Las Positas College

Curriculum Handbook

June 10, 2026

INTRODUCTION

Our curriculum is who we are. It reflects the diversity of the disciplines that make up our college community, the myriad pedagogical philosophies we bring to the classroom each day, and the strengths of our education and training. Faculty are vested with the primary responsibility for the development of new courses and programs and the revision of existing courses and programs. The college’s course outlines and degree and certificate programs reflect our own academic mission and philosophy. Each outline and program has been rigorously reviewed to ensure it meets the standards set forth in the State Educational Code and Title 5 as well as the standards for excellence that we have established as an educational institution.

Central to the curriculum of the community college is the course outline of record. The course outline serves a number of purposes:

Degree programs established by the institution must meet state mandated requirements for general education. Degrees must be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office for final approval. There are two different types of credit certificates that can be awarded by the College: Certificates of Achievement, which are transcriptable and are between 12 and 59.5 units; Certificates of Accomplishment, which are not transcriptable, do not require Chancellor’s Office approval, and are below 12 units. Certificates of Accomplishment are meant to provide students with a group of classes that will prepare them for a specific career or industry certification.

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THE CURRICULUM PROPOSAL PROCESS

Faculty are vested with the primary responsibility for the development of new courses and programs and the revision of existing courses and programs. Course Outlines of Record are required to be updated at a minimum of every five years per CCP 1010.

The Curriculum Process for developing and modifying curriculum proposals:

Planning, Development, and Approval Process

Faculty members initiate proposals for new courses or programs and revisions to existing courses and programs. These proposals should be discussed with discipline colleagues so that substantive issues regarding appropriateness, content, etc. can be resolved. For new courses and programs, the faculty member should schedule a meeting with their Division Dean to brief the Dean on the discussions that have taken place, to discuss any issues that have arisen or that remain unresolved, and, where appropriate, to consider the impact of the proposal in areas such as enrollment management and technical support.

Writing a Course or Program Proposal

The faculty member prepares a curriculum proposal through CurrIQunet. Any faculty requesting a change in transfer or GE status for a course should meet with the Articulation Officer during this process. Once the proposal is created, it will automatically be forwarded through the CurrIQunet workflow for Technical Review. At each stage in the process, revisions may be requested and faculty are responsible for responding to those requests and resubmitting their revised proposal back into the workflow. If a faculty member sees an unexpected delay in the approval of the proposal at any point in the workflow, they may contact that person directly with any questions they may have.

Presentation of the Proposal to the Committee for Approval

The faculty proposer, or their Curriculum Committee representative, will present new proposals and substantially modified proposals to the full Committee. The Committee will take the proposals under consideration and may request revisions or clarification. Typically, the proposal will be voted on at the end of the Second Reading. Once a proposal is approved by the Curriculum Committee, it will be forwarded by the Curriculum Specialist to the Academic Senate for consent approval, then prepared for presentation to the Board of Trustees.

Approval by the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees reviews and approves proposals from the Committee. After approval the Curriculum Specialist submits the proposals to the Chancellor’s Office Curriculum Inventory system (COCI) for chaptering.

Chaptering by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Some curriculum is automatically chaptered after submission in COCI. Other curriculum, such as ADT’s, requires thorough review by representatives of the Chancellor’s Office before chaptering.

Approval for CSU/UC Transfer, C-ID Articulation, LPC-GE, and Cal-GETC

Course proposals requesting CSU Transfer or LPC-GE inclusion are reviewed and approved by the Curriculum Committee. Course proposals requesting UC Transfer are submitted in ASSIST to be reviewed and approved by representatives of the UC Office of the President each summer. Course proposals requesting Cal-GETC inclusion are submitted in ASSIST to be reviewed and approved by representatives of the CSU Chancellor’s Office and the UC Office of the President each spring. Course proposals cannot be submitted for Cal-GETC inclusion until they are approved for UC Transfer. Course proposals requesting C-ID articulation are submitted by the Articulation Officer through the C-ID platform and reviewed and approved by discipline faculty from the CCC and CSU on no fixed timeline.

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COURSE PROPOSAL PAGES

Below is guidance for completing each page of a course proposal in CurrIQunet. Pages marked with an asterisk are required to be completed to launch a proposal into the technical review workflow.

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Subject

Faculty can only submit courses in subjects in their department. For example, Mathematics department faculty can submit courses in (MATH) Mathematics and (NMAT) Noncredit Mathematics.

