Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 55002 - Standards and Criteria for Courses

(a) Degree-Applicable Credit Course. A degree-applicable credit course is a course which has been designated as appropriate to the associate degree in accordance with the requirements of section 55062, and which has been recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee and approved by the district governing board as a collegiate course meeting the needs of the students.

(1) Curriculum Committee. The college and/or district curriculum committee recommending the course shall be established by the mutual agreement of the college and/or district administration and the academic senate. The committee shall be either a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise comprised in a way that is mutually agreeable to the college and/or district administration and the academic senate.

(2) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course for associate degree credit if it meets the following standards:

(A) Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards in accordance with section 55023. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.

(B) Units. The course grants units of credit in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 55002.5. The course outline of record shall record the total number of hours in each instructional category specified in governing board policy, the total number of expected outside-of-class hours, and the total student learning hours used to calculate the award of credit.

(C) Intensity. The course treats subject matter with a scope and intensity that requires students to study independently outside-of-class time.

(D) Prerequisites and Corequisites. Except as provided in section 55522, when the college and/or district curriculum committee determines, based on a review of the course outline of record, that a student would be highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade unless the student has knowledge or skills not taught in the course, then the course shall require prerequisites or corequisites (credit or noncredit) that are established, reviewed, and applied in accordance with the requirements of this article.

(E) Basic Skills Requirements. If success in the course is dependent upon communication or computation skills, then the course shall require, consistent with the provisions of this article, as prerequisites or corequisites eligibility for enrollment in associate degree credit courses in English and/or mathematics, respectively.

(F) Difficulty. The course work calls for critical thinking and the understanding and application of concepts determined by the curriculum committee to be at college level.

(G) Level. The course requires learning skills and a vocabulary that the curriculum committee deems appropriate for a college course.

(3) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the unit value, the expected number of contact hours, outside-of-class hours, and total student learning hours for the course as a whole; the prerequisites, corequisites, or advisories on recommended preparation (if any) for the course; the catalog description, objectives, and content in terms of a specific body of knowledge. The course outline of record shall also specify types or provide examples of required reading and writing assignments, other outside-of-class assignments, instructional methodology, and methods of evaluation.

(4) Conduct of Course. Each section of the course is to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with a set of objectives and with other specifications defined in the course outline of record.

(5) Repetition. Repeated enrollment is allowed only in accordance with the provisions of article 4 of subchapter 1 of chapter 6 (commencing with section 54040), and section 58161.

(b) Nondegree-Applicable Credit Course. A credit course designated by the governing board as not applicable to the associate degree is a course which, at a minimum, is recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee (the committee described and established under subdivision (a)(1) of this section) and is approved by the district governing board.

(1) Types of Courses. Nondegree-applicable credit courses are:

(A) nondegree-applicable basic skills courses as defined in subdivision (u) of section 55000;

(B) courses designed to enable students to succeed in degree-applicable credit courses (including, but not limited to, college orientation and guidance courses, and discipline-specific preparatory courses such as biology, history, or electronics) that integrate basic skills instruction throughout and assign grades partly upon the demonstrated mastery of those skills;

(C) precollegiate career technical preparation courses designed to provide foundation skills for students preparing for entry into degree-applicable credit career technical courses or programs;

(D) essential career technical instruction for which meeting the standards of subdivision (a) is neither necessary nor required.

(2) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course on the basis of the standards which follow.

(A) Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards in accordance with section 55023. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of written expression that may include essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.

(B) Units. The course grants units of credit in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 55002.5. The course outline of record shall record the total number of hours in each instructional category specified in governing board policy, the total number of expected outside-of-class hours, and the total student learning hours used to calculate the award of credit.

(C) Intensity. The course provides instruction in critical thinking and generally treats subject matter with a scope and intensity that prepares students to study independently outside-of-class time and includes reading and writing assignments and homework. In particular, the assignments will be sufficiently rigorous that students successfully completing each such course, or sequence of required courses, will have acquired the skills necessary to successfully complete degree-applicable work.

(D) Prerequisites and corequisites. When the college and/or district curriculum committee deems appropriate, the course may require prerequisites or corequisites (credit or noncredit) for the course that are established, reviewed, and applied in accordance with this article.

(3) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the unit value, the expected number of contact hours, outside-of-class hours, and total student learning hours for the course as a whole; the prerequisites, corequisites, or advisories on recommended preparation (if any) for the course; the catalog description, objectives, and content in terms of a specific body of knowledge. The course outline of record shall also specify types or provide examples of required reading and writing assignments, other outside-of-class assignments, instructional methodology, and methods of evaluation.

(4) Conduct of Course. All sections of the course are to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with a set of objectives and with other specifications defined in the course outline of record.

(5) Repetition. Repeated enrollment is allowed only in accordance with the provisions of article 4 of subchapter 1 of chapter 6 (commencing with section 54040), and section 58161.

