Note, only the program goal of transfer is limited to ADTs and Certificates of Achievement for CSU GE or IGETC. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the appropriate TOP Code. A career technical education or vocational TOP Codes may not be used for local programs. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational TOP code. Refer to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, which may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The number of semester or quarter units reported here should include only required courses, restricted electives, and closely associated prerequisites. Local Associate Degree Page 96

97 Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the degree major or area of emphasis. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for the major. The number of semester or quarter units reported here should include only required courses, restricted electives, and closely associated prerequisites. Note If the degree major or area of emphasis units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum) This field indicates minimum the total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. Enter the minimum total units required to complete the degree including the units in the item above, plus all required general education, open electives, and other requirements. Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (maximum) This field indicates the maximum total number of units for the degree including the units for the degree major or area of emphasis, general education, and electives. Enter the maximum total units required to complete the degree including the units in the item above, plus all required general education, open electives, and other requirements. Note If the total units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the degree each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). An explanation for this entry must be provided in the Program Narrative, 5. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Estimated FTE Faculty Workload This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the program, in the program s first full-year of operation, Local Associate Degree Page 97

98 regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the degree during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three parttime positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the degree and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the degree. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Gainful Employment This field indicates if the program meets U.S. Department of Education gainful employment criteria. A complete set of resource documents is available on the U.S. Department of Education website under the Gainful Employment Information section ( Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Note Local Associate Degree Page 98

99 This data is used for Chancellor s Office generated reports only. It is the sole responsibility of the college to submit gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education. The college may use or modify the detailed records created by the Chancellor s Office or elect to use their own records. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new associate degree programs require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in a major or area of emphasis, appropriate transfer preparation documentation, and local community need documentation (if applicable). These requirements are described in more detail on page XX. If the program goal is to meet community needs, required documentation may be in the form of survey results, letters of support from community agencies, or other regional data in support of the need. Narrative Template for Local Associate Degrees Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established Local Associate Degree Page 99

100 by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Based upon the program goals, objectives appropriate to these goals, and program design consistent with these objectives, the determination is made as to whether the proposed program is appropriate to the mission of the local college and community college system. For example, a program must be directed at the appropriate level for community colleges that is, it must not be directed at a level beyond the certificate or the first two years of college. Similarly, a program must address a valid transfer, occupational, basic skills, civic education, or lifelong learning purpose. The program may not be primarily avocational or recreational. The statement of goals and objectives serves to define the degree over time and is one of the major factors in determining whether future changes to the degree are considered substantial or nonsubstantial for Chancellor s Office review purposes. If the program goal(s) addresses valid transfer preparation of students to one or more baccalaureate majors., courses required for the degree must be specifically designed as transferable courses so students are prepared for an area of study at a baccalaureate institution. In this section describe how these courses will meet the lower division requirements of a major at a baccalaureate institution. List the baccalaureate institutions that students will be able to transfer to upon completion of the program. For programs designed for the student not intending to transfer, community colleges may develop degree majors or areas of emphasis that meet community needs and reflect the educational philosophy of the faculty in a discipline or disciplines. The required courses may not be aligned with requirements for transfer preparation, but they may represent a cohesive package of courses in an area of study. If the associate degree is designed to meet community needs, then the goals an objective statement must, at a minimum, explain in detail how the degree was designed to meet community needs in accordance with the college mission. Describe how the degree embodies a pattern of learning experiences that are focused on specific capabilities or knowledge areas. Student Selection and Fees: If the program is selective, describe relevant entry criteria, the selection process for admission to the program, and compliance with provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and Similarly, specify all mandatory fees (for materials, insurance, travel, and/or uniforms) that students will incur, for the program as a whole or any of its constituent courses, aside from the ordinary course enrollment fee prescribed in Education Code section Local Associate Degree Page 100

101 Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. The description must include program requirements, prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations, student learning outcomes, and information relevant to the program goal. The Chancellor s Office recommends the following: Convey the associate degree s goal(s) and objectives; suggest how they differ from the goals and objectives of other programs Provide an overview of the knowledge and skills that students who complete the requirements must demonstrate (student learning outcomes) List all prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations Suggest some caveats that students must be aware of where job market data or other factors are documented in the proposal. These warnings must be as clearly conveyed in the catalog description as possible. The catalog description needs to mention any risks, such as occupations that are inherently competitive or low-salaried and/or occupational areas where inexperienced graduates are not generally hired. If applicable, advise students if this is a high-unit program (more than 60 semester or 90 quarter units) and how this impacts degree completion. The description must also convey what students may expect as an outcome. The catalog description represents a commitment to the student. For a program designed with scaffolds among program awards, ensure the catalog description describes but does not overstate this relationship. Assertions of transfer applicability as well as career applicability must be reasonable and capable of being documented. If the program goal includes transfer preparation, the catalog description must list baccalaureate majors or related majors. Item 3. Program Requirements The program requirements must be consistent with the catalog description (as entered in Item 2 above). This section should include the number of units, specific course requirements and design of individual courses, and the sequence of the courses must be coherent, complete, and appropriate, given the program objectives and the resources with which the college has to work. The Chancellor s Office will rely on the educational judgment of local faculty within the discipline and curriculum committees in regard to the appropriateness of program requirements. Display the program requirements in a table format that includes all courses required for completion of the program (core requirements and required or restricted electives), subtotal of core units, general education pattern/s (local, CSU-GE-Breadth, Local Associate Degree Page 101

102 or IGETC), number of units for each pattern, and total program units. For each course, indicate the course department number, course title, and unit value. Course Sequence (Recommended Best Practice) ensure the program requirements demonstrate how the required courses must be completed in sequence by term (semester or quarter), including prerequisite courses if applicable. The sequence must be arranged so that a full-time student could complete a degree program in two years, except in the case of a high-unit technical or health occupation program where a sequence longer than two years is necessary. Students who begin college in need of developmental courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics may need more than two years to complete a twoyear program. Ensure the general education requirement pattern(s) specified does not constrain students' individual general education choices unless specific general education courses are recommended to enhance student preparation for a field of study. The program requirements table may include the course sequence (as shown in the sample on the next page) or the course sequence may be shown separate from the program requirements table, so long as both are addressed in item three of the narrative. A sample table format (with program requirements and course sequence combined) is shown on the next page (for illustration purposes only): Local Associate Degree Page 102

103 Sample A.A. Global Studies Requirements Dept. Name/# Course Title Units CSCU-GE* IGETC* District GE Sequence Required Core ENGL 105 Advanced Composition and Critical Thinking 3 Year 1, Fall Complete 14 units in one or two languages Complete 3 units FREN 101 French Units, FREN 102 French 2 5 Year 1 Fall GERM 101 German units, Year 1, Spring GERM 102 German Units ITAL 101 Italian 1 5 Year 2, Fall SIGN 125 SIGN 126 SIGN 127 ASL Beginning Communication with the Deaf ASL Intermediate Communication with the Deaf ASL Advanced Communication with the Deaf SPAN 101 Spanish 1 5 SPAN 102 Spanish 2 5 SPAN 103 Spanish 3 4 SPAN 104 Spanish 4 4 ENGL 102 Advanced Composition and Introduction to Literature ENGL 131 Introduction to World Literature 3 ENGL 172 Introduction to Chicano/a Literature 3 ENGL 175 Women in Literature 3 COMM 130 Intercultural Communication Year 2, Spring Required Major Total 20 units Completion of District GE (Possible double counting: units) Transferable electives (as needed to reach 60 units) TOTAL UNITS 60 units Proposed Sequence (Recommended Best Practice): Year 1, Fall = 15 units Year 1, Spring = 15 units Year 2, Fall = 15 units Year 2, Spring = 15 units TOTAL UNITS: 60 units Local Associate Degree Page 103

104 Documentation of applicable general education requirements should be in the form of a range that, combined with the degree requirements, totals 60 semester or 90 quarter units (or higher, as justified in Narrative Item 4. Specific recommendations for appropriate general education course choices for students in this program may be included. If the total of required and general education courses may equal less than 60 semester or 90 quarter units, the college should include the range of other transferrable electives to make the total program requirements equal 60 semester or 90 quarter units. For all associate degrees, the courses designated for the program must, collectively, be sufficient to enable students to fulfill the program goals and meet the program objectives. Courses must be required that will address the college level communication and analytic skills necessary for success in a transfer program or that will generally enable graduating students to participate as full team members in a company, maintain currency in rapidly changing fields, and/or advance in selected occupations over a lifetime. If the program goal selected is designed to meet local community needs, then the college may use a locally developed general education pattern to complete the 60 semester or 90 quarter units. The college must specify the general education units at the bottom of the program requirements table. In most cases the locally-developed general education patter is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the CSU-GE or IGETC patters for degrees designed for transfer preparation. Item 4. Master Planning Given the stated goals and objectives, this discussion addresses the role the proposed program will fulfill in the college s mission and curriculum offerings, the placement of the proposed program in the district master plan, and how the program is appropriate to the objectives and conditions of higher education and community college education in California by confirming to statewide master planning (pursuant to Title 5 sections 55130(b)(6) and 55130(b)(7)). This discussion may include some history of the program proposal origins, a description of the program purpose, and/or the program s relevancy for the region and college including related community support. The proposal must demonstrate a need for the program that meets the stated goals and objectives in the region the college proposes to serve with the degree. Furthermore, a proposed new degree must not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college. Need is determined by multiple factors, including the master plan of the college or district and accreditation standards. Colleges are required to periodically review curriculum through program review, during which the faculty and administrators review the program requirements and related course content in consultation with Local Associate Degree Page 104

105 appropriate advisory groups. Program review is a planning process whereby academic departments determine the future needs and goals of their educational programs. Both new and revised curriculum must reflect the fulfillment of this planning requirement. If any expenditure values were entered in proposal fields, then please explain the specific needs for facilities and equipment in this section. Note what is already available, what is planned or in some stage of development, and what would need to be acquired after approval in order to implement the program. Programs that require new facilities, major renovation to existing facilities, or an expenditure of over $100,000 in district and state funds for equipment must submit an itemized matrix that details program costs and anticipated revenue (either public or private), both for the initial year of operation and in the near future years. If applicable, this section may also be used to justify program objectives or the inclusion of a given course as a requirement. Similarly, high-unit programs (above 60 semester or 90 quarter units) must be addressed in this section by providing a rationale for the additional unit requirements (e.g.; mandate, law, baccalaureate requirement, etc.). Finally, if the selected program goal is Other Designed to meet local community needs, then a description of the community or other need leading to the program development is required. It is not necessary to repeat information covered elsewhere in the proposal, as long as the proposal includes a cross-reference to a page number or section number. If reference is made to appended meeting minutes, then corresponding section(s) in the minutes must be highlighted in the attachment. Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections This item should justify the number of projected students or annual completers to be awarded the degree each year after the program is fully established as entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory proposal field (discussed in sub-section one of this Guide). The justification must include either: (A) enrollment (student headcount) data or (B) a survey of prospective students and completer projections information. Local Associate Degree Page 105

106 (A) Enrollment Data Use a table format (sample provided on the next page*) to provide final (not census) enrollment data for all required existing courses for the last two years to validate the need for this program in the college service area. Include course department number, course title, annual sections, and annual enrollment total. <Year 1> <Year 2> CB01: Course Department Number CB02: Course Title Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total *Use as many rows as required to provide requested data. As a point of reference, refer to the Chancellor's Office Data Mart ( click on the DATAMART hyperlink on the top right header) for historical completion rates by academic year for each TOP Code. (B) Survey (Optional) In the case of a survey, the survey questionnaire, a description of the population surveyed, and survey results must be included. Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Before completing this section, review the college s existing program inventory in the CCC Curriculum Inventory, then address the following questions: 4. Do any active inventory records need to be made inactive or changed in connection with the approval of the proposed program? If yes, please specify. 5. Does the program replace any existing program(s) on the college s inventory? Provide relevant details if this program is related to the termination or scaling down of another program(s). 6. What related programs are offered by the college? Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) If a local program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, briefly describe the attached transfer preparation documentation and how the degree prepares students for transfer. Local Associate Degree Page 106

107 Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Describe all similar programs offered by colleges within commuting distance of the college, commonly known as the college service area. A brief description of each program is required. Pages from other colleges' catalogs may be included as additional attachments to the proposal in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Similarities and differences need to be described, and justification for a program of this type and in this region needs to be provided. In most instances, a college proposing a new program needs to make a convincing case that the existing capacities at other colleges are insufficient to meet the demand. If the proposed program has a different emphasis than similar programs at other colleges, targets a different market, demonstrates state-of-the-art offerings, or for a number of reasons will be a stronger program, documentation and/or explanation need to be provided. The college needs to provide evidence that faculty affiliated with the program proposal have been in communication with faculty offering similar programs at other community colleges, as well as with transfer institutions (if applicable). The college also must demonstrate how such communication helped to design the proposed program. When two or more colleges in the same region are seeking approval for new programs of a similar kind at or near the same time, evidence of collaboration is especially important. Generally, competition between districts is not an issue for transfer programs, nor is redundancy of offerings, since every college is presumed to have the right to offer a range of transfer majors. For transfer programs, the main reason for considering programs in neighboring colleges is to compare the program requirements. Local Associate Degree Page 107

