4.2 Program Curriculum

The institution maintains a curriculum that is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the diplomas, certificates or degrees awarded.

St. Petersburg College is in compliance with this federal requirement because its curriculum is directly related to the mission and goals of the College.

St. Petersburg College has an institutional mission that is in compliance with the Statutory Mission of Florida’s community and upper-division colleges as stated in Florida Statute. Its degree offerings are clearly delineated and their purpose defined in the College’s Mission. The curriculum supports academic programs approved by the State Board of Education.

The College awards Bachelor’s of Science, Bachelor’s of Applied Science, Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, Applied Technology diplomas and certificates. The College’s District Board of Trustees sets policy regarding the Requirements for Graduation and Issuance of Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates. The array of programs, as published in the College Catalog directly supports the College’s mission and goals.

The College offers a comprehensive series of programs designed to fulfill the career education needs of community citizens and employers. Academic goals of the College are directly addressed by the various programs offered at SPC, summarized in the following table and detailed below:

Baccaluareate programs. One goal of the College is to “prepare students for work in selected professional fields through Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs and in partnership with other colleges/universities through St. Petersburg College's University Partnership Center.”

Bachelors of Science programs prepare students for entrance into critical shortage areas in education and nursing. SPC is responding to the statewide need for K-12 teachers and currently offers majors in Elementary Education with infused ESOL, Exceptional Child Education with infused ESOL , Secondary Education in Mathematics, Secondary Education in Science with an emphasis in Biology, Business Education, Technology Education and Industrial Arts Education. The RN to BSN degree provides qualified nurse managers and other health care providers in critical shortage areas within the nursing field. In addition, the BSN is a stepping stone to the Master’s in Nursing (MSN) to prepare Nurse Educators, the most crucial link to increasing the nursing workforce. The Bachelors of Applied Science degrees offered at SPC include Technology Management, Dental Hygiene, Veterinary Technology, Orthotics and Prosthetics, International Business, Paralegal, and Public Safety; these prepare practitioners for critical roles in those arenas.

The College does not offer baccalaureate degrees other than those directly supporting a need in the community or graduate degrees; but a unique arrangement has been authorized by the Florida State Legislature to increase access to additional baccalaureate degrees and graduate degrees in Pinellas County using St. Petersburg College facilities and equipment. The University Partnership Center (UPC) is an alliance of colleges and universities whose mission is to provide bachelor’s and graduate degrees to more than one-million people in the Pinellas county area. Students attend classes at the University Partnership Center on various SPC campuses, but are students of the providing institution and all credit is granted and degrees conferred by the visiting institution consistent with their regional accrediting requirements.

Associate in Arts degrees. Another goal of the College is to “prepare lower-division students for transfer into baccalaureate programs through the Associate in Arts program and articulated Associate in Science degree programs.” Associate in Arts degree programs prepare students for further education at the upper division level. The university transfer degree (A.A.) is closely articulated with both SPC’s upper division programs and the State University System (SUS) institutions. A.A. graduates are guaranteed admission into one of Florida’s public four-year universities.

Workforce Programs. It also is the goal of the College to “prepare lower-division students for careers requiring post-secondary education through Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science, selected Technical Certificate and Applied Technology programs.”

Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degree programs prepare students for employment in high-demand, high-paying career fields. The A.S. and A.A.S. programs include general education credit hours, with the majority of the program emphasizing technical knowledge and skills needed for career success. The technical portions of the A.S./A.A.S. curricula are developed by Faculty, with technical expertise in the respective field, using occupational analysis strategies. Professional courses are also related to statewide and local job analyses and are reviewed by program advisory committees composed of local employer representatives.

College credit and certificate programs (technical certificates) prepare students for specific occupations and offer an intermediate completion point for students who can then progress to a degree program. Curricula for certificate programs are developed and reviewed in the same manner as the technical portion of A.S./A.A.S. degree programs. The Florida Department of Education provides comprehensive guidelines and policies regarding Career and Technical Curriculum Frameworks and Student Performance Standards.

