Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Curricula of Study



The academic program for degree curricula has three instructional cores: the general core, specifying credits for each course area identified; the specialized and degree related core, specifying total core credits required; and college electives also specifying total credits required. Each community college develops its own certificate and diploma curricula as planned programs developed with the assistance of a local curriculum advisory committee for specific occupations.

Academic Divisions

The academic organizational structure of the College is divided into two academic divisions:

  • Arts and Sciences
  • Professional and Career Studies

General Education Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

The associate degree programs within the Virginia’s Community College System support a collegiate experience that meets the general education requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). CVCC degree graduates will demonstrate competency in the following general education areas:

Civic Engagement is the ability to contribute to the civic life and well-being of local, national, and global communities as both a social responsibility and a life-long learning process. Degree graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and civic values necessary to become informed and contributing participants in a democratic society.

  • Recognize appropriate workplace and classroom habits, demeanor, and behavior. Identify the qualities of an ethical decision.
  • Collaborate with others on a task to achieve a common goal. Cultivate skills to communicate effectively and professionally.
  • Set goals, and implement a plan for personal, professional, and/or academic achievement.

Critical Thinking is the ability to use information, ideas and arguments from relevant perspectives to make sense of complex issues and solve problems. Degree graduates will locate, evaluate, interpret, and combine information to reach well-reasoned conclusions or solutions.

  • Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative analysis. Identify numerical information presented in relevant equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, and words.
  • Interpret quantitative information to draw relevant conclusions. Evaluate numerical information for usefulness, accuracy, and significance.
  • Calculate and convey information into relevant equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, and words.

Professional Readiness is the ability to work well with others and display situationally and culturally appropriate demeanor and behavior. Degree graduates will demonstrate skills important for successful transition into the workplace and pursuit of further education.

  • Recognize appropriate workplace and classroom habits, demeanor, and behavior. Identify the qualities of an ethical decision.
  • Collaborate with others on a task to achieve a common goal. Cultivate skills to communicate effectively and professionally.
  • Set goals, and implement a plan for personal, professional, and/or academic achievement.

Quantitative Literacy is the ability to perform accurate calculations, interpret quantitative information, apply and analyze relevant numerical data, and use results to support conclusions. Degree graduates will calculate, interpret, and use numerical and quantitative information in a variety of settings.

  • Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative analysis. Identify numerical information presented in relevant equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, and words.
  • Interpret quantitative information to draw relevant conclusions. Evaluate numerical information for usefulness, accuracy, and significance.
  • Calculate and convey information into relevant equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, and words.

Scientific Literacy is the ability to apply the scientific method and related concepts and principles to make informed decisions and engage with issues related to the natural, physical, and social world. Degree graduates will recognize and know how to use the scientific method, and to evaluate empirical information.

  • Identify the components of scientific inquiry (observation, hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, methodology, results, and conclusions) leading to evidence-based knowledge.
  • Design an experiment to test a hypothesis.
  • Conduct an experiment to test a hypothesis, analyze the results, and communicate the findings.

Written Communication is the ability to develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience. Degree graduates will express themselves effectively in a variety of written forms.

  • Identify key components of sentence and paragraph structure. Discern the purpose and context of a variety of written communications and their intended audience.
  • Construct sentences, paragraphs, essays, and documents with clear, concise, and appropriate language according to conventional English usage, grammar, and mechanics.
  • Use clear, appropriate, and relevant language to convey or support a main idea or hypothesis with evidence.

State and Regional Specialized Programs

In the Virginia Community College System, certain highly-specialized program plans, though designed to serve all Virginia residents, are only offered in selected locations. These program plans generally reflect geographic, demographic, or economic considerations which preclude extensive offering statewide, and therefore usually are approved for not more than three community colleges to meet state or regional requirements. As changing circumstances warrant and as additional state and regional needs are determined, specialized program plans may be located in other community college regions. A system program guide is available on the VCCS website: http://www.vccs.edu/.

Transfer Information

CVCC offers many services and programs to assist transfer students. To help facilitate the transfer process, each state supported college and most Virginia private colleges produce a Virginia Community College System Transfer Guide. These transfer guides can be obtained directly from the college of interest or can be found on CVCC’s website by clicking on “Student Services” and then “Transfer Information”. Once available, the Transfer Virginia Portal will be linked to the Transfer Information page. Students are encouraged to seek assistance from their Counselor to select transferable courses and to gain additional information to plan a successful transfer experience.

G3 Eligible Programs

Get Skills - Get a Job - Get Ahead

G3 is a training and education program for students with a family income of less than $100,000 to help prepare them for high demand careers in Virginia. This is a “last dollar” program which covers any remaining tuition and fees after other grants are used.

Approved Transfer Electives

Approved Transfer Electives