108 Additional Supporting Documentation Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course listed on the Course Report and Narrative Item 3. General Education and recommended elective course outlines are not required to be attached to the proposal. Transfer Preparation Documentation If the local program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, then it must include at least one of the following documents to substantiate the alignment of the degree with transfer preparation standards. When programs are designed to provide transfer preparation for more than one baccalaureate institution, documentation should demonstrate alignment with the requirements for lower division major preparation at more than one institution. Appropriate documentation may include, but is not limited to, any of the following that sufficiently demons rate this requirement: Programmatic articulation agreements ASSIST documentation verifying that a majority of the courses in the program are articulated for the major (AAM) at the baccalaureate institutions to which the program s students are likely to transfer Table of major requirements from the most recent catalogs, with catalog dates and page numbers cited, for targeted transfer institutions showing a crosswalk with the CCC program requirements Summary of lower division major preparation published or endorsed by relevant professional bodies or programmatic accreditors, with citations included Formal letters from the intended receiving institution that verify alignment of proposed program with their program curriculum. Community Need Documentation If the program goal is to meet community needs, required documentation may be in the form of survey results, letters of support from community agencies, or other regional data in support of the need. Local Associate Degree Page 108

109 CHECKLIST for Local A.A./A.S. DEGREE Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Narrative Template Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer Documentation Local Need Documentation Local Associate Degree Page 109

110 Amend an Existing Local Associate Degree Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an Existing Local Associate Degree Colleges may amend an active associate degree by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, a program that has been approved by the Chancellor s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is modified in any substantial way. A program is considered substantially modified in any of the following situations: The goals and objectives of the program are substantially changed; The job categories for which program completers qualify are substantially different from the job categories program completers previously qualified for; The baccalaureate major to which students typically transfer is different from the baccalaureate major students previously typically transferred to; Splitting an existing program into two or more track; Adding a certificate (each award must be approved separately); The TOP Code is changed. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing associate degree that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to an associate degree may include: Local Title Changes The addition or removal of courses from an active associate degree. This includes degree unit changes that are made to keep a program current with changing job requirements, evolving applications of technology within the same occupation; or evolving knowledge within a particular field. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes the following is required: Amend a Local Associate Degree Page 110

111 The course report must be updated to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record are attached as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report. A description of the program requirements. It is helpful if the specific changes are notated in the description. Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active associate degree inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate an associate degree which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make an associate degree active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Overview to Amend an Existing Local Associate Degree Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all CTE associate degrees shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes Amend a Local Associate Degree Page 111

112 faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all local associate degrees (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained in the previous section, programs that are substantially changed require the following documentation: updated program narrative updated transfer preparation documentation if applicable and updated local community need documentation if applicable. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree changes. Nonsubstantially changed programs require an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. Note Submit new courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for approval. All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program revision to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a degree has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Amend a Local Associate Degree Page 112

113 Submit revised documentation for substantial changes including transfer documentation if applicable and local community need documentation if applicable. Submit revised documentation for nonsubstantial changes including updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications Substantial program changes require re-approval by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Local Associate Degree Page 113

114 Flowchart to Amend an Existing Local A.A. or A.S. Degree Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Description/ Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation if applicable Local Community Need Documentation if applicable New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). *Required for Substantial Changes Only Amend a Local Associate Degree Page 114

115 CHECKLIST to Amend an Existing Local A.A./A.S. DEGREE Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Total Units for the Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (minimum and maximum) Annual Completers Net Annual Labor Demand Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Program Description/Narrative Template* Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer Documentation* Community Need Documentation* *Only required for substantially changed programs.

116 Certificates of Achievement Certificate of Achievement Page 116

117 Overview of Certificates of Achievement Title 5, section 55070, defines Certificate of Achievement as a credit certificate that appears by name on a student transcript, diploma, or completion award. Chancellor s Office approval is required. The college can develop and propose a Certificate of Achievement that includes coursework taken to satisfy transfer patterns established by the University of California, the California State University, or accredited public postsecondary institutions in adjacent states. Certificates of Achievement that consist solely of basic skills and/or ESL courses are not permitted. Colleges must submit programs of 18 or more semester units or 27 or more quarter units of degree-- applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval. Colleges may submit programs of 12 or more semester units or 18 or more quarter units of degree-- applicable coursework for Chancellor s office approval in order that the program may be included in the student transcript. Certificates of Achievement represent a well-- defined pattern of learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities that may be oriented to career or general education. Community colleges may also award certificates for fewer than 18 semester or 27 quarter units without Chancellor s Office approval, but must call su ch certificates something other than Certificate of Achievement. The award names Certif icate of Completion and Certificate of Competency are likewise reserved for noncredit certificates and may not be used for locally approved certificates. Any group of credit courses in the same four-digit TOP code that totals 18 or more semester units and that are linked to one another by prerequisites or co-requisites, are defined as an "educational program" that requires Chancellor s Office approval. The college must submit this sequence of courses for approval. As detailed above, a certificate that requires 18 or more semester units or 27 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework must receive Chancellor s Office approval and must be called Certificate of Achievement. A certificate that requires fewer than 18 semester or 27 quarter units may be submitted for Chancellor s Office approval if it requires at least 12 semester or 18 quarter units of degreeapplicable coursework. If approved, it must be called a Certificate of Achievement. Certificates of Achievement are categorized as follows: CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Patterns Certificate of Achievement CTE Certificate of Achievement Local (Non-CTE) Collaborative Programs Certificate of Achievement Page 117

118 CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificates of Achievement Chancellor s Office Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55070, allows for the approval of Certificates of Achievement that satisfy transfer patterns of UC, CSU, or accredited public baccalaureate institutions in adjacent states which award the baccalaureate degree. To maintain statewide consistency in titling these certificates at community colleges, only the titles listed below are permissible for this unique type of certificates: CSU General Education (CSU GE-Breadth) Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Certificates for public baccalaureate institutions in adjacent states may have any relevant title. Community colleges may not offer a certificate of achievement for completion of general education requirements for a private college or university for completion of community college general education requirements. Chancellor s Office CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 118

119 Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all Certificates of Achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record, and applicable transfer documentation. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to curriculum@cccco.edu Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to CITechIssues@cccco.edu. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 119

120 CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) New Certificate Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Transfer Documentation CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines Accreditation Approval The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 120

121 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select Y-A.A.-T Degree or X-A.S.-T Degree) Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select only one) Program TOP Code: A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer O Other Designed to meet community needs (Transfer Preparation) Required Certificate Units (Minimum): Required Certificate Units (Maximum): Annual Completers: Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; approximately FTEF) New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 121

122 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Apprenticeship Distance Education Yes No Yes No 0% 1-49% % District Governing Board Approval Date By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select the appropriate program award C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units). Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the exact title that is proposed for the catalog. The title must clearly and accurately reflect the scope and level of the program. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 122

123 To maintain statewide consistency in titling these certificates at community colleges, only the two titles listed below are permissible for this unique type of certificate: CSU General Education (CSU-Breadth) Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Certificates for public baccalaureate institutions in adjacent states may have any relevant titles. Note Do not include descriptors, such as certificate or for transfer in the title because these descriptors are attached to the curriculum inventory. Community colleges may not offer a certificate of achievement for completion of general education requirements for a private college or university or for completion of community college general education requirements. Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Transfer. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the appropriate TOP Code (Transfer Preparation) is recommended. Required Units for the Certificate (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the certificate. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Required Units for the Certificate (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the certificate. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for certificate. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the certificate each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 123

124 completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Faculty Workload (Estimated FTE) This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the certificate, in the program s first full-year of operation, regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the certificate during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three parttime positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the certificate and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the ADT. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Gainful Employment This field indicates if the program meets U.S. Department of Education gainful employment criteria. A complete set of resource documents is available on the U.S. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 124

125 Department of Education website under the Gainful Employment Information section ( Select no. Public institutions are not required to report gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education programs of at least two-years in length that are designed to be fully transferable to a bachelor s degree. Note This data is used for Chancellor s Office generated reports only. It is the sole responsibility of the college to submit gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education. The college may use or modify the detailed records created by the Chancellor s Office or elect to use their own records. Apprenticeship This field indicates whether or not if the certificate is an apprenticeship program. No will be automatically selected. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern certificates of achievement programs require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record, and appropriate transfer documentation. These requirements are described in more detail on page XX. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 125

126 Narrative Template for CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Helpful Tips Program Goals and Objectives Community colleges may not offer a certificate of achievement for completion of general education requirements for a private college or university or for completion of community college general education requirements. Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. The description must also: Convey the certificates goal(s) and objectives explain how they differ from the goals and objectives of others programs; Provide an overview of the knowledge and skills that students who complete the requirements must demonstrate (student learning outcomes); List all prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations Suggest some caveats and limitations that students must be aware of. CSU General Education Breadth Example The student will select courses that fulfill the CSU GE certification pattern. CSU GE is accepted by all CSU campuses, but it is not accepted by the UC system. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 126

127 IGETC Example The student will select courses that fulfill the IGETC certification pattern. IGETC is accepted by all CSU campuses and most UC campuses and majors. The description must also convey what students may expect as an outcome. The catalog description represents a commitment to the student. For a program designed with scaffolds among program awards, ensure the catalog description describes but does not overstate this relationship. Assertions of transfer applicability must be reasonable and capable of being documented. Helpful Tips Catalog Description The catalog description must: Be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog; Include an overview of the knowledge and skills students will demonstrate upon completion; Item 3. Program Requirements The program requirements must be consistent with the catalog description (as entered in Item 2 above). The number of units, specific course requirements and design of individual courses, and the sequence of the courses must be coherent, complete, and appropriate, given the program objectives and the resources with which the college has to work. The Chancellor s Office will rely on the educational judgment of local faculty within the discipline and curriculum committees in regard to the appropriateness of program requirements. Display the program requirements in a table format that includes all courses required for completion of the program (core requirements and required or restricted electives), subtotal of core units and total program units. For each course, indicate the course department number, course title, and unit value. Course Sequence (Recommended Best Practice) ensure the program requirements demonstrate how the required courses must be completed in sequence by term (semester or quarter), including prerequisite courses if applicable. The sequence must be arranged so that a full-time student could complete a degree program in two years, except in the case of a high-unit technical or health occupation program where a sequence longer than two years is necessary. Students who begin college in need of developmental courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics may need more than two years to complete a two- CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 127

128 year program. Ensure the general education requirement pattern(s) specified does not constrain students' individual general education choices unless specific general education courses are recommended to enhance student preparation for a field of study. The program requirements table may include the course sequence (as shown in the sample on the next page) or the course sequence may be shown separate from the program requirements table, so long as both are addressed in item three of the narrative. (IS this required for CSU-GE/IGETC) Item 4. Master Planning Given the stated goals and objectives, this discussion addresses the role the proposed program will fulfill in the college s mission and curriculum offerings, the placement of the proposed program in the district master plan, and how the program is appropriate to the objectives and conditions of higher education and community college education in California by confirming to statewide master planning (pursuant to Title 5 sections 55130(b)(6) and 55130(b)(7)). This discussion may include some history of the program proposal origins, a description of the program purpose, and/or the program s relevancy for the region and college including related community support. The proposal must demonstrate a need for the program that meets the stated goals and objectives in the region the college proposes to serve with the certificate. Need is determined by multiple factors, including the master plan of the college or district and accreditation standards. Colleges are required to periodically review curriculum through program review, during which the faculty and administrators review the program requirements and related course content in consultation with appropriate advisory groups. Program review is a planning process whereby academic departments determine the future needs and goals of their educational programs. Both new and revised curriculum must reflect the fulfillment of this planning requirement. If any expenditure values were entered in proposal fields, then please explain the specific needs for facilities and equipment in this section. Note what is already available, what is planned or in some stage of development, and what would need to be acquired after approval in order to implement the program. Programs that require new facilities, major renovation to existing facilities, or an expenditure of over $100,000 in district and state funds for equipment must submit an itemized matrix that details program costs and anticipated revenue (either public or private), both for the initial year of operation and in the near future years. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 128

129 If applicable, this section may also be used to justify program objectives or the inclusion of a given course as a requirement. It is not necessary to repeat information covered elsewhere in the proposal, as long as the proposal includes a cross-reference to a page number or section number. If reference is made to appended meeting minutes, then corresponding section(s) in the minutes must be highlighted in the attachment. Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections This item should justify the number of projected students or annual completers to be awarded the degree each year after the program is fully established as entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory proposal field (discussed in sub-section one of this Guide). The justification must include either: (A) enrollment (student headcount) data or (B) a survey of prospective students and completer projections information. (A) Enrollment Data Use a table format (sample provided below*) to provide final (not census) enrollment data for all required existing courses for the last two years to validate the need for this program in the college service area. Include course department number, course title, annual sections, and annual enrollment total. <Year 1> <Year 2> CB01: Course Department Number CB02: Course Title Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total *Use as many rows as required to provide requested data. As a point of reference, refer to the Chancellor's Office Data Mart ( click on the DATAMART hyperlink on the top right header) for historical completion rates by academic year for each TOP Code. Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Before completing this section, review the college s existing program inventory in the CCC Curriculum Inventory, then address the following questions: CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 129

