5.1.0.0.3 Common Curricula A common curriculum is a set of courses leading to a degree or certificate that has been developed by a statewide faculty group. (See Section 5.2 for policy on development of common curricula.) Such curricula may be established for transfer or career-technical programs. If a common curriculum exists, it will be posted to the VCCS intranet maintained by Academic and Workforce Programs Unit, VCCS System Office, and followed by all colleges that offer the program. 

The Common Curricular framework provides faculty in the VCCS with the opportunity to work in partnership with faculty in Virginia’s four-year public institutions to develop curricular content in college transfer education, which includes the associate of arts, associate of science, and the associate of fine arts.  The curriculum is designed to transfer to Virginia four-year institutions that offer the target baccalaureate program. 

A Common Curriculum Committee shall be established by the VCCS Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Workforce Programs or designee when there is interest in developing a common curriculum in a transfer education program.  The membership of the Committee shall include, whenever possible, one full-time faculty member within a given transfer discipline representing each college offering or desiring to offer the curriculum.  The Committee shall confer with four-year discipline faculty on the proposed curriculum to ensure that the curricular content aligns with the first two years of the baccalaureate program.

The plan of study developed by the Common Curriculum Committee shall be implemented by community colleges offering or desiring to offer the program within 18 months. Each college shall follow procedures outlined in Table 5-3 for adoption and implementation of the curriculum. Content created through a Common Curriculum Committee shall be designated as such in college catalogs only when offered as a degree or a major.

Associate Degree (Transfer)

College transfer programs encompass the first two years of baccalaureate study in the arts, sciences, and preprofessional fields. These programs must meet standards acceptable for transfer and maintain content and quality equivalent to four-year institutions to ensure a smooth transition for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree. Faculty teaching associate degree courses designed for transfer to a baccalaureate program must hold either:

• a doctoral or master’s degree in the teaching discipline, or

• a master’s degree with at least 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline.

Applied Associate Degree (Career/Technical Education)

Career and technical education programs prepare students for employment in industry, business, the professions, and government as technicians, semiprofessionals, apprentices, and skilled tradespersons. These programs typically require two years or less of training beyond high school and may include fields such as agriculture, business, health, industrial, and service occupations. Curricula should align with regional workforce needs, though the State Board may designate certain colleges to serve larger areas with specialized programs. Faculty teaching associate degree courses not designed for transfer to a baccalaureate program must hold either:

• a bachelor’s degree in the teaching discipline, or

• an associate degree and demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline.

Four-year institutions have the discretion to determine whether or not to accept and transfer credits from applied associates degrees, as well as establish Guaranteed Admission Agreements and/or Guaranteed Program Admissions Agreements.