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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.

PECIAL

REAS OF

TUDY