New Courses
New courses are generally developed by faculty and approved by the MCCCD Governing Board. New courses are added to the Course Inventory Audit (CIA), and the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website which contains the full course elements. The courses can then be accessed to support multiple MCCCD functions and systems. Development of a new course requires a careful analysis of the Maricopa standards for course elements and placement of that information on the New Course proposal following the process defined within the Curriculum Procedures Handbook. Information on the Maricopa standards for course elements follow.
Course Elements Information and Standards
All courses have eight common course elements which include prefix, number, title, description, credits, prerequisites/corequisites, competencies and content outlines. Additional information on the eight common course elements follows and serves as a guide in developing new courses.
1. Course Prefix/Subject
The prefix/subject is a three-letter designation for the disciplines to which the course belongs.
In selecting a course prefix/subject, the following should be considered:
Prefix/subject corresponds to department(s) in which the course will be offered.
Prefix/subject corresponds to equivalent courses offered at Arizona State University or other Arizona community colleges.
Procedures
The development of a new prefix/subject requires the initiator to submit the prefix/subject prior to the submission of the course proposals using the subject. The initiator of the new subject must submit the following to the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation:
The name of the initiating institution(s).
The effective first year/term of the new prefix/subject.
The Description of the new subject/prefix (formal) (Example: Computer Information Systems, for CIS prefix/subject)
The Description of the Content Area that will be taught under the new subject/prefix, i.e., a paragraph describing the type of coursework/instruction and any related application to an occupational field.
The Department/Division (aka academic organization or group) for the respective institutions responsible for the new prefix/subject.
The name of the instructional council responsible for the evaluation of courses using the new prefix/subject. It is the responsibility of the college developing the new subject to communicate their request to the proposed instructional council regarding placement of the proposed new subject under them. The proposed instructional council's action on the request should be clear in terms of their acceptance when submitting the subject to the Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation. If the instructional council does not accept the request then the initiating college should discuss these outcomes and determine next steps. This may include further discussion with the District Curriculum Committee to reach a decision.
Hiring Qualifications, as recommended by the assigned instructional council, required for a faculty member to teach courses that fall under the new prefix. (Note: This step is accomplished according to the procedure for “Faculty Hiring Qualifications for a course subject/prefix.)
The Faculty Hiring Qualifications recommended for the new subject/prefix will be submitted by the Chair of the Instructional Council to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in a concurrent process. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may elect to submit the recommended Faculty Hiring Qualifications for the new prefix to the District Curriculum Committee for review and comment. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will follow the established process for formally accepting the recommended Hiring Qualifications.
The above numbered items are required for student information system purposes and allows for populating the required tables that support the building of the course bank or course catalog.
As part of transitioning to the new MCCD student information system, the instructional councils will have a numeric code assigned to them. This is the same code that is currently on the Instructional Councils Membership List and is identified on that List as the Degree Audit Code. This numeric code is placed in the Subject table and will define the relationship of the subject to the council responsible for the evaluation of the curriculum using the subject. In addition, the new functionality will allow the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation to maintain a table identifying the council definitions (name), status (active, inactive), effective date or the date the council was created, and changes to their definitions (names) and status. To some extent the new functionality in the SIS will provide for capturing the history of councils as they form, change, or are inactivated.
Processes for tracking changes or addition of councils requires the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation to communicate to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the District Curriculum Committee as early as possible any impending change to the Instructional Councils. Ensuring that additions or changes to councils are completed before the start of the fall semester will best support these processes. This will allow for the curriculum processes to move forward without delay at the start of the new academic year.
After receipt of the required elements for the development of the new subject in conjunction with the subject acceptance by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation continues with the process. The Center informs the other colleges of the impending new subject. The other colleges, upon notification by the Center, must then determine if they will be using the new subject. The colleges in turn identify the department/division (aka Academic Organization or Group) for their institution that would have responsibility for the new subject if used.
The submission of the above information by all colleges allows the process to continue and for the Center to include the new subject on the District Curriculum Committee online agenda. By placing the new subject on the online agenda the colleges are alerted to the impending proposals using the new subject, and the Center reserving the new subject until the review and approval cycle is completed on the new curriculum.
The new subject is placed as an action item on the District Curriculum Committee General Agenda. The District Curriculum Committee recommends the new subject for approval. The colleges can then begin to use the new subject for proposed curriculum.
