Degrees and Certificates
Awarded
The Austin Community College District offers the
following degrees and certificates:
- Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree – Awarded to students
who complete at least 60 semester credit hours, 42 of
which must be taken from the core curriculum. Fifteen
hours of general education courses are embedded in the
core curriculum, meaning that completion of the core
curriculum also meets the SACS requirement for
completion of the 15 hours of general education courses.
Requirements for receiving the A.A. degree include:
- Completion of the 42-hour core curriculum
- Eight semester credit hours of foreign language
courses (all courses must be in the same foreign
language and may be satisfied through completing
the core curriculum. Students should follow the
approved degree plan in this catalog for their major.)
- Prescribed courses listed in one of the areas of
concentration
- Associate of Science (A.S.) degree – Awarded to
students who complete at least 60 semester credit hours,
42 of which must be taken from the core curriculum.
Fifteen hours of general education courses are embedded
in the core curriculum, meaning that completion of the
core curriculum also meets the SACS requirement for
completion of the 15 hours of general education courses.
Requirements for receiving the A.S. degree include:
- Completion of the 42-hour core curriculum,
including six to eight semester credit hours of
natural science courses. (Students intending to
transfer to a four-year institution should check to
ensure transferability to the transfer institution.)
- Prescribed courses listed in one of the areas of
concentration
- Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree –
Awarded to students who complete one of three degrees
aimed at those who wish to become certified teachers.
Fifteen hours of general education courses are embedded
in the core curriculum, so completion of the core
curriculum satisfies the SACS requirements for 15
semester credit hours of general education courses.
Requirements for receiving the A.A.T include:
- Completion of the 42-semester credit hour core
curriculum
- The prescribed course list in one of the areas of
concentration: a) EC-4 (Early Childhood
Specialization only); b) EC-4, 4-8; or c) 8-12.
- Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree –
Awarded to students who successfully complete the
prescribed courses in any of the occupational-technical
programs and the requisite 15 semester credit hours
taken from the approved general education course list.
Requirements for receiving the A.A.S. degree include:
- Completion of 15 hours of general education
coursework
- Prescribed courses in an area of concentration
- Certificate – Awarded to students who complete one of
the approved certificate programs.
- Marketable Skills Award (MSA) – Awarded to students
who complete a specified series of courses. The
following credit programs offer MSAs: Accounting,
Building Construction Technology, Child Development,
and Welding (see degree plans). The Continuing
Education Division also offers marketable skills awards.
- Institutional Certificates – Issued in certain workforce
areas for successful completion of a course or courses
that make a student eligible for immediate employment
or add to the student’s marketability to employers.
General Education Requirements
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) requires colleges and universities to incorporate
into each degree plan 15 hours in general education
courses. At ACC, the coursework consists of the following
semester credit hours (SCH) taken from the approved list
of general education courses:
| 3 SCH |
Written communication (English) |
| 3 SCH |
Oral communication OR pass an oral |
|
communication proficiency exam (this option |
|
is not available if the degree plan specifies one |
|
of the approved oral communication courses.) |
| 3 SCH |
Computational skills (math) |
| 3 SCH |
Social/behavioral science requirement |
| 3 SCH |
Humanities/fine arts |
Following SACS guidelines, ACC selected general
education courses designed to prepare associate degree
graduates with the knowledge and skills to prepare for a
career, further their educational study, and contribute to
society. These courses help associate degree students with:
- Sufficient literacy skills of writing, reading, speaking,
and listening to communicate effectively above the 12th
grade level
- Understanding of numerical data and their implications
for daily living
- Consciousness of our society
- The ability to think and analyze at a critical level
- Appreciation multicultural, multiethnic contributions to
our country
- Understanding of our technological society
- Basic skills in the use of computers
Computer Literacy
Graduates of associate degree programs must be able to
demonstrate competency in the basic use of computers by
using computer technology in solving problems,
communicating, and acquiring information. Basic computer
skills may be obtained by completing a proficiency test or
specific computer courses, completing courses that require
use of the computer, completing the Info Game, or
completing an associate degree that has computer courses
as part of the degree plan.
General Education Course List
For completion of associate degree programs, the
component of general education courses must constitute a
minimum of 15 semester hours drawn from and include at
least one course from each of the following areas:
humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural
sciences/mathematics. The courses must be designed to
ensure breadth of knowledge and must not be narrowly
focused on those skills, techniques, and procedures
peculiar to a particular occupation or profession. These 15
hours must be taken from the following list of general
education courses.
