COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

The course description provides much useful information about courses offered by the college.  The curricula of the college are generally set forth through the course descriptions and the curriculum plans that link them together into a coherent sequence of study.  The various components that make up a course description are described below.

 

Course Number and Title

 

          The course description begins with the course number.  First are four letters representing the subject area or discipline of the course.  For example, ENGL means the course is in the English discipline.  All courses are numbered with four digits.  The first digit identifies the course level; those beginning with one are freshman courses, and those beginning with two are of sophomore rank.  The second digit indicates the credit value of the course.  The third and fourth digits establish the course sequence in which the course is generally taken, odd numbers being offered the first semester and even numbers the second semester.  Course numbers beginning with a "zero" designate either a  developmental course or a course whose credit is not considered towards certificate or degree attainment.  Following the course number is the course title that succinctly describes the content of the course.  SWTJC adheres fully the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boards Common Course Numbering System.  This means means that the course number, title, and basic description are contained in one of two common catalogs of courses, either the Academic Course Guide Manual or the Workforce Education Course Manual.  The only exception to this is a limited number of unique courses approved by the THECB to address special curricular needs of the college.

 

         

Course Credit

 

        The next component of the description gives the course credit to be received after successful completion of the course.  College credits are usually computed on the basis of the amount of time and study devoted to complete them.  A course meeting 48 lecture hours (e.g., three leture hours per week in a semester of 16 weeks) is given three semester credit hours (SCH).  Credit hours for laboratory work and external experience are evaluated by separate scales, which are developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board.

 

Course Time Commitment

 

          Following the course number in a course description is a series of three numeric digits in parentheses that inform the student of the time commitment required by the course.  The first digit in parentheses to the right of the course credit indicates the number of clock hours of lecture per week.  The second digit in the parentheses indicates the number of clock hours of laboratory per week.  The third digit indicates the number of external experience hours (co-op, practicum, clinical, etc. per week). 

 

Course Approval Number

 

        All SWTJC courses are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  The series of members to the right of the time commitment indicate the state approval number of academic transfer courses. 

 

Course Descriptions

 

        Next follows the actual description of the course.  It provides in a concise way the overall goals, content, and major topics to be covered.  By reading the description, students can determine the subject matter of the course.

 

Prerequisite,  Co-requisites, and Fees

 

Prerequisites indicate, usually by a listing of courses, the knowledge and skills that students must possess before taking the present course.  Prerequisite courses must be successfully completed before enrollment in the present course.  Co-requisites are similar except that the knowledge and skills may be acquired while taking the present course.  In this case, students must have successfully completed before or be concurrently enrolled in co-requisite courses if enrolled in the present course.  Last in the course description is a listing of any special laboratory or other fees that are charged in addition to normal tuition. 

 

 

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION

 

          Southwest Texas Junior College offers the Associate of Arts in General Studies (A.A.) degree, the Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree, the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, and certificates.  The requirements for each degree and certificate are listed with their respective programs.  All students are required to take New Student Orientation; however, the course will not count toward degree requirements.

 

          Students failing to graduate at the expected time and completing the remaining requirements at another institution, may transfer this work back to SWTJC providing the student meets the degree requirements.

 

          Formal application for graduation should be made according to the following schedule:

 

                                    May Graduation                         ☞      Application deadline is February 1.

                                    August Graduation                    ☞     Application deadline is August 1.

                                    December Graduation                ☞      Application deadline is November 1.

 

          Students who are eligible to attend the May commencement ceremony each year are those who have completed their degree requirements in December of the previous year or will complete their degree requirements in May or August of the current year.

 

 

 

 

Associate of Arts in General Studies Degree

 

          The Associate of Arts in General Studies (A.A.) degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to a senior college or university.  This degree includes general education courses such as English, foreign language, history, government, mathematics, and lab science, which are considered to be core requirements for almost all baccalaureate degree programs.  (See a listing of core courses required for the Associate of Arts in General Studies degree in the Curricula Section.)