130 7. Do any active inventory records need to be made inactive or changed in connection with the approval of the proposed program? If yes, please specify. 8. Does the program replace any existing program(s) on the college s inventory? Provide relevant details if this program is related to the termination or scaling down of another program(s). 9. What related programs are offered by the college? Item 7. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Describe all similar programs offered by colleges within commuting distance of the college, commonly known as the college service area. A brief description of each program is required. Pages from other colleges' catalogs may be included as additional attachments to the proposal in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Similarities and differences need to be described, and justification for a program of this type and in this region needs to be provided. In most instances, a college proposing a new program needs to make a convincing case that the existing capacities at other colleges are insufficient to meet the demand. If the proposed program has a different emphasis than similar programs at other colleges, targets a different market, demonstrates state-of-the-art offerings, or for a number of reasons will be a stronger program, documentation and/or explanation need to be provided. The college needs to provide evidence that faculty affiliated with the program proposal have been in communication with faculty offering similar programs at other community colleges, as well as with transfer institutions (if applicable). The college also must demonstrate how such communication helped to design the proposed program. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course required in the program. Transfer Documentation All new and substantially changed certificates of achievement must include appropriate transfer documentation such as ASSIST documentation verifying that the courses in the certificate are articulated for the general education pattern. CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 130

131 Checklist for CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award Program Title Program Goal Program TOP Code (SP01) Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Faculty Workload (Estimated FTE) New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Program Description/Narrative Template Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer-related documentation CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 131

132 Amend an Existing CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Colleges may amend an active CSU-GE Breadth, IGETC, or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern certificate of achievement by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, a program that has been approved by the Chancellor s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is modified in any substantial way. A program is considered substantially modified in any of the following situations: The goals and objectives of the program are substantially changed; The job categories for which program completers qualify are substantially different from the job categories program completers previously qualified for; The baccalaureate major to which students typically transfer is different from the baccalaureate major students previously typically transferred to; Splitting an existing program into two or more track; Adding a certificate (each award must be approved separately); The TOP Code is changed. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing associate degree that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to a certificate of achievement may include: Local Title Changes The addition or removal of courses from an active certificate of achievement. This includes certificate unit changes that are made to keep a program current with changing transfer requirements, or evolving knowledge within a particular field. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 132

133 If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes the following is required: The course report must be updated to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record are attached as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report. A description of the program requirements. It is helpful if the specific changes are notated in the description. Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active certificate of achievement to inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate certificate of achievement which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a certificate of achievement active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 133

134 Overview to Amend an Existing CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all local certificates of achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained in the previous section, programs that are substantially changed require the following documentation: updated program narrative and updated transfer documentation. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree changes. Nonsubstantially changed programs require an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. Note Submit new courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for approval. All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program revision to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 134

135 Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Submit revised documentation for substantial changes including transfer documentation. Submit revised documentation for nonsubstantial changes including updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications Substantial program changes require re-approval by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to curriculum@cccco.edu Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to CITechIssues@cccco.edu. Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 135

136 Flowchart to Amend an Existing CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Description/ Narrative* Course Outlines of Record* (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Amend an existing Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Appropriate Transfer Documentation Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). *Required for Substantial Changes Only Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 136

137 CHECKLIST to Amend an Existing CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award Program Title Program Goal Program TOP Code (SP01) Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Faculty Workload (Estimated FTE) New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Program Description/Narrative Template* Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer Documentation* Community Need Documentation* *Only required for substantially changed programs. Amend a CSU-GE Breadth and IGETC or Adjacent State Transfer Pattern Page 137

138 Chancellor s Office Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. The standards for all certificates of achievement are set forth in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section which defines certificate of achievement as any credit certificate that may appear by name on a student transcript, diploma, or completion award. Colleges must submit programs of 18 or more semester units or 27 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval. Colleges may submit programs of 12 or more semester units or 18 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval in order that the program may be included in the student transcript. Certificates of Achievement are classified as CTE when they are in a Taxonomy of Program (TOP) code designated as career technical education or vocation in the TOP Code manual. TOP Code Manual For reference, the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Career Technical Education or vocational TOP Codes are denoted with an asterisk (*). CTE Certificate of Achievement Standards The following standards apply to the development and approval of the CTE certificate of achievement: Must be offered in a vocational TOP code; Must be approved by appropriate Regional Consortium; and Must be designed for CTE. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 138

139 Chancellor s Office CTE Certificate of Achievement Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all certificates of achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in the major or area of emphasis, labor market information (LMI), advisory committee recommendation, and regional consortium approval,. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new certificates of achievement must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 139

140 the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to curriculum@cccco.edu Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to CITechIssues@cccco.edu. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 140

141 CTE Certificate of Achievement Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Labor Market Information Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Advisory Committee Recommendation Regional Consortium Approval Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines CTE Regional Consortium Approval CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 141

142 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select B-Certificate of Achievement 12 to fewer than 18 semester units or C-Certificate of Achievement 18 or greater semester units) Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select C-Career Technical Education) Program TOP Code: A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer Preparation O Other Designed to meet community needs For CTE programs choose appropriate vocational TOP Code denoted with an asterisk (*) Required Certificate Units (Minimum): Required Certificate Units (Maximum) Annual Completers: Net Annual Labor Demand: (CTE Only) Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; approximately FTEF) New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 142

143 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Apprenticeship Distance Education Yes No Yes No 0% 1-49% % CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Yes No All CTE programs require CTE regional consortium approval By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 143

144 Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select only one program award. Select B-Certificate of Achievement 12 to fewer than 18 semester units or select C- Certificate of Achievement 18 or greater semester units. Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the exact title that is proposed for the catalog. The title must clearly and accurately reflect the scope and level of the program. Do not include descriptors, such as certificate in the title because these descriptors are attached to the title in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. For example, enter Biotechnology. Note the Associate Degree for Transfer is reserved for degrees that comply with Education Code section Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Career Technical Education. Note, only the program goal of transfer is limited to ADTs and Certificates of Achievement for CSU GE or IGETC. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the appropriate TOP Code. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational TOP code. Refer to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, which may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Required Units for the Certificate (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the certificate. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Required Units for the Certificate (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the certificate. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for certificate. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Note If the minimum and maximum units required for the certificate of achievement are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 144

145 Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the certificate each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). An explanation for this entry must be provided in the Program Narrative, 5. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Net Annual Labor Demand: This field indicates the workforce demand for program graduates. Enter the estimated number of annual job openings, minus the annual number of program completers of other programs within the same service area or counties in the college service areas. The projected net annual labor demand should be based on regional data. The number entered here must be explicitly stated and consistent with the Labor Market and Analysis provided as supporting documentation. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Estimated FTE Faculty Workload This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the program, in the program s first full-year of operation, regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the degree during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three parttime positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the certificate and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 145

146 New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the degree. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the certificate after it has been approved. Gainful Employment This field indicates if the program meets U.S. Department of Education gainful employment criteria. A complete set of resource documents is available on the U.S. Department of Education website under the Gainful Employment Information section ( Public institutions are not required to report gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education programs of at least twoyears in length that are designed to be fully transferable to a bachelor s degree. Select yes for CTE certificates of achievement. Note This data is used for Chancellor s Office generated reports only. It is the sole responsibility of the college to submit gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education. The college may use or modify the detailed records created by the Chancellor s Office or elect to use their own records. Apprenticeship This field indicates whether or not if the certificate is an apprenticeship program. See the apprenticeship section for further information and guidelines. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. CTE Regional Consortium Approved This field validates the program has received the appropriate CTE Regional Consortium approval. For programs with a selected program goal of Career Technical Education (CTE), by selecting yes, the college certifies that the degree was approved by the Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 146

147 CTE regional consortium (including delegated authority), pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130(b)(8)(E). District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new associate degree programs require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record, labor market information, advisory committee recommendation, and regional consortium approval. These requirements are described in more detail on page XX. Narrative Template for CTE Certificates of Achievement Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Based upon the program goals, objectives appropriate to these goals, and program design consistent with these objectives, the determination is made as to whether the proposed program is appropriate to the mission of the local college and community Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 147

148 college system. For example, a program must be directed at the appropriate level for community colleges that is, it must not be directed at a level beyond the certificate or the first two years of college. Similarly, the program goals must address occupational skills. The program may not be primarily avocational or recreational. The statement of goals and objectives serves to define the certificate over time and is one of the major factors in determining whether future changes to the certificate are considered substantial or nonsubstantial for Chancellor s Office review purposes. The program goal(s) must address a valid occupational purpose. The statement must include the main competencies students will have achieved that are required for a specific occupation. The statement must, at a minimum, clearly indicate the specific occupation(s) or field(s) the program will prepare students to enter and the basic occupational competencies students will acquire. Student Selection and Fees: If the program is selective, describe relevant entry criteria, the selection process for admission to the program, and compliance with provisions of Title 5, sections and Similarly, specify all mandatory fees (for materials, insurance, travel, and/or uniforms) that students will incur, for the program as a whole or any of its constituent courses, aside from the ordinary course enrollment fee prescribed in Education Code section Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. The description must include program requirements, prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations, student learning outcomes, and information relevant to the program goal. The Chancellor s Office recommends the following: Convey the goal(s) and objectives of the certificate of achievement; suggest how they differ from the goals and objectives of other programs Provide an overview of the knowledge and skills that students who complete the requirements must demonstrate (student learning outcomes) List all prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations Suggest some caveats that students must be aware of where job market data or other factors are documented in the proposal. These warnings must be as clearly conveyed in the catalog description as possible. The catalog description needs to mention any risks, such as occupations that are inherently competitive or low-salaried and/or occupational areas where inexperienced graduates are not generally hired. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 148

149 The CTE certificate of achievement description must list the potential careers students may enter upon completion. If applicable, advise students if this is a high-unit program (more than 60 semester or 90 quarter units) and how this impacts degree completion If applicable, reference accrediting and/or licensing standards including an explanation of any departures from the standards. In some occupations, while there is no legal requirement for a license to practice, there is a widely recognized certification provided by a professional association. For example, the American Massage Therapy Association certifies massage therapists; the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors certify counselors in that field. In these cases, the Chancellor s Office expects that the description will specify whether the program will fully prepare completers for the recognized professional certification. The description must also convey what students may expect as an outcome. The catalog description represents a commitment to the student. For a program designed with scaffolds among program awards, ensure the catalog description describes but does not overstate this relationship. Assertions of transfer applicability as well as career applicability must be reasonable and capable of being documented. Item 3. Program Requirements The program requirements must be consistent with the catalog description (as entered in Item 2 above). This section should include the number of units, specific course requirements and design of individual courses, and the sequence of the courses must be coherent, complete, and appropriate, given the program objectives and the resources with which the college has to work. The Chancellor s Office will rely on the educational judgment of local faculty within the discipline and curriculum committees in regard to the appropriateness of program requirements. Display the program requirements in a table format that includes all courses required for completion of the program (core requirements and required or restricted electives), and total program units. For each course, indicate the course department number, course title, and unit value. Course Sequence (Recommended Best Practice) ensure the program requirements demonstrate how the required courses must be completed in sequence by term (semester or quarter), including prerequisite courses if applicable. The sequence must be arranged so that a full-time student could complete a degree program in two years, except in the case of a high-unit technical or health occupation program where a sequence longer than two years is necessary. Students who begin college in need of developmental courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics may need more than two years to complete a two- Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 149

150 year program. Ensure the general education requirement pattern(s) specified does not constrain students' individual general education choices unless specific general education courses are recommended to enhance student preparation for a field of study. The program requirements table may include the course sequence (as shown in the sample on the next page) or the course sequence may be shown separate from the program requirements table, so long as both are addressed in item three of the narrative. A sample table format (with program requirements and course sequence combined) is shown below for illustration purposes only): Sample Requirements Dept. Name/# Course Title Units Sequence* Required Core ACCT 1 Introduction to Financial Accounting or 3 Fall, Year 1 ACCT 21 Business Bookkeeping 3 Fall, Year 1 CISC 1 Computer Concepts with Applications 3 Fall, Year 1 CISC 4 Introduction to Computers, Business Applications 3 Fall, Year 1 CISC 30 Microsoft EXCEL 3 Fall, Year 1 CISC 32 Microsoft Access 3 Spring, Year 1 CISC 35 QuickBooks 3 Spring, Year 1 Select 6 units from the following CISC 9A Technology Project Management I 3 Spring, Year 1 CISC 34 *Recommended Best Practice Advanced Excel with Visual Basic for Application 3 Spring, Year 1 CISC 37A Microsoft Word 3 Spring, Year 1 CISC 39 Microsoft Outlook 3 Spring, Year 1 CISC 50 Internet, HTML, and Web Design 3 Spring, Year 1 CBTE 1 Keyboarding 3 Spring, Year 1 Required Major Total 27 units TOTAL UNITS Proposed Sequence: Year 1, Fall = 15 units Year 1, Spring = 12 units TOTAL UNITS: 27 units Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 150

