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Edmonds CC >> Common Course Numbering

Faculty and Staff Advisory

Common Course Numbering information for faculty and staff.
Beginning summer quarter 2009, 408 course prefixes, numbers, and/or titles have changed!

• View the course change list or download a print version .

What is Common Course Numbering (CCN)?

It is a state-mandated program requiring Washington community and technical colleges to share identical course prefixeses, numbers and/or titles for selected courses. The intent of the program is to facilitate student transfer between the community and technical colleges in the state (the state’s four-year schools are not participating in the CCN program). For example, Chemistry 101 Introduction to Chemistry is now Chemistry 121: CHEM 101 is now CHEM& 121. The ampersand (&) is the CCN indicator attached to the course prefix.

Why is this information important for faculty and staff to know?

• 408 Edmonds CC course prefixes, numbers and/or titles have changed, beginning summer ’09.
• Many, if not most, students will initially be confused by the 408 course numbering changes.
• Faculty and staff knowledge of CCN is vital to ensure a smooth transition to this state-mandated system and to not confuse or cause frustration in for our students. Without faculty and staff assistance, students will run a much higher risk of mistakenly enrolling in the wrong class and retaking a course, thinking the new prefix, title, and/or number means it’s a “new” course.
• The online registration system will not recognize if the student is mistakenly enrolling in a course which he or she has taken under a different title or number.
• The college is using multiple means to notify students about CCN; however:
  • frequent faculty announcements are the best means of ensuring all students will receive correct information about common course numbering.
  • faculty and staff dialogue and accurate CCN explanations regarding the 408 affected courses are also crucial means of ensuring all students will receive correct information about common course numbering changes.
• Faculty teaching one of the 408 affected courses should make announcements about course changes at the beginning of the quarter and just before registration for the next quarter.
• Student Services will have an influx of students needing clarification and assistance. Without faculty and staff knowing answers to basic CCN questions, advisers will become overloaded with students.

Our message to students:

Faculty and staff information imparted to students on CCN must be consistent in order to ensure that students have a clear understanding of how to accurately manage their future course selections.

• Students need to be assured that CCN course changes will not impact applicability of prior coursework toward degree and certificate completion, nor will it affect course transferability to other colleges and universities. 
• Students also need to be aware that advisers (both faculty and staff) are available for one-on-one assistance with their questions about CCN.

Students need to know:

• CCN will affect how they choose their future classes. Students may accidently repeat the same class due to a prefix, number, and/or title change thinking it is a new class; they won’t receive credit for both.
• Classes taken under the old numbering system are still valid and will continue to fulfill Edmonds CC degree and certificate requirements. These classes will not be changed to the new numbering system on student transcripts.
• Students should meet with an adviser in their division or in Academic Advising as soon as possible to review their educational plan due to course changes.
• Information is available at www.edcc.edu/ccn.

Faculty and staff need to know:

• The CCN purpose and rationale so they can explain the change clearly and accurately.
• How to answer student questions regarding CCN.
• The FAQs which we anticipate students will ask so we can answer general student questions regarding CCN.
• How to interpret the new course identifier (“&”) on all degree/certificate planning worksheets and quarterly class schedules.
• Students can still “repeat” a course taken prior to CCN/summer 09 for grade improvement.

In each class affected by CCN during the three-year transition period (summer ’09 to summer ’12), faculty need to:

• Write the “old” prefix, number and/or title and its CCN equivalent on the whiteboard for the first three days of class and include this information on your class syllabus.
• For the first three days of class tell students that if they have taken the old-number (or class) they need to withdraw unless they are intentionally repeating the course.
• Write the CCN URL on the whiteboard: www.edcc.edu/ccn.
• Revise all syllabi, degree planning sheets, Web sites, and any other relevant printed or electronic information provided to students to reflect course numbering changes with former course prefix, title, and/or number for students to cross reference.
• Assure students who took the old number class that it will still apply toward Edmonds CC degrees and certificates, will still meet prerequisite requirements, and, if applicable, will still transfer to four-year schools.
• Have copies of the course change list, student information/FAQs, and bookmarks on hand at all times to ensure that students receive accurate answers to their questions regarding CCN.

How will a course title and/or number change be noted?

Edmonds CC has created a master list of all courses that have changed. In addition, the class schedule and degree and certificate planning sheets have the symbol “&” to indicate common courses.

• The “&” is a CCN identifier to note that it is part of Washington State’s Common Course Numbering program.
• Here is an example of a common course. MATH 131 Precalculus I has been identified as a common course by the state and has been changed to MATH& 141
• Here is an example of a course prefix change. SPCH 105 Performance Studies was not identified by the State as common; however, since SPCH 100 was identified as a common course with the prefix of CMST, all SPCH prefixes were changed to CMST to keep a standard naming convention. SPCH 105 is now CMST 105
• Here is an example of course number that “collided.” HIST 105 Western Civilization II was identified as a common course by the State and became HIST& 117; however, the college already had this number in use. As a result, the existing course, HIST 117 African American History to 1865, became HIST 104 but is not a common course.

Classroom and Syllabus Announcements:

Classroom Announcements and Timeline:
When	What
April 2009 forward	General announcement in preparation for CCN Beginning now, faculty need to make a general CCN announcement that: many class prefixes, numbers, and/or titles are changing as of summer 2009 so please to be aware when registering for summer, fall, and beyond. Faculty should recommend that students meet now with an adviser to update and/or modify any existing classes they have planned for summer/fall and direct them to the website: www.edcc.edu/ccn.
Beginning May through the last week of the quarter	Registration Announcement Students begin to register the last week of May for summer and fall (they register for both and/or one of the quarters simultaneously). They need to be reminded (as a follow up to your general announcement) that they will be faced with 408 courses that have undergone a change. Have students meet with an adviser (now) and reference the class change list (available online and in print in the CCN student handbook) when choosing coursework.
Days 1-10 of each quarter beginning with summer 2009 to summer 2012	Course Change Announcement In addition to writing the old and new “number” (title and/or prefix) on the whiteboard, an announcement should be made that the course number and/or title has changed. It is crucial that students are verbally reminded that the course number and/or title have changed and know of the CCN Web site. The most important thing is that we prevent students from accidently retaking a class they've already completed.

Find out more

You may have questions regarding CCN. If so, please contact us at advising@edcc.edu or 425.640.1458.

CCN Publication Information:
All instructor-initiated and departmental information, in print, electronic and online, must be updated to direct students and other faculty to the official CCN site which will house all student, faculty, and staff information as well as, a complete list of changed courses.

State Board of Community & Technical Colleges: http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/e_commoncoursenumbering.aspx