Course Number

Course numbers are limited to four characters and should generally follow the following numbering convention:

For a CCN course, use the course number on the CCN template.

Course Title

A concise course title that describes the course, makes it easy for students and faculty to identify, and is similar to what other colleges or universities use is best for students.

Effective Term

The effective term is the term for the proposal to start being used as the official course outline of record. The selection should be a Fall term that is not the same calendar year in which the proposal is being submitted.

Justification for course proposal (new course only)

The general focus of the course, how it would enhance your program, and whether it would replace an existing course or be part of a new or existing degree or certificate.

TOP Code

The TOP Code should be chosen that most closely aligns with the general purpose of the objectives and outcomes of the course. TOP Codes should be determined with the help of Curriculum Chair, Division Dean, and the Vice-President of Academic Services. TOP Codes marked with an asterisk are specifically for CTE programs.

CIP Code

Each TOP Code has one or more CIP Codes associated with it. Similar to the TOP Code, the CIP Code should be chosen that most closely aligns with the general purpose of the objectives and outcomes of the course. If the TOP Code is CTE, then the CIP code chosen should also be CTE.

Basic Skills Status

Most courses have a basic skills status of N – Not Basic Skills. Only below college-level courses in ESL, ENG, and MATH can have a basic skills status of B – Basic Skills.

SAM Priority Code

The SAM Priority Code for all non-CTE courses (courses with a TOP Code that does not have an asterisk) E - Non Occupational. For CTE courses, if the course is introductory and may not necessarily be taken by students majoring in the associated program the course is part of, then it should be marked D - Possibly Occupational. If it is clearly a course that a student majoring in the associated program would take, then it should be marked as C - Clearly Occupational. If it is the last course a student majoring in the associated program would take, then it should be marked as B - Advanced Occupational. If the course can only be taken by students that are part of an apprenticeship program, then it should be marked as A - Apprenticeship.

Prior Transfer Level

Most courses will be marked as Y - Not Applicable. Only courses with a Basic Skills Status of B - Basic Skills will be marked A through H. The level selected should be the number of courses needed to be taken, including this course, before taking a transfer level English, ESL, or Math course.

Catalog Description

The catalog description should be written using inclusive language, keeping in mind the diverse audience of readers with various levels of knowledge about the subject matter taught in the course.

Material fees apply to this course?

If a course requires a material fee, this should be marked as Yes.

Discipline Placement*

A determination must be made as to the discipline specific academic, professional, or experiential preparation appropriate to teach the content and assess the objectives and outcomes. The disciplines recognized by the State are in the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges handbook. The decision to place a course in a specific discipline is based on the body of knowledge necessary to instruct the course. When the subject matter as stated by the official course outline is common to more than one discipline, it is appropriate for the course to be listed in all appropriate disciplines. If, however, a broader knowledge base is necessary, the course should be listed as interdisciplinary and the disciplines involved listed.

An Individual Minimum Qualification field is added for each discipline the course will be placed in. If additional education is required above the minimum qualifications stated for the discipline, it can be added in the comments field.

Units/Hours*

CB04: Credit Status

A college level credit course should be marked as D - Credit - Degree Applicable. A below-college course cannot be part of an associate degree and should be marked as C - Credit - Not Degree Applicable. All noncredit courses should be marked as N – Non Credit.

CB22: Non Credit Course Category

Noncredit courses are classified into ten legislated instructional areas. The placement of a course in a given instructional area is driven by the course objectives and target population to be served. Courses can be designated as Career Development College Preparation (CDCP) and receive enhanced funding if they are in an area identified as CDCP eligible and are a part of a noncredit certificate. A credit course should be marked as Y - Not Applicable, Credit course.

Select here if this course will have variable units

Most courses do not have variable units. Courses that are activity based like Independent Study (0.5 to 2 units), Concurrent Support, Intercollegiate Sports, and Work Experience (1 to 14 units) courses typically have variable units.

Instructional Category

This refers to the type of unit(s) for the courses. A typical transfer level course in a non-STEM field is 3 units of Lecture. Courses in STEM fields and/or Basic Skills courses are typically more than 3 units and can be a mixture of Lecture and Lab or Lecture and Activity. C-ID descriptors are a good guide as to what CSUs expect for minimum units for many courses. Credit hours are based upon three academic (55-minute) hours per week per unit, which equates to 54 hours a semester, for the following weekly breakdowns:

Work Experience units are based upon the number of academic hours a student does outside of the class working as an employee or intern at a job. One hour for orientation can count towards the total.

