Purpose of Curriculum Instruction
In accord with the college’s stated mission, it is the purpose of curriculum instruction to prepare graduates for employment as skilled and productive members of the workforce and for continued academic success in their pursuit of further study.
Goals for Curriculum Education
- To provide an academic advising system that assists all students in setting and achieving appropriate academic goals.
- To require all students to demonstrate an appropriate level of reading, writing, and mathematics skill prior to taking college-level courses.
- To require all graduates, as appropriate for each degree, diploma, or certificate program, to develop the following:
- Communication Skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
- Mathematics Reasoning Skills
- Technological Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Global and Cultural Awareness
- Sustainability
- To require all degree graduates, as appropriate to each degree program, to further demonstrate competencies in the following areas:
- Humanities/Fine Arts
- Sciences
- Social Sciences
- To meet and/or exceed all North Carolina Community College System performance standards for curriculum programs.
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Options for Program Completion
ECC offers a wide variety of college credit curriculum programs. Students enrolled in curriculum courses at ECC can choose one of these options for program completion: the associate degree, the diploma, or the certificate. Courses in many areas are available day, night, on weekends, and through distance education. A high school diploma or its equivalent is required for admission into an associate degree or diploma program. Students take placement assessments in math, reading, computers, biology, and English before beginning their studies and may need to take developmental courses in those subjects if they are required prerequisites and their scores so indicate. Developmental courses do not count toward the number of course credits required for graduation.
Associate Degree Programs
The college awards four degrees: Associate in Arts, Associate in General Education, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science. The Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees are designed for those students who wish to transfer to a four-year college or university after completing their first two years at ECC. Associate in Applied Science degree programs prepare students for entry-level jobs in paraprofessional fields as technicians; however, students may transfer some credits to selected colleges and universities for further study. Students take general education courses in addition to courses of an occupational nature. The Associate in General Education degree program is designed for the academic enrichment of students who wish to broaden their education, with emphasis on personal interest, growth, and development. Graduates are prepared for advancements within their field of interest and become better qualified for a wide range of employment opportunities. Degree programs require an identified sixty-four to seventy-six (64-76) semester hours of credit in a curriculum program. Each graduate must demonstrate competence in communication skills, mathematical reasoning skills, technological skills, cultural and global awareness, critical thinking, and sustainability skills.
Diploma Programs
Diploma programs are designed to provide training that will enable graduates to enter a skilled occupation at the entry level and to progress rapidly to the skilled or craftsman level. Diploma programs require an identified thirty-six to forty-eight (36-48) semester hours of credit and include courses in communication skills and social sciences. In some curriculum areas, diploma programs are the equivalent of the first three (3) semesters of the associate degree program, and courses earned in completing the diploma count toward the associate degree.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs train students for immediate employment and can generally be completed in one (1) or two (2) semesters on a full-time or part-time basis. Certificates are awarded to students who successfully complete an identified twelve to eighteen (12-18) semester hours of credit in a curriculum program. In some curriculum areas, the courses earned in completing the certificate program count toward the diploma and/or associate degree.
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Programs of Study
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