Written Communications (English)
| ENGL 1301 |
English Composition I |
| ENGL 1302 |
English Composition II |
Oral Communications
| SPCH 1311 |
Intro to Speech Communication |
| SPCH 1315 |
Fundamentals of Public Speaking |
| SPCH 1318 |
Interpersonal Communication |
| SPCH 1321 |
Business and Professional Speaking |
Computational Skills (Mathematics)
| MATH 1314 |
College Algebra |
| MATH 1316 |
Trigonometry |
| MATH 1324 |
Math for Business and Economics |
| MATH 1332 |
College Mathematics |
| MATH 1333 |
Mathematics for Measurement |
| MATH 1342 |
Elementary Statistics |
| MATH 1425 |
Business Calculus and Applications I |
| MATH 2318 |
Linear Algebra |
| MATH 2412 |
Precalculus: Functions and Graphs |
| MATH 2413 |
Calculus I |
| MATH 2414 |
Calculus II |
Natural Sciences
| BIOL 1309 |
Life on Earth |
| BIOL 1406 |
Cellular and Molecular Biology |
| BIOL 1407 |
Structure and Function of Organisms |
| BIOL 1408 |
Unity of Life |
| BIOL 1409 |
Diversity of Life |
| BIOL 1411 |
General Botany |
| BIOL 1413 |
General Zoology |
| BIOL 1424 |
Native Plants |
| BIOL 2106 |
Environmental Biology, Lab |
| BIOL 2206 |
Environmental Biology, Lecture |
| BIOL 2304 |
Human Anatomy, Lecture |
| BIOL 2101 |
Human Anatomy, Lab |
| BIOL 2305 |
Human Physiology, Lecture |
| BIOL 2102 |
Human Physiology, Lab |
| BIOL 2306 |
The Living Planet |
| BIOL 2420 |
Intro to Microbiology |
| BIOL 2421 |
Microbiology |
| CHEM 1405 |
Introduction to Chemistry |
| CHEM 1411 |
General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 1412 |
General Chemistry II |
| CHEM 2423 |
Organic Chemistry I |
| CHEM 2425 |
Organic Chemistry II |
| ENVR 1301 |
Introduction to Environmental Science |
| ENVR 1302 |
Issues in Environmental Science |
| GEOL 1301 |
Natural Hazards and Disasters |
| GEOL 1305 |
Environmental Geology |
| GEOL 1405 |
Applied Environmental Geology |
| GEOL 1445 |
Introduction to Oceanography |
| GEOL 1403 |
Physical Geology |
| GEOL 1404 |
Historical Geology |
| PHYS 1311 |
Stellar Astronomy |
| PHYS 1312 |
Solar System Astronomy |
| PHYS 1401 |
General Physics I |
| PHYS 1402 |
General Physics II |
| PHYS 1405 |
Conceptual Physics I |
| PHYS 1407 |
Conceptual Physics II |
| PHYS 1411 |
Stellar Astronomy Lab |
| PHYS 2425 |
Engineering Physics I |
| PHYS 2426 |
Engineering Physics II |
* Please see the Catalog Updates area for changes to this information
Humanities/Fine Arts
| ARAB 1511 |
Arabic I |
| ARAB 1512 |
Arabic II |
| ARAB 2311 |
Arabic III |
| ARAB 2312 |
Arabic IV |
| ARTS 1301 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
| ARTS 1303 |
Art History I |
| ARTS 1304 |
Art History II |
| CHIN 1511 |
Chinese I |
| CHIN 1512 |
Chinese II |
| CHIN 2311 |
Chinese III |
| CHIN 2312 |
Chinese IV |
| COMM 1335 |
Intro to Radio and Television |
| DANC 2303 |
History and Appreciation of Dance |
| DRAM 1310 |
Introduction to the Theatre |
| DRAM 2366 |
Film Appreciation |
| ENGL 2322 |
British Literature I |
| ENGL 2323 |
British Literature II |
| ENGL 2327 |
American Literature I |
| ENGL 2328 |
American Literature II |
| ENGL 2332 |
World Literature I |
| ENGL 2333 |
World Literature II |
| ENGL 2342 |
Introduction to Literature I |
| ENGL 2343 |
Introduction to Literature II |
| FREN 1511 |
French I |
| FREN 1512 |
French II |
| FREN 2311 |
French III |
| FREN 2312 |
French IV |
| GERM 1511 |
German I |
| GERM 1512 |
German II |
| GERM 2311 |
German III |
| GERM 2312 |
German IV |
| HUMA 1301 |
Introduction to Humanities |
| JAPN 1511 |
Japanese I |
| JAPN 1512 |
Japanese II |
| JAPN 2311 |
Japanese III |
| JAPN 2312 |
Japanese IV |
| LATI 1511 |
Latin I |
| LATI 1512 |
Latin II |
| LATI 2311 |
Latin III |
| LATI 2312 |
Latin IV |
| MUSI 1301 |
Music Fundamentals |
| MUSI 1306 |
Music Appreciation |
| PHIL 1301 |
Introduction to Philosophy |
| PHIL 2303 |
Logic |
| PHIL 2306 |
Ethics |
| RUSS 1511 |
Russian I |
| RUSS 1512 |
Russian II |
| RUSS 2311 |
Russian III |
| RUSS 2312 |
Russian IV |