Modification of an Existing Prefix/subject and/or Definitions
Colleges may have need to change a current subject (e.g. RMG to RIM) and/or modify the definition of a current subject. The District Curriculum Committee approves changes to subject definitions. The process noted above for new subjects is used for modification of a current subject. For modifications the initiator would identify all the items noted above but would also provide the recommended change to the subject and/or definition.
College staff should be aware that these types of updates affecting Department/Division Codes and course bank updates involve other District service providers such as the Division of Information Technologies Services (ITS). The District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation procedures generally require communication with ITS personnel to facilitate a mutually agreed upon schedule of events to release the information to the colleges.
Department Division code updates (aka academic organizations/groups) and release of the codes to the colleges via the course bank generally occur on a semester basis.
The colleges’ timing of information rollovers for the schedule building processes triggers the procedures. The college Curriculum Technicians are generally familiar with these processes.
Current MCCCD subjects can be accessed from the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website. The site also provides a link to historical information on subjects.
2. Course Number (Back to Top)
The number assigned to a course provides information about its sequence. Numbers range from 001-299. Numbers below 100 are not considered for transfer to four-year institutions and are not applicable to Maricopa Community College degrees or certificates. The MCCCD Course Inventory Audit or course bank should be checked to determine if the number selected for a proposed new course is presently in use.
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In selecting a course number the following should be considered:
Number is appropriate for course's level and sequence.
Should be higher number than prerequisites in same prefix.
Should correspond to equivalent course offered at Arizona State University or with a statewide common course bank identified by a statewide discipline-specific Articulation Task Force (ATF).
Number Series Associated with Different Levels of Courses
First year courses should generally be identified with 100-level numbers.
Second year courses should generally be identified with 200-level numbers. Courses at 200-level generally require prerequisites.
Number Series for Experimental Courses
Experimental developmental courses are designated by the number 059.
Experimental college-level courses without prerequisites are designated by the number 199.
Experimental college-level courses with prerequisites are designated by the number 299.
3. Course Title (Back to Top)
The full or unabbreviated course title identifies the course and is utilized in various Maricopa documents as well as computerized databases. Lengthy titles should be avoided because they present problems for the computerized databases storing curriculum information. When the titles are developed, they will be further truncated for the Course Inventory Audit as well as other databases, and for transcript purposes.
In selecting titles consider the following:
Course is clearly identified via title.
Differentiates the course from other similar ones.
Identifies the new course content.
Indicates level of course where appropriate.
Uses Roman numerals ONLY to indicate a sequence of courses where one is a prerequisite for the next course.
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Describes activity of course if appropriate (i.e., practicum, seminar).
Defines acronyms within title or description. In disciplines such as IT/computing/occupational where the acronym is an understood term within the industry, acronyms may be applied.
Includes key words similar to equivalent course title at Arizona State University.
Types of Titles
24-Character Transcript Course Title
The 24-character transcript title line on the curriculum proposal identifies the title as it will appear on students' transcripts and in the Arizona Course Applicability System/Course Equivalency Guide. When developing the 24-character course title, abbreviate the title so that the intent of the course is not lost.
*36-Character Legacy SIS Course Inventory Audit (CIA) Course Title
*The 36-character CIA title line on the curriculum identifies the abbreviated course title as it will appear in the MCCCD Legacy SIS Course Inventory Audit (CIA) or course bank. The 36 character title will not be necessary after the new SIS is deployed. A 30-character title will be required beginning Fall 2004 for populating the new SIS Course Catalog tables.
*100-Character Unabbreviated Course Title
*The 100-character title is the unabbreviated course title and is displayed on the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website, Course Information section.
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4. Course Credit Hours (Back to Top)
Credit hours is the term used to indicate the value of an academic credit. Credit hours are awarded for the successful completion of a course
In selecting course credits the following should be considered. The course credits
Are equivalent to the number of credits offered for similar courses.
Correspond to equivalent courses offered at Arizona State University or other Arizona community colleges.
Are equivalent to the number of credits recommended by an Articulation Taskforce (ATF).
5. Course Description (Back to Top)
Course descriptions communicate the content of a course and should be brief and concise. Course descriptions are written in phrases not complete sentences. The MCCCD web course bank allows for a maximum of 1200 characters (including spaces) for course descriptions.
