|
|
|
General Program Requirements
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 fifteen hours of counselor/instructor student contact.
All curricular students in the community colleges of Virginia complete an
orientation program designed primarily to provide information applicable to the
basic operation of the College. At VHCC, curricular students
complete the VHCC Online Preview that prepares students for their first
college enrollment. This program introduces 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 enroll in an Orientation
class where study skills, career information and academic advising are the
focus. New curricular students must meet with their academic counselor for a
Transition Session where they will schedule their first semester of classes and
be assigned an appropriate faculty advisor depending on their program of study
and career interests.
Students are encouraged to complete placement testing prior to their Transition
Session.
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
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
1Humanities
ART 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
*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
2Social
Sciences
ECO
201-202
Economics I-II
GEO
210
Cultural Geography
GEO
220
World Geography
HIS
101-102
History of Western Civilization I-II
HIS 121-122
United States History 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 students 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.