Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation

When the required course elements and other processing information has been developed, this new-course information is entered into the curriculum processing form in the Academic Curriculum Review and Evaluation System (ACRES).

At the ACRES homepage, click on the NEW-Course Proposal link and enter the required information in the form:

Initiating College: Using the drop-down menu, indicate the initiating college.

Faculty Initiator: Enter the name(s) of the faculty member(s) initiating the proposal.

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: Using the drop-down menu, select the date of the Online Agenda to which the proposal will be submitted. Remember to allow adequate time for review of the proposal by the appropriate instructional council(s) and the initiating college curriculum committee.1

Vice President of Academic Affairs Approval: Enter the name of the appropriate vice president approving the processing of this proposal.

Course Subject: Enter the three-letter course prefix.2

Course Number: Enter the three-digit course number and the course suffix, if any. 3

Course Suffix: The two-letter course suffix will be entered by CCTA after review of the proposal. 4

Instructional Council(s): Enter the name of the instructional council(s) responsible for evaluating this course proposal, followed by the instructional council code(s) in parentheses. see IC Contact Database 5

Instructional Council Recommendation(s): Using the drop-down menu, indicate the recommendation of the instructional council.

100 Character Title: Enter the full course title, which may not exceed 100 characters, including spaces.6

30 Character Title: Enter the 30-character course title 7

Effective Term: Using the drop-down menu, select the first term when the course will be active.

Effective Year: Enter the four-digit number of the first year when the course will be active.

Effective End Term: Using the drop-down menu, select the last term in which the course will be active. 8

Effective End Year: Enter the 4-digit year that will be the last year in which the course will be active.

Cross Referenced Course(s): If the experimental course is to be cross-referenced with another course, enter the prefix and number, including suffix if any, of the cross-referenced course.

Need Statement: In the box provided, enter a brief statement explaining why the course is needed.8

Course Type: Check the appropriate box to indicate either Occupational or Academic course type. Academic courses are those designed to provide general education and knowledge rather than a specific skill. Occupational courses are those that are designed to provide workforce readiness and to develop occupational or paraprofessional skills.

Activity Type: Using the drop-down menu, select the type of course activity. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Activity-Type field to designate one component of the course, such as the Lecture, and use the Activity Type (2) field to designate the other component, such as the Lab.10

Credits: Enter the number of credits the course will carry. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Credit field to indicate the credits of the component designated in the first Activity-Type field, such as the Lecture.11

Periods: Enter the equivalent number of 50-minute periods per week in a standard 16-week semester students in this course will spend in a learning setting supervised by an instructor. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Periods field to indicate the periods of the component designated in the first Activity-Type field, such as the Lecture.12

Course Load: Enter the course load, calculated according to the appropriate District Formula. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Course-Load field to indicate the load for the component designated in the first Activity-Type field, such as the Lecture.

Activity Type (2): Using the drop-down menu, select the type of course activity. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Activity-Type field to designate the Lecture, and use the Activity Type (2) field to designate the Lab.

Credits (2): Enter the number of credits the course will carry. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Credit field to indicate the credits of the Lab.

Periods (2): Enter the equivalent number of 50-minute periods per week in a standard 16-week semester students in this course will spend in a learning setting supervised by an instructor. NOTE: if the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use the first Periods field to indicate the periods of the Lab.

Load (2): If the course is a Lecture and Lab in which both the lecture portion and the lab portion include credits, load, and/or periods, use this field to indicate the load of the Lab.

Course Load Formula: Using the drop-down menu, select the appropriate load formula. 13

Allow Repeat for Credit: Using the drop-down menu, indicate whether the course may be repeated for additional credit.

Number of Repeats Allowed: Enter the number of times a student can take the course, including the first time. If there is no limit, enter 99.

Total Repeat Credits Allowed: Enter the total number of credits in this course a student can earn. If there is no limit, enter 999.

Course Description: Enter the course description. 14

Course Notes: Enter any critical information that should be made public regarding this course that does not appear in other course elements, such as repeatability, prohibitions from receiving credit for both this course and an equivalent course, the availability of a credit/no credit option, etc.Courses are not required to carry Course Notes.

Requisites: Using the terms “prerequisite” and/or “corequisite” where appropriate, indicate any course that must be completed before enrolling in this course or any course that must be taken concurrently. If other requirements apply, such as permission of instructor or program chair, etc., indicate these. If no prerequisites apply, enter the phrase “Prerequisites: None.” It is not necessary to enter “None” if no corequisite or special approval applies.15

Competencies: List the Course Competencies. In parentheses after each competency, identify the Roman-Numeral section of the Course Outline in which the competency is covered.16

Outline: Provide the Course Outline.17