Underprepared students. SPC is an open admissions college with the important goal to “provide opportunities for under-prepared students to achieve college entry-level skills in reading, writing and mathematics through the college preparatory programs.”

The College requires testing to quantitatively demonstrate students' preparation and likelihood for success in college-level courses. New students in credit courses are required to take the St. Petersburg College Placement Test (CPT), SAT, ACT or other approved placement instrument prior to the student's first registration. Test results are used to aid in advisement and course placement. Degree-seeking students who score below the CPT cut-off scores prescribed by Florida Board of Education Rule 6A-10.0315 and College Procedure P6Hx23-4.45 are required to take preparatory courses in the area(s) of deficiency identified through testing. Those students are not allowed to enroll in other credit courses within the area(s) of deficiency until they have demonstrated basic skill mastery.

To prepare students for college-level courses, SPC offers three developmental reading courses, two developmental writing courses, and two developmental math courses with math labs. The courses are offered in traditional classroom and online formats. Students may make three attempts in each required course in each skill area. A fourth attempt may be granted through an academic appeals process based on major extenuating circumstances.

The College has developed a series of Student Life Skills (SLS) courses for all students that address skills often needed by underprepared students, including college success skills, study skills, and career planning. In addition, SPC’s U.S. Department of Education Title III grant is piloting two additional courses, SLS 1000, First Year Experience Orientation, and SLS 1990, First Year Experience, that SPC expects to institutionalize Collegewide within the next year. The purpose of these courses is to promote academic success and persistence, effective educational planning, and student engagement in college life. The College also has extensive student academic support services that are targeted at underprepared students, which are detailed in Section 2.10 and 3.4.9.

Honors College. A new goal of the College in 2005 was to “provide … opportunities for exceptionally dedicated students to maximize the development of their academic abilities and talents through honors courses and service projects.”

The Honors College at SPC was established in November 2003 offering honors programs, honors courses, interdisciplinary honors courses, seminars, colloquia, independent study, undergraduate research opportunities, and international study abroad programs. The mission of The Honors College is to provide an exemplary education that encourages creativity, deeper understanding, leadership qualities, and critical thinking skills. Students do not have to be accepted into the Honors College to enroll in honors courses, but they must meet course criteria or have program director approval. One example of the course curriculum is the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, a structured and integrated Honors curriculum that fulfills 27 hours of the College's general education requirements. These requirements include interdisciplinary courses in Ancient, Medieval/Renaissance, and Modern eras covering language arts, humanities, and social sciences. The curriculum is intended to provide students with a general understanding of content while encouraging intellectual curiosity.

Acceleration. Another goal of the College is to promote challenging educational opportunities for area high school students through dual enrollment, charter school programs and similar programs.

Pinellas County students (in public, private and home schools) can take SPC courses that simultaneously give them credits toward a high school diploma and a college degree. These credits can be used toward a degree from SPC and/or can be transferred from SPC to other colleges and universities. Dual Credit courses are free of charge. Students take classes:

The St. Petersburg Collegiate High School offers a three-year curriculum that allows students the opportunity to simultaneously complete the requirements for a high school diploma and varying credits of college coursework toward an associate’s degree. St Petersburg Collegiate High School offers two program options: the College Preparatory Program which emphasizes instruction to prepare students to succeed in college-level courses and the Collegiate Program that combines high school and college courses of study in a configuration leading to an associate’s degree as well as completion of a high school diploma. In the first year of it existence, the Collegiate High School earned Florida Comprehensive Academic Test schools to make it an A school. The Collegiate High School is free of charge.

International education. St. Petersburg College is in a unique position to accomplish another of its goals to contribute to the international education of students through a variety of courses, foreign study tours, Faculty and student exchanges, linkages with international institutions, distance learning and other special programs. Some international activities include: International Business practica, Faculty and student exchanges and internships with St. Petersburg [Russia] State University and Tallinn Technological University in Estonia, an English as a Second Language (ESL) program and international centers at the three largest campuses that offer information, guidance and support to international students during the transition period from their countries to the United States. The President of the College is an honorary consul honored by Russia for SPC’s and his close personal ties to St. Petersburg, Florida’s twin city of St. Petersburg, Russia.