| SPAN 1511 |
Spanish I |
| SPAN 1512 |
Spanish II |
| SPAN 2311 |
Spanish III |
| SPAN 2312 |
Spanish IV |
Social and Behavioral Sciences
| ANTH 2301 |
Physical Anthropology |
| ANTH 2351 |
Cultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 2302 |
Introduction to Archaeology |
| ECON 2302 |
Principles of Microeconomics |
| ECON 2301 |
Principles of Macroeconomics |
| GEOG 1301 |
Physical Geography |
| GEOG 1302 |
Cultural Geography |
| GOVT 2305 |
American Government |
| GOVT 2306 |
Texas State and Local Government |
| HIST 1301 |
U.S. History I |
| HIST 1302 |
U.S. History II |
| HIST 2301 |
Texas History |
| HIST 2327 |
Mexican-American History I |
| HIST 2328 |
Mexican-American History II |
| HIST 2381 |
U.S. History I: African-American |
| PSYC 2301 |
Introduction to Psychology |
| SOCI 1301 |
Introduction to Sociology |
Core Curriculum
www.austincc.edu/acadprog/core1.htm
Texas law mandates that all state-supported colleges and
universities have a core curriculum of at least 42 credits that
will automatically transfer to all Texas public colleges and
universities.
If a student successfully completes Austin Community
College’s 42-credit core curriculum before transferring, that
block of courses must be substituted for the receiving
institution’s core curriculum. Student may not be required to
take additional core curriculum courses unless the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a larger
core for the receiving institution. Students who transfer
without completing the core curriculum receive academic
credit for each of the courses they successfully completed in
the ACC core curriculum.
ACC will designate core curriculum courses completed
by a student on the official ACC transcript. If a student
satisfies all component areas, the message “Core Curriculum
Completed” will appear on the transcript.
Students should visit with an academic advisor/counselor
to ensure that they take the correct courses for their ACC
degree program in addition to the major for their chosen
transfer college or university.
The following core curriculum course listing was in
effect at the time of print. The most current listing of core
curriculum courses is available on the web at
www.austincc.edu/acadprog/core1.htm.
English Rhetoric/Composition
6 credit hours (code 010)
| ENGL 1301 |
English Composition I |
| ENGL 1302 |
English Composition II |
Communications
3 credit hours (code 011)
| SPCH 1311 |
Intro to Speech Communication |
| SPCH 1315 |
Fundamentals of Public Speaking |
| SPCH 1318 |
Interpersonal Communication |
| SPCH 1321 |
Business and Professional Speaking |
| ARAB 1511 |
Arabic I |
| ARAB 1512 |
Arabic II |
| CHIN 1511 |
Chinese I |
| CHIN 1512 |
Chinese II |
| FREN 1511 |
French I |
| FREN 1512 |
French II |
| GERM 1511 |
German I |
| GERM 1512 |
German II |
| JAPN 1511 |
Japanese I |
| JAPN 1512 |
Japanese II |
| RUSS 1511 |
Russian I |
| RUSS 1512 |
Russian II |
| SPAN 1511 |
Spanish I |
| SPAN 1512 |
Spanish II |
Mathematics
3 credit hours (code 020)
| MATH 1314 |
College Algebra |
| MATH 1316 |
Trigonometry |
| MATH 1324 |
Math for Business and Economics |
| MATH 1332 |
College Mathematics |
| MATH 1333 |
Mathematics for Measurement |
| MATH 1342 |
Elementary Statistics |
| MATH 1425 |
Business Calculus and Applications I |
| MATH 2318 |
Linear Algebra |
| MATH 2412 |
Precalculus: Functions and Graphs |
| MATH 2413 |
Calculus I |
| MATH 2414 |
Calculus II |
Natural Sciences
6 credit hours (code 030)
| BIOL 1309 |
Life on Earth |
| BIOL 1406 |
Cellular and Molecular Biology |
| BIOL 1407 |
Structure and Function of Organisms |
| BIOL 1408 |
Unity of Life |
| BIOL 1409 |
Diversity of Life |
| BIOL 1411 |
General Botany |
| BIOL 1413 |
General Zoology |
| BIOL 1424 |
Native Plants |
| BIOL 2106 |
Environmental Biology, Lab |
| BIOL 2206 |
Environmental Biology, Lecture |
| BIOL 2304 |
Human Anatomy, Lecture |
| BIOL 2101 |
Human Anatomy, Lab |
| BIOL 2305 |
Human Physiology, Lecture |
