Developmental Programs and Services
The mission of the Developmental Education Program at SENMC is to help students cultivate the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for success in college-level curriculum by providing quality instruction and academic support that encourages students to be active participants in the learning process.
New students are placed into developmental education courses based on their ACT and/or Accuplacer placement testing scores. The course placement level is determined based on system wide standardized “cut-off” scores. The university strongly recommends that all required developmental education coursework be started during the first year of enrollment.
Students must pass all developmental coursework with a grade of “C” or higher, in order to move on to the next course in the sequence. Students who earn less than a “C” in a course will be required to repeat that course and must obtain the required minimum grade before moving to the next course in the sequence. Please note that credit earned in developmental coursework is not applied toward any degree or certificate at SENMC, but completion of developmental coursework may be a requirement for any degree or certificate. Credit for developmental coursework is included in the credit calculations for financial aid. Most developmental courses are offered for 4 credits, which includes 3 credits of instruction and 1 credit of laboratory time to practice skills taught during instruction. A variety of course instructional formats may be offered. Please refer to the semester course schedule or visit the LAC for more information regarding specifics for each course section.
Code | Title | Hours |
Developmental Reading Courses | ||
Fundamentals of Academic Reading | 3 | |
Study Skills for Reading | 1-3 | |
Effective College Reading | 3 | |
Developmental English Courses | ||
Effective Communication Skills | 4 | |
Study Skills for English | 1-3 | |
Developmental Math Courses | ||
Mathematics Preparation and Pre-Algebra | 5 | |
Algebra Skills | 4 | |
Tutorial/Skills Courses | ||
Personal Learning Skills I * | 1-3 | |
Topics in First Year Experience | 2 | |
Approved FYEX Elective | 1 | |
College Level English Courses | ||
Composition I** | 4 | |
College Level Math Courses | ||
Fundamentals of Elementary Mathematics I | 3 | |
Survey of Mathematics | 3 | |
Intermediate Algebra | 3 | |
College Algebra | 3 | |
Approved MATH Elective | 3 | |
*Requires the student to design a curriculum of study to meet individualized learning goals. Graded on an S/U scale, based on the number of hours completed and amount of progress made during the semester. Students must contact the Tutor Coordinator in the LAC prior to the start of the semester to receive additional information and sign a contract agreement that stipulates the number of required hours and dictates the curriculum to be followed. This course may be repeated in subsequent semesters for a maximum of 3 credits.
**This course is required for all degree programs. This course should be taken only by those who either initially “placed” into the course (by placement testing) or by those concurrently enrolled in CCDS 113 N Study Skills for English.
Developmental Courses and Course Sequence
Before students enroll for any college level course listed above, they should have satisfied the following requirements:
have taken and passed any stated prerequisite course with a grade of “C” or better, or
have taken the placement examination earlier, the result of which must affirm a student’s placement at a college level course.
Courses beyond the developmental level may or may not be degree required (check the degree plan first).