151 For all certificates of achievement, the courses designated for the program must, collectively, be sufficient to enable students to fulfill the program goals and meet the program objectives. Courses must be required that will address the college level communication and analytic skills necessary for success in a transfer program or that will generally enable graduating students to participate as full team members in a company, maintain currency in rapidly changing fields, and/or advance in selected occupations over a lifetime. Colleges are required to explain how the set of program requirements reflect the thinking of the advisory committee, as indicated in advisory committee minutes that are submitted as part of the proposal. If the CTE program requirements do not reflect the advisory committee s recommendation, then the college must explain its departure from those recommendations. This item will be attached separately in the program proposal for Chancellor s Office review and approval. Item 4. Master Planning Given the stated goals and objectives, this discussion addresses the role the proposed program will fulfill in the college s mission and curriculum offerings, the placement of the proposed program in the district master plan, and how the program is appropriate to the objectives and conditions of higher education and community college education in California by confirming to statewide master planning (pursuant to Title 5 sections 55130(b)(6) and 55130(b)(7)). This discussion may include some history of the program proposal origins, a description of the program purpose, and/or the program s relevancy for the region and college including related community support. The proposal must demonstrate a need for the program that meets the stated goals and objectives in the region the college proposes to serve with the degree. Furthermore, a proposed new degree must not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college. Need is determined by multiple factors, including the master plan of the college or district and accreditation standards. Colleges are required to periodically review curriculum through program review, during which the faculty and administrators review the program requirements and related course content in consultation with appropriate advisory groups. Program review is a planning process whereby academic departments determine the future needs and goals of their educational programs. Both new and revised curriculum must reflect the fulfillment of this planning requirement. If any expenditure values were entered in proposal fields, then please explain the specific needs for facilities and equipment in this section. Note what is already available, what is planned or in some stage of development, and what would need to be Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 151

152 acquired after approval in order to implement the program. Programs that require new facilities, major renovation to existing facilities, or an expenditure of over $100,000 in district and state funds for equipment must submit an itemized matrix that details program costs and anticipated revenue (either public or private), both for the initial year of operation and in the near future years. If applicable, this section may also be used to justify program objectives or the inclusion of a given course as a requirement. Similarly, high-unit programs (above 60 semester or 90 quarter units) must be addressed in this section by providing a rationale for the additional unit requirements (e.g.; mandate, law, baccalaureate requirement, etc.). If the CTE program is to be offered in close cooperation with one or more specific employers, a discussion of the relationship must be provided. For example, an employer's facilities may be used to provide the training, or the program may be structured to meet training needs of a specific employer. The proposal must include an explanation of how the open enrollment requirements for California community college courses (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, and ) will be observed in this context. It is not necessary to repeat information covered elsewhere in the proposal, as long as the proposal includes a cross-reference to a page number or section number. If reference is made to appended meeting minutes, then corresponding section(s) in the minutes must be highlighted in the attachment. Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections This item should justify the number of projected students or annual completers to be awarded the degree each year after the program is fully established as entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory proposal field (discussed in sub-section one of this Guide). The justification must include either: (A) enrollment (student headcount) data or (B) a survey of prospective students and completer projections information. (A) Enrollment Data Use a table format (sample provided on the next page*) to provide final (not census) enrollment data for all required existing courses for the last two years to validate the need for this program in the college service area. Include course department number, course title, annual sections, and annual enrollment total. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 152

153 <Year 1> <Year 2> CB01: Course Department Number CB02: Course Title Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total *Use as many rows as required to provide requested data. As a point of reference, refer to the Chancellor's Office Data Mart ( click on the DATAMART hyperlink on the top right header) for historical completion rates by academic year for each TOP Code. (B) Survey (Optional) In the case of a survey, the survey questionnaire, a description of the population surveyed, and survey results must be included. The enrollment and completer projections for CTE certificates of achievement must be compared to the net annual labor demand projection entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory field and stated in the Labor Market Information and Analysis provided as Supporting Documentation. The data must demonstrate adequate demand for the completer projections. Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Before completing this section, review the college s existing program inventory in the CCC Curriculum Inventory, then address the following questions: 10. Do any active inventory records need to be made inactive or changed in connection with the approval of the proposed program? If yes, please specify. 11. Does the program replace any existing program(s) on the college s inventory? Provide relevant details if this program is related to the termination or scaling down of another program(s). 12. What related programs are offered by the college? Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 153

154 Item 7. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Describe all similar programs offered by colleges within commuting distance of the college, commonly known as the college service area. A brief description of each program is required. Pages from other colleges' catalogs may be included as additional attachments to the proposal in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Similarities and differences need to be described, and justification for a program of this type and in this region needs to be provided. In most instances, a college proposing a new program needs to make a convincing case that the existing capacities at other colleges are insufficient to meet the demand. If the proposed program has a different emphasis than similar programs at other colleges, targets a different market, demonstrates state-of-the-art offerings, or for a number of reasons will be a stronger program, documentation and/or explanation need to be provided. The college needs to provide evidence that faculty affiliated with the program proposal have been in communication with faculty offering similar programs at other community colleges, as well as with transfer institutions (if applicable). The college also must demonstrate how such communication helped to design the proposed program. When two or more colleges in the same region are seeking approval for new programs of a similar kind at or near the same time, evidence of collaboration is especially important. Generally, competition between districts is not an issue for transfer programs, nor is redundancy of offerings, since every college is presumed to have the right to offer a range of transfer majors. For transfer programs, the main reason for considering programs in neighboring colleges is to compare the program requirements. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 154

155 Additional Supporting Documentation Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course listed on the Course Report and Narrative Item 3. Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis Pursuant to Education Code section 78015, labor market information (LMI) data are specifically required for new CTE programs. Current labor market information and analysis, or other comparable information, must show that jobs are available for program completers within the local service area of the individual college and/or that job enhancement or promotion justifies the proposed curriculum. Regional, statewide, or national labor market evidence may be included as supplementary support but evidence of need in the specific college service area or region is also necessary. The program proposal must include projections from LMI for the most applicable Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes and geographical regions to be served by the program. If these projections do not suggest adequate job openings in the college service area to provide employment for all program completers, then the proposal must explain what other factors may justify the program and make the LMI figures misleading. If LMI is not available, other data sources may include: Recent employer surveys Industry studies Regional economic studies Letters from employers attesting to the service area need Minutes of industry advisory committee meetings (beyond required advisory committee meeting minutes) Job advertisements for positions in the individual college s service area Newspaper or magazine articles on industry or employment trends Applicable studies or data from licensing agencies or professional associations A commonly referenced data source is the Employment Development Department s Labor Market Information system ( which provides statistical projections of growth in specific jobs by county (or labor market area) from. California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, requires the college seeking approval of a new program to show "the relation of the proposed program to a job market analysis." Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 155

156 The applicable lines for the program being proposed on the printout of the data from the LMI should be highlighted in the labor market analysis data documentation. It is insufficient to merely provide a link to the other applicable LMI source. Target the search for specific data and avoid including unnecessary or irrelevant statistical printouts in the proposal. Labor Market Analysis Suggested Areas of Discussion Net Given the number of enrollments that are projected for the program that are necessary to support it, are there enough openings locally to permit placement of the expected number of graduates? What is the viability of the job market? Has job market been declining slowly? Holding steady? Growing slowly? Growing rapidly? Recently emerging? Earning Potential What is the average initial salary placement? Program Credibility/Career Potential What is the average percentage of salary increase within 2 years? Within 5 years? Consider the following questions: Is there sufficient evidence that employers would preferentially hire or promote graduates with this education, other things being equal? How likely is it that employees with only the education provided by this program, and lacking experience, will be hired at all? Or that experienced employees with only this education would be promoted? If advanced degrees are typically needed for career advancement, will the courses required for this program transfer towards completion of the requirements for those degrees? Will the program s academic preparation permit students to stay current in their field? Does the program teach basic principles and theory, as well as applications? Is program current? Does the program curriculum contain sufficient rigor to assure the capacity to continue to follow the literature and learn new techniques? Does the program curriculum provide sufficient generality to allow for later shifts in a career or related careers? Does the program preparation provide significant secondary expertise to prepare students for primary careers? Is the program Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 156

157 Emerging Occupations designed primarily or in part to meet the needs of those already employed for upward mobility, entrepreneurship, or other career advancement(s)? Does the program prepare students to work in an ethnically diverse workforce and an ethnically diverse, global market? In circumstances where job market data are not available or are not appropriate for a new occupational program such as in an area of emerging social need or technology, it becomes important to provide a careful analysis and explication of the specific demands of this new occupation. It is in anticipating emerging demands that colleges can play an essential leadership role, but can also most readily be misled as to the actual job requirements or prospects in a field and thus inadvertently mislead students. A carefully designed employer survey can elicit documentation of the fact that (a) employers share the college's assumption as to where the field is going and what skills this emerging industry will require of employees and (b) will recognize the value of the proposed degree or certificate in their hiring or promotion. Competitive Fields Colleges are often called upon to provide training that students greatly desire, even where the job prospects are limited and the field is highly competitive. In such occupations often in the arts and entertainment it is talent, rather than education, that is the bottom line in hiring. While no community college certificate can substitute for talent, a program that is exceptionally well designed to identify, develop, and demonstrate the presence of talent can still be justified when few programs of similar quality exist in the service area. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 157

158 Career Technical Education Fields Small Business or Cottage Industries Many kinds of certificates are of occupational benefit to students already employed. In such circumstances, the program objectives and design, including the sequencing of courses, should fit the needs of students likely to be already employed by building on their prior experience and spacing course requirements to accommodate working students. However, all community college programs should either include opportunities for entry-level students, or should be paired with related entry-level training at the same college. A program should not entirely exclude students who are not already employed in a particular industry, unless the college makes available to such students a practicable entry-level training route that would qualify them, upon completion, for the advanced training. Entrepreneurial opportunities and the market for cottage industries yield few statistics. Yet these are a source of employment for an increasingly large proportion of the workforce and constitute a legitimate vocational goal for a community college program, especially in rural areas. An application for approval of a program designed to meet the needs of such students should show a careful analysis of their needs and of the market within which they must compete, and relate this analysis to the design of the program. Employer Survey When the current labor market information and analysis is not available to demonstrate adequate local employment opportunities for program completers, an employer survey may be submitted. Provide a copy of the survey, including the number of those surveyed, number of responses, and a summary of the results. The survey must address to what extent the proposed degree or certificate, with its stated objectives and proposed courses, will be valued by prospective employers. In communicating with survey respondents, the questionnaire should convey as much information as possible regarding the intended program design, with the proposed equipment, facilities, work experiences proposed, and/or faculty qualifications. The survey can then be used to determine whether, on that basis, the employer would Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 158

159 preferentially hire someone with such a degree or certificate over someone without it, other things being equal. This section should, at minimum, specify: Methodology: when the survey was taken, and by what methodology (mail, telephone); Response Rate: how many employers were surveyed and how many responded; Scope: the specific title(s) of the positions covered by the survey; Projections: How many openings the employer anticipates, due to separations and new jobs (growth), in the next full year and over the next full five years; Whether the employer believes the program as described would qualify students for the specific positions; and Whether the employer would preferentially hire students who have completed the program. A copy of the questions asked in the survey and a full summary of responses should be provided either within this section or as an attachment. Program applications will be evaluated in terms of whether the case was made that the net number of job openings that employers are planning to fill--annually and over the next five years-given turnover, growth, etc., will be equal to or greater than the number of students the program will graduate per year, after taking account of the number of graduates from similar programs in other institutions who will be entering the job market within the geographical region from which employers are being surveyed. Letters of support from businesses in the college s service area are sometimes included with an approval application. These can be useful and are welcome, although not required. However, the most useful letters of support are specific, rather than general. The most useful letters are those from actual employers who will hire the program completers. An effective letter of support should specify that the employer is familiar with the proposed program, has need for the program completers, and intends to hire them. If possible, the letter should indicate approximately how many program completers the employing company estimates it might hire per year. Letters such as this are especially important if it has been infeasible, for some reason, to conduct a complete employer survey. Other evidence of job market need may be included if available. Again, if an employer survey has not been conducted, these other materials may be provided in partial substitution. Or they may be provided in addition to the employer survey. Examples of Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 159

160 other evidence of need include job advertisements or listings, regional economic studies, and industry trend studies. When a proposed program is in an emerging occupation, finding relevant regional or local data may be challenging. One source of data for emerging occupations is available from the Centers of Excellence, an initiative of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Division. The Initiative website ( includes comprehensive reports on emerging occupations, called Environmental Scans, as well as information about requesting customized reports if no scan has been published. Advisory Committee Recommendation This document (in a single attachment) must include the following three components: 4. Demonstrate how the advisory committee is comprised of typical/prospective employers, discipline faculty from transfer institutions, entrepreneurs, or others qualified to provide guidance in developing and reviewing the program by providing a list of advisory committee member names, job titles, and business affiliations. 5. Minutes of the advisory committee meetings at which the program was discussed and approved must be included. Highlight using an electronic highlighter or another easily visible method in the attachment the approval action in the minutes. Minutes of other meetings, such as curriculum committee meetings, may also be included if they reflect relevant discussion. Meeting minutes must include the date and place of the meeting and names of all who attended. 6. A summary of the advisory committee recommendations and discuss how the proposed program aligns with the recommendations. If it was not possible to incorporate all of the recommendations, describe how decisions were made when selecting major topics to be addressed in the program. Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes California community colleges are organized into 10 economic regions ( served by seven consortia of CTE faculty and administrators from community colleges in that region. The Career Technical Education Regional Consortia provide leadership for colleges to: Integrate and coordinate economic development and CTE programs and services Develop and coordinate staff development Increase the knowledge of programs and services in the region, and to disseminate best practices Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 160

