Curriculum Review

Faculty must review the course outlines for every departmental course listed in the catalog. Your program plan will summarize the curricular changes that you made as a part of the review. All curriculum changes will be entered into eLumen, and will go through the usual curriculum review process. Read the Cabrillo Curriculum Handbook Links to an external site. for instructions on course modifications or new course proposals prior to submitting curriculum for review and approval.

The following should be considered in the curriculum review:

prerequisites and corequisites, recommended preparations, or limits on enrollment. If a course has a prerequisite, it must be enforced. Therefore, make sure that any prerequisite courses teach skills that are essential for success in the subsequent course.
PSLOs, SLOs, course objectives, course content, methods of evaluation, and textbooks
appropriateness, currency, and compliance as described in Title 5 regulations
courses offered with hours by arrangement (TBA) (course description must identify it as such and objectives must indicate which are completed, or partially completed, during the arranged hours). Standard language for these required statements is available from the Instructional Procedures Analyst(s) in the Office of Instruction.

In addition:

General education departments must review their model programs as listed in the catalog to ensure that they are still in alignment with the identified transfer institutions. If model programs are not comprised of the same courses needed for major/lower division preparation, this may add to the time a student must spend at Cabrillo before transferring.
CTE departments must review their certificates and degrees to ensure that students who obtain these awards will be well prepared for success in the labor market
All programs must review their Program Maps for accuracy

Creating Equitable Curriculum

A primary focus of our college mission is a commitment to equity. Revising curriculum to include an emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and equity, reflects the values of the college and promotes student access and success. The program plan should include a reflection on curriculum modifications that address equity.

Some questions to keep in mind as you review and revise programs and course outlines of record through an equity lens:

Is the program description welcoming? Are course catalog descriptions welcoming, and do they use student-friendly, inclusive language?
Are program requirements transparent and clear to students to provide them with a realistic idea of how long it would take them to complete the program? Is there a clear map for their path to completion?
Is course content culturally relevant? Is it relevant to the lived experience of students?
Does course content communicate a philosophy that values diverse knowledge and abilities?
Are the prerequisites and corequisites barriers to student progress?
Does the content explore a broad range of diverse contributions to the discipline?
Does assessment/evaluation take into account the multiple ways that students learn?
Are activities designed to encourage students to construct their knowledge through contextualized experiences/activities?
Can students engage with course material and respond to assignments in a variety of meaningful ways that include real-world examples?
Do PSLOs and SLOs demonstrate a commitment to help students succeed?
Does the language in PSLOs and SLOs communicate openness to diverse perspectives and abilities?
Is the language biased in any way (regarding race, ethnicity, gender, class, ability, or experience)?
Have all textbook options been considered, including free, open-access texts? Do the texts address current issues that are relevant and meaningful to students?
Do texts have language and content that is accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds and abilities?

NOTE: Recent changes in legislation to streamline transfer to the CSU system place constraints on the number of units students are expected to complete for the Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T and AS-T): 18-20 units in the major, completion of CSU or IGETC for CSU general education requirements and a total of no more than 60 units for the degree. To avoid creating problems or delays for students who are transferring and want to complete a transferable A.A. or A.S. degree that is not an AA-T or AS-T, the department should limit the major preparation requirements to 18-20 units, consistent with the college’s approved Administrative Procedure 4100.01 for graduation requirements.