Area of Emphasis (AOE)
Discipline Input Group Meetings
(AOE DIGs) Fall 2014
Michelle Pilati
C-ID Faculty Coordinator
 Senate
Bill 1440 >> TMCs >> Senate Bill
440
 Areas
 The
of Emphasis
role of C-ID
 Tasks
for today’s “DIG”
 Goal: increase CCC transfers with associate
degrees
 Increase number of associate degrees
awarded
 Reduce units/cost before & after transfer
 Smoother path to transfer to a CSU
 A guarantee at CSU
Ed code §66745-49 says:
 All CCCs must offer associate degrees for transfer
(ADTs)
 Degrees include:
o 60 sem./90 qtr. CSU-transferable units
o Completion of IGETC or CSU GE-Breadth
o Minimum 18 sem./27 qtr. units in the major or area of
emphasis
o No additional local requirements allowed
o GPA---2.0
A degree with a guarantee…
1. “the CSU shall guarantee admission with junior status”
2. “.
. . does not guarantee admission for specific majors
or campuses”
3. “priority admission ---to local CSU campus and to a
program or major that is similar . . . as determined by
the CSU campus”
112 colleges
develop unique
degrees in each
major. . .
OR
A concerted,
statewide,
intersegmental
transfer model
curriculum (TMC)

 Appropriate courses for an
associate degree (CCC) and
 Preparation for transfer (CSU)
 “Double-counting” encouraged
 60 units total including GE
 Common “core”– typically 6 units
 Additional courses selected from list (s)
 Minimum of 18 semester units
 Typically, a TMC moves from specific to
general
Specific to General
Take these 3 courses (CORE)
Choose one from one of the
following 4 courses
Anything articulated as major
preparation
Anything in the major that is CSU
transferable
Example TMC:
Psychology
Total units 18-21
Required Core: (9-11 units)
• Elementary Statistics (3-4 units)
• General Psychology (3 units)
• Research Methods in Psychology
List A: Select one of:
•Intro Biology (3-4)
•Human Bio (3-4)
•Intro Bio Psych (3-4)
List B: Select one of: (3 units)
•Any List A course not used above or
•Any course that has articulation as lower division
major prep for the psych major at a CSU
List C (up to 3 units)
Any courses not selected above, any CSU
transferable psychology courses, and/or other
courses that are lower division preparation for
the psychology major at a university.
Why does structure matter?
 When a TMC is “done”, individual CSU
departments must determine whether
or not the TMC is “similar”.
 “Similar” means they can get a student
with a TMC-aligned degree out in 60
units.
 The CSU can only be certain that a
student will have courses that are in the
core.
Areas of Emphasis (AOE)
 Mandated by Senate Bill 440
 Two Area of Emphasis TMCs available by
end of 2014-2015, two more the
following year.
 An area of emphasis is an
interdisciplinary TMC that is designed to
feed into multiple majors at the CSU.
AOE – Why?
 Ask Padilla. 
 Perhaps – use AOEs to create degrees that
ultimately increase the number of transfer
students who pursue majors that have
historically had a small number of students.
 An AOE TMC may not look like any one major
at the CSU, but could be good preparation for
a variety of transfer majors.
How do we ensure courses in the
TMC are comparable?
C-ID
A common course identification system
Similar to CAN
Faculty created and approved course
“descriptors”
Individual CCCs submit courses for C-ID
approval
Contact your articulation officer for information.
The C-ID Connection to AA/AS-T ?
 C-ID courses---the foundation for TMCs
 Faculty (CCC and CSU) agree upon course
content
 C-ID ensures rigor and quality of curriculum
 C-ID courses accepted at other CCCs with
approved C-ID courses
Course Descriptors include
 Course description
 Units; labs
 Prerequisites
 Content
 Objectives
 Evaluation
 Texts
Identify the essential, common
components of a course
 Provide enough detail to serve as the
basis for articulation




Inform course updates
Permit identification of comparable
courses
Provide consistency for the TMC
• Develop draft descriptors in 2 ways:
1) At DIG meetings
2) In FDRG
• Vet draft descriptors www.c-id.net
• Finalize descriptors
• Seek articulation with universities
• Seek COR submissions from CCCs
Steps in TMC & descriptor
development
1. Faculty discipline groups (intersegmental : CCC & CSU
and some UC involvement, too
• Review brainstorming from DIGs
• Identify common lower division major preparation (TMC)
• Define content for courses (C-ID course descriptors)
continued. . .
Steps. . .
2. Draft TMCs are vetted statewide
(www.c-id.net)
3. Drafts of C-ID descriptors are vetted
statewide
4. CCCs develop TMC- aligned degrees (ADTs)
5. CSU determines if TMC is “similar” to their
program/s
So why are we here today?
To brainstorm – to see if AOEs make sense
To listen and share ideas
To consider students’ pathways and needs
Questions to Discuss:
The Big Picture
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is/are the CSU major(s) in this field?
What lower division courses do they require?
Do CCCs teach those courses?
Are there C-ID descriptors already for these lower
division courses?
5. Is a new TMC beneficial for students?
6. Is there a “package” of CCC courses that would wellprepare students for a number of CSU majors?
Important Reminders
 Decisions need to be data-driven.
 In order for TMC development and maintenance to be
practically justified, it must serve a sufficient number
of students.
 Most existing TMCs serve over 200 students a year.
 Disciplines gathered here today serve about 80 – in
combination.
 “Serve” = transfer major.
 The core must specify enough for CSU’s to determine
the TMC “similar”.
TMC Considerations
 Be sure required core courses are
commonly offered.
 Take advantage of double-counting.
 Consider courses that already exists in
C-ID.
 Identify courses for which descriptors
should be developed.
NOTE
The “name” of the TMC you will
develop has not yet been
determined – your group can offer
suggestions for what the TMC
should be called.
Diversity Studies – Idea - CORE
 Intro to Ethnic Studies (Develop C-ID) or Intro to Race
and Ethnicity (C-ID SOCI 150)
 Intro to Women’s Studies (Develop C-ID) or Intro to
Gender Studies (Develop C-ID)
 Intro Psy (C-ID PSY 110) or Intro Soc (C-ID SOCI 110)
 Statistics (C-ID Math 110)
 NOTE: Options in core are fine. Most, if not all, of the
above would be GE.
List A
 List A - choose X courses/X units from the
following…
 Additional course not completed above
 Ethnic History course: African American,
Asian, Chicano/Latino; Latin American; Native
American
 Ethnic Literature course: African American,
Asian, Chicano/Latino; Latin American, Native
American
List B
Anything else articulated as major
preparation…
Tips
It helps if we can. . .
 Maintain statewide perspectives. Local campuses always have
idiosyncrasies. 
 Think of student pathways—not only pathways for your
current programs.
 Consider challenges of smaller colleges
 Consider allowing for some local options
 Seek double-counting opportunities
 Ensure you + colleagues are on your listserv
 www.C-ID.net
 www.SB1440.org
 www.ASCCC.org
 [email protected] (email)
 www.ADegreeWithAGuarantee.com.
 www.assist.org
Thanks
for being here!