161 In addition to Advisory Committee recommendation for approval (with a motion approved in meeting minutes), Title 5, section 55130(b)(8)E, also requires that credit programs be reviewed by Regional Consortia, when applicable. Consequently, proposals for credit programs with a selected program goal of Career Technical Education (CTE), must also include a recommendation for approval from the appropriate Career Technical Education Regional Consortium. Minutes of the regional consortia meeting(s) at which the program was discussed and approved must be included. The recommendation should be clearly stated with a motion approved in the meeting minutes. Highlight using an electronic highlighter or another easily visible method in the attachment the approval action in the minutes. Highlight portions of the minutes that deal with substantive issues of program need, objectives, design, and resource requirements. Suggestions included in the minutes, questions or concerns that were raised, and decisions noted must be specifically addressed in the proposal. Meeting minutes must include the date and place of the meeting and names of all who attended. Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 161

162 CHECKLIST for CTE Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Net Annual Labor Demand Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Excluding Apprenticeships Narrative Template Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis Advisory Committee Recommendation Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 162

163 Amend an Existing CTE Certificate of Achievement Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an Existing CTE Certificate of Achievement Colleges may amend an active CTE certificate of achievement by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, a program that has been approved by the Chancellor s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is modified in any substantial way. A program is considered substantially modified in any of the following situations: The goals and objectives of the program are substantially changed; The job categories for which program completers qualify are substantially different from the job categories program completers previously qualified for; The baccalaureate major to which students typically transfer is different from the baccalaureate major students previously typically transferred to; An existing program is split into two or more tracks; A new certificate is added (each award must be approved separately); or The TOP Code is changed. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing CTE certificate of achievement that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to an existing certificate of achievement may include: A change to the local title; or The addition or removal of courses from an certificate of achievement. This includes certificate unit changes that are made to keep a program current with changing job, certification, or external accrediting agency requirements, evolving applications of technology within the same occupation; or evolving knowledge within a particular field. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes, the following is required: Amend a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 163

164 The course report must be updated to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved; All course outlines of record must be attached as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report; and The revised description of the program requirements must be included. It is helpful if the specific changes are notated in the program description. Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active associate degree inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate an associate degree which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make an associate degree active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Overview to Amend an Existing CTE Certificate of Achievement Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all CTE certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes Amend a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 164

165 faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all CTE certificates of achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained in the previous section, programs that are substantially changed require the following documentation: updated program narrative, labor market information (LMI) and analysis, advisory committee recommendation, and regional consortia approval meeting minutes. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree changes. Nonsubstantially changed programs require an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. Note Submit new courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for approval. All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program revision to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Amend a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 165

166 Submit revised documentation for substantial changes including labor market information (LMI) and analysis, advisory committee recommendation, and regional consortium approval meeting. Submit revised documentation for nonsubstantial changes including an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications Substantial program changes require re-approval by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 166

167 Flowchart to Amend an Existing CTE Certificate of Achievement Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Description/ Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Amend Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Labor Market Information* Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Advisory Committee Recommendation* Regional Consortium Approval* Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines CTE Regional Consortium Approval* CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. *Required for Substantial Changes Only Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate of Achievement Page 167

168 CHECKLIST to Amend an Existing CTE Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Net Annual Labor Demand Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education CTE Regional Consortium Approved District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Excluding Apprenticeships Program Description/Narrative Template* Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area *Only required for substantially changed programs. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 168 Course Outlines of Record Labor Market Information (LMI) & Analysis* Advisory Committee Recommendation* Regional Consortia Approval Meeting Minutes* Transfer Documentation*

169 Chancellor s Office Local Certificate of Achievement Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Local Certificate of Achievement Page 169

170 Overview Community college programs require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by Chancellor s Office. The standards for all certificates of achievement are set forth in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section which defines certificate of achievement as any credit certificate that may appear by name on a student transcript, diploma, or completion award. Colleges must submit programs of 18 or more semester units or 27 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval. Colleges may submit programs of 12 or more semester units or 18 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework for Chancellor s Office approval in order that the program may be included in the student transcript. Local certificates of achievement should be designed to prepare students for transfer or meet local community needs. TOP Code Manual For reference, the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Career Technical Education or vocational TOP Codes are denoted with an asterisk (*). Local Certificate of Achievement Standards The following standards apply to the development and approval of the local certificates of achievement: Certificates of Achievement classified as Local must meet the following standards: Must be offered in a non-career technical education or non-vocational TOP code May be designed to serve either transfer preparation and/or community needs. Chancellor s Office Local Certificate of Achievement Degree Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be Local Certificate of Achievement Page 170

171 established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all new local certificates of achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained below, colleges must submit the following documentation: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in the major or area of emphasis, and appropriate transfer preparation documentation from the list of allowable documents if the program is designed in total or in part for transfer preparation, and community need related documentation if applicable. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree. Submit New Courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for Approval All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the new program to the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Step 5. Submit new program to appropriate Accrediting Agency/Agencies for approval Step 6. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new programs must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Local Certificate of Achievement Page 171

172 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Local Certificate of Achievement Page 172

173 Local Certificate of Achievement Proposal Flowchart Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Narrative Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) New Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation (if applicable) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Appropriate Documentation to support Community Need (if applicable) CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Accreditation Approval Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Local Certificate of Achievement Page 173

174 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Award: (select A-A.A. Degree or S-A.S.-T Degree) Program Title: Do not use the following words: with an emphasis. degree, certificate, transfer or for transfer Program Goal: (select only one) Program TOP Code: A- A.A. Degree S- A.S. Degree Y- A.A.-T Degree X- A.S,-T Degree B- Certificate of Achievement (12 to fewer than 18 semester units) C- Certificate of Achievement (18 or greater semester units) Noncredit Program C Career Technical Education (CTE) T Transfer (?) CT Career Technical Education (CTE) and Transfer Preparation O Other Designed to meet community needs (are we adding a new goal Transfer Preparation? CT will not work because these certificates may not be CTE) May not be assigned a vocational TOP Code denoted with an asterisk (*) Required Certificate Units (Minimum): Required Certificate Units (Maximum): Annual Completers: Faculty Workload: (FTEF for full program; approximately FTEF) New Faculty Position: (If no new hire, enter 0) New Equipment: (estimate $; if no new equipment, Local Certificate of Achievement Page 174

175 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields enter 0) New/Remodeled Facilities: (estimate $; if no new facilities, enter 0) Library Acquisitions: (estimate $; if no new library and learning resources, enter 0) Program Review Date: (NOTE: Every six years or every two years for CTE) Gainful Employment Apprenticeship Distance Education Yes No Yes No 0% 1-49% % District Governing Board Approval Date By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Course Report All courses must be approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office prior to submitting a program for approval. Selecting the Appropriate Curriculum Inventory Proposal Field Program Award This data element indicates the program award. Select only one program award. Select B-Certificate of Achievement 12 to fewer than 18 semester units or select C- Certificate of Achievement 18 or greater semester units. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 175

176 Note Local certificates of achievement may not be assigned a career technical education or vocational TOP Code. Associate of Arts (A.A.) is strongly recommended for all other disciplines. Program Title This field indicates the official program title. Enter the exact title that is proposed for the catalog. The title must clearly and accurately reflect the scope and level of the program. Do not include descriptors, such as certificate in the title because these descriptors are attached to the title in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. For example, enter Peace Studies. Note the Associate Degree for Transfer is reserved for degrees that comply with Education Code section Program Goal This data element indicates the program goal. Select the program goal of Transfer Preparation or Other Designed for Community Need. Note, only the program goal of transfer is limited to ADTs and Certificates of Achievement for CSU GE or IGETC. Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code This data element indicated the program TOP code. Select the appropriate TOP Code. A career technical education or vocational TOP Codes may not be used for local programs. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational TOP code. Refer to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, which may be accessed under the Admin > Resources tab in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Required Units for the Certificate (minimum) This field indicates the minimum units for the certificate. Enter the minimum number of semester or quarter units for the major. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Required Units for the Certificate (maximum) This field indicates the maximum units for the certificate. Enter the maximum number of semester or quarter units for certificate. If the units required are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Note Local Certificate of Achievement Page 176

177 If the minimum and maximum units required for the certificate of achievement are the same (not a range), then enter the same number in both (minimum/maximum) fields. Annual Completers This field indicates the estimated number of students to receive the certificate of achievement each year when the program is established. Enter the number of annual completers. The estimation submitted for annual completers should be reasonable in light of historical completion rates. As a point of reference, refer to the CCCCO Data Mart ( ). An explanation for this entry must be provided in the Program Narrative, 5. The number entered must be greater than zero (0). Estimated FTE Faculty Workload This field indicates the number of full-time faculty positions estimated to be dedicated to teaching the courses in the program, in the program s first full-year of operation, regarding of whether new or existing faculty. Enter the number of full time equivalent faculty (FTEF) that will be dedicated to teaching the degree during the first full-year of operation, regardless of whether they are new or existing faculty. The number must be entered as a decimal. For example, one and a quarter FTEF would be entered as The estimate is not the number of FTES (full time equivalent students) expected to be generated by the program. New Faculty Positions This field indicates the number of separately identified new faculty positions, both fulltime and part-time. This number is not the FTEF number. For example, if three parttime positions will be new, then enter the number 3. If existing faculty are sufficient for offering the degree and there are no plans to hire new faculty, enter zero (0). New Equipment This field indicates the cost of new equipment. If new equipment will be acquired for this program, estimate the total cost (in dollars) from district and/or state funds. Enter zero (0) if there is no new equipment. New and/or remodeled Facilities This field indicates the cost of new or remodeled facilities. If new or remodeled facilities will be acquired for this program, indicate the cost (in dollars) from district and/state funds in this field. Enter zero (0) if there are no new or remodeled facilities. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 177

178 Library Acquisitions This field indicates the new library and learning resources materials that will be acquired for the degree. Fill in the estimated costs for library and learning resources materials. Insert zero (0) if there are no new library or learning resources materials. Program Review Date This field indicates the program review date for the program. Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Gainful Employment This field indicates if the program meets U.S. Department of Education gainful employment criteria. A complete set of resource documents is available on the U.S. Department of Education website under the Gainful Employment Information section ( Enter the month and year of the first scheduled review of the degree after it has been approved. Public institutions are not required to report gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education programs of at least two-years in length that are designed to be fully transferable to a bachelor s degree. Select yes or no. Note This data is used for Chancellor s Office generated reports only. It is the sole responsibility of the college to submit gainful employment data to the U.S. Department of Education. The college may use or modify the detailed records created by the Chancellor s Office or elect to use their own records. Apprenticeship This field indicates whether or not if the certificate is an apprenticeship program. See the apprenticeship section for further information and guidelines. Distance Education This field indicates the percentage of the courses within the program are available to be offered via distance education. Indicate the extent to which the courses associated with the degree are conducted via distance education. District Governing Board Approved (yes/no) Pursuant to Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections and programs require governing board approval. By selecting yes, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections Local Certificate of Achievement Page 178

179 55002 and 55100, originally approved the program. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the program. Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to completing the Curriculum inventory fields, new certificates of achievement require the following additional supporting documents: program narrative, course outlines of record for all courses included in a major or area of emphasis, appropriate transfer preparation documentation, and local community need documentation (if applicable). These requirements are described in more detail on page XX. If the program goal is to meet community needs, required documentation may be in the form of survey results, letters of support from community agencies, or other regional data in support of the need. Narrative Template for Local Certificates of Achievement Please adhere to the following format conventions: Use the heading (item) and numbering convention (for example: Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives). Ensure the description provided under each item is removed from the narrative prior to submission. Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Identify the goals and objectives of the program. The stated goals and objectives of the program must be consistent with the mission of the community colleges as established by the Legislature in Education Code section Often, colleges will include the program level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in this section that identify the program s goals and objectives. Based upon the program goals, objectives appropriate to these goals, and program design consistent with these objectives, the determination is made as to whether the proposed program is appropriate to the mission of the local college and community college system. For example, a program must be directed at the appropriate level for community colleges that is, it must not be directed at a level beyond the certificate or the first two years of college. Similarly, a program must address a valid transfer, occupational, basic skills, civic education, or lifelong learning purpose. The program may not be primarily avocational or recreational. The statement of goals and objectives serves to define the degree over time and is one of the major factors in determining Local Certificate of Achievement Page 179

