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Special Areas of Study
2016-2017 Catalog
Developmental Education
Programs/Basic Skills
Purpose
The Developmental Education Program is designed to
prepare students for degree credit instruction. The program
is recommended for students who are assessed as not meeting
the skills requisites for Math 201 or English 125 or 126. It is
not recommended for students who are learning English as a
second language or who have identified learning disabilities.
Courses in this program are numbered 200-299.
Initial placement into the Developmental Education Program
depends upon English and mathematics placement assessment
results. Other courses in the program are then recommended
according to student needs and interests.
The English and math placement assessment process is
administered by the Counseling Office. For additional
information please call the Counseling Office at 325-5230.
Description
There are five kinds of courses in the program to prepare
students for college-level instruction:
1. English written expression
2. Reading
3. Mathematics
4. Exploratory courses which reinforce reading
and writing skill development
5. Other courses that help students learn
successfully.
There are two levels of instruction in both the reading and
writing areas, a basic level and an improvement level. The
particular courses a student takes depend upon the individual’s
needs as revealed in the college’s assessment process. English
130 or 252 may be used to establish eligibility for English
125, while English 262 may be used to establish eligibility
for English 126.
Credits/Units
Course credits earned in the program do not count for the
associate degree but do count for determining full- or part-
time student status (i.e., workload credit).
Assessment
It is highly recommended that students planning to take
an English class, a math class, or a class that has an English
or math prerequisite or advisories take an English/math
placement test prior to registration if they have not met the
class prerequisite by other means. This test is by appointment
and administered through the Counseling Office.
A schedule of testing times and dates is established at the
beginning of each month. Please contact Student Services at
(559) 325-5230 for dates, times and locations.
Test scores are used for counseling purposes and to assist with
correctly advising students’ class placement. These tests are
not entrance examinations, and the results will not prevent
any prospective student from admission to the college or from
enrolling in any course. If possible, the placement tests should
be completed well before registering for classes so that courses
can be approved by a counselor on the registration form.
If a student wishes to take a class other than the one
recommended by the assessment process, the student may
discuss this with the counselor. If he or she agrees, the
counselor will approve the student’s entry into that class. If the
counselor does not agree, the student submit a Prerequisite/
Corequisite Challenge Petition (available from the Counseling
Center or from a counselor).
No placement examination is required as a condition for
admission to the college.
Students who are unsure of their academic or vocational goals
are encouraged to:
1. Meet with a counselor for career and
educational guidance.
Call 325-5230 for an appointment.
2. Take career exploration inventories to discover your
interests, values, skills, and aptitudes then relate
them to the world of careers.
3. Take courses of interest or curiosity for
the purpose of career exploration.
Special Areas of Study