Section III: Programs

(Educational Programs: Undergraduate Programs)

3.5.1 The institution identifies college-level competencies within the general education core and provides evidence that graduates have attained those competencies.

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Compliance.

NARRATIVE/JUSTIFICATION FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Northeast Alabama Community College demonstrates compliance in identifying and ensuring attainment of college-level competencies. The programs of study defined within the college Catalog, along with the corresponding course descriptions, identify the competencies to be attained within the general education core. These programs of study with the course descriptions demonstrate that the college expects its graduates to achieve competency in written and spoken English, college level math, computer skills, science reasoning, and critical thinking. The measures used to evidence that graduates attain those college-level competencies include review of transcripts for satisfactory attainment of degree requirements, standardized testing, pre- and post-testing using ACT Work Keys assessments, and graduate follow-up surveys.

Example 1

Program of Study for Associate in Science Degree, Biology

Area I – Written Composition

ENG 101 English Composition I                                                            3 hours

ENG 102 English Composition II                                                           3 hours

Total                                                                                                     6 hours

Area II – Humanities and Fine Arts

Literature                                                                                            3-6 hours

Choose from ENG 251, 252, or ENG 261, 262

SPH 107 Fundamentals of Public Speaking                                         3 hours

**Fine Arts Electives                                                                              3 hours

Choose from Art, Music, or Theatre

**Humanities and Fine Arts Electives                                                0-3 hours

Choose from Art, English, Music, Philosophy,

Religion, Spanish, or Theatre                                                                           

Total                                                                                                   12 hours

Area III – Natural Sciences and Mathematics

MTH 112 Precalculus Algebra                                                               3 hours

BIO 103   Principles of Biology I                                                            4 hours

BIO 104   Principles of Biology II                                                           4 hours

Total                                                                                                   11 hours

Area IV—History, Social, and Behavioral Sciences

*History                                                                                               3-6 hours

   Choose from HIS 101, 102 or HIS 201, 202

Social and Behavioral Sciences                                                        6-9 hours

   Choose from Economics, Geography, Political Science,

   Psychology, or Sociology

Total                                                                                                   12 hours

Area V – Pre-Professional, Major, and Elective Courses

CIS                                                                                                         3 hours

BIO 201, 202, 220, or 230                                                                   12 hours

**Area V Electives                                                                              4-8 hours

Total                                                                                              19-23 hours

Total Hours Required for Degree                                                       60-64

*Must take a 6 semester-hour sequence in either literature or history

**Consult four-year catalog and/or STARS Transfer Guide

   (from NACC Catalog 2003-2004, page 42)

Example 2

Course description for ENG 101—English Composition I

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of ENG 093 or appropriate placement score.

English Composition I provides instruction and practice in the writing of at least six (6) extended compositions and the development of analytical and critical reading skills and basic reference and documentation skills in the composition process. English Composition I may include instruction and practice in library usage.

Example 3

Course description for MTH 112—Precalculus Algebra

Prerequisite:  All core mathematics courses in Alabama must have as a minimum prerequisite high school Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II with an appropriate mathematics placement score. An alternative to this is that the student should successfully pass with C or higher Intermediate College Algebra (MTH 100).

This course emphasizes the algebra of functions—including polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The course also covers systems of equations and inequalities, quadratic inequalities, and the binomial theorem. Additional topics may include matrices, Cramer’s Rule, and mathematical induction.

Syllabi provide additional specifics as to the competencies addressed within each core course. 

Example 4

Excerpt from ENG 101 Syllabus

III.         Course objectives

A.     To enable the student to develop and use strategies for writing essays from development of the subject through revision of the essay;

B.     To enable the student to develop and use focused structure, incorporating logical and coherent generalizations and details on a variety of subjects;

C.     To teach the student to develop basic reference and documentation skills with emphasis on the difference between quotes and paraphrases;

D.     To enable the student to develop analytical and critical reading skills as a tool for use in composition.

The attainment of these competencies is demonstrated through completion of required core courses identified for each A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. major. 

Transcripts are reviewed prior to graduation to ascertain that the required courses have been completed satisfactorily.

Example 5

Sample Work Keys Assessment:  Reading for Information

The Work Keys program (see Example 5) is used for selected programs within the Division of Technology and Workforce Development to define academic and workplace competencies to be attained. The program stipulates pretesting in order to individualize the study program so that the student is supported in attaining the desired competencies. 

Table 1

Work Keys Target Levels Defined for Selected A.A.S. and Certificate Programs (cf. Example 5)

Correlating post-testing is used to demonstrate achievement of competencies. The Work Keys target levels required for various program codes taught within the Alabama College System were established with input from employers statewide, as employers local to the various college service areas worked with personnel of the respective colleges in local advisory councils.

Beyond the monitoring inherent in course objectives and defined programs of study, the college monitors overall achievement of academic competencies through the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) by American College Testing (ACT). Of the five sections of the CAAP (writing skills, reading, science reasoning, critical thinking, and mathematics), two parts selected on a rotating basis are administered each spring to NACC sophomores. The averaged scores of NACC sophomores are compared to national averages of public two-year college sophomores. Results of CAAP are provided to all departments for consideration in curriculum review and development.

Table 2

Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency Results: