Course Numbering System

Four-Digit Numbers
Assessment Levels
Scores

All Del Mar College courses are identified with letter abbreviations followed by a set of numbers. Courses are alphabetized in this catalog according to their abbreviations; see the Index of Courses in the back of this Catalog to locate a specific subject. The numbers in parentheses after the course title indicates the number of lecture hours, lab hours and credits respectively. For example, CHEM 2401, Quantitative Analysis (2-6-4) meets for two lecture hours and six lab hours a week in a regular semester and awards four semester hours of credit.

Four-Digit Numbers

Del Mar College has adopted the Texas Common Course Numbering System for most academic courses and the Workforce Education Course Numbering System for occupational and technical courses. These four-digit numbers were developed to simplify the process of transferring credits from Del Mar College to other Texas colleges and universities and to ensure the maximum credit possible for each transfer student. These numbers are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

In the four-digit common course numbers the first digit usually indicates the level of the course: 0 - developmental, 1 - freshman and 2 - sophomore level. Some exceptions to this rule exist. (These courses will not count toward fulfilling the 18-hour sophomore requirement for graduation with an associate degree: MSCI 2371 and 2372) The second digit indicates the credit value in semester hours. The third and fourth digits are used to differentiate courses or as an indicator of course sequence.

return to top

return to 2008-2009 Course Catalog

 

Assessment Levels

The Del Mar College faculty has established specific Assessment Levels for every college-level course. These levels refer to diagnosed abilities in the basic skills of reading, English and mathematics. They are listed as prerequisite Assessment Levels at the end of most course descriptions. Using Biology 2428 as an example, R3, E3, M2 means this course requires the student to have reading and English Assessment Levels of 3 (college level), while mathematics assessment may be at level 2 (intermediate developmental level). Level 1 denotes basic developmental level. If no R, E, or M is listed, the assessment level defaults to Level 1.

Students must meet the assessment levels shown for each course either by placement testing or by previous course work.

return to top

return to 2008-2009 Course Catalog

 

Scores

ACT and SAT scores more than five years old will not be used for course placement in English, reading, or math.

Please refer to the Assessment Levels chart on the following page to see how scores are used.

ACT American College Test
COMPASS Computer Assisted Assessment
TAKS Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
TASP Texas Academic Skills Program
THEA Texas Higher Education Assessment
SAT Scholastic Aptitude Test (taken before March 2005)
SAT1 Scholastic Aptitude Test (taken March 2005 or later)



ASSESSMENT LEVELS CHART
  LEVEL 1
DEVELOPMENTAL
LEVEL 2
DEVELOPMENTAL
LEVEL 3
COLLEGE

READING
 

Reading 0305 (R1)

Reading 0306 (R2)

No Reading Course Required (R3)
THEA or TASP 100-199 200-229 230+
COMPASS 01-65 66-83 84-100
ACT (R) 0-14 15-18 19+
SAT (V) or SAT1 (Reading) 200-419 420-499 500+
ACCUPLACER (Reading) 0-65 66-80 81+
TAKS (English Language Arts)     2200+ and
essay of 3 or 4



WRITING AND ENGLISH
 

English 0305, 0306
w/ lab (E1)

English 0307
w/ lab (E2)

English 1301
w/ lab (E3)
THEA or TASP 100-199 200-229 230+
COMPASS Essay 0-6 and 01-51 Essay 0-6 and 52-81 Essay 0-6 and 82-100
or Essay 7 or 8
ACT (E) 0-14 15-18 19+
SAT (V) or SAT1 (Reading) 200-419 420-499 500+
ACCUPLACER (Writing)* 0-59 and
writing sample
of 4 or less
60-79 and
writing sample 5
80+
and writing sample of 6
or writing sample of 7 or 8
TAKS (English Language Arts)     2200+ and
essay of 3 or 4
       
* If a student's objective score does not correspond to the writing sample, the student should see the Chair of the English Department for placement.



MATHEMATICS
 

Math 0370
(M1)

Math 0371
(M1)

Math 0373
(M2)

Ask advisor.
(M3)
THEA or TASP

100-150

151-199

200-269

270+ or 230-269
and 70+
on departmental
exit examination
COMPASS

(PA) 01-43

(PA) 44-100
and (A) 01-50

(A) 51-75

(A) 76-100 and
(CA) 1-45
ACT (M)

0-12

13-15

16-19

20+
SAT (M) or SAT1 (M)

200-310

311-459

460-499

500+
ACCUPLACER
(Elementary Algebra)
0-50
51-62
63-85
86+
TAKS (English Language Arts)       2200+



Exemptions from All or Some Assessment Requirements
 
Exempt from Reading
and Writing
Exempt from
Math
ACT taken within 5 years
with composite of 23+
English 19+
Mathematics 19+
At Del Mar College,
must have 20 to be at
Math assessment Level 3.
SAT taken before March 2005 and within
5 years with total verbal and math of 1070+
Verbal 500+ Mathematics 500+
SAT1 taken March 2005 or later with total reading and math of 1070+
Reading 500+ Mathematics 500+
11th Grade TAKS taken within 3 years
ELA 2200+ with
writing sample 3+
Mathematics 2200+

Earned Degrees - A student who has graduated with a baccalaureate degree with a Texas public institution of higher education.

return to top

return to 2008-2009 Course Catalog