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General Program Requirements |
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Explanation of Program Requirements
The following pages provide detailed descriptions about the associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs offered at VHCC. A recommended semester-by-semester schedule is outlined for each program to assist in planning for program completion in the minimum amount of time while assuring that all prerequisites are met and degree requirements satisfied. In all cases, students are advised to work closely with college counselors and advisors. In the case of anticipated transfer to a four-year degree program, students should plan their community college program to assure transferability of course credits. To assist in this process the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has implemented on online tool designed to clearly identify which courses will transfer from Virginia community colleges to four-year institutions. The SCHEV Transfer Tool is available at www.schev.edu (click on SCHEV Transfer Tool).
All students enrolled in an associate degree, diploma or certificate program must complete an orientation (SDV) course during their first 15 hours of enrollment, typically their first semester in college. This program is entitled Orientation to College Success, SDV 101. It carries a value of 1 credit hour and requires ten to fifteen hours of counselor/instructor - student contact.
All curricular students in the community colleges of Virginia shall attend an orientation program designed primarily to provide information applicable to the basic operation of the College through convocation programs and small group meetings. At VHCC, the curricular student will attend a New Student Seminar that prepares students for their first college enrollment. These sessions introduce the student to the local community college philosophy, campus resources, the enrollment process, curricular offerings and program layouts, class schedules, placement testing, transfer and the faculty advising process. Additionally new students must attend an all Day Orientation convocation where study skills, career information and academic advising are the focus. New curricular students must meet with their faculty advisor during the faculty advising sessions of Orientation.
Counselors will teach students how to access Online Enrollment during the New Student Seminars. Students are encouraged to complete placement testing prior to attending a New Student Seminar.
Orientation Credit Eligibility:
• When transfer courses are evaluated for students entering a curriculum, VHCC will accept first-year experience credit courses such as study skills, orientation, if a student has a grade of "S" for Satisfactory, or a "C" or better.
• In cases where a student has 15 or more semester-hour credits (with grades of "C" or better) to transfer into VHCC, but does not have an orientation transfer course, the college will allow the student to petition for credit by experience for SDV 101.
• Students who transfer 15 or more credits into VHCC from other Virginia community colleges, but do not have an orientation course, will be notified by the Registrar that they can petition for SDV 101 credit.
• Mitigating circumstances for native VHCC students will be evaluated by a Counselor, who can recommend credit for SDV 101.
• Approval is required by the Academic Dean and Vice President of Instruction and Student Services for all Petitions for Credit of SDV 101.
Students are urged to check the mathematics requirements of the four-year college or university to which they plan to transfer to determine the proper mathematics courses to be taken at the community college.
Health Courses/Physical Education Courses
Students may substitute any HLT (Health) course for Physical Education requirement. Transfer students should note that four-year institutions may require a PED activity course in the general education core.
Minimum High School Requirements or Equivalents for College Transfer Programs
4 units of English
3 units of college preparatory mathematics
1 unit of laboratory
science
1 unit of social studies
General Education Core Curriculum
English Composition
*ENG 111-112 College Composition I-II
*Must meet placement test eligibility
1
HumanitiesART 201-202 History of Art I-II
ENG 241-242 Survey of American Literature I-II
ENG 243-244 Survey of English Literature I-II
ENG 251-252 Survey of World Literature I-II
FRE 101-102 Beginning French I-II
FRE 201-202 Intermediate French I-II
MUS 121-122 Music Appreciation I-II
PHI 101 Philosophy
REL 200, 210 Religion (Old/New Testament)
REL 230 Religions of the World
SPA 101-102 Beginning Spanish I-II
SPA 201-202 Intermediate Spanish I-II
SPD 130 Intro. Theatre
SPD 151-152 Film Appreciation I-II
1For all majors
Natural Science
BIO 101-102 Biology I-II
CHM 111-112 College Chemistry I-II
PHY 121-122 Principles of Physics I-II
(Limited Transfer)
PHY 201-202 General College Physics I-II
PHY 241-242 University Physics I-II
GOL 105-106 Geology
Mathematics
*MTH 151-152 Liberal Arts Math I-II
(Limited Transfer)
*MTH 158 College Algebra
*MTH 163-164 Precalculus I-II
*MTH 241-242 Statistics I-II
*MTH 173-174 Calculus I-II
*MTH 271-272 Applied Calculus I-II
*Must meet course prerequisites and placement test eligibility
2
Social SciencesHIS 121-122 United States History I-IIECO 201-202 Economics I-II
GEO 210 Cultural Geography
GEO 220 World Geography
HIS 101-102 History of Western Civilization I-II
PLS 211-212 U. S. Government I-II
PLS 135 American National Politics
PSY 200 Principles of Psychology
SOC 200 Principles of Sociology
2For transfer majors
Wellness
All HLT (Health) Courses
All PED Activity Courses
The Virginia Highlands Community College Honors Program offers qualified students the opportunity to pursue challenges beyond those found in regular college classes. Honors students engage in special coursework that stimulates critical thinking and examines the interrelationships of ideas across disciplines. Specially designated honors courses and regular classes that offer an honors component, allow students to develop a broader, deeper understanding of topics in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Instructors of honors component courses may design, or allow students to design, one or more projects, areas of study, or additional topics beyond regular class requirements in order to receive a course grade with honors. The instructor will specify the criteria for successful completion of the honors component. However, honors credit will not be awarded in a course where the student’s final grade is C or lower. The faculty member may restrict honors options to students who meet appropriate criteria which might include but are not limited to performance on placement exams, performance in prerequisite or related courses, performance on SAT or other college placement tests, and recommendations of other faculty. A notation will be made on the transcript of a student to whom honors credit has been awarded.