Montgomery College 2016-2017 Catalog

Nov 23, 2024

Montgomery College 2016-2017 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Curricula Information

Degrees Certificates and Letters of Recognition
Campus Curricula Offerings
Choosing a Curriculum
Gainful Employment Programs
Learning Assessment
Transfer to a Four-Year Institution

Technical Training
Statewide Programs
Health Workforce Shortage Programs

Degrees, Certificates, and Letters of Recognition

A curriculum is a series of courses designed to assist students in reaching academic, transfer, specific technical, or semiprofessional career goals, as well as to assist undecided students. Montgomery College recognizes students with associate’s degrees, certificates, and letters of recognition.

Associate’s Degree

An associate’s degree recognizes successful completion of a 60- to 70-credit combination of General Education courses in English, mathematics, arts, behavioral and social sciences, humanities, and science (see below for more information); courses in a specific track or skill area; and, in some cases, electives. The College is currently authorized by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to offer five associate’s degrees:

Associate of Arts (AA). This degree recognizes mastery in the liberal and fine arts and is intended for transfer to equivalent bachelor of arts programs at four-year schools. The AA is awarded in arts and sciences, business, computer gaming and simulation, computer science and technologies, and general studies. Tracks within these programs allow students to focus their studies in specific areas (for example, arts and sciences program-music track).

Associate of Science (AS). This degree recognizes mastery in science or technology with a heavy emphasis on undergraduate mathematics or science and is intended for transfer to bachelor of science programs at four-year institutions. The AS is awarded in engineering science, nursing, and science. Tracks within the engineering science and science programs allow students to focus their studies in specific areas (for example, engineering science program-aerospace engineering track).

Associate of Applied Science (AAS). This degree recognizes mastery of vocational-technical occupational skills and is intended for those seeking immediate employment opportunities. Students may still transfer eligible courses to four-year institutions offering upper-division programs in related areas. Tracks within some AS programs allow students to focus their studies in specific areas (for example, graphic design program-illustration track).

Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT). This degree recognizes mastery in a core of professional education coursework and field-work experiences appropriate for the first two years of teacher preparation. The program is intended to prepare students to transfer to an early childhood, elementary, or selected secondary education programs at a four-year college or university in the state of Maryland. Students who receive the AAT will have fulfilled their General Education requirements and earned acceptable scores on a state-approved basic skills test. The AAT offers a 2+2 program between community colleges and four-year colleges and universities, while enhancing our efforts at 2+2+2 collaborative programs with local K-12 schools.

Associate of Fine Arts (AFA). This degree recognizes mastery in the professional arts in programs that have as a primary goal transfer to a BFA program, are similar to the first two years of a BFA program, and require at least 60 percent of the course credit to be in studio work and related areas. The College offers two AFA degrees: graphic design and studio art.

Certificate

A certificate recognizes successful completion of a sequence of courses (a minimum of 12 credits) that focus on the development of specific technical skills.

Letter of Recognition

The letter of recognition is designed to provide students with a confirmation of the completion of a sequence of courses (6-11 credits) that teach focused skills and competencies in specific career areas. Students seeking only a letter of recognition, who are not planning to pursue a certificate or associate’s degree at the College, are considered non-degree-seeking students and are not eligible for financial aid.

Campus Curricula Offerings

Some curricula are offered at all campuses, and some are limited to one or two. In this section of the catalog, when a curriculum is offered at a specific campus, it is indicated by G for Germantown, R for Rockville, or T for Takoma Park/Silver Spring. If there is no campus designation, all campuses may offer the curriculum. (Note that the Graphic Design AFA and the Studio Art AFA are offered at the School of Art + Design in Silver Spring as well as at the Germantown, Rockville, and Takoma Park/Silver Spring campuses.) Students may take appropriate courses offered on any campus to meet the requirements of the curriculum in which they are enrolled.

Choosing a Curriculum

Curricula at the College are designed to serve a variety of individual educational needs, including preparation for transfer, and for specific technical or semiprofessional careers. Students should consider their needs, interests, goals, experience, and training in selecting a curriculum. Counselors and academic advisers can aid in the selection process. If a student wishes to change from one curriculum to another, he or she must receive approval of an academic adviser or counselor. Counselors can assist students in determining whether a change in curriculum may result in a loss of credit.

Undecided Students

Students uncertain of their goals may obtain career exploration assistance at Montgomery College. Assistance may be provided by the Career/Transfer Centers, counseling services, academic faculty in areas of interest, workshops on career exploration, and career development courses. Students should also read the following section on selecting a major. Using the general studies curriculum, the student and counselor can design a program of courses to meet career or transfer goals.