A new Bachelor of Applied Science degree in International Business was introduced in the Fall of 2005 at St. Petersburg College. This unique program is intended for students who are interested in leading, supervising and managing multinational businesses and operations. Students receive training in multi-cultural business implications, thereby increasing their value and competitiveness in the international marketplace. Some of the courses in the curriculum include:

The curriculum is intended to prepare students for a variety of industries such as banking, consulting, international trade, and information technology.

SPC has been carefully reviewing its international programs, considering the quality of program offerings, the number of student participants, and the cost to the College. After careful analysis, in August 2006 SPC decided to:

· Suspend regular study abroad programs for a time (approximately 1 year) to take time to closely evaluate programs, staffing, and procedures, particularly in light of post-911 travel realities that continue to have an impact on opportunities and resources.

· Delay, at least for a time, filling the Director, International Programs position.

· Suspend, not just for the 2006-2007 school year, but for the foreseeable future, any SPC study abroad programs for students under the age of 18.

While these measures were necessary in light of the current enrollment in International Study Abroad programs, SPC does not anticipate that it will hold regular study abroad opportunities in suspension for an indefinite period of time. The experience of studying in other countries can be a powerful enrichment to a student’s education, and SPC is actively reviewing opportunities to put in place strong and vibrant study abroad programs.

Distance Education. SPC is a leader in accomplishing another goal of the College to “serve target populations beyond the borders of Pinellas County through distance learning programs and other means that emanate from the institution's history of services and specialized expertise.”

ECampus is SPC’s distance learning program, offering fully accredited SPC courses via TV and the Internet. More than 12,000 students throughout the US and other countries enroll in eCampus courses each year. SPC's eCampus offers classes via Internet, television, and teleweb in more than 100 programs of study, with complete online degree and certificate programs in many fields.

Associate of Arts program. Students can complete all A.A. degree requirements online as well as in a classroom setting, although the majority of students enroll in a combination of online and face-to-face courses.

§ Medical Laboratory Technology (8 hours of chemistry support courses must be taken at local colleges)

§ Veterinary Technology (Clinical component must be completed on-site in the student’s geographic area)

General Education. It is the goal of the College to “provide an open admission general education curriculum which results in students' achievement of the following educational outcomes.” To support the overall General Education goal of St. Petersburg College, the General Education program has established the following competencies:

1. Communicate effectively by demonstrating the ability to speak, listen, read and write in an organized and analytical manner.

2. Demonstrate effective mathematical skills emphasizing practicum problem solving and data interpretation.

3. Utilize the scientific method as it applies to understanding scientific and social phenomena.

4. Recognize basic scientific principles underlying human influence upon the earth and its inhabitants.

5. Implement appropriate forms of existing and evolving technology for personal, educational, and professional purposes.

6. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others in a variety of settings.

7. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the humanities and fine arts including participating in cultural activities featuring art, music, literature, dance and/or theater.

8. Participate as informed and responsible citizens in solving social, economic and political problems in a multicultural and global society.

9. Recognize ethical issues and dilemmas in the personal, business and social areas of their lives and apply ethical principles and logical problem-solving skills when making ethical decisions.

10. Think logically, critically and creatively to solve problems and make decisions.

11. Recognize the importance of lifelong learning process in the pursuit of personal, intellectual and career development.

All degree programs include a general education component that is designed to provide students with the knowledge bases and intellectual competencies necessary for thoughtful, effective, global citizens. The general education curriculum is designed by Faculty with subject matter expertise in the respective disciplines, and is reviewed regularly by Faculty and administrators to ensure that it meets the overall goals of the general education program. Each course, identified as a general education requirement, has undergone a thorough evaluation and has been measured against the stated standards in the framework. There is an evaluation process for ongoing course review.

