BCC currently offers more than 500 credit courses in 46 areas. To help select courses consistent with academic plans, students should become thoroughly familiar with the explanation of course descriptions. (Click on the appropriate link in the Department list below.)
Students who know when a course is available; what prerequisites, if any, need to be satisfied before registering for that course; and whether or not the course meets specific graduation and/or transfer requirements, are more likely to achieve their goals.
Understanding Course Descriptions
Berkshire Community College courses are offered by the college's various academic departments. In addition to a course description, each listing provides some or all of the information shown in the following example of ANT 102, Physical Anthropology:ANT 102 • Physical Anthropology 3 Credits• Spring • SS/ss • CC-SK • CC-HU
In the example, ANT 102 fulfills the BCC's general education Behavioral and Social Science requirement (SS) as well as the MassTransfer social science requirement (ss). The course also has two embedded core competencies: Scientific Knowledge and Reasoning (CC-SK) and Human Understanding and Interaction (CC-HU).Course Designation (ANT) Identifies the department and/or category of the course.
Course Number (102) Courses numbered in the 100s are primarily designed for students in their first year of college. Courses in the 200s are mainly designed for students in their second year.
Course Title (Physical Anthropology) Course Credits (3) The number of college credits assigned to the course. Most courses carry 3 credits. Courses with a required laboratory usually carry 4 credits.
Course Availability (Spring) If a course is not offered every semester, its availability is noted here. Common examples include courses that are offered only during a certain semester (i.e., Fall, Spring) or "as needed."
Course Codes (SS/ss, CC-SK, CC-HU) Courses that fulfill BCC general education and/or MassTransfer requirements include the two letter codes. UPPER CASE letters identify courses that fulfill BCC general education requirements. Lower case letters identify courses fulfilling Massachusetts transfer requirements. Courses that have embedded core competencies are identified with a four letter core competency code.
For more details: Prerequisites and other information
BCC General Education and MassTransfer Codes (Two Letter codes)
CO - CommunicationEC/ec - English Composition/Writing
ES - Environmental Studies
Hf - Health/Fitness
HI - History
Hu/hu - Humanities and Fine Arts
ls -Natural or Physical Laboratory Science
Ns - Natural or Physical Non-Laboratory Science
MA/ma - Mathematics
SC - Natural or Physical Science
SS/ss - Behavioral and Social Science
Embedded Core Competency Codes (Four letter codes) Identifies courses that have an embedded core competency
CC-CG - Community and Global Awareness
CC-CT - Critical Thinking
CC-HK - Historical Knowledge and Reasoning
CC-Hu - Human Understanding and Interaction
CC-OC - Oral Communication
CC-QR - Quantitative Reasoning and Logical Thinking
CC-SK - Scientific Knowledge and Reasoning
CC-TL - Technological Literacy
CC-WC - Written Communication
Note: All items must be graded "C" or better.
Prerequisites and other information
In addition to the above, some or all of the following information, appears in italic type at the end of affected course descriptions:
- Special grading situations (i.e., Pass/No Pass grading). For example, see BCC 125; and
- Modular courses, which do not meet for an entire semester, indicate their duration (i.e., a five-week course). For example, see PED 115; and
- Various prerequisites as shown below:
Skills Prerequisite: a skill level that must be attained BEFORE enrolling in the course that lists the skills prerequisite. This may be accomplished by (1) successfully completing the listed course, or (2) demonstrating competency on BCC's Learning Skills Assessment at a level higher than the skill level listed. For example, AHS 121 lists ENG 020 and ENG 060 as a skills prerequisite. Therefore, a student must either success-fully complete ENG 020 and ENG 060 before enrolling in AHS 121, or demonstrate the required English competency on the Learning Skills Assessment.
Prerequisite: a course that must be successfully completed BEFORE enrolling in the course that lists the prerequisite. For example, BUS 206 lists a prerequisite of BUS 107 or higher. Therefore, a student must successfully complete BUS 107 or higher before taking BUS 206.
Corequisite: a course that must be taken at the SAME TIME as the course that lists the Corequisite. For example, ECE 124 lists a Corequisite of ECE 123. Therefore, a student should be enrolled in ECE 123 and ECE 124 during the same semester.
Recommendation: suggestions made by the faculty. For example, AHS 150 lists high school or college biology as a recommendation. Therefore, although not mandatory, it is in the best interest of the student to have completed a high school or college biology course before enrolling in AHS 150.