Number of times a course can be taken for credit. (Credit Courses Only)

Most credit courses can be taken only once for credit. Exceptions are Work Experience Education courses that can be taken an unlimited number of times and courses that can be taken up to 4 times or credit: courses for which repetition is necessary to meet the major requirements of a CSU or UC for completion of a bachelor’s degree, Intercollegiate Athletics courses, and courses for Intercollegiate academic or vocational competition.

Course Grading

Courses can be marked as letter grade only, pass/no-pass, or optional (either letter grade or pass/no-pass). Be aware that many transfer institutions may not count courses towards major requirements that students take as pass/no-pass. This is more typical in STEM fields.

Requisites

Adding a requisite to a course may affect course enrollment, course availability and course accessibility for courses both within and outside of your discipline, so it will be essential to consult with any group that may be affected by the establishment of that requisite that restricts enrollment including the dean of both your department and the department within which the prerequisite course resides, and the faculty of the department in both your course and that of the requisite course.

Requisites

Requisites come in two basic types: those that restrict enrollment and those that only recommend course preparation. Most courses do not have requisites. The types of Requisites are as follows:

Subject

This is the department subject code for a requisite course.

Requisite Course

This is the course itself.

Comments

This is language that will show up on Course Outline of Record in place of a course if no course is selected (required when Enrollment Limitation is selected) or in addition to a course. CCN courses typically require language to only be placed in the Comments section rather than

Requisite Validation

For any type of requisite, there must be a validation type selected. For Recommend Course Preparation, the type of validation is Advisory. The types of validation for other Requisites are as follows:

Skills Analysis

This section only appears when Content Review is selected as the validation method. Each Course Objective of the requisite course must be selected and Degree of Importance chosen. Select Required if the Course Objective is required for the student to succeed in the course. Select Recommended if the Course Objective is recommended for the student to succeed in the course but they can be successful without it. Select Not Necessary if the Course Objective is not related to a student’s success in the course.

IDEAA*

This section is to tell reviewers what sections of the Course Outline of Record contain language and ideas related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which are typically addressed using principles of Universal Design for Learning.

Course Content*

The content of the course should be described with enough detail for students, faculty, and outside institutions to understand the topics taught in the course.

Lecture Content

This section includes a complete listing of topics taught during the lecture portion of the course. This should be arranged by major topics or modules with sub-topics listed underneath each.

Activity Content

This section includes a complete listing of the types of activities conducted during the activity portion of the class.

Lab Content

This section includes a complete listing of the types of lab activities conducted during the activity portion of the class.

Course Objectives*

This section includes what instructors should be getting students to do with the Content during the course. These Course Objectives must start with a verb from the Taxonomy list and should establish that critical thinking is an integral part of the course. They also should be broad and introductory in scope, but not too narrow or specific. They need to adequately cover theory and principles and use skills and applications to reinforce and develop these concepts. They should be specific about what content the learner is expected to engage in and use verbs that connote analysis, not simply recall, and require cognitive outcomes. Rather than “understand,” “identify” or “describe,” say “explain” or “compare and contrast.” Use active verbs for observable student skills. For instance, “describe animal hunting behavior” does not indicate what specific capabilities students would need to demonstrate; “compare and contrast social aspects of hunting tactics of major mammals” does.

Student Learning Outcomes*

These should explain what students should be able to do after successfully completing the course and are at a higher level than, and may encompass several, Course Objectives. There should be at most 3 to 5 SLOs and they need to be something that can be assessed as part of the course.

Methods of Instruction*

This section includes a list of methods typically used to teach the Course Content and Objectives. Each method should have a brief description of how the method incorporates principles of Universal Design for Learning to meet the diverse learning experiences of our students, help provide equitable outcomes for students, and help create an inclusive learning environment. For example, for “Other” the description might be “instructor will use a variety of methods to engage students including collaborative learning, individual in-class assignments, providing feedback, coaching, and performance evaluation.”

Methods Evaluation*

This section is for selecting optional and/or required methods used to evaluate student learning. For each method selected a minimum frequency must be listed. C-ID Descriptors, CCN Templates, UC Transfer Eligibility requirements, and Cal-GETC Standards may require specific types of assignments and frequencies and departments may determine certain methods and frequencies should have a departmentwide standard. For optional methods, simply stating the frequency as “At instructor’s discretion” is recommended.