180 whether future changes to the degree are considered substantial or nonsubstantial for Chancellor s Office review purposes. If the program goal(s) addresses valid transfer preparation of students to one or more baccalaureate majors., courses required for the degree must be specifically designed as transferable courses so students are prepared for an area of study at a baccalaureate institution. In this section describe how these courses will meet the lower division requirements of a major at a baccalaureate institution. List the baccalaureate institutions that students will be able to transfer to upon completion of the program. For programs designed for the student not intending to transfer, community colleges may develop certificates of achievement that meet community needs and reflect the educational philosophy of the faculty in a discipline or disciplines. The required courses may not be aligned with requirements for transfer preparation, but they may represent a cohesive package of courses in an area of study. If the certificate of achievement is designed to meet community needs, then the goals an objective statement must, at a minimum, explain in detail how the degree was designed to meet community needs in accordance with the college mission. Describe how the degree embodies a pattern of learning experiences that are focused on specific capabilities or knowledge areas. Student Selection and Fees: If the program is selective, describe relevant entry criteria, the selection process for admission to the program, and compliance with provisions of Title 5, sections and Similarly, specify all mandatory fees (for materials, insurance, travel, and/or uniforms) that students will incur, for the program as a whole or any of its constituent courses, aside from the ordinary course enrollment fee prescribed in Education Code section Item 2. Catalog Description The catalog description must be entered exactly as it will appear in the college catalog. The description must include program requirements, prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations, student learning outcomes, and information relevant to the program goal. The Chancellor s Office recommends the following: Convey the goal(s) and objectives of the certificate of achievement; suggest how they differ from the goals and objectives of other programs Provide an overview of the knowledge and skills that students who complete the requirements must demonstrate (student learning outcomes) List all prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations Local Certificate of Achievement Page 180

181 Suggest some caveats that students must be aware of where job market data or other factors are documented in the proposal. These warnings must be as clearly conveyed in the catalog description as possible. The catalog description needs to mention any risks, such as occupations that are inherently competitive or low-salaried and/or occupational areas where inexperienced graduates are not generally hired. If applicable, advise students if this is a high-unit program (more than 60 semester or 90 quarter units) and how this impacts program completion The description must also convey what students may expect as an outcome. The catalog description represents a commitment to the student. For a program designed with scaffolds among program awards, ensure the catalog description describes but does not overstate this relationship. Assertions of transfer applicability as well as career applicability must be reasonable and capable of being documented. If the program goal includes transfer preparation, the catalog description must list baccalaureate majors or related majors. Item 3. Program Requirements The program requirements must be consistent with the catalog description (as entered in Item 2 above). This section should include the number of units, specific course requirements and design of individual courses, and the sequence of the courses must be coherent, complete, and appropriate, given the program objectives and the resources with which the college has to work. The Chancellor s Office will rely on the educational judgment of local faculty within the discipline and curriculum committees in regard to the appropriateness of program requirements. Display the program requirements in a table format that includes all courses required for completion of the program (core requirements and required or restricted electives). For each course, indicate the course department number, course title, and unit value. Course Sequence (Recommended Best Practice) ensure the program requirements demonstrate how the required courses must be completed in sequence by term (semester or quarter), including prerequisite courses if applicable. The sequence must be arranged so that a full-time student could complete a degree program in two years, except in the case of a high-unit technical or health occupation program where a sequence longer than two years is necessary. Students who begin college in need of developmental courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics may need more than two years to complete a twoyear program.. The program requirements table may include the course sequence (as shown in the sample on the next page) or the course sequence may be shown separate Local Certificate of Achievement Page 181

182 from the program requirements table, so long as both are addressed in item three of the narrative. A sample table format (with program requirements and course sequence combined) is shown on the below (for illustration purposes only): Sample A.A. Global Studies Requirements Dept. Name/# Course Title Units Sequence Select 12 units COMM 101 Public Speaking 3 Year 1, Fall COMM 102 Interpersonal Communication 3 COMM 104 Persuasive Communication 3 COMM 105 Rhetoric and Argumentation 3 COMM 106 Intercultural Communication 3 COMM 107 Organizational Communication 3 COMM 108 Small Group Communication 3 COMM 110 Leadership and Communication 3 Required Certificate Total 12 units Proposed Sequence (Recommended Best Practice): Year 1, Fall = 6 units Year 1, Spring = 6 units TOTAL UNITS: 12 units Item 4. Master Planning Given the stated goals and objectives, this discussion addresses the role the proposed program will fulfill in the college s mission and curriculum offerings, the placement of the proposed program in the district master plan, and how the program is appropriate to the objectives and conditions of higher education and community college education in California by confirming to statewide master planning (pursuant to Title 5 sections 55130(b)(6) and 55130(b)(7)). This discussion may include some history of the program proposal origins, a description of the program purpose, and/or the program s relevancy for the region and college including related community support. The proposal must demonstrate a need for the program that meets the stated goals and objectives in the region the college proposes to serve with the degree. Furthermore, a proposed new certificate of achievement must not cause undue competition with an existing program at another college. Need is determined by multiple factors, including Local Certificate of Achievement Page 182

183 the master plan of the college or district and accreditation standards. Colleges are required to periodically review curriculum through program review, during which the faculty and administrators review the program requirements and related course content in consultation with appropriate community organization. Program review is a planning process whereby academic departments determine the future needs and goals of their educational programs. Both new and revised curriculum must reflect the fulfillment of this planning requirement. If any expenditure values were entered in proposal fields, then please explain the specific needs for facilities and equipment in this section. Note what is already available, what is planned or in some stage of development, and what would need to be acquired after approval in order to implement the program. Programs that require new facilities, major renovation to existing facilities, or an expenditure of over $100,000 in district and state funds for equipment must submit an itemized matrix that details program costs and anticipated revenue (either public or private), both for the initial year of operation and in the near future years. If applicable, this section may also be used to justify program objectives or the inclusion of a given course as a requirement. Similarly, high-unit programs (above 60 semester or 90 quarter units) must be addressed in this section by providing a rationale for the additional unit requirements (e.g.; mandate, law, baccalaureate requirement, etc.). Finally, if the selected program goal is Other Designed to meet local community needs, then a description of the community or other need leading to the program development is required. It is not necessary to repeat information covered elsewhere in the proposal, as long as the proposal includes a cross-reference to a page number or section number. If reference is made to appended meeting minutes, then corresponding section(s) in the minutes must be highlighted in the attachment. Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections This item should justify the number of projected students or annual completers to be awarded the certificate of achievement each year after the program is fully established as entered into the CCC Curriculum Inventory proposal field (discussed in sub-section one of this Guide). The justification must include either: (A) enrollment (student headcount) data or (B) a survey of prospective students and completer projections information. (A) Enrollment Data Use a table format (sample provided below*) to provide final (not census) enrollment data for all required existing courses for the last two years to validate the need for this program Local Certificate of Achievement Page 183

184 in the college service area. Include course department number, course title, annual sections, and annual enrollment total. <Year 1> <Year 2> CB01: Course Department Number CB02: Course Title Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total Annual # Sections Annual Enrollment Total *Use as many rows as required to provide requested data. As a point of reference, refer to the Chancellor's Office Data Mart ( click on the DATAMART hyperlink on the top right header) for historical completion rates by academic year for each TOP Code. (B) Survey (Optional) In the case of a survey, the survey questionnaire, a description of the population surveyed, and survey results must be included. Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Before completing this section, review the college s existing program inventory in the CCC Curriculum Inventory, then address the following questions: 13. Do any active inventory records need to be made inactive or changed in connection with the approval of the proposed program? If yes, please specify. 14. Does the program replace any existing program(s) on the college s inventory? Provide relevant details if this program is related to the termination or scaling down of another program(s). 15. What related programs are offered by the college? Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) If a local program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, briefly describe the attached transfer preparation documentation and how the degree prepares students for transfer. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 184

185 Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Describe all similar programs offered by colleges within commuting distance of the college, commonly known as the college service area. A brief description of each program is required. Pages from other colleges' catalogs may be included as additional attachments to the proposal in the CCC Curriculum Inventory. Similarities and differences need to be described, and justification for a program of this type and in this region needs to be provided. In most instances, a college proposing a new program needs to make a convincing case that the existing capacities at other colleges are insufficient to meet the demand. If the proposed program has a different emphasis than similar programs at other colleges, targets a different market, demonstrates state-of-the-art offerings, or for a number of reasons will be a stronger program, documentation and/or explanation need to be provided. The college needs to provide evidence that faculty affiliated with the program proposal have been in communication with faculty offering similar programs at other community colleges, as well as with transfer institutions (if applicable). The college also must demonstrate how such communication helped to design the proposed program. When two or more colleges in the same region are seeking approval for new programs of a similar kind at or near the same time, evidence of collaboration is especially important. Generally, competition between districts is not an issue for transfer programs, nor is redundancy of offerings, since every college is presumed to have the right to offer a range of transfer majors. For transfer programs, the main reason for considering programs in neighboring colleges is to compare the program requirements. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 185

186 Course Outlines of Record Upload the current course outline of record for each course listed on the Course Report and Narrative Item 3. Transfer Preparation Documentation If the local program is designed to provide transfer preparation, as a component of or as the primary intent of the degree, then it must include at least one of the following documents to substantiate the alignment of the degree with transfer preparation standards. When programs are designed to provide transfer preparation for more than one baccalaureate institution, documentation should demonstrate alignment with the requirements for lower division major preparation at more than one institution. Appropriate documentation may include, but is not limited to, any of the following that sufficiently demons rate this requirement: Programmatic articulation agreements; ASSIST documentation verifying that a majority of the courses in the program are articulated for the major (AAM) at the baccalaureate institutions to which the program s students are likely to transfer; Table of program requirements from the most recent catalogs, with catalog dates and page numbers cited, for targeted transfer institutions showing a crosswalk with the CCC program requirements; Summary of lower division major preparation published or endorsed by relevant professional bodies or programmatic accreditors, with citations included; or Formal letters from the intended receiving institution that verify alignment of proposed program with their program curriculum. Community Need Documentation If the program goal is to meet community needs, required documentation may be in the form of survey results, letters of support from community agencies, or other regional data in support of the need. When seeking approval for such certificates, the intent must be clearly expressed in the narrative portion of the proposal. Local Certificate of Achievement Page 186

187 CHECKLIST for Local Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Narrative Template Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer Documentation (if applicable) Local Need Documentation (if applicable) Local Certificate of Achievement Page 187

188 Amend an Existing Local Certificate of Achievement Overview of the Proposal Actions to Amend an Existing Local Certificate of Achievement Colleges may amend an active local certificate of achievement by selecting one of the following proposal actions: Substantial, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Substantial Change Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55130, a program that has been approved by the Chancellor s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is modified in any substantial way. A program is considered substantially modified in any of the following situations: The goals and objectives of the program are substantially changed; The job categories for which program completers qualify are substantially different from the job categories program completers previously qualified for; The baccalaureate major to which students typically transfer is different from the baccalaureate major students previously typically transferred to; Splitting an existing program into two or more track; Adding a certificate (each award must be approved separately); The TOP Code is changed. Nonsubstantial Change A nonsubstantial change is a minor change to an existing associate degree that will not initiate a new control number (CB00). A common example of a nonsubstantial change to a local certificate of achievement may include: The change to a local title; and/or The addition or removal of courses from an active associate degree. This includes certificate unit changes that are made to keep a program current with changing transfer preparation requirements and/or community need. For a nonsubstantial change, limited proposal fields may be edited. Make the desired changes to the proposal fields and/or supporting documentation. Unless revised as a component of the desired nonsubstantial change, original supporting documentation such as the program narrative, transfer documentation, etc., should remain attached to the proposal. If the nonsubstantial change entails adding or removing courses from an existing program and/or the total number of required unit changes the following is required: Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 188

189 Update the course report to reflect only the current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubtantial change is approved; Attach all course outlines of record as supporting documentation for all of the courses listed in the course report; and Provide a description of the program requirements. It is helpful if the specific changes are notated in the description. Active to Inactive Amending Active to Inactive is an action to make an active certificate of achievement to inactive. This action will not issue a new control number. No validation process is required for this action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Inactive Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a program inactive is made effective in the Curriculum Inventory immediately upon submission. Respectively, when a program is inactive in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record not appear in the Public Search Tool results; however, the program record will remain in the Curriculum Inventory for historical reference and use. Inactive to Active Amending Inactive to Active is an action to reactivate a certificate of achievement which was previously made inactive. This action will not initiate a new control number. No validation process is required for action prior to submitting the proposal to the Chancellor s Office. Select Active Proposal. Important Note A proposal to make a certificate of achievement active is effective immediately in the Curriculum Inventory upon submission. Respectively, when a program is active in the Curriculum Inventory, the program record will appear in the Public Search Tool results. Overview to Amend an Existing Local Certificate of Achievement Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all certificates of achievement shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 189