To ensure its A.A. and A.S. degree are appropriate to the degrees awarded, SPC follows the statewide articulation agreement originally established in 1971. According to a Florida Department of Education brief from May 2003:

Some of the policies that are designed to provide seamless articulation for students include Common Course Prerequisites, Common General Education Requirements (36 hours for an Associate in Arts (AA) degree), the “2+2” AA transfer agreement between community colleges and state universities (as well as some private universities), a Statewide Articulation Agreement that focuses on AS to BS articulation, and local inter-institutional articulation agreements between community colleges and school districts. In addition to these policies, there are also accountability measures and performance incentive funding categories that reward institutions for enhancing student articulation. These articulation policies have resulted in increased transfer rates for Florida’s community college students. For example, over 70% of Associate in Arts degree graduates transfer to a state university within 5 years. Another indicator of success is that 60% of upper division students in Florida’s state universities began their postsecondary education at a community college.

The Florida Legislature provided for the development of a common course numbering system to facilitate the transfer of credit for equivalent courses among the state's colleges and universities. It is a key component of Florida's K-20 seamless system of articulation. The system provides a database of post- secondary courses at public vocational- technical centers, community colleges, universities, and participating nonpublic institutions. The assigned numbers describe course content to facilitate the transfer of students to participating institutions.

According to Florida Board of Education guidelines, all degree programs must meet certain criteria including the following; program goals must be aligned with the College’s mission and relate to specific institutional strengths, and the program must include an appropriate and sequenced course of study. Workforce programs must have identified a statewide business or industry need, have a proposed articulation agreement for parallel programs, and submit a curriculum framework that is reviewed at the state level. All programs offered at SPC have been approved by the Florida Board of Education.

The Board of Trustees Rule 6Hx23-3.04 on Course Descriptions and College Programs establishes the process for approving new degree programs. The development of curriculum is primarily the responsibility of Faculty. Every credit course and/or program is usually developed by Faculty and recommended through the curriculum process as defined in the Curriculum and Instruction Manual.

SPC follows academic procedures and processes noted in the Curriculum and Instruction (C & I) manual. These procedures may differ slightly depending upon the program, but always involve the Faculty. In many of the Associate of Science programs, an advisory committee, meeting with Faculty and administration, may begin the process by indicating a need or demand. This same process may occur with some of the four year degree programs as well. As the process progresses, content specialists in each program of study may be identified to research existing curricula and to work with the practitioners in each field of study to acknowledge areas that might also be incorporated into the curricula. While developing our College of Education program of study, content specialists, local school district personnel, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) personnel and outside evaluators were utilized. Core courses were identified as well as electives. A course of study outlining the requirements and any requested sequence of courses are presented. Major learning outcomes are also developed.

The Curriculum and Instruction process, as delineated in Board Rule, provides the policy framework and accountability for the review, revision, adoption and discontinuance of programs and courses.

Adjustments in program and course offerings are driven by external and internal factors such as changes in programmatic accreditation standards, local employment trends, and emergence of new occupations, Faculty recommendations and evaluation of courses by students. State accountability reports and annual College evaluations stimulate change and ensure compliance with the current purpose and mission of the institution. Among the accountability measures required by the state are A.A. degree transfer performance and Licensure pass rates.

The College maintains a high level of collaboration with employers who assist in reviewing curriculum, course content and program structure via the Program Advisory Committees. While job placement rates are to some extent affected by the local economy, high placement rates would not be possible without this level of collaboration. Job placement for technical/vocational programs was 89% for 2000-2001 and 80% for AA degree graduates.

Advisory Committees. Advisory Committees, composed of non-college personnel, are appointed by the President to serve in an advisory and recommending capacity to the Faculty and staff in college technical and health programs. Advisory committees meet at least twice annually with additional meetings as needed for good program coordination. Specific duties of Advisory Committees are to advise, recommend, and assist in assuring a quality program as determined by community needs.

Course Reviews. All courses are reviewed for possible revision and improvement on a three-year schedule. Discipline committees consisting of Faculty members consider course-specific student outcomes, Student Survey of Instruction (SSI) survey comments, and Faculty experience in the classroom and expertise in the field to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum, including level of students’ skills and students’ ability to apply the concepts covered in a course. Each course has established Major Learning Outcomes, Course Objectives, and Criteria Performance Standards that are reviewed in course reviews and again in program assessments. The Criteria Performance Standard varies by program and course requirements. For example, MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1 has a standard stating: “the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each [course] objective through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors,” while HIM 2012 Health Law Standards and Practices standard states: “the student will, with a minimum 78% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each [course] objective ...” Upon review and discussion of these data, any revisions to the courses and /or programs of learning are then processed through the Curriculum and Instruction Committee for approval.