| BIOL 2102 |
Human Physiology, Lab |
| BIOL 2306 |
The Living Planet |
| BIOL 2420 |
Intro to Microbiology |
| BIOL 2421 |
Microbiology |
| CHEM 1405 |
Introduction to Chemistry |
| CHEM 1411 |
General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 1412 |
General Chemistry II |
| CHEM 2423 |
Organic Chemistry I |
| CHEM 2425 |
Organic Chemistry II |
| ENVR 1301 |
Introduction to Environmental Science |
| ENVR 1302 |
Issues in Environmental Science |
| GEOL 1301 |
Natural Hazards and Disasters |
| GEOL 1305 |
Environmental Geology |
| GEOL 1405 |
Applied Environmental Geology |
| GEOL 1445 |
Introduction to Oceanography |
| GEOL 1403 |
Physical Geology |
| GEOL 1404 |
Historical Geology |
| PHYS 1311 |
Stellar Astronomy |
| PHYS 1411 |
Stellar Astronomy, Lab |
| PHYS 1312 |
Solar System Astronomy |
| PHYS 1401 |
General Physics I |
| PHYS 1402 |
General Physics II |
| PHYS 1405 |
Conceptual Physics I |
| PHYS 1407 |
Conceptual Physics II |
| PHYS 2425 |
Engineering Physics I |
| PHYS 2426 |
Engineering Physics II |
* Please see the Catalog Updates area for changes to this information
Humanities
6 credit hours (codes 040/041)
| ENGL 2322 |
British Literature I |
| ENGL 2323 |
British Literature II |
| ENGL 2327 |
American Literature I |
| ENGL 2328 |
American Literature II |
| ENGL 2332 |
World Literature I |
| ENGL 2333 |
World Literature II |
| ENGL 2342 |
Introduction to Literature I |
| ENGL 2343 |
Introduction to Literature II |
| ARAB 2311 |
Arabic III |
| ARAB 2312 |
Arabic IV |
| CHIN 2311 |
Chinese III |
| CHIN 2312 |
Chinese IV |
| FREN 2311 |
French III |
| FREN 2312 |
French IV |
| GERM 2311 |
German III |
| GERM 2312 |
German IV |
| HUMA 1301 |
Introduction to Humanities |
| JAPN 2311 |
Japanese III |
| JAPN 2312 |
Japanese IV |
| LATI 1511 |
Latin I |
| LATI 1512 |
Latin II |
| LATI 2311 |
Latin III |
| LATI 2312 |
Latin IV |
| PHIL 1301 |
Introduction to Philosophy |
| PHIL 2303 |
Logic |
| PHIL 2306 |
Ethics |
| RUSS 2311 |
Russian III |
| RUSS 2312 |
Russian IV |
| SPAN 2311 |
Spanish III |
| SPAN 2312 |
Spanish IV |
Visual and Performing Arts
3 credit hours (code 050)
| ARTS 1301 |
Introduction to the Visual Arts |
| ARTS 1303 |
Art History I |
| ARTS 1304 |
Art History II |
| COMM 1335 |
Intro to Radio and Television |
| DANC 2303 |
History and Appreciation of Dance |
| DRAM 1310 |
Introduction to the Theatre |
| DRAM 2366 |
Film Appreciation |
| MUSI 1301 |
Music Fundamentals |
| MUSI 1306 |
Music Appreciation |
History
6 credit hours (code 060)
| HIST 1301 |
U. S. History I |
| HIST 1302 |
U. S. History II |
| HIST 2301 |
Texas History |
| HIST 2327 |
Mexican-American History I |
| HIST 2328 |
Mexican-American History II |
| HIST 2381 |
U. S. History I: African-American |
Government:
6 credit hours (code 070)
| GOVT 2305 |
American Government |
| GOVT 2306 |
Texas State and Local Government |
Other Social and Behavioral Sciences
3 credit hours (code 080)
| ANTH 2301 |
Physical Anthropology |
| ANTH 2351 |
Cultural Anthropology |
| ANTH 2302 |
Introduction to Archaeology |
| ECON 2302 |
Principles of Microeconomics |
| ECON 2301 |
Principles of Macroeconomics |
| GEOG 1301 |
Physical Geography |
| GEOG 1302 |
Cultural Geography |
| PSYC 2301 |
Introduction to Psychology |
| SOCI 1301 |
Introduction to Sociology |
Field of Study Curriculum
Field of study curriculum, mandated in Senate Bill 148
of the 75th Texas Legislature (1997), facilitates free
transferability of lower-division academic courses among
Texas public colleges and universities. Field of study
curricula are defined by SB 148 as “a set of courses that will
satisfy the lower-division requirements for a bachelor’s
degree in a specific academic area at a general academic
teaching institution.” The Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board is responsible for developing and
approving academic courses that fulfill the lower-division
requirements for majors that correspond to the field of study.