 

          Students should keep in mind the advantages of completing the requirements of a degree at Southwest Texas Junior College even if they are planning to transfer to another college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree.  An obvious advantage of completing any degree is the fact that this action reflects commitment to a specific educational goal and success in meeting that goal.  Earning an associate degree is evidence of taking one definable step beyond a high school diploma or the high school equivalency examination, and it is the minimum educational requirement for employment in certain positions in area businesses and industries.

Associate of Arts in General Studies Degree Requirements:

 

          8.       Must follow catalog requirements of the academic year when student first enrolled at SWTJC or current catalog.
 

 

 

Technical Certificates

 

          Technical certificates are included in some Board-approved collegiate programs.  Certificates consist of one year of technical instruction and, in some cases, integrated general education courses.  Students choose among a variety of career areas and acquire skills necessary to compete in the job market.

 

 

College Certificate Program Requirements:

 

      1.       Satisfaction of minimum entrance requirements.

      2.       Completion of  specific program and course requirements (see Technical Programs).

      3.       Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) on all college level courses.

      4.       Earn twenty-five percent of semester credit hours at SWTJC.

      5.       Make formal application for graduation in May by February 1, in August by August 1, and in December by November 1.

      6.       Must follow catalog requirements of the academic year when student first enrolled at SWTJC or current catalog.

          

Other Certificates

 

          The Core Curriculum Certificate is awarded to students who complete the Core Curriculum Requirements as outlined above.  The Core Curriculum for Southwest Texas Junior College has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; however, the certificate is an institutional award used to recognize this achievement and encourage continued student success.

 

          The Field of Study Curriculum Certificate is awarded to students who complete the required number of semester credit hours satisfying one of the approved fields of study curricula as listed in the catalog (See Field of Study Curricula).  Field of study certificates have been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; however, the certificate is an institutional award used to recognize this achievement and encourage continued student success.

 

         

Transfer Programs

 

          Southwest Texas Junior College offers transfer programs for those students who wish to pursue a baccalaureate degree at a senior college or university.  Before enrolling in courses, students should discuss their career goals with a counselor and explore the requirements for meeting those goals.

 

          Students should consider all options and should define the requirements for each option.  Those considerations should include determining whether or not the college or university offers the program of study that they plan to pursue and determining whether or not they are eligible for the program and are able to meet both admissions and financial requirements.

 

          Students should discuss test scores with a counselor and understand what they mean and how they may affect the selection of courses.  Notice in the course descriptions section of this catalog that many courses require certain reading, writing, or mathematics skills, which are determined by the placements tests students take upon entry.

         

          Counselors are available to help students determine which courses they should take as well as to plan how many courses they should take.  The normal load in a spring or fall semester is five academic courses.   However, students who work more than ten hours a week have family obligations, or commute long distances should take fewer hours.

 

          After talking with a counselor, students should consider other steps involved in selecting courses and completing degree requirements.  Students should consider taking review courses or developmental courses if their background is weak in certain subjects or if a long period of time has passed since they studied a particular subject.  Students should take courses in the proper sequence.  Some courses have prerequisites, meaning that certain courses must be completed prior to enrolling in more advanced courses.

 

          Students who have already completed college credit at another college or university prior to enrolling at Southwest Texas Junior College must submit official transcripts to the Admissions Office.  Students pursuing a degree at Southwest Texas Junior College must request that those transcripts be evaluated in order to determine which courses will transfer and apply to their educational objective, which they have selected at Southwest Texas Junior College. 

 

 

Continuing/Workforce Education

 

          These courses are organized to meet the special interests of citizens of the college district.  Courses may be offered in academic or technical areas.  These offerings do not carry academic credit in semester hours; however, the number of clock hours in a non-credit course is recorded in the Registrar’s Office.  The college has adopted the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ recommendation of the use of the Continuing Education Unit (CEU).  Under the system, ten clock hours in a short course equals one CEU.

 

          Continuing/workforce courses may be offered in any of the communities in the service delivery area. These courses may be offered at any time, provided a sufficient number of students registers for them.  In state funded courses, ten students are required to make a class.  If the course is funded by tuition and fees only, 15-20 students are required to make a class. 

 

      In order to meet the needs of the college community, Southwest Texas Junior College is the host for many seminars, workshops, and conferences.  These are conducted in cooperation with other colleges and universities, the public schools, and community organizations.