GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR USE OF

SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES

CPD-195AA (.5 Cr) &CPD-195AB (1 Cr)

 

Explanation of Special Topics Courses

 

Special Topics courses provide departments opportunity for flexibility and experimentation in offering credit learning experiences for students. These courses make it possible to offer .5 credit and 1 credit courses that are not available through our current curriculum. A special topics course enables a department to respond in a timely manner to requests for short-term instruction to meet the needs of a special population or address a contemporary topic of interest to students/staff/or employers. These courses generate FTSE, unlike workshops or short term groups.

 

Use of Special Topics Courses

 

• When a general Special Topics course is Board-approved for an instructional area, e.g, CPD, each specific topic course need only be appr9ved by the appropriate Instructional Council.

 

• Special Topics courses are designed to address specific topics. They are not designed to modularize a current CPD course. A title of a special topics course must reflect this, i.e not carry the same title as a current CPD course nor include identical descriptions or competencies.

 

• Topics addressed in a Special Topics course must be counseling related and the topic, title, course description, specific competencies and outline for a course must be reviewed by the Counseling Curriculum Committee and approved by CIC before it can be offered on a campus.

 

• After a special topics course is approved by CIC, it is available for use on all campuses. A copy of the course title, description, competencies and outline will be distributed to each department chair.

 

• If a special topics course needs revision, the department originating it must be consulted. Course modifications must be reviewed by the department chair, and submitted to the Counseling Curriculum Committee prior to submission to CIC for approval.

 

 

Approved by CIC on 10/17/00

 

 

 

CIC Process for Initiating a Special Topics Course

 

Step One

The counselor interested in developing a new special topics course consults with the department chair and members to assess the need for a course and establish the course credit and load, i.e., .5 credit or 1 credit.

 

Step Two

The counselor develops a brief justification-of-need statement for the special topics course and consults with the campus instructional design specialist to develop the course title, competencies and outline. The counselor presents the course elements for approval of the counseling department chair and members.

 

Step Three

The counselor submits the justification-of-need statement, title, competencies and outline to the Counseling Curriculum Committee along with a projected timeline for implementation of the course.

 

Step Four

The Counseling Curriculum Committee will review the course. If format revisions are recommended they will submit them to the individual initiating the course for action. Upon Committee approval of the course format, it will be forwarded to the CIC Chair with the Committee's recommendations.

 

Step Five

The CIC Chair will submit the course to CIC members for their approval. If the course is approved by CIC, a written statement of approval is sent to the CIC Curriculum Committee and the individual initiating the course. A copy of the approved version of the special topics course will be kept on file by the Counseling Curriculum Committee and posted on their web page. The Chair of CIC will forward a copy of the course as approved to each counseling department chair, as the course may now be offered by any department.

 

If the course is not approved by CIC, a written explanation for the non-approval will be submitted to the Counseling Curriculum Committee and the individual initiating the course.

 

CIC Process for Revising a Special Topics Course

 

If a Special Topics course needs revision, the department that developed it must be consulted. Modifications must be reviewed by the department chair, and submitted to the Counseling Curriculum Committee prior to submission to CIC for approval.

 

 

Approved by CIC on 10/17/00

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