Students who successfully complete ACC’s field of study
curriculum can transfer that block of courses to any Texas
public college or university. The field of study curriculum is
substituted for that institution’s lower-division requirements
of the degree program for the field of study into which the
students transfer. The students receive full academic credit
toward the degree program of the block of courses
transferred. Students who transfer without completing the
ACC’s field of study curriculum receive academic credit for
their courses but must complete the transfer institution’s
field of study requirements.
The Coordinating Board has approved fields of study for
the following disciplines: business, communication,
computer science, criminal justice, early childhood
education, engineering, engineering technology, grade 4-8
teacher certification, music, and nursing. ACC does not
necessarily offer all the courses in each of the fields of study
listed by Coordinating Board.
Business
The following set of courses has been adopted as a field
of study for students seeking the Bachelor of Business
Administration, Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science in
Business:
| ECON2301 |
Principles of Microeconomics |
| ECON2302 |
Principles of Macroeconomics |
| MATH1325 |
Math for Business and Social Sciences II |
| BCIS 1305 |
Business Computer Applications |
| SPCH 1321 |
Business and Professional Speaking |
| ACCT 2301 |
Principles of Financial Accounting |
| ACCT 2302 |
Principles of Managerial Accounting |
Communication
In order to maintain flexibility in a rapidly changing
field, a competency framework has been adopted as a field
of study for students seeking a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor
of Science in Communication in one of four areas:
- Advertising and public relations
- Journalism and mass communication
- Radio and television broadcasting and broadcast
journalism
- General communication and communication studies/
speech communication/speech and rhetorical studies/
organizational communication.
Students should choose lower-division courses that
fulfill competency requirements for their chosen field or
sub-area. See a current listing of courses in the state-adopted
table at
www.thecb.state.tx.us/ctc/ip/core11_00/index.htm.
Computer Science
The following set of courses has been adopted as a field
of study for students seeking a Bachelor of Science in
Computer Science. Note: It is recommended that students
complete the math sequence, physics sequence, and
computer science sequence at the same institution to
reduce the likelihood of potential gaps in the curriculum.
| COSC 1336 or 1436 |
Programming Fundamentals I 1, 2 |
| COSC 1337 or 1437 |
Programming Fundamentals II 3 |
| COSC 2336 or 2436 |
Programming Fundamentals III |
| COSC 2325 or 2425 |
Comp. Org. and Machine Language4 |
| MATH 2313 or 2413 |
Calculus I |
| MATH 2314 or 2414 |
Calculus II |
| PHYS 2425 |
Physics I |
| PHYS 2426 |
Physics II |
1 COSC 1336/1436 and 1337/1437 are preparatory and sequential in nature;
however, not all courses are required for the computer science major at all
universities, but may apply to general degree requirements.
2COSC 1336/1436 is not part of the computer science major requirements
at the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Arlington,
University of Texas at Dallas, and Texas A&M University.
3 COSC 1337/1437 is not part of the computer science major requirements
at the University of Texas at Austin. Preparatory courses such as COSC
1336/1436 and COSC 1337/1437 will assist students that need additional
background but do not apply toward the computer science major
requirements.
4COSC 2325/2425 is not part of the computer science major requirements
at the University of Texas at Austin or Texas A&M University but may be
applied to general degree requirements.
Criminal Justice
The following set of courses has been adopted as a field
of study for students seeking a Bachelor of Arts or
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice:
| CRIJ 1301 |
Introduction to Criminal Justice |
| CRIJ 1306 |
Court Systems and Practices |
| CRIJ 1310 |
Fundamentals of Criminal Law |
| CRIJ 2313 |
Correctional Systems and Practices |
| CRIJ 2328 |
Police Systems and Practices |
Engineering and Engineering
Technology
The field of study curricula for engineering and
engineering technology are designed to promote maximum
transferability for students while still preserving curricular
diversity for institutions. ACC students and faculty
advisors should consult
www.thecb.state.tx.us/ctc/ip/
core11_00/index.htm for field of study curriculum
regarding their intended transfer destination.
Mexican-American Studies
The following set of courses, totaling 18 semester credit
hours, has been adopted as a field of study for students
seeking a bachelor’s degree in Mexican-American studies.
| HUMA 1305 |
Introduction to Mexican-American
Studies |
| HIST 2327 |
Mexican-American History I |
| HIST 2328 |
Mexican-American History II |
| GOVT 2311 |
Mexican-American Politics |
| ENGL 2351 |
Mexican-American Literature |
| HUMA 1311 |
Mexican-American Fine Arts |
|
Appreciation |
| SPAN 2312 |
Spanish IV |
Music
The following field of study has been adopted for
students seeking a Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, or
other bachelor’s-level music degree. It consists of 27 to 35
lower-division semester credit hours in the following areas:
ensemble, applied study, theory/aural skills, and music
literature.