190 faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approve all local certificates of achievement (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs, tit., (a). Step 3. Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation In addition to the curriculum inventory proposal fields explained in the previous section, programs that are substantially changed require the following documentation: updated program narrative updated transfer preparation documentation if applicable and updated local community need documentation if applicable. The additional documentation may be developed any time during the approval process. It is highly recommended supporting documentation is completed during the early stages of the development of the degree changes. Nonsubstantially changed programs require an updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. Note Submit new courses with appropriate local and governing board approval to the CCCCCO for approval. All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program revision to the state for approval. Step 4. Submit the program revisions and appropriate documentation the CCCCO Once a certificate of achievement has received local curriculum committee and applicable Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the degree along with the appropriate documentation to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. Select the appropriate Curriculum inventory proposal action: Substantial Change, Nonsubstantial Change, Active to Inactive, or Inactive to Active. Update Curriculum Inventory fields as appropriate. Describe the change(s) and rationale in the justification box of the proposal in the Curriculum Inventory. Update course report with current courses required as a result of the nonsubstantial change proposal. Remove any courses that will not be associated with the program after the nonsubstantial change is approved. Ensure all course outlines of record (CORs) are attached as supporting documentation for all courses listed in the Course Report. Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 190

191 Submit revised documentation for substantial changes including transfer documentation if applicable and local community need documentation if applicable. Submit revised documentation for nonsubstantial changes including updated program description, course report, and course outlines of record. The college may elect to revise the previously submitted program proposal with track changes or color-coded text to indicate content changed in the proposal narrative. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Step 5. Add the Program to the College Catalog and Other Publications Substantial program changes require re-approval by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs, tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 191

192 Flowchart to Amend an Existing Local Certificate of Achievement Prepare CCCCO Additional Supporting Documentation Approval Process Program Description/ Narrative* Course Outlines of Record (All new courses must receive CCCCO approval prior to submitting the program to the state) Amend Program Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Appropriate Transfer Preparation Documentation* (if applicable) Local Community Need Documentation* (if applicable) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit programs must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Publish and Offer New Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). *Required for Substantial Changes Only Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 192

193 CHECKLIST to Amend an Existing Local Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields Program Goal TOP Code Required Certificate Units Minimum Required Certificate Units Maximum Annual Completers Estimated FTE Faculty Workload New Faculty Positions New Equipment New and/or remodeled Facilities Library Acquisitions Program Review Date Gainful Employment Distance Education District Governing Board Approval Date Additional Supporting Documentation Program Description/Narrative Template* Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives Item 2. Catalog Description Item 3. Program Requirements Display the program requirements in a table format Course Sequence Item 4. Master Planning Item 5. Enrollment and Completer Projections Enrollment Data Survey Item 6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs Item 7. Transfer Preparation Information (if applicable) Item 8. Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area Course Outlines of Record Transfer Documentation* Community Need Documentation* *Only required for substantially changed programs. Amend a Local Certificate of Achievement Page 193

194 Part 2: CCCCO Noncredit Course and Program Approval Process Section 1 Preparing a Noncredit Course for CCCCO Approval Noncredit Course Page 194

195 Chancellor s Office Noncredit Course Approval Process and Submission Guidelines Noncredit Course Page 195

196 Overview of the Chancellor s Office New Noncredit Course Approval Process Community college course proposals require review and approval by the Chancellor s Office prior to being offered at a community college. This section covers the steps included in the approval process, submission guidelines, and curriculum standards used by the Chancellor s Office. Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all new noncredit courses shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval The District Governing Board must approval all noncredit courses (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a). Step 3. Submit the new course proposal to the CCCCO Once a course has received local curriculum committee and applicable District Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the course to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The estimated timeline to receive approval is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Courses that do not have a CCCCO control number assigned to them will not be counted for MIS reporting which may impact the institutions apportionment as well as student enrollment. Step 4. Add the New Course, Revisions, or Reactivation to the College Catalog and Other Publications All new courses must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Noncredit Course Page 196

197 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Noncredit Course Page 197

198 New Noncredit Course Proposal Flowchart Approval Process New Course Proposal Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) Board of Trustees Approval (Ed. Code, 70902) CCCCO Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines Publish and Offer New Course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All noncredit courses must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Noncredit Course Page 198

199 Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields The following data elements are required for all courses submitted to the CCCCO for approval. CB00: Course Control Number* CB04: Credit Status CB01: Department Number This data element is generated by the Chancellor s Office D Credit Degree Applicable C Credit Not Degree Applicable N Noncredit CB02: Course Title CB03: TOP Code CB05: Transfer Status Course Hours Minimum Select appropriate TOP Code A Transferable to both UC and CSU B Transferable to CSU only C Not Transferable Course Hours Maximum CB08: Basic Skills Status B Course is a basic skills course N Course is not a basic skills Course CB09: SAM Priority Code A Apprenticeship B Advanced Occupational C Clearly Occupational D Possibly Occupational E Non-Occupational CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) N Is not part of a cooperative work experience education program C Is part of a cooperative work experience education program J Workforce Preparation Enhanced Funding K Other Noncredit Enhanced Funding L Non-Enhanced Funding Y Credit Course S Course is designated as an approved special class for students with disabilities N Course is not a special class Noncredit Course Page 199

200 CB21: Prior Transfer Level A One level below transfer B Two levels below transfer C Three levels below transfer D Four levels below transfer E Five levels below transfer F Six levels below transfer G Seven levels below transfer H Eight levels below transfer Y Not Applicable CB22: Noncredit Category A English as a Second Language B Citizenship for Immigrants C Elementary and Secondary Basic Skills D Health and Safety E Courses for Persons with Substantial Disabilities F Parenting G Home Economics H Older Adults I Short-term Vocational J Workforce Preparation Y Not applicable, Credit Course CB23: Funding Agency Category A This course was primarily developed using Economic Development Funds B This course was partially developed using Economic Development Funds (Economic funds exceed 40% of the total development costs) Y Not Applicable (Funding not used to develop course) CB24: Program Status 1 Program Applicable 2 Not Program Applicable Special Characteristics Code Descriptor (if applicable) Learning Assistance Bilingual Assistance Convalescent Correctional Facility Apprenticeship Courses for Persons with Substantial Disabilities Citizenship for Immigrants Noncredit Course Page 200

201 District Governing Board Approval Date By entering a date, the college certifies that the program was approved by the governing board of the district, pursuant to Title 5, and Catalog Description Justification *CB00 (Course Control Number) is generated by the Chancellor s Office. This data element uniquely identifies a course and may not be altered by the reporting college/district. CB00 is assigned after a course receives Chancellor s Office approval. All new courses require a control number from the Chancellor s Office before the course may be reported in a MIS data submission. Selecting the Curriculum Inventory Proposal Fields In addition to the course outline of record, the Chancellor s Office review requires the submission of all state Management Information System (MIS) course data elements, also referred to as course basic (CB) codes. Problems with the data elements listed above can result in course submissions being returned to the college for revisions. This section provides guidance to help faculty, staff, and administrators select the appropriate code. Additionally, MIS CB Codes Quick Reference Guide is included in Appendix A. CB04: Credit Status This data element indicates the credit status of a course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, ). Select the appropriate code for a noncredit course: N (Noncredit) CB01: Department Number Enter the department number. This identifier should be structured to include an abbreviation of the department to which the course belongs, followed by the numbers and /or letters used to distinguish it from other courses in the same department. It is the identifier that occurs on the student's academic transcript. For example: ENSL 402 Enter the Department Number, for example: ENSL402, exactly as it is entered into the college and/or district s enterprise resource system. If there are no spaces between the department and course number in the system, do not add a space in the Curriculum Inventory. Inconsistencies in data entry will impact MIS reporting. CB02: Course Title This data element records the official course title. Noncredit Course Page 201

202 Enter the Course Title. If the college uses long and short titles, enter the long title. The title must be entered exactly as it will appear in the course outline of record and the college catalog. This field is limited to a maximum of 68 characters including punctuation and spaces, and must be different from CB01. CB03: TOP Code This field is for recording the appropriate TOP code for the course. Select the appropriate TOP code using the drop-down menu. An asterisk (*) denotes a vocational or career technical education TOP code. A link to the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code Manual, 6th Edition is available on the Chancellor s Office website under Academic Affairs area, Curriculum and Instruction Unit. The TOP code is assigned according to the content and outcomes of the course, and must conform closely to the TOP code given to similar courses in other colleges around the state. The TOP code reflects the main discipline or subject matter. The TOP code is not based on local departmental structure, faculty qualifications, or budget groupings. A college that has difficulty identifying the most appropriate TOP code should contact the Chancellor s Office. The Chancellor s Office may change the proposed TOP code, if necessary, and will notify the college. Table: Noncredit Categories (CB 22) and Valid TOP Code (CB03) English as a Second Language ESL ^, ^, , ^, or ^ Immigrant Education , , , ^ Elementary and Secondary Basic Skills (including and supervised tutoring and learning assistance) ^, ^, ^, , , , ,493031, , , ^, ^ Health and Safety , , , , , Substantial Disabilities Any TOP Code Parenting , Home Economics Courses for Older Adults Any TOP Code Noncredit Course Page 202

203 Short-Term Vocational Any Vocational TOP Code* Workforce Preparation Any Vocational TOP Code* or , , , , ^ Denotes a valid TOP Code that is also in alignment with the Basic Skills Initiative * Vocational TOP Codes are denoted with an asterisk (*) in the Taxonomy of Programs Manual, 6 th Edition Additional integrity check to review when assigning TOP Codes to noncredit courses If CB22 = A (ESL), CB03 must = , If CB22 = B (Citizenship for Immigrants), CB03 must = , , , or If CB22 = C (Elementary & Secondary Basic Skills), CB03 must be one of the basic skills TOP code, except ESL, as specified in the TOP code manual and CB08 (COURSE-BASIC-SKILLS-STATUS) must = B. If CB22 = D (Health & Safety), CB03 must = one of the following: , , , , , , , , , , , , , or If CB22 = E (Courses for Persons with Substantial Disabilities), CB03 must = any valid TOP code except those used for Basic Skills. If CB22 = F (Parenting) CB03 must = , or If CB22 = G (Home Economics) CB03 must = If CB22 = H (Courses for Older Adults) CB03 must = any valid TOP code except those used for basic skills. If CB22 = I (Short-term Vocational) CB03 must = any vocational TOP code except and the SAM Priority Code (CB09) must = A, B, C, or D. If CB22 = J (Workforce Preparation) CB03 must = one of the following: , , or CB05: Transfer Status This data element indicates the transfer status of a course (defined in Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, ). Select N in this field, indicating the course is noncredit. Noncredit Course Page 203

204 Course Hours Minimum This field indicates the minimum number of contact hours for the course as a whole. Enter the minimum number of regularly scheduled hours of instruction that are normally required for a student to achieve the course objectives, sufficiently covering the course scope and breadth of topics. This number must be entered in the Curriculum Inventory as a decimal. For example, ten and one-half hours would be entered as Course Hours Maximum This field indicates maximum number of contact hours of the course as a whole. Enter the maximum number of regularly scheduled hours of instruction that are normally required for a student to achieve the course objectives, sufficiently covering the course scope and breadth of topics. This number must be entered in the Curriculum Inventory as a decimal. For example, ten and one-half hours would be entered as This number must be greater than or equal to the number entered in the course hours minimum field. CB08: Basic Skills Status This data element indicates the basic skills status of a course. Select the appropriate element B (Course is a basic skills course) or N (Course is not a basic skills course). If this data element is coded as B (Course is a basic skills course), then the previously selected CB04: Credit Status must be coded as C (Not Degree Applicable). CB09: Student Accountability Model (SAM) Priority Code This data element indicates the SAM code. Select the appropriate SAM Priority Code: A (Apprenticeship), B (Advanced Occupational), C (Clearly Occupational), D (Possibly Occupational), or E (Non-occupational). SAM Codes are defined as follows: (A) Apprenticeship (offered to apprentices only) Apprenticeship courses are designed for an apprentice and must have the approval of the State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, and Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Apprenticeship Course Examples Carpentry, Plumbing or Electrician (B) Advanced Occupational (not limited to apprentices) Advanced occupational courses are those taken by students in the advanced stages of their occupational programs. A B course is offered in one specific Noncredit Course Page 204

205 occupational area only and clearly labels its taker as a major in this area. The course may be a capstone course that is taken as the last requirement for a career technical education program. Priority letter B should be assigned sparingly; in most cases no more than two courses in any one program should be labeled B. Each B level course must have a C level prerequisite in the same program area. Some examples of B level courses are: Dental Pathology, Advanced Radiology Technology, Fire Hydraulics, Livestock and Dairy Selections, Real Estate Finance, Cost Accounting. (C ) Clearly Occupational Clearly occupational courses will generally be taken by students in the middle stages of their programs and should be of difficulty level sufficient to detract drop-ins. A C level course may be offered in several occupational programs within a broad area such as business or agriculture. The C priority, however, should also be used for courses within a specific program area when the criteria for B classification are not met. A C level course should provide the student with entry-level job skills. Some examples of C level courses are: Soils, Principles of Advertising, Air Transportation, Clinical Techniques, Principles of Patient Care, Food and Nutrition, Sanitation/Safety, Small Business Management, Advanced Keyboarding, Technical Engineering. (D) Possibly Occupational Possibly occupational courses are those taken by students in the beginning stages of their occupational programs. The D priority can also be used for service (or survey) courses for other occupational Programs. Some examples of D level courses are: Technical Mathematics, Graphic Communications, Elementary Mechanical Principles, Fundamentals of Electronics, Keyboarding (beginning or intermediate), or Accounting (beginning). (E) Non-Occupational Non-occupational courses are not occupational. The SAM Priority Code selected must correspond with the CB03: TOP Code selected (for example, if a vocational or career technical TOP code is selected as denoted by an asterisk (*), then CB09: SAM Priority Code must equal A (Apprenticeship), B (Advanced Occupational), C (Clearly Occupational), or D (Possibly Occupational) and respectively cannot equal E (Non-occupational). CB10: Cooperative Work Experience This this data element indicates whether the course is part of a cooperative work Noncredit Course Page 205

