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

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).

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

Keri Lobdell
WEC Representative
klobdell@columbiabasin.edu

Tamra Gilchrist
BLC Representative 
tgilchrist@lowercolumbia.edu  

Kristina Young
ATC Representative
kyoung@cascadia.edu 

Brianna Rockenstire
COE Representative
brianna.rockenstire@bellevuecollege.edu 

Elodie Goodman
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
elodie.goodman@sfcc.spokane.edu

Michael Reese
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
michael.reese@skagit.edu 

Kelli Johnston
P/TCC Standing Committee Member
kjohnston@tacomacc.edu 

William Belden
SBCTC Liaison
wbelden@sbctc.edu

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.

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).

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.