Note: Transfer of credit in ensemble, applied
study, and theory/aural skills will be on a course-by-course
basis.
| Area |
Credit hours |
| Ensemble (MUEN) |
4 |
| Applied Study (MAUP) |
8 |
| Theory/Aural Skills (MUSI) |
12–16 |
| Music Literature (MUSI 1308) |
3 |
Nursing
The following courses, totaling 28 credit hours of fully
transferable and applicable lower-division academic courses,
and an additional set of Workforce Education (WECM)
nursing courses, make up the field of study curriculum for
nursing.
Academic Courses
| Chemistry (AUGM) with lab |
|
| BIOL 2304 and BIOL 2101 |
Human Anatomy lecture/lab |
| BIOL 2305 and BIOL 2102 |
Human Physiology lecture/lab |
| BIOL 2420 or BIOL 2421 |
Microbiology with lab |
| HECO 1322 or BIOL 1322 |
Nutrition and Diet Therapy I |
| PSYC 2301 |
General Psychology and |
|
Lifespan |
| PSYC 2314 |
Growth and Development |
| MATH 1342 |
Elementary Statistical Methods |
Workforce Education Courses
Lower-division nursing content is offered through one of
two general types of programs: Blocked or Integrated.
Because of the distribution of content, it is extremely
difficult to align curricula from one type of program to
another. Students who desire to transfer from a program
utilizing one type of program into the other type of program
should be prepared to make up some content through a
“bridge” course or through the repetition of some content
within courses. It is recommended that a student make every
effort to avoid transferring from one type of program to the
other before completing the associate degree in nursing in
order not to lose credit.
Distance Learning
http://dl.austincc.edu
Distance Learning provides students an opportunity to
earn college credit by participating in a variety of non-
classroom oriented courses. The content and transferability
to four-year colleges is identical to the courses offered on
campus. Students also follow the same admissions and
registration procedures as on-campus students. Instead of
attending on-campus classes, students participate in an
orientation session, online discussions and activities,
complete readings in textbooks and study guides, take
periodic exams, and in some cases write papers or reports.
Exams are taken at an ACC Testing Center or other
designated site. Each course has an instructor for students to
contact when they need assistance. Distance Learning offers
the following types of courses:
- Online courses (PCM) – Require students to have an
Internet connection to complete coursework. Students
may use their personal computers from home, or they
may use ACC computer labs. ACC uses the Blackboard
course management system for most of its online
courses.
- Telecourses (ITV) – Use recorded video programs that
students may access on cable television or in ACC
libraries and centers. Some ITV courses are available in
a streamed format and may be viewed from any personal
computer with Internet access. For most ITV courses,
videotapes may be rented from a commercial distributor
for the semester.
- Print-based courses (PRN) – Textbook-based versions
of a course that offer the same course content, college
credit, and transferability as the classroom-based version.
- Directed study courses (DIR) – Students spend time at
a social service, health, or governmental institution or
other sites as a major part of their coursework. Offered
on a limited basis. DIR courses also have some meetings
on campus.
Orientations
Students are required to participate in course specific
orientation sessions for Distance Learning courses. The
course schedule provides orientation information for the
courses.
VCT
Austin Community Colleges participates in VCT –
Virtual College of Texas
General Information
For general information and new Distance Learning
course offerings, see the ACC Course Schedule, visit
http://dl.austincc.edu or call 512.223.8026, toll-free
888.223.8026, or email
dl@austincc.edu with your
questions.
Correspondence Courses
Austin Community College does not offer
correspondence courses. Distance Learning instead offers
both technology and non-technology-based courses that
enable students to work at home and take tests in an ACC
Testing Center.
High School and Pre-College
Programs
College Connection
www.austincc.edu/isd
The College Connection Program establishes a
partnership with participating high schools to provide
hands-on support to help each high school senior complete
the college enrollment process. College Connection
participants receive an acceptance letter to ACC at their high
school graduation ceremony.
Early College Start
www.austincc.edu/ecs
The Early College Start Program allows high school
students to co-enroll in college courses at ACC if they have
successfully completed 10th grade at a public, private,
charter, or home school. High school students can apply to
ACC through the Early College Start Program by contacting
their high school guidance counselor for an application and
other required documents.