Educational Program Assessment. All programs are reviewed over a three-year cycle. As part of the review and evaluation process, each program follows a specific plan for programmatic and institutional assessment. These plans review a number of programmatic and individual data elements including: student achievement of goals, feedback from instructors, students and other stakeholders (i.e. superintendents of schools for College of Education graduates), retention rates, graduation rates and graduate and employer surveys.

Program Review Process. The program review process at St. Petersburg College is a collaborative effort to continuously measure and improve the quality of educational services provided to the community. The procedures described below go far beyond the “periodic review of existing programs” required by the State Board of Community Colleges; and exceeds the necessary guidelines within the Southern Association of Community Colleges and Schools (SACS) review procedures. State guidelines require institutions to conduct program reviews every five years. Recently SPC reduced the program review timeline to three years to coincide with the long-standing three-year academic program assessment cycle, producing a more coherent and integrated review process. Under the new process, when the program review packet is brought to the President’s Cabinet, it will include program assessment data as well as enrollment and employment trends.

Each program review report first summarizes existing quantitative data available in the following key measures of enrollment, graduation, and employment:

· Enrollment Trends with table of Annual Unduplicated Headcount (Enrollment in Programs)

· Graduation Trends with table of Annual Graduates by Program

· Employment Trends with

- Florida Occupational Employment Estimates

- Pinellas County Occupational Employment Estimates

- Florida Occupational Wages 1999

- Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater MSA Occupational Wages 2001

- Other Wage and Employment Data.

Next, focus group research is employed to explore industry needs, job features, major core competencies in the field, and program curriculum with detailed questions relating to:

· Overall Perception of the Program

A thematic analysis of the focus group interaction is presented in each program review report along with a summary of findings, so that program directors may develop an action plan to address the findings. Final steps in the program review process require the Program Director to incorporate these findings into an action plan, and for Educational and Student Services to evaluate the need for follow-up including subsequent reviews.

Key contributors in the SPC program review process include: students, alumni, faculty, program directors, provosts, administrators in Educational and Student Services and the Office of Baccalaureate Programs and University Partnerships, the President’s Cabinet, and local practitioners and opinion leaders in the program field.

In the end, this review process not only continuously measures and improves the quality of existing educational services provided to the community, but also anticipate the future educational needs of the community.

SPC has submitted and received approval for several substantive changes since the last reaffirmation visit. The Commission on Colleges approved membership at Level II in December, 2001, and in November, 2002, SPC hosted a Substantive Change Committee visit to review continued compliance with the Criteria. At that time, the Committee commended St. Petersburg College “for their vision, planning, and implementation of a creative and innovative expansion of programs to include baccalaureate degrees in high-need areas of Nursing, Teacher Education, and Technology Management in their service region.” In December 2004, the Commission on Colleges affirmed that SPC had responded appropriately to all long-term recommendations from the Substantive Change Committee regarding evaluation of educational goals of the Baccalaureate programs following the first graduations from the programs. Since then, SPC has submitted and received approval for expanding the institution’s current degrees to include a B.A.S. in Dental Hygiene, Paralegal, Public Safety Administration, Orthotics and Prosthetics, International Business, Veterinary Technology, and, most recently, Banking (individual submissions for each added program). Approval was received on each detailed program proposal submitted outlining the need, the scope, faculty credentials, program of study, and the assessment process.

· Enrollment Trends with table of Annual Unduplicated Headcount (Enrollment in Programs)

· Graduation Trends with table of Annual Graduates by Program

· Employment Trends with

- Florida Occupational Employment Estimates

- Pinellas County Occupational Employment Estimates

- Florida Occupational Wages 1999

- Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater MSA Occupational Wages 2001

- Other Wage and Employment Data.

· Overall Perception of the Program