In developing course descriptions:
Do not include the following information:Clearly identify critical or key content areas that will be covered in the course.
Do not list objectives or activities of the course within the description.
Information about teaching methods and procedures indirectly related to course content are not included in the description.
Recommended for majors.
Course level.
Special hiring qualifications.
Advisement information such as, “take this course, do not take…”
Prepares students for all sophomore chemistry courses.
Does not substitute for . . . course.
Limited enrollment.
Do not include the following information in course descriptions:
Designed to partially fulfill the . . . general studies requirements.
Continuation of . . . course.
Open to all students.
Not equivalent to . . .
Open to all members of . . .
Course followed by . . .
"Continuation of statements" (e.g. Continuation of SPA101...) These
signify prerequisites and should be written as such.
6. Course Prerequisites and/or Corequisites (Back to Top)
Prerequisites and/or corequisites are a part of the course description. The term "prerequisites" defines requirements which the student must meet prior to enrollment in the proposed course. The term "corequisites" defines requirements which the student must meet concurrently with the proposed course.
In writing course prerequisites or corequisites consider the following:
Not all courses have prerequisites. Indicate this by writing the word “None” within the requisite. For example, the following is the statement used for the above :
Prerequisites: None.
Not all courses have corequisites. There is no need to include any statement indicating the course does not have corequisites.
Examples of Different Types of Prerequisites and Corequisites
Notice the following situations and examples. The following format allows for consistency in stating prerequisites and corequisites:
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Prerequisites/Corequisites Do's and Don'ts
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When a course listed in prerequisites is cross-referenced, the cross-reference should also appear in the prerequisite. (See above sample under Prerequisites or Corequisites.) Ampersands (&) should not be used when listing prerequisites. Prerequisites/Corequisites cannot be suggested. The following are examples which illustrate this rule: |
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Correct - Prerequisites: None. MGT175 or MGT229 suggested but not required. Incorrect -Prerequisites: MGT175 or MGT229 suggested but not required. |
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7. Course Competencies (Back to Top)
Competencies are statements which describe skills or knowledge students are expected to possess as a result of completing the course successfully. Some courses are developed with what MCCCD refers to as common competencies. See Suffixed Courses: Common Competencies Course for more information.
In writing course competencies consider the following. Course Competencies:
Types of Competencies used for labs or lecture courses with activitiesShould be concise, specific statements and not contain excessive verbiage. Any one competency should not exceed three written lines of text.
Should contain observable behaviors like "describe," "operate," "compare," "draw," "analyze," etc.
Describe major skills to be achieved by students.
Relate to content presented in same order as content outline and cross-referenced.
Are written clearly and simply.
Avoid jargon.
Identify specific student behaviors (vague terms like "understand," "comprehend," "know," and "appreciate" must be avoided.
Describe behavior related to level of content For example: list vs. synthesize
Describe behavior related to type of course For example: list steps... vs. repair
Courses that involve labs or lecture courses that include activities frequently have competencies such as "assemble," "use," "operate," "demonstrate," "draw," "design," "generate," "apply," etc.
Types of competencies used for lecture or theoretical-based courses
Lecture or theoretical- based courses tend to have competencies such as "explain," "identify," "define," "differentiate."
Competencies Matched with Content Outline
Competencies are matched with the content outline. Major points in the content outline are reflected by one (1) or more competencies. That is, by reading the competencies, one should be able to infer key concepts. Competencies are listed in the same sequence as found in the content outline and cross-referenced.
8. Content Outline (Back to Top)A content outline must adequately reflect what will be covered in the course so that an instructor teaching the course for the first time will have enough of a guideline to cover the course content.
Content outline should include the exact information that students will need to achieve the course competencies. Major points in the content outline are reflected by one (1) or more competencies. Content outlines are listed in the same sequence as found in the competencies and are cross-referenced.
In developing the course content outline consider the following:
Use traditional outline form, containing Roman numerals, alphabetic subheadings and Arabic number subheadings.
Sample and Range of Roman Numerals.Include only content documentation (should not include activities, field trips, guest lectures, role plays, teaching methods).