Early College Start students may enroll in any ACC
course for which they have:
- Received permission from their parent/guardian, high
school counselor, and principal
- Met all required skills and college course prerequisites
- Passed the appropriate sections on the ACC assessment
or submitted acceptable scores on the ACT, SAT, or
TAKS tests
Early College Start students may enroll in a maximum of
two ACC courses per semester. Courses are free to in-
district Early College Start students (students residing in
ACC’s taxing district). Out-of-district Early College Start
students are charged a fee for each course they take. ECS
fees may be waived for out-of-district students who 1)
participate in an ACC class taught on a high school campus;
2) document participation in the federal free or reduced
lunch program; or 3) document participation in a public
assistance program such as TANF or WIA. All students are
responsible for purchasing any textbooks or supplies
required by their instructor.
It is essential that ECS students obtain confirmation of
their registration each semester either from the web or in an
ACC campus Admissions and Records office.
Early College Start students are subject to all ACC
requirements regarding admissions, assessment, courses,
academic standards, and conduct.
Tech-Prep Program
Tech-prep is a way to start a college technical major
while in high school. In a tech-prep program, students begin
taking college-level technical courses in high school and
continue in a community or technical college. The courses
are college technical courses taught at the high school as
part of an agreement between a school district and Austin
Community College. Once a student enrolls in ACC and
completes at least one college credit course (not
Developmental Education), the student can request the
credit earned while in high school (credit in escrow). The
student must request this credit within 24 months of high
school graduation. For more information, contact the
Capital Area Tech Prep Consortium at 223.7825. ACC’s
tech-prep program areas include:
- Automotive Technology
- Biotechnology
- Computer Information Technology
- Criminal Justice
- Culinary Art, Hospitality Management, and
Travel and Tourism
- Electronic Technology
- Engineering Design Graphic
- Marketing
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Visual Communications
- Welding Technology
Dual Credit for Early College Start
Students
Early College Start students may seek “dual credit” by
completing ACC courses that also satisfy their high school
graduation requirements. Students should consult their
guidance counselor for a list of “dual credit” courses
approved at their high school.
Learning Communities
www.austincc.edu/workforce/lc_stu
Learning communities allow students to discover
diverse perspectives. Students enroll in at least two linked
courses, and what students learn in one class is reinforced
in the other. Examples of learning communities are “The
Great American Experience,” combining government and
history courses, and “Write the Right Way,” combining
Writing Skills II, English Composition I, and Basic Study
Skills courses. For information see
www.austincc.edu/
workforce/lc_stu.
Instructional Computing and
Technology
Instructional Computing and Technology provides
technology to support classroom instruction and independent
learning. Services include media viewing and listening areas,
located within each ACC library, and open access computer
centers on each campus. The media viewing areas provide
students with up-to-date video and audio equipment to access
recordings that complement classroom instruction. Distance
learning students may also view materials. Media Center staff
is available to assist students with locating materials and
operating the equipment. The open access computer center
provides students with up-to-date computer technology to
complete classroom assignments and conduct educational
research. The computer center is open to currently enrolled
ACC students (student ID is required). Computer center staff
is available to assist with basic computer use and locating
online resources.
Library Services
http://library.austincc.edu
Library Services and Instructional Technology include
libraries, media centers, and computer centers. Libraries offer
access to the college online network of resources. Eastview,
Northridge, Rio Grande, Riverside, and South Austin Campus
libraries have larger general collections of reference and
circulating print materials and periodicals as well as
electronic resources. Media centers at these campuses have
audiovisual collections, and computer centers have
instructional and productivity computer software. The
Eastview Campus library also has materials for the health
sciences curriculum.
The Cypress Creek and Pinnacle campuses have smaller
collections of general circulating and reference books, print
periodicals, and media as well as computer centers and have
full access to all ACC Library Services electronic resources.
Resources and services vary at the evening high school sites.
All print and audiovisual materials available at ACC library
and media centers are listed in the online catalog at
http://alicat.austincc.edu.
Hours and Locations
Call the information number (223.3084) to hear a
recording of library, media center, and computer center hours.
You also can pick up a Locations and Hours brochure at an
ACC library or visit
http://library.austincc.edu for complete
information.
Reference Help
Librarians are faculty members who have professional
expertise in helping students find and use information.
Librarians are familiar with library assignments handed out in
classes and also offer instruction in the print and electronic
research process. Students can access assistance at library
reference desks, by phone, by live-person chat, or via email.
Reference access information is available at
http://
library@austincc.edu/help/ask.htm.
Online Access
Using library workstations or your own computer off
campus, you can access the online catalog, locate full-text
periodical articles, search electronic reference sources, print
electronic reserves, view study guides, tutorials, and
recommended websites, or search the Internet. Begin at the
library home page
http://library.austincc.edu.
You must be a current student to access indexes and
reference databases from off campus. Call campus
reference desks for further assistance in remote use.
