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Meridian Community College offers the degrees of Associate in Arts in University Transfer and Associate of Applied Science and certificates in the divisions of Business, Health Education, Nursing, Industrial Technology, and Emergency Services. To receive the Associate in Arts Degree (AA), Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS) or one- or two-year Certificate from Meridian Community College, the student must complete the prescribed program of study as outlined in the current catalog.
The AA Degree is awarded to students in the University Transfer Program who complete the 38-semester hour Core Curriculum for University Transfer and also complete an additional 22 semester hours in approved transferable courses. Each University Transfer student, when admitted to MCC, is required to select an area of concentration, which parallels a university major. The student’s advisor uses that area of concentration and the catalog of the college or university to which the student plans to transfer as tools for advising the student regarding the appropriate courses which should be taken in addition to the University Transfer Core.
The AAS Degree, Career Certificate, and Technical Certificate is awarded to students in the divisions of Business, Health Education, Nursing, Industrial Technology and Emergency Services who complete the programs of study specified in the catalog. The 15-semester hour Core Curriculum for Career Programs is imbedded in the curriculum for each of these programs. For complete information on graduation requirements, see each program of study.
Rationale for Required Core Courses
In order for an educated person to function in today’s world, we believe that a student who receives the AA degree or the AAS degree should be able to read at the college level, write correctly, utilize basic computer functions, communicate orally effectively, and solve higher algebraic problems. We believe that these skills are interconnected and delineate the minimum level of attainment for an educated person. This belief is embodied in the 38-semester hour Core Curriculum for the AA degree and in the 15 semester hour Core Curriculum for the AAS degree, both of which parallel the first two years of state universities’ Core Curricula. The College ensures that its graduates demonstrate these skills by successfully completing the Core Curriculum of their degree choices into which some combination of these skills has been embedded. In particular, the College focuses on each of the skills as follows:
Reading Skills – MCC defines college reading skills as a student’s ability to read and comprehend books, periodicals, and other materials at a level commensurate with freshman and sophomore level college students. MCC ensures its graduates are competent in reading by its faculty’s selecting college level textbooks and other reading materials for most courses and making reading assignments within those books and other materials. Very few MCC courses (such as some physical education activity courses) do not require a text. For any student to achieve a passing grade in most MCC courses, he/she must score at a passing level on examinations that are based in some part on information covered in the required text. Therefore, by virtue of achieving passing grades in MCC courses, all graduates demonstrate reading proficiency.
Writing and Computer Skills – MCC defines college writing skills as a student’s ability to construct effective sentences and paragraphs, apply rules of grammar and punctuation, spell correctly, select appropriate words, and develop in written form clear, concise thoughts and ideas. These elements are addressed in English Composition I (ENG 1113 ), a Core Curriculum graduation requirement for the AA and AAS degrees at MCC. Correct writing is stressed throughout the General Education/University Transfer courses. It is evaluated in tests, assignments, and research papers.
MCC defines college computer skills as the ability of a student to type, word process, save files, edit, print, navigate the Internet, conduct electronic research, and demonstrate workplace writing skills (varied format procedures). MCC uses Canvas, an online learning system which allows faculty to develop supplemental sites for extra course materials, tests, assignments depository, research, and group work in General Education/ University Transfer courses. Therefore, by virtue of successfully taking the core curricula, students gain computer skills.
Higher Algebra Skills – For the purposes of the AA degree, MCC defines higher algebra skills as analyzing and solving inequalities; functions; linear and quadratic equations, circles, and their graphs; applications; polynomial and rational functions; logarithmic and exponential functions; and systems of equations. These skills are taught in MAT 1313 - College Algebra . All AA graduates of the College must pass MAT 1313 - College Algebra or a higher mathematics course as a Core Curriculum requirement. This requirement ensures that all AA graduates have the desired higher algebra skills.
For the AAS degree, MCC promotes mathematical skills that are pertinent to the career for which the student is preparing. Business Office Management Technology and Medical Office Management Technology require BOT 1313 - Applied Business Math . Hospitality Management Technology requires HRT 1163 - Culinary Math ; Health Information Technology requires HIT 2133 - Health Statistics ; and Business and Marketing Management Technology requires MMT 1413 - Merchandising Math .
Other programs, such as Computer Programming Technology, Computer Network Technology, Medical Lab Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, 3D CAD Engineering Technology, Systems Based Electronics Engineering Technology, Precision Machining Engineering Technology, Fire Protection Technology (at the University Transfer level), and Telecommunications Technician require a mathematics course at the MAT 1233 - Intermediate Algebra level or above as a component of the curriculum.
The Associate Degree Nursing program features mathematics components in Nursing courses NUR 1110 , NUR 1210 , NUR 1320 , NUR 2110 , and NUR 2210 . Mathematics elements are part of the Respiratory Care Practitioner curriculum in RCT 1213 , RCT 1313 , RCT 1416 , RCT 1424 , RCT 1323 , RCT 2434 , and RCT 2713 . The Emergency Management and Communications Technology Program provides assurance of math skills through two courses: ECT 2313 - Hazardous Materials and ECT 2513 - Financial Management .
Dental Hygiene Technology requires Introduction to Chemistry (CHE 1113 ) as part of the curriculum. CHE 1113 requires students to demonstrate skills in algebraic computations, including problems involving fractions, and decimals, balancing chemical equations, and solving for unknown quantities.
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