(c) Noncredit Course. A noncredit course is a course which, at a minimum, is recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee (the committee described and established under subdivision (a)(1) of this section) and approved by the district governing board as a course meeting the needs of enrolled students.

(1) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course if the course treats subject matter and uses resource materials, teaching methods, and standards of attendance and achievement that the committee deems appropriate for the enrolled students. In order to be eligible for state apportionment, such courses must be approved by the Chancellor pursuant to article 2 (commencing with section 55150) of subchapter 2 of this chapter and satisfy the requirements of section 58160 and other applicable provisions of chapter 9 (commencing with section 58000) of this division.

(2) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the number of contact hours normally required for a student to complete the course, the catalog description, the objectives, contents in terms of a specific body of knowledge, instructional methodology, examples of assignments and/or activities, and methods of evaluation.

(3) Conduct of Course. All sections of the course are to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with the set of objectives and other specifications defined in the course outline of record.

(4) Repetition. Repeated enrollment is allowed only in accordance with provisions of article 4 of subchapter 1 of chapter 6 (commencing with section 54040), and section 58161.

(5) Prerequisites and corequisites. When the college and/or district curriculum committee deems appropriate, a noncredit course may serve as a prerequisite or corequisite for a credit course as established, reviewed, and applied in accordance with this article.

(d) Community Services Offering. A community services offering must meet the following minimum requirements:

(1) is approved by the district governing board;

(2) is designed for the physical, mental, moral, economic, or civic development of persons enrolled therein;

(3) provides subject matter content, resource materials, and teaching methods which the district governing board deems appropriate for the enrolled students;

(4) is conducted in accordance with a predetermined strategy or plan;

(5) is open to all members of the community willing to pay fees to cover the cost of the offering; and

(6) may not be claimed for apportionment purposes.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 55002

1. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 12-28-83; effective upon filing pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 53).
2. Amendment filed 5-18-84; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 20).
3. Repealer and new section filed 10-7-88; operative 11-6-88 (Register 88, No. 42).
4. Amendment filed 3-4-91 by Board of Governors of California Community Colleges with the Secretary of State; operative 4-5-91 (Register 91, No. 23). Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code Section 70901.5(b).
5. Amendment filed 10-25-91; operative 11-24-91 (Register 92, No. 7).
6. Amendment filed 10-5-93; operative 11-4-93. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5(b) (Register 93, No. 42).
7. Editorial correction of HISTORY 4 (Register 95, No. 20).
8. Amendment filed 3-15-2006; operative 4-14-2006. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2006, No. 17).
9. Amendment of subsection (c)(1) filed 1-17-2007; operative 1-17-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 8).
10. Amendment of section heading and section filed 7-17-2007; operative 8-16-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 35).
11. Amendment of subsections (a)(5) and (b)(5) filed 5-16-2008; operative 6-15-2008. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2008, No. 21).
12. Amendment of subsections (a)(2)(B)-(C), (a)(3), (a)(5), (b)(1)(A), (b)(2)(B)-(C), (b)(3), (b)(5), (c)(2) and (c)(4) filed 7-20-2017; operative 8-19-2017. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2017, No. 31).
13. Amendment of subsections (a)(2)(D) and (b)(2)(D) and new subsection (c)(5) filed 7-17-2019; operative 8-16-2019. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2019, No. 30).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 66700 and 70901, Education Code. Reference: Section 70901, Education Code.

1. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 12-28-83; effective upon filing pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 53).
2. Amendment filed 5-18-84; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 20).
3. Repealer and new section filed 10-7-88; operative 11-6-88 (Register 88, No. 42).
4. Amendment filed 3-4-91 by Board of Governors of California Community Colleges with the Secretary of State; operative 4-5-91 (Register 91, No. 23). Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code Section 70901.5(b).
5. Amendment filed 10-25-91; operative 11-24-91 (Register 92, No. 7).
6. Amendment filed 10-5-93; operative 11-4-93. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5(b) (Register 93, No. 42).
7. Editorial correction of History 4 (Register 95, No. 20).
8. Amendment filed 3-15-2006; operative 4-14-2006. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2006, No. 17).
9. Amendment of subsection (c)(1) filed 1-17-2007; operative 1-17-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 8).
10. Amendment of section heading and section filed 7-17-2007; operative 8-16-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 35).
11. Amendment of subsections (a)(5) and (b)(5) filed 5-16-2008; operative 6-15-2008. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2008, No. 21).
12. Amendment of subsections (a)(2)(B)-(C), (a)(3), (a)(5), (b)(1)(A), (b)(2)(B)-(C), (b)(3), (b)(5), (c)(2) and (c)(4) filed 7-20-2017; operative 8-19-2017. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2017, No. 31).
13. Amendment of subsections (a)(2)(D) and (b)(2)(D) and new subsection (c)(5) filed 7-17-2019; operative 8/16/2019. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2019, No. 30).