Professional-Technical & Applied Baccalaureate Common Courses (P/TCC)

As of fall 2016, Professional-Technical and Applied Baccalaureate Common Course (P/TCC) gives Washington state community and technical colleges a process similar to the original Common Course Numbering process, with some key differences.

Why common course numbering for professional-technical courses?

P/TCC focuses on prof/tech and BAS courses with common learning outcomes.
The P/TCC approval process builds in stakeholder collaboration and year-round responsiveness.
The process allows for prompt approval from college system councils and commissions so colleges can respond to student and industry needs more quickly.
Common professional-technical and applied baccalaureate courses may be developed in response to employer need, grant deliverables or to meet licensure or certification requirements.

Benefits to students and employers

Makes it easier for students to transfer professional-technical and applied baccalaureate course credits between community and technical colleges.
Enhances student transfer and encourages degree completion.
Demonstrates common course outcomes so employers can quickly identify skills and knowledge a student has mastered.

Contacts

Jerry Anhorn
WEC Chair
jerry.anhorn@wwcc.edu
206-934-3204

Tanya Knight
BLC Chair
tknight@pencol.edu
360-417-6242

Steven Danver
BLC Vice Chair
sdanver@columbiabasin.edu
509-542-1497 ext 2097

Cindy Walker
P/TCC Standing Committee Chair
cwalker@columbiabasin.edu
509-543-1467 ext 2067

Elodie Goodman
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
elodie.goodman@sfcc.spokane.edu
509-533-3694

Jaclyn Jacot
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
jaclyn.jacot@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8235

Brianna Rockenstire
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
brianna.rockenstire@bellevuecollege.edu
425-564-4229

Sidney Weldele-Wallace
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
sweldele@greenriver.edu
253-288-3325

William Belden
SBCTC Liaison
wbelden@sbctc.edu
360-704-4359

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P/TCC background

The Instruction Commission asked the Workforce Education Council (WEC) to develop a process to help colleges develop and receive approval for common professional-technical courses.

P/TCC was created in response to a demonstrated need for an agile and responsive process separate from — but similar to — the CCN process.

The earlier Common Course Numbering (CCN) initiative identified and aligned academic courses most frequently offered, while P/TCC focuses on vocational courses with common outcomes.

What defines a P/TCC course?

A professional-technical course offered by two or more community and technical colleges is considered common if the colleges jointly agree on the course title, description, credits, outcomes, proposed department/division designation and number.

Collaborating colleges may also agree to common curricular elements, texts, assessments, equipment and/or other aspects of the course, but those factors are not necessary requirements to participate in a P/TCC adoption.

P/TCC does not apply to:

Precollege (remedial/developmental) education
Basic Skills (adult basic education, GED®, English language or high school completion).

How are P/TCC courses identified?

Courses approved as P/TCC are identified in a manner similar to academic CCN courses.

P/TCC are designated by the first 4 letters of the department/division, the ampersand symbol "&" and the 3-digit course number (e.g. AUTO& 135).

P/TCC will be in a searchable and sortable PTCCN Matrix spreadsheet.

At this time, P/TCC are not part of the CCN online database. This may change as the program evolves.

New procedures consistent with ctcLink will be adopted as system requirements change.

Professional-Technical Common Course Matrix

P/TCCs are designated by the first 4 letters of the department/division, the ampersand symbol "&" and the 3-digit course number (e.g. AUTO& 135).

P/TCC Processes

General P/TCC rules