Selecting a Major

Many students come to college without clearly defined career goals. The first step toward academic and career success is to select a field that matches a person’s skills, interests, and values. There are several computerized guidance programs and pencil-and-paper inventories that can help students identify interests and match them with possible occupations. These programs are available in the Career/Transfer Center on any campus.

Gainful Employment Programs

Federal regulations require colleges to report information to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the public on “gainful employment” certificate programs. These programs prepare students for employment in recognized occupations. ED approves these programs for Title IV (federal) financial aid eligibility based on certain criteria. Not all certificate programs at Montgomery College are Title IV aid-eligible. Consequently, students are not eligible for financial aid if they are enrolled in certificate programs at Montgomery College that are not approved for Title IV aid.

Consumer information on each gainful employment certificate, including student completion rates, cost and length of each program, and the employment preparation in each program can be found in the official online catalog at www.montgomerycollege.edu/heoa.

Learning Assessment

The College is committed to promoting student success and ensuring student retention while also continuing the institution’s excellence, accountability, and continuous learning. To this end, practices and procedures have been established to ensure that faculty and administrators systemically and methodically assess student learning outcomes and review programs. All departments and administrative offices participate in the College Area Review, which evaluates each area of the College for collective improvement. In compliance with Middle States standards, the College requires that programs undergo Outcomes Assessment to assure that students are meeting program learning outcomes.

For more information about the College Area Review please visit the website www.montgomerycollege.edu/car.

For more information about Outcomes Assessment, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/outcomes.

Transfer to a Four-Year Institution

Montgomery College students transfer to colleges and universities across the country. Students interested in transferring should consult with a counselor or an academic adviser as early in their educational program as possible. Counselors can assist with course selection and academic planning to maximize the transfer of credit to four-year institutions.

For students who plan to continue their education and transfer in a specific discipline (e.g., business administration, computer science, engineering, etc.), the College offers degrees that provide the first two years of a four-year degree program as well as a general studies curriculum. In cases where Montgomery College does not offer a particular major the general studies curriculum can be used to meet transfer requirements. Counselors and academic advisers will assist students in planning; however, it is the responsibility of the students to meet the requirements of their intended transfer institutions. Students are encouraged to meet with a counselor or academic adviser each semester to determine the most appropriate transfer plan.

Transfer Agreements

The College is dedicated to creating partnerships with four-year colleges and universities that will create a clear transfer pathway for students. One important way of doing this is by forming transfer agreements, official agreements that match coursework between schools. These are designed to help students make a smooth transition when transferring from the College to a four-year institution. Some agreements state that four-year schools will accept an entire associate’s degree from the College. Other agreements outline specific courses to take at the College for transfer. Students can view the College’s existing transfer agreements at www.montgomerycollege.edu/agreements.

Transfer Guidance

Montgomery College offers a variety of resources for transfer planning, including individual transfer and career advising, transfer workshops, a yearly scholarship conference, and Transfer Fairs held every fall and spring. Web planning resources include:

The Montgomery College transfer website (www.montgomerycollege.edu/transfer) includes information to help students research, select, and apply to colleges, and navigate the transfer process.
ARTSYS (http://artsys.usmd.edu), the articulation system for Maryland colleges and universities, indicates which Montgomery College courses will be accepted for credit at most local transfer institutions.
The Montgomery College Transfer Times (mctransfertimes.blogspot.com) an interactive blog that contains announcements and valuable transfer tips to help students prepare for transfer.
The MC Transfer Scholarship Blog (mctransferscholarships.blogspot.com), which lists scholarships specifically for transfer students.

Technical Training

Students who have specific technical career interests and wish to complete two years of study can choose from a wide range of occupational programs. These degree programs contain highly specialized technical courses and a strong component of general education courses to increase students’ breadth of knowledge. The College also offers non-degree certificate curricula, in which students develop technical skills and expertise in a specific area.

Students enrolling in career/technical curricula should be aware that, in some of these curricula, there are specialized courses that are not usually acceptable for transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

The General Education Program

In the belief that all students who earn a degree from Montgomery College should exhibit both breadth and depth of knowledge, the College requires a General Education component in all degree programs. The goal of the General Education program is to provide all students, in both career and transfer curricula, with the foundation to live a productive life, to be a citizen of the world, to appreciate aesthetic values, and to engage in life-long learning in a continually changing world. For this reason, the General Education program requires courses across the arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, and natural sciences.

After completing the program, students will develop five competencies: skills in written and oral communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and information literacy. Students will also develop an awareness of the arts and an understanding of their personal, social, and civic responsibilities.