206 experience education program, according to the provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, Section Select N (not part of a cooperative work experience educational program). CB11: Course Classification Status This element identifies courses eligible for enhanced funding. In the course management system select one of the following codes: select J (Workforce Preparation Enhanced Funding) if the course is part of an approved noncredit program in the area of Workforce Preparation authorized by California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55151; select K (Other Noncredit Enhanced Funding) if the course has been approved for noncredit enhanced funding but does not meet the criteria for J; or select L (Non-enhanced Funding) if the course has not been approved for noncredit enhanced funding. CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) This data element indicates whether the course is an approved special class according to the provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 5, Section Select one of the following options: S (designated as an approved special class for disabled students) or N (not a special class). CB21: Prior Transfer Level This data element indicates the course-level status for English, writing, ESL, reading and mathematics courses. Indicate the relationship of the course to college level by selecting one of the following eight options: Y (Not applicable), A (One level below transfer), B (Two levels below transfer), C (Three levels below transfer), D (Four levels below transfer), E (Five levels below transfer), F (Six levels below transfer), or G (Seven levels below transfer). CB21: Prior Transfer Level selected must correspond with the CB05: Transfer Status selected as well as with processing edit checks in the MIS Data Element Dictionary (DED); please consult the DED for a complete listing of fidelity and integrity checks for this element. Additionally, extensive rubrics were created to determine appropriate coding for this element. These rubrics can be found on the Basic Skills Initiative website at CB22: Noncredit Category This element classifies a noncredit course in accordance with its primary objective within the 10 state-supported noncredit categories set forth in Education Code section (a). Select the appropriate noncredit category: A English as a Second Language (ESL) Select A if the course is designed to provide instruction in the English language Noncredit Course Page 206

207 to adult, non-native English speakers with varied academic, career technical and personal goals. English as a second language courses include, but are not limited to: skills or competencies needed to live in society; skills and competencies needed to succeed in an academic program; preparation for students to enter career and technical programs at the community colleges; programs focusing on skills parents need to help their children learn to read and succeed in society; skills needed to fully participate in the United States civic society or to fulfill naturalization requirements; ESL-based skills and competencies in computer software, hardware, and other digital information resources; and functional language skills. B Citizenship for Immigrants Select B if the course is designed for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship, English as a second language, and workforce preparation courses in the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics, decision making and problem solving skills, and other classes required for preparation to participate in job-specific technical writing. Instructional courses and programs should support the intent of the Immigrant Workforce Preparation Act. C Elementary and Secondary Basic Skills Select C if the course is a basic skills academic course in reading, mathematics, and language arts. Basic skills courses provide instruction for individuals in elementary and secondary-level reading, writing, computation and problemsolving skills in order to assist them in achieving their academic, career, and personal goals. Elementary-level coursework addresses the content and proficiencies at levels through the eighth grade. Secondary-level coursework focuses on the content and proficiencies at levels through the twelfth grade and many incorporate the high school diploma. D Health and Safety Select D if the course focuses on lifelong education to promote health, safety, and the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Courses and programs in health and safety provide colleges with the opportunities to network or partner with other public welfare and health organizations. E Courses for Persons with Substantial Disabilities Select E if the courses is designed to provide individuals with life-skill proficiencies essential to the fulfillment of academic, career technical, and personal goals. A person with substantial disabilities is a person who has: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life Noncredit Course Page 207

208 activity; a history or record of such impairment; or is perceived by others as having such impairment. Substantial limits include: the inability to perform; or the significant restriction of activity with regard to the conditions, manner, or duration under which an individual is able to perform a major life activity. Major life activities are defined as functions such as caring for one s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, and working. Courses for persons with substantial disabilities are an approved special class according to provisions of Title 5, Section F Parenting Select F if the course is specifically designed to offer lifelong education in parenting, child development, and family relations in order to enhance the quality of home, family, career, and community life. Instructional areas may include, but are not limited to the following: ages and stages of child growth and development; family systems; health nutrition and safety; family resources and roles; family literacy; fostering and assisting with children s education; guiding and supporting children; and court-ordered parenting education. G Home Economics Select G if the course is designed to offer lifelong education to enhance the quality of home, family, and career and community life. This area of instruction provides educational opportunities that respond to human needs in preparing individuals for employment, advanced study, consumer decision making, and lifelong learning. Instruction in family and consumer sciences emphasizes the value of homemaking. The focus of the categories of coursework includes, but is not limited: to child development family studies and gerontology; fashion, textiles, interior design and merchandising; life management; and nutrition and foods and hospitality and culinary arts. H Older Adults Select H if the course is a lifelong education course that provides opportunities for personal growth and development, community involvement, skills for mental and physical well-being and economic self-sufficiency. Courses in the category of noncredit instruction for older adults may include, but are not limited to: health courses focusing physical and mental processes of aging, changes that occur later in life, and steps to be taken to maintain independence in daily activities; consumer resources, self-management and entitlement; creative expression and communication; or family, community and global involvement. Noncredit Course Page 208

209 I Short-term vocational Select I if the course is part of a program that provides high employment potential that leads to a career-technical objective, or a certificate or award directly related to employment. Short-term vocational programs should be designed to: improve employability; provide job placement opportunities; or prepare students for college-level coursework or transfer to a four-year degree program. They shall also be mission appropriate (CEC (,/a)(1) ; meet a documented labor market demand; ensure there is no unnecessary duplication of other employment training programs in the region, demonstrate effectiveness as measured by the employment and completion success of students; and be reviewed in the institution s program review process every two years. J Workforce Preparation Select J if the course provides instruction for speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics, decision-making and problem solving skills that are necessary to participate in job-specific technical training. CB23: Funding Agency Category This data element describes whether or not a Chancellor s Office Workforce and Economic Development grant was used to fully or partially develop a course and/or curriculum. Select one of the following three options: A (primarily developed using Economic Development funds), B (partially developed using Economic Development Funds, exceeding 40% of total development costs), or Y (not applicable). CB24: Program Status This data element indicates whether or not a noncredit course is part of an educational program (Cal. Code of Regs., tit. 5, 55000). Enter 1 into this field for courses that are part of an approved program and 2 for programs that are not program applicable, or stand alone. Courses that are being submitted as part of a new or revised program should be submitted with a value of 1 in this field indicating that they are intended to be in a program, rather than stand alone. Special Characteristics Code Descriptor This code is used to identify special characteristics of the noncredit course. Select the appropriate characteristic(s) from the following seven options (if applicable): Learning Assistance a form of supplemental instruction; Bilingual Instruction a system of instruction that builds upon the language skills of a pupil whose primary language is not English or derived from English); Noncredit Course Page 209

210 Convalescent Setting a course taught in a convalescent home, skilled nursing facility, residential care home, day care center, or nursing home; Correctional Facility a course taught either at or through a federal, state, or local correctional institution; Apprenticeship a course that provides related and supplemental instruction for apprenticeship and coordination of instruction with job experience, upon agreement with the program sponsor/employer and the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards); Persons of Substantial Disabilities a course designed to serve persons with substantial disabilities; and/or Citizenship for Immigrants a course designed to provide instruction and services in citizenship. District Governing Board Approval Date This section requires the date that the local governing board, pursuant to title 5 sections and 55100, originally approved the course. Enter the corresponding historical date in which the governing board of the district approved the course. Catalog Description In the Catalog Description box, enter the catalog description exactly as it will appear in the college catalog and in the Course Outline of Record (COR). Refer to Title 5 and the ASCCC document titled, The Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide (2008) available at for additional information about catalog descriptions. Justification box A brief description of the background and rationale for the course should be entered in this box. This might include a description of a degree or certificate for which the course is required or the relationship of this course to other courses in the same or other disciplines. Please note that a justification stating student need will not suffice. Supporting Documentation A noncredit course proposal requires only one item as supporting documentation the Course Outline of Record (COR). The Chancellor s Office review process requires the submission of a course outline of record that meets the standards for courses established in California Code of Regulations, title 5, section and contains, at a minimum, the following elements: The course outline of record shall specify: Hours of instruction Catalog description Noncredit Course Page 210

211 Objectives Content in terms of a specific body of knowledge Types or examples of required reading and writing assignments Other outside-of-class assignments Instructional methodology Methods of evaluation In addition to these components, chancellor s office review of noncredit courses requires the submission of all MIS data elements listed in in this document. While there is no regulatory requirement that these are listed on the COR, good practice suggests that MIS data elements should be included as part of the local curriculum review and submission process, whether on the COR or on attachments to the COR. Refer to the Courses and Program Approval Handbook for a detailed discussion of the components of the COR. Additionally, for a detailed discussion of good practices related to COR development and explanations of the standards for local course approval set forth in title 5, refer to the Academic Senate paper titled, The Course Outline of Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide (2008) which can be downloaded from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) website at under the publications tab. Noncredit Course Page 211

212 Checklist for a New Noncredit Course Proposal This submission checklist provides a quick reference check for a credit course proposal submission; please refer to the detailed discussion of each field in this guide to ensure all requirements are met. Proposal fields All fields must be complete, no fields should be left blank. CB04: Credit Status CB01: Department Number CB02: Course Title District Governing Board Approval Date Catalog Description Justification of the new course Supporting Documentation The Course Outline of Record (COR) CB03: TOP Code CB05: Transfer Status Course Hours Maximum Course Hours Minimum CB08: Basic Skills Status CB09: SAM Priority Code CB10: Cooperative Work Experience CB11: Course Classification Status CB13: Educational Assistance Class Instruction (Approved Special Class) CB21: Prior Transfer Level CB22: Noncredit Category CB23: Funding Agency Category CB24: Program Status Special Characteristics Code Descriptor Noncredit Course Page 212

213 Overview of the CCCCO Noncredit Course Revision, Reactivation, and Inactivation Approval Process Step 1. Curriculum Committee Approval In accordance with California Code of Regulations, title 5, sections 55002(a)(1)& (2) and 55002(b)(1)& (2), all noncredit courses shall be approved by the local curriculum committee. The local curriculum committee conducting the review must be established by mutual agreement of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002(a)(1)). Step 2. District Governing Board Approval (if applicable) The District Governing Board must approval all noncredit courses (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a). Refer to local college and/or district policies to determine if course revisions require District Governing Board approval. Step 3. Submit the course revision, reactivation, or inactivation proposal to the CCCCO Once a course revision, reactivation or deactivation has received local curriculum committee and applicable District Governing Board approval, the college designee must submit the course to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory for review and approval. The two types of course revisions are explained later in this section. The community college must ensure the following: The nonccredit course nonsubstantial change proposal is in accordance to the Chancellor s Office Program and Course Approval Handbook; The current course outline of record is attached to the course as recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee and approved by the District Governing Board (Ed. Code, and Cal. Code Regs., tit., (a) The estimated timeline to receive approval for a substantive change is 60 days; however, approval time may exceed 60 days. Courses that do not have a CCCCO control number assigned to them will not be counted for MIS reporting which may impact the institutions apportionment as well as student enrollment. Step 4. Add the Course Revision or Reactivation to the College Catalog and Other Publications All course revisions, reactivations and deactivations must be approved by the Chancellor s Office before they may be added to the college catalog and offered to students. A clear description of the course must be published in the general catalog and/or addenda to the catalog and in the college s class schedule (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). Amend a Noncredit Course Page 213

214 CCCCO Academic Affairs Contacts: All curriculum inquires must be sent to Curriculum Inventory technical issues and inquiries must be sent to Amend a Noncredit Course Page 214

215 Noncredit Course Revision Proposal Flowchart Approval Process Course Revision Proposal *Refer to local college and/or district policies Local Curriculum Approval Process College and/or District Curriculum Committee Approval (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55002) regarding requirements for the board of trustees approval of course revisions. **Course revisions may impact the college s MIS data submission. It is good practice to submit Board of Trustees Approval* (Ed. Code, 70902) course revisions after MIS data is collected for the last semester the existing version of the course is offered. CCCCO Approval** (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, 55100) Local Curriculum Committee Approval Process and Guidelines Publish and Offer Revised Course (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 5, and 58104). The steps involved in the local curriculum approval process may be determined by each college and/or district. All credit courses must include review by a curriculum committee established by the mutual agreement of the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. The committee must either be a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise composed in a way that is mutually agreeable to the academic senate and the college and/or district administration. Amend a Noncredit Course Page 215