FCC Academic Catalog 2016-2017

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2016/2017 fcc catalog
Community Proctoring Services–External
distance and professional certification exam
proctoring is a fee-based service that extends
the Testing Center services into the community.
Examinations are arranged through the Testing
Center in conjunction with the student’s educational
institution or employer. Please contact the Testing
Center Director for further information.
Distributed Learning
Students can expect that technology is utilized to
enhance learning and promote information literacy.
Online courses provide distance learning options for
students. All campus-based course sections require
access to the course Blackboard website. Students
enrolled in those courses are expected to participate
through the Blackboard format using their own or
appropriate college-available computers.
Counseling & Advising
Mission Statement
Counseling & Advising strives to empower all
students to achieve their personal, academic, and
career goals by providing tools and resources to
encourage self-directed learning. The office offers
innovative, student-centered programs and services
to meet the diverse and ever-changing needs of the
community.
Department Overview
The Counseling & Advising Office has a wide range
of services and resources to assist students with their
career and transfer planning. Whether you need
assistance exploring options, making decisions,
preparing and implementing an action plan, and/or
moving on to your next destination in reaching your
career and transfer goals, we are here to help. For
more information, call 301.846.2471.
Career Planning Services
The college offers many types of career planning
assistance to help students make appropriate
choices. Students who are not sure where to begin
their career and college major exploration can
visit the Counseling & Advising Office or make an
appointment to meet with a counselor/advisor. The
counselor/advisor may suggest a structured approach
to career planning such as the course ACE 110–Career
Assessment and Planning or ACE 111A–Introduction
to Career Planning. To make an appointment with the
Counseling & Advising Office, call 301.846.2471.
The Counseling & Advising Office has a variety of on-
campus and online resources to help students with
career planning. For students who want to explore
careers on their own, the on-campus or online career
center is an excellent place to start.
Students are able to engage in self-assessment
activities to determine career fields which best match
their unique attributes, interests, abilities, and work
values.
As students progress through the career
development process, a variety of resources are
available to help them develop and reach career
goals. The Counseling & Advising Office library houses
a collection of books and materials on specific career
fields, job-seeking skills and job-keeping skills.
Students are also encouraged to utilize the varied
resources of the online career center. For more
information, visit the Counseling & Advising Office
Web page at .
Career Planning Courses
The three-credit course Career Assessment and
Planning (ACE 110) is beneficial to students who
need a comprehensive, structured approach to career
planning. In this elective course, students will first
assess their skills, interests, personality and values.
Not only will they uncover many hidden talents,
they will also identify what they need to be satisfied
in a job. After completing this self-assessment, they
will explore the occupational world for careers that
match their attributes. In addition to developing
decision-making skills, students will learn how to
develop objectives and action plans to help achieve
their goals.
Transfer Planning Services
From the time students select their first course, they
are making decisions that greatly affect their transfer
plans. For this reason, it is important that students
work closely with an advisor for course scheduling
and transfer planning.
The Counseling & Advising Office has a variety of
print and electronic resources available to help
with transfer planning. The center has Internet
access so that students can view college websites
and access online transfer resources. ARTSYS, a
computerized articulation system created especially
to help community college students transfer to
Maryland four-year institutions, is available, as well
as College Board, which is an online resource that
enables students to conduct a college search using
criteria such as major, size of enrollment, geographic
location, cost and available student activities. College
Source also allows students to view college catalogs
from across the nation.
A library containing in-state and many close, out-of-
state college catalogs and brochures is available for
student use.
Transfer guides outlining the majors offered and
requirements of the colleges to which our students
most frequently transfer are maintained in the
Counseling & Advising Office. Resource books such
as Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges, The College
Board Guide to Campus Visits and College Interviews,
and The College Board Index of Majors are also
available.
Transfer workshops covering topics such as how
to select a transfer school, the application process,
transfer scholarships and practical information
on the transfer process are offered throughout
the year. Transfer counselors are also available to
meet individually with students to help develop
individualized transfer plans.
Throughout the year, opportunities are available for
students to meet with representatives of four-year
schools who visit the FCC campus. Both the Transfer
Day Fair and the FCC-sponsored Frederick County
College Night provide opportunities to explore
potential transfer schools. Additionally, four-year
college recruiters and advisors are available to meet
with students in the Counseling & Advising Office
on a weekly basis. The Counseling & Advising Office
also sponsors several field trips to visit local colleges
and universities each semester so students can tour
campuses, meet with faculty, staff and students, and
learn about transfer requirements.
The college makes every possible effort to provide
access to the most current and accurate transfer
information. However, students should always
verify information with the intended transfer
school. For more information, visit the Counseling
& Advising Office Web page at .
To schedule an appointment for transfer planning/
advising, contact the Counseling & Advising Office at
301.846.2471.
Academic Advising
The goal of FCC’s academic advising system is
to assist students in developing academic plans
consistent with their degree and/or career objectives.
Advisors and Counselors are able to assist students in
meeting requirements for degree programs both at
FCC and transfer institutions, provide advice on good
combinations of courses to take each semester to
balance academic load, and make sure that students
have the necessary prerequisites for courses to help
ensure that students are successful.
All students are strongly encouraged to meet with
an advisor prior to course registration each semester.
Students who have been placed on probationary
status are required to have an advisor’s approval
before registering for classes. In addition, students
enrolling in college for the first time are expected to
participate in the college’s new student orientation
program where they will have the opportunity to
meet with staff to learn more about the college’s
offerings and resources and receive information
pertaining to college policies and services. During the
orientation program, students will meet individually
with an advisor to plan their semester schedule and
register for their classes
Allied Health Advising
Students interested in the college’s allied health
programs (medical assistant, respiratory care,
associate degree nursing, practical nursing certificate,
surgical technology program or nuclear medicine
technology) are encouraged to meet with the
allied health advisor. Individual appointments and
information sessions may be available. For more
information, call 301.846.2471.