Typical Outside-of-Class Assignments*

Courses with Lecture and Activity units require outside-of-class learning (aka homework) directly related to the content, objectives, and outcomes of the course. Both general and specific examples of typical outside-of-class Reading and Writing assignments should be described. Examples should also be stated for courses requiring specific Projects and Research. For classes that are only Lab or Activity units, it is fine to describe some typical assignments that may relate to Lecture or Activity class time, but students are not required to do extra reading or writing outside-of-class assignments for the Lab portion of the class other than finished lab reports. This section must establish that the work is demanding enough in rigor and independence to fulfill the credit level specified.

Examples of typical assignments should be specific enough to provide effective guidance to faculty and clear expectations for students and outside institutions. Individual instructors are free to use different assignments as long as the types selected are equivalent in covering course content and achieving student outcomes to those illustrated in the course outline.

Textbooks/Materials*

There should be 2 to 5 suggested textbooks (traditional or OER) that could be used to teach the course. The text and other instructional materials should correspond to the required rigor and scope of the course. In degree credit courses, materials should be written for college level students and cover the theory and principles of the subject, but primary sources need not be college level. It is encouraged to include at least one OER textbook whenever possible. At least two textbooks need to be no older than 5 years from the effective term of the course. Transfer institutions expect to see recent texts in fields where the material is often changing and evolving.

Comments

This space can be used for required CCN language or to address if the course is always taught with OER materials.

OER

Add individual OER textbooks that can be used to assist in teaching the course.

Textbook

Add individual traditional textbooks that can be used to assist in teaching the course.

Manual

All courses that satisfy area Cal-GETC Area 5C are required to have a lab manual.

Software

Add individual software that may be used in the course.

Other Learning Materials

Add individual learning materials that can be used to assist in teaching the course. PCN courses providing transfer guidance require the use of a current college catalog.

Other Materials Required of Students

List any additional materials required by students to be successful in the course that will not already be provided to them and/or are non-typical things a student is not expected to have. Examples include safety goggles, calculators, software, special clothing, art supplies, thumb drives, internet access, etc.

Distance Education

A DE addendum for a course to be taught in an online format. It provides a rationale for why the course should be offered in a DE format, how the decision was made, online modalities that may be used, and the types and frequency of student and instructor participation.

Select whether the course can be taught with an online component.

Delivery methods (modality) appropriate for the class should be selected. For example, online labs for Biology and Chemistry are not appropriate under normal circumstances.

Write a brief description of why the course should be offered in the selected DE modes. This can include meeting student needs, the appropriateness of the modality, etc.

Write a brief description of how the decision was made to offer in the selected DE modes. This can include discussions with colleagues and division dean.

Online methods should be selected for a class that under normal circumstances are not appropriate but can be used to teach if need be. For example, faculty may find teaching a physical activity course online inappropriate under normal circumstances, but the content and objectives could still be met if online teaching is required due to the college being in a state of emergency. Another example is that a Chemistry lab should always be taught in-person for articulation purposes while the lecture can always be taught online, but the lab could be taught online using software if the college is in a state of emergency.

Write a brief description of why the course should be offered in the selected DE modes only when the college is in a state of emergency.

Write a brief description of why the course should be offered in the selected DE modes only when the college is in a state of emergency.

Select all options addressed in the syllabus (should be all of them).

DE Course Interactions

Select the typical methods that will be used for students to interact with the instructor, each other, and the course material. The minimum frequency expected for each method needs to be addressed for each method selected.

Instructor-Student Interaction

Faculty initiated regular effective contact between the instructor and students. Web conferencing is used for synchronous instruction and/or office hours.

Student-Student Interaction

Student initiated regular and effective contact among students. This section is for things like group work, class discussions, etc.

Student-Content Interaction

Student activities that best align with the Methods of Instruction. The type and frequency of assignments should meet or exceed those of the Methods of Evaluation page.

General Education/Transfer

This page is for keeping track of requests related to transfer, articulation, and General Education inclusion. Faculty should meet with the Articulation Officer when developing or modifying courses that will request Cal-GETC, C-ID, or UC Transfer.

This course has a GE component

Courses that are at the baccalaureate level should always select Yes.

CSU American Institutions

This is primarily for History and Political Science courses that meet the CSU graduation requirements in United States development and American institutions and ideals (US-1), Constitution and democratic federal government (US-2), and the processes of California state and local government (US-3).

