The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office) Program and Course
Approval Handbook (PCAH) assists California community college administrators, faculty, and classified professionals in the development of programs and courses and the submission of these proposals for review and chaptering by the Chancellor’s Office. By law, the Chancellor is required to prepare and distribute a handbook for program and course
approval (California Code Regulations, Title 5, § 55000.5). The Chancellor has delegated these
responsibilities to the Educational Services and Support Division of the Chancellor’s Office. The PCAH was developed to provide the California community college system with general guidelines and instructions for the submission of curriculum for approval, chaptering, and maintenance. The California Community Colleges Board of Governors, by statute, has statewide responsibility for approving all new instructional programs in community colleges. This mandate is one of the earliest and most basic legislative charges to the Board. Before 1968, approval of programs for junior colleges was the responsibility of the State Board of Education. When the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges was created by the Legislature in 1968, this responsibility was transferred to the new board. It is now contained in California Education Code section 70901. Include CCCCO and California Community Colleges Board of Governors approval dates. Institutional Baccalaureate Degree Offerings ACCJC is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit institutions that have as a
primary mission the granting of associate degrees, but which may also award certificates and other credentials, including bachelor’s degrees, where the provision of such credentials is within the institution’s mission and, if applicable, as authorized by their governmental authorities. The U.S. Department of Education’s approval of this scope is the means by which institutions and their programs may qualify for federal student aid and federal aid to postsecondary institutions. Per the Substantive Change Manual and Guide to Institutional Self-Evaluation, Improvement, and
Peer Review, an institution preparing an Institutional Self Evaluation Report for purposes of initial
approval or reaffirmation of accreditation must specifically address and provide evidence of its
practices as to the baccalaureate degree and how those practices meet the Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and Commission policies. Include a brief description of the institution’s current ACCJC status. Include any external accreditation processes.  |