Global and Cultural Perspective Requirement

Students in associate of arts (AA) and associate of science (AS) programs will include one course designated as a “global and cultural perspectives” course from within the general education distribution areas. The course has a primary focus or provides in-depth study that leads students to an appreciation of the differences, as well as commonalities, among people by studying the ideas, history, values, and/or creative expressions of diverse groups.

Transfer of General Education Courses

Montgomery College’s General Education program meets the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s (MHEC) Academic Regulations on General Education and Transfer and the Middle States accreditation General Education guidelines. MHEC transfer guidelines state that general education courses taken at one Maryland public college or university will transfer without further review to another Maryland public institution without the need for a course-to-course match. That is, a course designated as general education by a sending institution will fulfill a general education category requirement even if the receiving institution does not offer that specific course among general education choices.

Students interested in transferring to private or out-of-state schools should select General Education courses carefully. For more information about the General Education program and transfer, please visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/gened.

Statewide Programs

The Maryland Higher Education Commission designates some community college programs as statewide programs. Students may enroll in any of these programs at the same rates as in-county residents if a particular program is not offered by the local community college, or if the student cannot enroll due to an enrollment limit. These programs are subject to change; apply at the Office of Admissions and Records.

Please see MHEC’s website at www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/HEPrograms.asp for the most current listing of statewide programs and Health Workforce Shortage Programs.

Montgomery College programs approved as statewide are

Fire and Arson Investigation (Certificate)
Fire and Emergency Services Management (AAS)
Fire Prevention Technology (AAS and Certificate)
Fire Protection Technology (AAS and Certificate)
Graphic Design (AFA)
Studio Art (AFA)
Technical Writing (Certificate)

Allegany College of Maryland

Automotive Technology
Culinary Arts
Directed Technology (Travel/Tourism)
Forest Technician
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Professional Golf Management
Therapeutic Massage
Tree Care Technology

Anne Arundel Community College

Alternative and Sustainable Energy Systems
Homeland Security Management
Hotel/Restaurant Management
Intelligence Analytics
Paralegal Studies
Therapeutic Massage
Transportation, Logistics, & Cargo Security

Cecil Community College

Government Contracting
Transportation and Logistics
Visual Communications

College of Southern Maryland

Commercial Vehicle Operator
Massage Therapy
Security Management

Community College of Baltimore County

Air Traffic Control
Automotive
Aviation
Child and Youth Care Practitioner
Construction
Geospacial Applications
Floral Design
Horticulture
Interpreter Preparation
Labor Studies
Landscape and Survey
Mortuary Science
Nursery & Greenhouse
Print Management Technology
Recreation, Parks and Tourism
Tourism and Travel

Frederick Community College

Emergency Management

Garrett College

Adventure Sports Management
Juvenile Justice
Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology

Hagerstown Community College

Facilities Maintenance
Industrial Technology

Harford Community College

High Performance Manufacturing
Technical Professional Studies

Prince George’s Community College

Theatre and Entertainment

Wor-Wic Community College

Criminal Justice
Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Management

Health Workforce Shortage Programs

Health Workforce Shortage Programs have been identified by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Maryland residents may enroll in any of these programs and pay the in-county tuition rate of each school on a space-available basis. These programs are subject to change.

Please see MHEC’s website at www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/HEPrograms.asp for the most current listing of statewide programs and Health Workforce Shortage Programs.

The following Montgomery College programs have been identified as Health Workforce Shortage:

Biotechnology (AAS)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AAS)
Health Information Management (AAS)
Medical Coder/Abstractor/Biller (Certificate)
Mental Health Associate (AAS)
Nursing (AS)
Physical Therapist Assistant (AAS)
Polysomnography (Certificate)
Radiologic (X-Ray) Technology (AAS)
Surgical Technology (AAS)

For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions and Records.

Allegany College of Maryland

Basic Medical Transcription
Dental Hygiene
Home Health Aide
Human Services
Medical Assistant
Medical Coding
Medical Laboratory Technology
Nursing
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy Assistant
Radiologic Technology
Respiratory Therapist

Anne Arundel Community College

EMT
Human Services
Medical Assisting
Medical Coding
Nursing
Pharmacy Technician
Physical Therapy Assistan
Physician Assistant
Radiologic Technology

Baltimore City Community College

Coding Specialist (Medical)
Dental Hygiene
Emergency Medical Service
Emergency Medical Technician
Health Information Technology
Nursing
Physical Therapist Assistant
Respiratory Care

Carroll Community College

Health Information Technology- Medical Records
Nursing
Physical Therapist Assistant

Cecil College

Emergency Medical Technician
Nursing
Physical Therapist Assistant

Chesapeake College

Emergency Medical Services
EMT-Paramedic
Human Services
Nursing
Physical Therapist Assistant
Radiologic Sciences