CSU Transfer

The course is taught at the baccalaureate level and is comparable to a CSU course.

UC Transfer

The course is comparable to at least one lower division course taught at one or more UC. Typically, the course must be primarily covering theoretical concepts. Be sure to check the special regulations for specific course requirements.

Cal-GETC

The course meets the standards for the Area(s) requested. A course must approved for UC Transfer to request approval for Cal-GETC.

Las Positas College GE

The course meets the standards for the Area requested. It is not typical for a course below transfer level to satisfy LPC-GE.

C-ID Proposal

The Course Content and Objectives should be based on the Course Content and Objectives of the C-ID Descriptor(s) articulation is being requested for. The Descriptor Subject Code and Course Number should be listed in the C-ID field.

Library

Faculty can address whether the Library can provide additional resources, new databases, or anything else. Schedule an appointment with Library Faculty to review the library resources needed for course work, research, projects, and homework assignments. Requests for materials by instructional faculty are always considered within the collection development policy of the Library.

Credit for Prior Learning

Faculty are encouraged to allow students to gain LPC college credit for previous learning that can or already has been demonstrated. The UC system will only recognize coursework gained through credit-by-exam.

Credit-by-Exam

Prior learning that can be demonstrated by a department-wide exam that assesses all the Course Content and Objectives.

Credit-by-Portfolio

Prior learning that can be demonstrated by a portfolio of work. This is more typical for arts and humanities related courses.

Credit-by-Military-JST

Prior learning conducted and assessed while serving in the military and tracked on a joint service transcript.

Credit-by-Industry-Recognized-Training

Prior learning conducted and assessed typically through a career technical education program at a private or professional institution or organization resulting in a license, certification, etc.

Cross Listing

This page just shows if a course has a cross-listing. There is nothing required of faculty to do here. If a cross-listing is being requested faculty need to work with the Curriculum Chair to make that happen.

Course Equivalency

List the subject code and course number for any equivalent course(s) at Chabot.

Supporting Documents

Attach any additional files here. If you are requesting a new prerequisite, you will need to attach sample syllabi from the course per Title 5 requirements on content review. For courses that are repeatable due to it being necessary to meet the major requirements of CSU or UC for completion of a bachelor’s degree, attached a copy of a bachelor’s program from ASSIST showing this.

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PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Faculty are strongly encouraged to meet with the Curriculum Chair for assistance in entering a program into CurrIQunet. Faculty should work with the Articulation Officer when seeking to create or modify an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT).

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Degree/Certificate Name

The title of the program should be succinct, similar to what other institutions use, and not use the words “degree,” “certificate,” or “transfer.” ADTs have required titles.

Division

Faculty typically can only create or update programs in a Division they are part of.

Department

Like for courses, faculty typically can only create or update programs in a department they are part of.

Subject

Subject codes are mainly for courses, but this is used to categorize programs.

Academic Career Pathway

This is the overall academic and/or career pathway the program is part of.

Program Goal

Only ADTs and certificate for completion of Cal-GETC can have a program goal of Transfer. A CTE program must have CTE identified TOP and CIP codes. All other credit programs have a goal of Local (community need). Most basic skills programs in Mathematics, English, and ESL are in the noncredit categories of Elementary or Secondary Basic Skills or English as a Second Language (ESL). Most CTE programs are Short-term Vocational, while programs related to basic reading, writing, speaking, and mathematics skills needed for employment are Workforce Preparation.

Award Type

The award type for a program is affected by the Program Goal. Only credit programs are degrees or certificates of achievement while only noncredit programs are certificates of competency or completion. Certificates of achievement categories are based on unit ranges. Certificate of Accomplishment is only for credit programs total less than 8 units.

Apprenticeship

Select Yes if the program is part of a recognized apprenticeship.

Rationale (New Programs only)

Faculty should address the general goal of the program, how it helps students, and how program completion will be supported.

TOP Code

The TOP Code should be chosen that most closely aligns with the general purpose of the objectives and outcomes of the program. TOP Codes should be determined with the help of Curriculum Chair, Division Dean, and the Vice-President of Academic Services. TOP Codes marked with an asterisk are specifically for CTE programs. ADTs have required TOP codes.

CIP Code

Each TOP Code has one or more CIP Codes associated with it. Similar to the TOP Code, the CIP Code should be chosen that most closely aligns with the general purpose of the objectives and outcomes of the program. If the TOP Code is CTE, then the CIP code chosen should also be CTE. ADTs have required CIP codes.

