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2019 - 2020 FCC Academic Catalog
184 • 301.846.2400 • 301.846.2400 185
2019 - 2020 FCC Academic Catalog
ESL Placement Testing–All incoming students
whose native (first) language is not English must
take an initial placement test to determine English
language proficiency at the time of enrollment.
Students will then be referred to the ESL Program
Manager at 240.629.7925.
Departmental Make-up Exams–In the event of a
missed test, the Testing Center provides proctoring
for departmental make-up exams by arrangement
with the instructor.
Distance Learning Exams–The Testing Center
has responsibility for administering id-verified
exams for online courses. Individual instructors will
communicate schedules and locations.
Students with Disabilities– The Testing Center has
provisions for ADA accommodations. Students with
disabilities who need accommodations for placement
testing or departmental exams must contact the
Director of Services for Students with Disabilities
(SSD) at 301.846.2408 before coming in for a test.
CLEP and DSST–Both credit-by-examination exams
provide individuals the opportunity to receive credit
for college-level achievement. Examinations are fee
based and are administered in the Testing Center
by appointment by calling the Testing Center at
301.846.2522.
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 are encouraged to
make an individual appointment with a career advisor
within the office of Counseling and Advising. This
personal approach to career and major exploration is
recommended to begin in the student's first semester
at the college. To make an appointment with a career
advisor, call 301.846.2471.
Students may also be interested in a structured
approach to career planning through the classroom
and enroll in courses such as ACCE 130- Career
Assessment & Planning or ACCE 111-A – Choosing
a Major or Career. A planned approach to career
development is facilitated by the instructor and
students have the opportunity to reflect on their
experiences with other students who are going
through the same process.
There are numerous online career resources to assist
students. This is an option for students who want to
begin career exploration on their own as a starting
point. On the Career Services website at www.
there is a specific section on
Major and Career Exploration where students can
begin to evaluate their skills, interests, values, and
personality. Focus 2 is a comprehensive online
platform that guides students through the process
of assessing all of these areas and generate possible
career options, major programs of study, and Career
Pathways at FCC. Students can also begin to explore
what they can do with their major with regard to
careers and then research careers through a number
of comprehensive resources. The career services
website also includes information on the Job Search,
Experiential Learning, and a link to the Library’s
Resource Guide on Careers and Jobs.
Career Services also hosts a robust recruiting program
with a diverse pool of employers. Throughout
the academic year, employers schedule days on
campus to talk with students about part-time jobs,
internships, and full-time career opportunities. A
full list of employers participating in the on-campus
recruiting program can be found on the college
events calendar, in addition to the Student Portal
and College Central Network. College Central
Network ) is
the online recruiting platform where students can
search for part-time jobs, internships, and full-time
jobs. College Central Network is also a robust portal
of job search information and includes Podcasts,
videos, and documents to help students with
resume development, interviewing, the job search,
networking, cover letters, and internships.
Networking with employers is very beneficial for
students to help explore options in the workplace
and gain experience. Students are encouraged to
stop by the on-campus recruiting tables throughout
the academic year, as well as attend Career Fairs.
Career Fairs are usually organized by industry and
are planned in collaboration with academic program
managers. Career Fairs can be found on College
Central Network where students can also find
the valuable information about the organizations
attending and how to prepare for the events.
Students are encouraged to utilize the varied career
resources available to them during their time at
Frederick Community College. Alumni are also able
to access career services. For more information, visit
the Career Services website at
careers.
Career Planning Courses
The three-credit course Career Assessment and
Planning (ACCE 130) 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. Computers are available
for students to access 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.
Transfer guides outlining transfer admission
information 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 is also available.
Transfer sessions covering topics such as the transfer
and application process, and transfer scholarships 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. Some of
these college reps will also meet with students for
individual pre-transfer advising appointments here
on the FCC campus. Both the Transfer Fair and the
FCC-sponsored Frederick County College Night
provide opportunities to explore potential transfer
schools.
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 FCC Transfer
Services website 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, transition-to-RN, or surgical
technology program) are encouraged to meet with
the Allied Health and Nursing Advisor. Individual
appointments and information sessions may be
available. For more information, call 301.846.2471.
Emergency Management Advising
Students interested in the college’s Emergency
Management programs are encouraged to request an
advising session with the Emergency Management
program advisor. Individual appointments may be
requested through email at .
Personal and Social Counseling
FCC offers counseling referral services to assist
students with the many choices confronting them as
they enter and progress through college. In addition,
staff offer workshops on a variety of topics and serve
as a resource for students and faculty. Contact the
Counseling & Advising Office at 301.846.2471.
Developmental Education
FCC offers a range of support services, as well as
developmental courses in English, mathematics, and
science. These courses are designed to help students
who are identified through the college’s assessment
testing as needing additional preparation for college-
level coursework
English as a Second
Language (ESL)
FCC offers a series of English as a Second Language
(ESL) courses that focus on listening, speaking,
reading, writing, pronunciation and grammar.
For more information about ESL programming at
FCC, call 240.629.7962. See instructions on how to
apply and register for ESL classes on page 9. For
community-based English as a Second Language
classes, see page 147.
Job Search Assistance
The Counseling & Advising Office at FCC offers job
search assistance to graduates and those students
seeking part-time or full-time employment.
The office houses a variety of materials that can
assist students in the job-seeking process including
reference books, videos, and information on area
employers. Students can access job openings via the
online job board and view which employers will be
visiting the Recruiter’s Corner seeking job applicants
for their open positions.
Students seeking job search assistance services can
call 301.846.2471. For more information, visit the
Counseling & Advising Office Web page at