What is Tech-Prep Articulation?
College of the Canyons Tech Prep program assists in students' career development emphasizing contextual learning and career pathways. Tech Prep is an important school-to-work transition strategy, helping all students make the connection between school and employment. The program effectively prepares students for the workforce through articulation, business partnerships, career development, curriculum enhancement, and career technical education programs.
Articulation is a planned process that links two or more educational institutions together to facilitate a smooth transition for students to move from one course, program, or educational level to the next while minimizing or eliminating course repetition. In the Tech Prep program, articulation plays an integral role in this transition for students in high schools and ROP programs. It provides students with an opportunity to earn credit or advance placement for High School/ROP courses that are deemed equivalent to those at College of the Canyons.
Articulation is generally considered as a systematic process that will permit students to move from one course, program, or educational level to the next without loss of time or resources. A guiding principle of articulation is that no student should be required to repeat the same course content for which credit was received.
How are Articulation Agreements Made?
Articulation agreements are created as a result of partnerships among College of the Canyons, Hart District High Schools and ROP program. Together, faculty from COC and these institutions examine course curriculum of their respective disciplines and determine that select courses are equivalent in content. A formal agreement is written that identifies the equivalency among these courses. The agreements are reviewed on a yearly basis.
Types of Articulation
There are two types of articulation in which students may receive college credit or advanced coursework placement. This is determined within the construct of the articulation agreement, as created and written by partnering faculty teaching the courses.
Credit By Exam
In a credit by examination agreement, students may receive College credit for the articulated coursework upon a written examination. This exam may be the final exam in the course at the High School/Adult School or an additional exam may be required at the college. In addition, a minimum grade requirement must be met as defined by the articulation agreement for the courses.
Advanced Placement
For courses in which an advanced placement agreement is created, students may be cleared of a prerequisite requirement for a more advanced course. Students do not receive college credit for the High School/Adult School/ROP course; they are recognized as having met the prerequisite for advanced courses and move into these courses immediately.