Effective Term

The effective term is the term for the program requirements and pathway to start being followed. The selection should be a Fall term that is not the same calendar year in which the proposal is being submitted.

What percentage of the program is approved to offer through Distance Education?

Faculty can work with the Curriculum and SLO Specialist to determine the percentage of the program (major requirements for degrees) that can be completed through a DE format.

Next Program Review (Month/Year)

Degrees should use October or November with a year that is two years after the program effective term. Certificates should also use October or November, but depending on length of completion related to the program map it is one to two years after the program effective term.

Narrative

Statement of Program Goals and Objectives

This is a relatively brief statement about the goal of the program: transfer, CTE, or Local program need. ADTs have specific language that is required.

Catalog Description

The catalog description should be written using inclusive language keeping in mind the diverse audience of readers with various levels of knowledge about similar programs. It is good to state the program type, what it prepares students to do

Career Opportunities (CTE Program only)

A list of careers the CTE program is intended to prepare students for.

Master Planning

Addresses the goals the program aligns with in the college’s Education Master Plan.

Enrollment and Completer Projections

Addresses the estimated annual majors in the program and the annual graduates once the program is up and running.

Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs

The department and/or collection of programs this program will be housed in.

CTE programs are required to get a recommendation by the BACCC. It should be checked for all CTE programs.

Similar Programs at Other Colleges in Service Area (local programs only)

List all colleges in our service area that have a similar program.

Program Requirements

This is a list of the courses required for the major. Certificates only contain major requirements while Associate Degrees contain General Education and typically contain additional free elective units in order to get to the unit total minimum of 60 units (also a maximum for ADTs). Major courses that are not options for students should go in the Required Core, while Lists can contained courses that students take a subset of. Associate Degrees require a minimum of 18 units for the major or area of emphasis (only related to Liberal Arts and Sciences Degrees). Local degrees require 22 (AS) to 28 (AA) units of LPC-GE or can be completed using Cal-GETC. The Curriculum Chair can provide assistance entering program requirements into CurrIQunet. The term needs to be selected for each course added to the program that aligns with the program map.

Program Mapper

Faculty should work with their academic and career pathway Counseling faculty to develop a program map that tells students what courses to enroll in each term to complete the program. Most Associate Degrees have a two-year map that addresses General Education areas and free electives needed to complete the degree. The Curriculum Chair can provide assistance entering the program map into CurrIQunet.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes are evaluated by the SLO Committee and follow their guidelines.

Attachments

Local programs do not require any attachments. CTE programs require the Labor Market Information (LMI) for the program, a regional consortium (BACCC) recommendation for the program, and the department Advisory Board minutes showing approval of the program. ADTs require other information provided by the Articulation Officer.

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CHARGE

Responsibility for reviewing curriculum, establishing prerequisites, course placement in disciplines, assigning course identifiers, degree and certificate requirements, developing process and timelines for review of academic programs, grading policies, maintaining and updating discipline list, and making recommendations to the President for action by the Board of Trustees. All new courses and programs, as well as changes in current course and program content, structure, or credit, must be reviewed by this committee.

The Curriculum Committee is a subcommittee of the Academic Senate.

The Curriculum Committee (hereafter referred to as “the Committee”) is responsible for ensuring and preserving the academic integrity and quality of all courses and programs offered by Las Positas College. The Committee’s primary responsibilities lie in five major areas, as specified by Title V [Title 5 §53200]:

As a sub-committee of the Academic Senate, the Committee reports its recommendations for approval in the areas of Curriculum and Educational Programs to the Senate as informational items and forwards its recommendations in these areas to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Services. This office prepares the recommendations for presentation to the Board of Trustees by way of the President’s Office at the College. The Board of Trustees is the sole authority for approval of all curriculum recommendations in the areas of Curriculum and Educational Programs.

In the area of Degree and Certificate Requirements, it is the duty of the Committee to formulate policies for approving degree and certificate requirements for presentation to the Senate. “It is not the role of the Senate to change these recommendations. However, it is appropriate for the Senate to review the policies and procedures used [Title V §53203(a)] and call attention to any irregularities which might require a recommendation to be returned to the Committee for reconsideration. Changes to the General Education pattern for the Associate Degree may be recommended by the Committee.