Reflect competencies specified for course.
| Other Course Elements In addition to the eight common course elements, the following sub-elements are critical in developing new courses. |
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Course Notes Course Notes allow for critical information regarding the course to be publicized along with the course description. This information is included on the MCCCD Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation website along with the other course elements. The addition of course notes should be discussed with the District Director of Curriculum and Transfer Articulation or designee during the time the course is being developed.
Class Type Class types Abbreviations Periods Periods are the number of 50-minute periods per week for a course offered during a standard 16-week semester. Credit-Period Relationship Practicums (identified as Labs in CIA): One (1) credit for five (5) periods (50 minutes) each week over 15 or 16 weeks except in programs wherein state or national agencies require a certain number of clock hours for completion of the Allied Health program (i.e., Medical Radiography, Respiratory Care Technology). Instructor Load The development of courses is supported by different load formulas contained within the MCCCD Course Inventory Audit (CIA) or commonly known as the MCCCD course bank. Instructor loads differ for certain curricular options. The following are formulas taken from the Course Inventory Audit and are used to calculate instructor load for courses. The formula is presented as defined within the SIS (Student Information System) along with an explanation on how to interpret the terms and symbols within the formula. In addition, an example of the standard load formula is provided at the end of CIA Load Formulas: 1. CIALoad Formula: Acronym-Definition: A – Apprenticeship 2. CIA Load Formula: 3. CIA Load Formula: Acronym-Definition: E - P.E. Activities4. CIA Load Formula: Acronym-Definition: F - Field Trip #15. CIA Load Formula: Acronym-Definition: G - Field Trip #2 (Summer) 6. CIA Load Formula Acronym-Definition: H - Field Trip #3 (Fall/Spring) 7. CIA Load Formula Acronym-Definition: L - .1 Load hours per credit per student8. CIA Load Formula Acronym-Definition: P - .04 Loaded9. CIA Load Formula Acronym-Definition: S - Standard Load (DEFAULT)10. CIA Load Formula Acronym-Definition: Z - Zero Load Example of Standard Instructor Load Formula Standard instructor load is calculated according to the following formula: Instructor Load = 5 + [.7 x (7-5)] = 5 + (.7 x 2) = 5 + 1.4 ENG101 Freshman English 3 credits 3 periods Instructor Load = 3 + [.7 x (3-3)] = 3 + (.7 x 0) Cross-referenced Courses The purpose of a cross-referenced course is to enable the delivery of the course content through multiple disciplines and eliminating the development of separate and distinct courses. Generally a course is cross-referenced with two distinct disciplines (subjects). Example: EMT/FSC104, Basic Emergency Medical Technology The title, description, credits, periods and prerequisites/corequisites of the cross-referenced courses are identical. However, each discipline may use its own subject, and in some cases the numbers may differ due to limited availability of course numbers in the subject areas. When cross-referenced courses are developed or modified all councils affected by the cross-reference are involved in the development of the course. All the councils involved would also receive information distributed on the cross-referenced course(s) as part of the curriculum processes. For example, if an existing BPC prefixed course is being cross-referenced with OAS, then the Computer Information Systems Instructional Council (responsible for evaluating any changes to the Business-Personal Computers courses) and the Office Automation Systems Instructional Council (responsible for OAS prefixed courses) would receive information from the initiator on the proposal. When one council is scheduled to evaluate the cross-referenced course, the chair of that council may invite the other chair of the council impacted by the cross-reference to sit in on the discussions. A list of current Instructional Council members can be found on the following website link, http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/academic/artic/. Course Type Courses are classified as academic or occupational. The Arizona Community College Board defines the two as follows: Academic - To provide general education rather than a specific skill. Course Need Statement The course need is a brief statement which provides justification for development of a course.
Development of a New Course Proposal College curriculum personnel in completing the New Course proposal must follow the steps listed below:
On the first page of the proposal form, create the running header that will appear on all pages of the proposal. Do not leave spaces between the colon and the entry that follows:
In the Proposed section:
Sample: New Course Proposal Document - Revised May 21, 2007 Template: New Course Proposal Document - Revised May 21, 2007 The Curriculum Procedures Handbook is a product of the Maricopa County Community Colleges District. Any and all changes to the Handbook are monitored and coordinated through the District Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation. Please give credit to the Maricopa County Community College District if the Handbook or sections of the Handbook are duplicated. |
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