General Course Information

Continuing Education and Community Services Programs

In order to provide the widest possible diversification of educational opportunity, Virginia Western Community College schedules credit and noncredit courses and programs to meet educational and training needs outside the realm of traditional college studies. These include classes, institutes, forums, workshops, lectures, and courses to provide: (1) individual cultural enrichment; (2) individual job skill improvement; (3) hobby and leisure-time activity training; (4) service to business and industry in upgrading employee skills; and (5) special services focused on societal and community development. State general-fund tax dollars are not used to support noncredit community service programs.

General Course Information

Course Numbers

Courses numbered 01-09 are developmental studies courses. These courses are designed to prepare students for college-level courses (primarily in the areas of English and mathematics). The credits earned in these courses are not applicable toward associate degree programs. These courses are graded on a Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory basis and they do not affect students’ grade point average. Students enrolled in developmental courses who do not achieve a Satisfactory (S) grade should re-enroll in order to complete all course objectives. Students ordinarily may repeat a course only once.

Courses numbered 10-99 are basic occupational courses for certificate programs. The credits earned in these courses are applicable toward diploma and certificate programs but are not applicable toward an associate degree.

Courses numbered 100-199 are freshman courses applicable toward an associate degree or certificate, and courses numbered 200-299 are sophomore courses applicable toward an associate degree or certificate.

Course Credits

The credit for each course is indicated after the title in the course description. One credit is equivalent to one collegiate semester hour.

Course Hours

The number of lecture hours in class each week (including lecture, seminar, and discussion hours) and/or the number of laboratory hours in class each week (including laboratory, shop, supervised study, and cooperative work experiences) are indicated for each course in the course description. The number of lecture and laboratory hours in class each week are also “contact” hours because it is time spent under the direct supervision of a faculty member.

Course Prerequisites

If any prerequisites are required before enrolling in a course, these prerequisites will be identified in the course description. Courses in special sequences (usually listed as I-II-III) require that prior courses or their equivalent be completed before enrolling in the advanced courses in that sequence. When corequisites are required for a course, usually the corequisites must be taken at the same time. The prerequisites or their equivalent must be completed satisfactorily before enrolling in a course unless special permission is obtained from the academic deans.

General Usage Courses

The following “General Usage Courses” apply to multiple curricula and all prefix disciplines. General usage courses may be repeated for credit, and may include lecture, laboratory, out-of-class study, or a combination thereof.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 90, 190, 290 Coordinated Internship in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Supervises on-the-job training in selected business, industrial, or service firms coordinated by the college. Credit/practice ratio not to exceed 1:5 hours. May be repeated for credit. Variable hours.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 93, 193, 293 Studies in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Covers new content not covered in existing courses in the discipline. Allows instructor to explore content and instructional methods to assess the course’s viability as a permanent offering. A “Studies in” course is intended as an experimental course to test its viability as a permanent offering. Each offering of the course must be approved by the Chief Academic Officer or designee. An experimental course may be offered twice, after which the course must be approved under the appropriate discipline according to VCCS processes for adding new courses to the Master Course File. Variable hours per week.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 95, 195, 295 Topics in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Provides an opportunity to explore topic areas of an evolving nature or of short-term importance in the discipline. Variable hours per week. A “Topics in” course is intended to cover topics of an evolving nature or of short-term importance in the discipline. The course shall be approved by the academic Vice President or designee for a period up to two years. The chief academic officer or designee may approve an extension of another two-year period, after which the course must be approved under the appropriate discipline according to VCCS processes for adding new courses to the Master Course File.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 96, 196, 296 On-site Training in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Offers opportunities for career orientation and training without pay in selected businesses and industry. Supervised and coordinated by the college. Credit/work ratio not to exceed 1:5 hours. Variable hours per week.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 97, 197, 297 Cooperative Education in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Provides on-the-job training for pay in approved business, industrial and service firms. Applies to all career-technical curricula at the discretion of the college. Credit/work ratio not to exceed 1:5 hours. Variable hours per week.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 98, 198, 298 Seminar and Project in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Requires completion of a project or research report related to the student’s occupational objective and a study of approaches to the selection and pursuit of career opportunities in the field. May be repeated for credit. Variable hours.

(Insert appropriate prefix) 99, 199, 299 Supervised Study in (Insert appropriate discipline) (1-5 CR). Assigns problems for independent study outside the normal classroom setting under the guidance and direction of an instructor. Incorporates prior experience and instruction in the discipline. Variable hours per week. Exceptions to the credit limit may be granted by the chief academic officer.