Frequently Asked Questions about Alignment

Q. I revised my course outlines using the draft CAP materials and have recently put my documents through my curriculum committee. Now the course outlines have changed. Do I need to redo them again?

A. Many colleges had curriculum review deadlines and needed to develop course outlines using the draft CAP materials, knowing that final CAP materials would be forthcoming. In order to align your courses with the CAP final outlines, you should use the alignment toolkit to evaluate whether your currently-approved course matches the final CAP materials. If it does not, you may need to modify your courses.

Q. What if my practicum course is more than 3 units? What if it is offered in two components: a field experience portion and a lecture portion, which total more than 3 units? Do I need to rewrite my course to be 3 units and/or as a single course?

A. Transfer and articulation systems are based on 3 semester units of practicum, regardless of whether that is accomplished by one or two classes and regardless of whether the total number of units is more than 3 units. The CAP requirement is a minimum of 3 semester units of practicum, but you are not limited to 3 units. A course can be aligned with more units, but only 3 units can be guaranteed to transfer. If you are using two courses to meet the practicum requirement (a lecture course and fieldwork course), you should submit both course outlines as part of your alignment materials and be sure that they require concurrent enrollment.

Q. What if my campus allows fewer SLOs per course than CAP identifies?

A. This is a very common situation. The alignment toolkit offers strategies and examples for explaining how your SLOs (regardless of the number) encompass the concepts in the CAP SLOs. Recommended SLOs may be combined and integrated to create a reduced number of SLOs as long as the concepts are retained.

Q. Will all 24 units transfer to all CSUs? Will individual courses articulate?

A. Currently the CSU Chancellor mandates the articulation of Child Growth and Development and Child, Family, and Community into all CSU Child Development majors. Some campuses accept other courses. (http://www.calstate.edu/acadaff/ldtp/docs/Childdev_approved_91707_KH_Leadership.pdf). It is likely that the EC/CD Lower Division 8 will transfer as a package at many CSUs, but this process is still underway. Please contact your local CSU Child Development department.

Q. What are the consequences for colleges not signing the letter of intent?

A. There are no official consequences. However, the primary consequence is a disadvantage to your students, who will have less flexibility in transferring among community colleges and to a university.

Q. What about CSUs that accept one or more of our courses for GE? Will this agreement affect that? If a CSU does not participate, will they no longer accept those courses for GE?

A. GE and major coursework is completely independent. Changes in coursework articulation for the major will not influence any decisions about whether courses meet GE requirements.

Q. Is it true that CSUs must offer the same courses that articulate with us? Are the CSUs going to propose all 8 lower-division core courses?

A. It is true that some CSUs have a policy that they must offer all courses that they articulate with community colleges but that is not true at all CSUs. Some CSUs will likely propose some or all of the 8 lower-division core courses. However, the likely outcome of lower-division core will be an alignment package, in which all 8 courses are articulated as a package to waive a package of CSU required coursework rather as a match between individual courses.

Q. Will the changes to our courses violate or cancel our present articulation agreements with CSUs?

A. The most-commonly articulated courses for the CSUs are Child, Growth & Development and Child, Family, Community (which are part of the CSU Lower-Division Transfer Pattern for Child Development). Only minimal changes have been made to those two courses and the courses are still consistent with the LDTP. More substantial changes have been made to other courses, and if those are articulated you should discuss those changes with your CSU.

Q. What if one of the 8 lower-division core classes has a co-requisite lab or fieldwork experience that is needed to demonstrate all of the SLOs and objectives specified by CAP?

A. If you have co-requisite classes, indicate both courses on the Alignment Worksheet and submit both course outlines.

Q. How long will it take after we submit our courses for review for us to get feedback?

A. Once you submit your materials, CDTC will send confirmation that your application has been received and information about the expected timeframe for review.

Q. Does alignment approval require that we meet both of the recommendations; the aligned 8 courses and the transfer degree with the Lower Division 8 embedded?

A. Yes. Alignment with the CAP Recommendation does require alignment with each of the lower division 8 courses and a transfer degree showing the eight courses as required for transfer. These, along with general education coursework help insure transfer readiness. Note that we are offering information sessions on preparing a transfer path and degree if your department does not currently offer one.