Selecting Courses

This online advising guide does not take the place of an academic advisor on your campus. It is intended to help you establish an appropriate path toward your academic goals which may include transferring from a public community college to a four-year public institution.

Choice of courses for a particular semester should take into account many variables.
Your selection could be based on one or a combination of the following criteria:

• major choice
• the four-year institution to which you will transfer
• core curriculum
• associate degree guidelines
• four-year institutional guidelines
• certificate programs
• prior college credit
• course prerequisite requirements
• personal choice
• work/extracurricular activities
• course availability

Semester Course Load

When determining your semester course load, you should consider a number of issues, such as skill level, extracurricular activities, difficulty of course/major, employment, and finances. Generally, a student enrolled in academic courses needs two hours of preparation outside of class for each hour of classroom instruction. By taking into account these issues, you are better able to prepare yourself for academic success.

Students carrying twelve semester hours of classes are considered full-time.

• It is always a good idea to start with a light load (12 - 14 hours). If you do well, increase your course load
• Balance your time - For every hour of class time, plan on spending 2 hours of study time (based on a 16-week semester)
• EXAMPLE: ENGL 1301

3 hours Class time + 6 hours Study time = 9 hours total per week

• If you are employed:

How To Read A Course Schedule

A course number has four digits. The first digit identifies the level of the course: “0” indicates a developmental course (MATH 0312), “1” indicates freshman (HIST 1301), and “2” indicates sophomore level (PSYC 2301).

The second digit of the course number indicates the semester credit value. Therefore, for ENGL 1301, the student would meet three lecture hours a week and after successfully completing the course will earn three credit hours.

Most laboratory classes, BIOL 1406 e.g., would meet three lecture hours and one laboratory hour per week, earning four hours of semester credit.

This is an example ... PDF Document

Sample Schedule for Your First Semester

Full-time students generally take 4-5 courses per semester, for a total of 12-17 semester hours. A typical schedule for first-semester students who are not required to take developmental courses and are interested in an AA/AS degree or transferring to a senior institution may look something like the following:

Notes:

• Many students start their college career with four courses totaling 12 – 14 hours
• Other math courses may be applicable based on test scores or high school math courses completed
• Choice of science courses are sometimes determined by major
• Additional combination of courses may be equally acceptable based on your major and the four-year institution to which you will transfer
• You may want to take the first course in your major in place of one of the suggested courses above
• Some majors have very structured requirements and will require students to begin taking major courses immediately; such programs include physics, engineering, music, and pre-medical programs.
• Many majors, however, are flexible enough that students do not have to begin their major coursework the first semester. In addition, some majors do not have courses designed for first semester students.
• Students who have not declared a major should explore many different areas including courses that fulfill the core curriculum.

Build Your Schedule

• Choose a variety of courses from the course schedule that fit your academic goals, major, or transfer requirements:
• Follow the Core Curriculum, Blinn Degree Guidelines, or four-year institution major guidelines
• Core Curriculum Planning Guide
• Use the Blinn Degree Audit for the associate’s degrees
• Follow prerequisite requirements
• Identify as many course selections as possible
• Use the Transfer Equivalency Guide, Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS), or Major Guidelines to Texas Institutions to determine transfer course needs
• New students are encouraged to enroll in a College Success Class, Study Skills, e.g.
• Choose courses only listed under the campus you will be attending. If you want to enroll in courses from more than one campus, contact the Enrollment Services Office.
• Balance your schedule: Classes meet for varying amounts of time: usually 50 minutes three times a week, 75 minutes twice a week, or once a week for three hours.
• List the course name and #, section #, day and time of the classes you wish to take. Determine secondary choices in case primary class choices are unavailable.
• Once you’ve selected a specific day and time, locate the 4-digit CID # (course identification number) or Call Number. This number will be needed when registering.

Example:

• When courses are chosen, a class schedule developed, and Call #’s identified, you are ready to register.
• Semester Planning Worksheet

CLEP/AP Credit

Students may be awarded up to 12 semester hours of college credit based on examination. Students must take the CLEP tests (subject test only) or the AP examination. A grade of “CR” will be posted to the transcript when the student has successfully completed 6 semester hours or more AND after a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 has been earned at Blinn College. The application for credit by examination must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records by the appropriate deadline. Credit will not be awarded for a course already attempted.

• To register for a course having a prerequisite course for which you expect to receive CLEP/AP credit, you must contact the division chair and complete an Override Form.
• Online Catalog - See credit by examination

CLEP/AP Credit

Foreign Language Requirement:

Students who have not completed 2 years of the same language in high school should place themselves in a class based on their high school experience and the following guidelines:

• 1-2 years of same language in high school: Register for Beginning language II (SPAN1412, e.g.) of the language studied in high school or begin another language at Beginning language I (1411)
• No foreign language coursework in high school: Register for Beginning language I of the language you plan to study. Check with your transfer institution regarding foreign language requirements.
• It is highly recommended that students with Spanish experience, who wish to continue in that language, take the placement assessment to help determine for which course to register.

Spanish Self-Test

• Liberal Arts majors (B.A. degrees) generally require a minimum of one year of a foreign language at the college level.

Distance Education

Distance Education courses are provided primarily for the benefit of students who are unable to attend traditional classes on campus because of conflicts. Blinn College offers online (internet) courses, telecourses, blended (hybrid) courses and interactive video courses. The objectives and content of the courses are essentially the same as those offered in the traditional classroom setting. Although these courses allow students flexibility, they require a great deal of self-discipline and self-motivation. Students must be able to allocate the time necessary to complete the coursework by incorporating efficient time management skills. Students can test their suitability for distance education courses by taking the survey entitled “Is a Distance Education course for me?”

DE Information Packet for Blinn Students

Online (Internet) Courses - Students work within a virtual classroom environment using WebCT, interacting with their instructor and fellow classmates using the tools within the virtual classroom. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using an “N” for the section number.

Telecourses - Students watch the broadcast of their lessons on the local PBS station (KAMU). Students communicate with their instructors via email, regular mail and telephone. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “T” for the section number.

Blended (Hybrid) Courses - The course will typically meet once a week at the time indicated on your schedule. The remaining interaction will take place in an online classroom using WebCT. Student must attend class in addition to participating in the online environment. These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “B” for the section number.

Interactive Video Courses - The course meets according to the time indicated on the schedule. The instructor will be on one campus and teach students at the other campus (i.e., remote sites). These courses are indicated in the course schedule using “V” for the section number.

Degree Audit

Degree Status is an automated summary of your academic progress toward an associate’s degree. This report shows which requirements have already been completed and which remain unsatisfied and may be helpful in showing how completed or in-progress courses may be used in different degree programs. The degree audit is not intended to replace students' contact with academic advisers but should be used as a tool to determine for which courses you will need to register that will satisfy an associate degree. A printout of this audit is available online through the BORIS program using your Blinn ID# and password.

Page maintained by: rlovelidge@blinn.edu

Questions?

Contact a Counselor or Advisor on the campus you will be attending.

Brenham 979-830-4196

Bryan 979-209-7250

Schulenburg 979-743-5200

Sealy 979-627-7997