The Committee’s duties and responsibilities in each of the areas are defined as follows:

In the area of curriculum, the Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – approval of:

In this area, the Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – the following:

Educational programs are initiated and developed within appropriate areas or disciplines. The Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – approval of:

The Committee’s role in this area is related to its charge to approve course outlines and pre-requisites. The Committee must ensure that pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories are appropriately selected in such a way as to ensure students are adequately prepared for a course and will have the skills necessary to succeed in the course. The Committee must also ensure that pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories do not act as a barrier to students seeking to complete coursework or programs.

Chair:

Voting Members:

If the Articulation Officer serves as the Chair they shall only vote in their capacity as Chair.

Advisors:

Appointments by:

It is hoped that voting members will serve for a minimum of two years and should be allowed to serve longer if selected by their constituency, in order to preserve valuable expertise amongst the Committee members. At the same time, it is important to bring new voting members onto the Committee within any two-year cycle, in order to develop curriculum expertise amongst all voting members.

The term of office for the position of Chair is two years. The Chair may serve for more than one term and may serve consecutive terms.

Voting is limited to voting members, and the quorum is determined by the number of voting members on the Committee in each term.

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MEMBER ROLES

The primary role of the Curriculum Chair is to provide guidance to faculty, staff, and administration regarding academic and curricular matters, assist faculty with course and program development and modifications, set agendas for and run Curriculum Committee meetings, guide the college through changes to Ed Code, Title 5, and other regulations as determined by the State Chancellor’s Office and/or Academic Senate of California Community Colleges, and engage the College community in philosophical and practical discussions on how to serve students through curriculum solutions that conform to State expectations and are at the same time consistent with Las Positas College core values.

The primary role of Faculty is to evaluate all elements of curriculum presented to the committee for approval, recommend changes to said curriculum through the technical review process, and ultimately approve curriculum that meets the rigorous standards required by law and our accreditation body (ACCJC).

The primary role of Advisers is to advise the committee regarding technical matters related to their area of expertise except for Student Government representatives who provide perspectives of students on all aspects of curriculum.

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TECHNICAL REVIEW

Used to deactivate a course and no longer offer it.

Used to deactivate a certificate or degree and remove it from the catalog.

Used by the Curriculum Chair where the only update toa course is to Requisite titles, subject codes, course numbers, or to remove a Requisite that is being, or has been, deactivated.

Used by the Curriculum Chair or Articulation Officer where the only update to the program is to course titles, subject codes, units, and/or course numbers or to remove a course that is being, or has been, deactivated.

Used to request or modify the Distance Education and DE Interactions pages in CurrIQunet. The other pages are locked and cannot be modified.

Used to request or modify the Program Mapper page for a certificate or degree. The other pages are locked and cannot be modified.

Used for proposing a new course or cross listing.

Used for proposing a new certificate or degree.

Used to modify an existing course in Active or Approved status.

Used to modify an existing proposal in Active or Approved status.

Used to request or modify the Credit for Prior Learning page for a Course. The other pages are locked and cannot be modified.

The proposal is the current official version of the COR or program and is in the current catalog.

The proposal has been chaptered in the COCI, but the effective term has not been reached.

The proposal has not yet been Launched.

The proposal has been deactivated or has been replaced by another Active proposal.

The proposal has been submitted into the CurrIQunet workflow for admin review, technical review, and curriculum committee review.

Once a proposal is launched it will first have to be approved by the Division Dean, then Division Faculty members on the committee, then the Articulation Officer, then Counseling faculty on the committee (program related proposals only), the Technical Review Chair, and finally the Committee Chair. After the Chair’s approval, the proposal will be placed on an agenda for a First Reading. If there are no issues raised during a First Reading, it will go on the next agenda for a Second Reading and Vote. Once approved, it will move forward to the Curriculum and SLO Specialist level for preparation for Academic Senate approval, then Board of Trustees approval, and then chaptering in COCI.

Technical Course and Program Modifications skip the Division Dean, Division Technical Review, and Counseling levels and can only be submitted by users with Admin access.

Voting Members from the Division the course is a part of review the main elements of the course or program proposal and provide recommendations based upon their Discipline expertise and knowledge of curricular requirements.

The Articulation Officer reviews the course against C-ID Descriptors, CCN Templates, Cal-GETC Standards, and UC TCA regulations as appropriate.

Counseling Faculty committee members review and recommend necessary changes to the Program Mapper page.

The Curriculum Technical Review Chair will look at all elements of the proposal, give guidance on or fix formatting, review various codes, and provide higher level curricular advise than Division Faculty.