Materials
Library materials include reference resources, circulating
books; electronic books; online full-text databases of
periodicals and reference materials; online and print
periodicals; back issues of periodicals on microfiche; local,
state, and national newspapers and a wide variety of
audiovisual materials such as videos, DVDs, and CDs. All
media materials and the equipment to use them are available
for use in the libraries. In addition, there is a reserve
collection of materials, placed on reserve by instructors for
specific classes. Reserves may be in print, audiovisual or
electronic format. From library workstations, you can also
access Blackboard, email, and the Internet.
Thousands of periodicals and newspapers are available
in print or online. Many online indexes offer the full text of
periodical articles that you may print, download, or send via
email. Librarians can show you how to use these resources.
You may check out periodical back issues at many libraries
as well.
Saving, Printing, Emailing and Copying
Current ACC students may print from library
workstations; however, students are encouraged to bring
formatted 3.5-inch disks or jump drives to libraries and
computer centers for downloading information. You may
also email information from many library resources to
yourself. Libraries also have photocopiers and high-speed
audiotape duplicators for your use.
Material from Other Libraries
If you need material that is at another campus, you can
request that it be sent to your campus through intercampus
delivery. You may make a request yourself online or ask a
library staff member to make the request for you. Also, ACC
Library Services offers TexShare cards that allow ACC
students to borrow from many other local libraries.
Fines
| All items except reserves |
25 cents/day |
| Two-hour reserves |
$1 first hour; |
|
25 cents/hour thereafter |
| Other reserves |
$1 first hour; |
|
$1 a day thereafter |
You will be placed on student records hold if you do not
return materials within four weeks from the due date or if
you owe $10 or more in fines. This hold must be cleared
before you can check out more materials, register for
classes, receive grades, or obtain transcripts.
Access, Use, and Check-out
Procedures for Libraries, Media
Centers, and Computer Centers
Students need a current ACC ID to check out or renew
library materials or to use computer centers. Books are
loaned for two weeks. Loan periods for other materials vary
and may include room-use-only restrictions.
Non-Degree Programs
Developmental Education
Courses in Developmental Education help students to
succeed in college. ACC offers three types of
Developmental Education courses:
- Courses of one-, two, or three semester credit hours
prepare students to enter college-level courses. These
courses include mathematics, reading skills, vocabulary,
writing skills, spelling, speech, and English as a Second
Language. Students with skills below college level—
including those identified on local assessments and the
THEA—should enroll in these classes before enrolling
in college-level courses.
- One-hour lab classes parallel to courses in other
divisions, where students work together in small tutorial
groups to get additional practice and explanation. These
include language and study skills labs, math labs, and
writing labs. Students must be enrolled in the course that
parallels the lab.
- Other developmental courses that help students succeed
in their academic studies. These courses include college
study skills, advanced college vocabulary, and speed-
reading. Of these, advanced college reading may be
transferable to other institutions.
English for Speakers of Other
Languages
Academic ESOL (English for Speakers of Other
Languages) offers English classes in three skill areas:
writing and grammar, reading and vocabulary, oral
communication. Within each skill area, classes are offered at
four levels: high beginning, low intermediate, high
intermediate and advanced. Students wanting to enroll in
ESOL classes must take the ESOL assessment. Call
223.3139 (RGC) or 223.4807 (NRG) for assessment
information.
For ESOL program information call 223.3354
(departmental chair), 223.3349 (RGC), 223.6290 (RVS),
223.4014 or 223.4874 (NRG).
ESOL for deaf students: Some ESOL classes are taught
exclusively in American Sign Language for students who are
deaf or hard of hearing. Call 223.6316 for information.
Human Development
Human Development courses are electives designed to
provide students in all programs with the skills to
maximize their success both in and out of the classroom.
HUDE 0111 is a developmental level course; other human
development courses are college credit courses. By
drawing on the tenets of modern psychology, sociology,
and learning theory, these courses assist students in
achieving greater self-awareness, self-management skills;
setting and accomplishing personal, educational, and career
goals; improving interpersonal communication skills, and
mastering effective learning and study skills. Interested
students can consult with an ACC counselor for additional
information and assistance.
Video Services
Video Services provides the technology to deliver
Distance Learning courses and campus-to-campus
instruction to students via cable outlets in the Austin area
and through streaming video technology. Video Services
also maintains the college’s interactive classrooms and
provides technical support to end users.
Weekend College
Working students or those who prefer to take courses on
weekends can complete a variety of degrees and certificates
through Weekend College. Classes are held Friday,
Saturday, and/or Sunday, and student services are also
available. Students can choose to complete a designated
program of study or simply take core curriculum classes that
transfer to any Texas public college or university. Weekend
College students can complete a degree program within
seven semesters. Certificate programs require even less time.