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.

Phase V

1. Art History | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase II

1. Biology | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase I 

1. Business Administration | Fall 2023 Implementation 

2. Business Administration | Fall 2026 Implementation

   • Rereview fall 2024- spring 2025

   • Change in UCGS Math to require MTH161 

   • Change to allow option between BUS224 and MTH245

Phase IV

1. Chemistry | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase III

1. Communication | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase I

1. Computer Science | Fall 2023 Implementation

2. Computer Science | Fall 2026 Implementation

   • Rereview fall 2024 - spring 2025

   • No major changes 

Phase IV

1. Criminal Justice | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase IV

1. Dance | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase I 

1. Education | Fall 2023 Implementation 

   • Elementary, Special, Secondary, Specializations

2. Education | Fall 2026 Implementation

   • Rereview fall 2024 - spring 2026

   • Removed all tracks and ensured courses are listed in General Education

Phase I 

1. Engineering | Fall 2023 Implementation

   • Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Aerospace

2. Engineering | Fall 2026 Implementation

   • Rereview fall 2024 - spring 2025 

   • Removed tracks and ensured all courses are listed in General Engineering 

Phase III

1. English | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase IV

1. Environmental Science | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase V

1. Geology | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase V

1. History | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase III

1. Information Technology | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase III

1. Kinesiology | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase II

1. Mathematics | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase V

1. Philosophy | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase V

1. Physics | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase IV

1. Political Science | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase III

1. Psychology | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase III

1. Public Health | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase V

1. Religious Studies | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase V

1. Sociology | Fall 2026 Implementation

Phase IV

1. Social Work  | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase III

1. Theatre  | Fall 2025 Implementation

Phase IV

1. Visual Arts | Fall 2025 Implementation 

Phase II

1. World Languages | Fall 2025 Implementation