The Curriculum Committee Chair does everything the Curriculum Technical Review Chair does but is also responsible for making sure all elements of the proposal meet Title 5 and Education Code requirements and is ready to bring to the committee for a First Reading.

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GLOSSARY

Acronyms

AA

Associate of Arts – a two-year degree typically in a non-CTE or STEM field that must be 60 or more units.

ADT

Associate Degree for Transfer – Associate Degrees (AA-T and AS-T) created by SB 1440 designed to give CCC students a 60-unit pathway to transfer to a CSU campus with a similar major and complete a bachelor’s degree in 60 units after transfer.

AS

Associate of Science – a two-year degree typically in a CTE or STEM field that must be 60 or more units.

ASSIST

Articulation System Stimulating Inter-institutional Student Transfer – the official database of all CCC course information regarding transfer and articulation CSUs and UCs.

Cal-GETC

California General Education Transfer Curriculum – a GE pattern used by CCC students to complete ADTs, meet the lower division GE requirements at CSUs, and meet the lower division GE requirements at some UCs.

CB Code

Course Basic Code – a code used by the CCCCCO to categories and identify different elements of a course.

CC

Curriculum Committee – a subcommittee of the Academic Senate that oversees all curriculum related business for the college.

CCC

California Community College – the largest system of higher education in the United States with the mission of supporting student transfer, career technical education, basic skills, and local programs that support community needs.

CCCCO

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office – the California State office that is the administrator for the CCC system.

CCN

Common Course Numbering System – a student facing system for identifying equivalent CCC courses.

CDCP

Career Development, College Preparation – courses in one of the four noncredit categories that can get enhanced funding when part of a noncredit certificate.

C-ID

Course Identification Numbering System – a system for identifying similar/equivalent CCC major courses used in ADTs.

CIP Code

Classification of Instructional Programs Code – a code to categorize course and programs that is maintained and updated by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES).

COCI

Chancellor’s Office Curriculum Inventory – the official repository for all curriculum (except certificates of accomplishment) owned by the CCCCO and updated by our Curriculum and Student Learning Outcomes Specialist.

COR

Course Outline of Record – official document stating what is being taught, how it is being taught, and how student learning is graded in a course.

CORE

Course Outline of Record Evaluator – faculty who review CORs for C-ID alignment.

CSU

California State University – the largest university system in the United States consisting of 22 campuses with a mission of preparing students for the workforce.

GE

General Education – a collection of coursework from various fields required to earn an associate degree intended to make sure graduates are well rounded and prepared to participate in a diverse society.

LPC-GE

Las Positas College General Education – a GE pattern that can be used to earn and Associate Degree (AA or AS).

TOP Code

Taxonomy of Programs Code – a code exclusively used by the CCC system and maintained and updated by the CCCCO that is used to classify and identify programs and courses.

UC

University of California – the fourth branch of government in California consisting of 10 universities and one law school with a mission of research and furthering fields of study.

UC TCA

University of California Transfer Course Agreement – official acknowledgement that a course is transferable to UCs.

Jargon

CCN Template

An outline for a CCN course containing required elements that must be part of the COR word-for-word to receive CCN approval.

C-ID Descriptor

An outline for a C-ID course telling discipline faculty the minimum information that must be covered in the COR to receive C-ID approval.

College Level

Typically used to refer to a mathematics course at the level of Intermediate Algebra.

Control Number

A number used by the CCCCO to identify a course or program and used for reporting enrollment and program completion information to the CCCCO.

Cross List

To cross list a course means to identify the course with more than one subject code and possibly more than one course number. Before thinking of cross listing the courses, please discuss with the Curriculum Chair to determine if cross listing is necessary to assist in the process in CurrIQunet.

Cross Schedule

To cross schedule two or more courses means to schedule distinct but related courses at the same time, in the same room, with the same instructor(s). This is typical for activity related courses in subjects like physical education, music, and theater.

Family

A Family is a collection of courses which are related in content with similar primary educational activities in which skill levels or variations are separated into distinct courses with different student learning outcomes for each variation.

Mirror

A noncredit course is a mirror of a credit course when it is an exact copy of the credit course. It is typically cross scheduled with the credit course and can be approved for students that pass the course to earn credit for the credit course through credit-by-exam per CCP 1060.

Program

A program is a set of coursework that leads to an associate degree or certificate.

Transfer Level

A course at the baccalaureate level and transferable to CSUs.

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