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COURSE STANDARDS
(MnSCU Policy 3.17)
(RCTC Policy 3.17.2)

Part 1. Course Approval:
Subpart 1. Approval of new credit-bearing courses shall be approved following established Curriculum Council procedures.
Subpart 2. All courses shall be reviewed and revised as needed on a five-year cycle, unless revision is needed more frequently. All revised courses shall be approved following established Curriculum Council procedures.

Part 2. Procedures:
Subpart 1. A course grade reflecting student performance must be assigned for all courses except those approved for Pass/Fail through regular Curriculum Council procedures. A list of courses approved for Pass/Fail must appear in the appropriate college publications.
Subpart 2. RCTC will establish procedures for student evaluation of instruction and courses.

Part 3. Course Plans:
Subpart 1. The complete course plan will consist of the catalog description, the common course outline, and the course syllabus.

Subpart 2. The catalog description may be revised only through appropriate action of the Curriculum Council, and includes the following elements: (a) course prefix and number; (b) course title; (c) number of credits awarded; (d) number of hours of class meetings per week; (e) academic terms when offered; (f) prerequisites; (g) Minnesota Transfer Curriculum coding, if relevant; and (h) a one-paragraph summary of course content.

Subpart 3. The common course outline is a generic description of essential elements and expected outcomes regardless of who teaches the course. The Office of Academic Affairs will maintain complete files of all approved common course outlines, and copies to be available at designated locations on campus. Full-time unlimited faculty teaching the course will confer to develop consensus on the common course outline. The common course outline will include the following elements: (a) catalog description; (b) effective date of the outline and when next scheduled for review/revision; (c) recommended entry skills/knowledge; (d) outline of major content areas; (e) learning outcomes/competencies/objectives, including Minnesota Transfer Curriculum competencies if relevant; (f) methods used for evaluation of student learning; and (g) any needed special information such as fees, directives on hazardous materials, etc.

Subpart 4. The syllabus is an expansion of the common course outline that includes details relevant to the particular instructor and academic term offered. The syllabus will include (a) the catalog description and parts c, e, and g of the common course outline; (b) the instructor’s name; (c) the academic term, year, and section number for this offering of the course; (d) a detailed outline of the specific content to be covered; (e) the specific methods that will be used to assess student learning; (f) a calendar of assignments, exams, due dates, etc.; (g) the instructor’s attendance policy; (h) the instructor’s grading policies and procedures; (i) the instructor’s office location, office hours, office telephone number, and at the instructor’s discretion, the instructor’s campus e-mail address; and (j) a statement of academic integrity.

Subpart 5. A copy of the course syllabus must be given to each student no later than the first class meeting of the academic term, and a copy will be provided to the appropriate academic administrator at the same time.