Definitions

Corequisite—means a condition of enrollment consisting of a course that a student is required to simultaneously take in order to enroll in another course. Where specified, some courses may be taken prior to or simultaneously in order to enroll in another course.

Course—means an organized pattern of instruction on a specified subject offered by a community college pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b) or (c), Section 55002.

Course advisory—means a condition of enrollment that a student is advised, but not required, to meet before or in conjunction with enrollment in a course or educational program.

Degree-applicable credit courses—are those courses which have been designated as appropriate to the Associate Degree in accordance with the requirements of Section 55062, and which have been recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee and approved by the district governing board as collegiate courses meeting the needs of students. Degree-applicable courses at SBCC are numbered 100 and above in this Catalog.

Educational program—is an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher education.

Noncredit basic skills courses—are those courses In reading, writing, computation, and English as a Second Language which are designated by the community college district as noncredit courses pursuant to subdivision (c) of section 55002.

Non-degree applicable—are those courses which do not apply towards the unit requirement of the Associate Degree. Non-degree applicable courses at SBCC are numbered below 100 in this Catalog.

Non-degree applicable basic skills courses—are those in reading, writing, computation and English as a Second Language which are designated by the community college district as non-degree applicable credit courses pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 55002.

Prerequisite—means a condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet in order to demonstrate current readiness for enrollment in a course or educational program.

Satisfactory grade—means that, for the course in question, the student’s academic record has been annotated with the symbol A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C or P as those symbols are defined in Section 55023.

SBCC operates its academic calendar on a 16-week semester. Information on lab and lecture hours per week may be found in the Schedule of Classes.

Department and Course Descriptions

Departmental Offerings

This section includes descriptions of programs, departmental requirements and faculty listings.

Because the General Catalog must be prepared in advance of the college year it covers, it may not reflect recent changes in curricula, requirements and faculty listings. Because course descriptions are subject to change without notice, students should consult departments for current information. The Schedule of Classes is the final authority in regard to classes offered and instructors of record. For up-to-date class schedules see www.sbcc.edu/classes.

Some courses are not offered every semester. The Schedule of Classes indicates when and where courses are offered. Students planning their schedules should contact departments to determine when courses are offered.

Course Listings Key

Course Lettering Legend

1. The letters A through D designate courses which are part of a general topic taught during a semester or over several semesters (i.e., one course taken over two or more semesters, or three modules of one course taken in one semester).
2. The letter L denotes lab courses for which a related lecture course is required in concurrent registration, or as a prerequisite.
3. The letter H is used to designate Honors Program courses.

Prerequisites for courses are stated where applicable. A student may not enroll in a course for which they are not eligible. Courses without prerequisite listings have NO prerequisites.

Transfer Code Designation

Courses that transfer for unit value to California four-year public institutions are noted as follows:

1. CSU—California State University
2. UC—University of California

For transferability of courses to the receiving institution’s graduation, General Education, pre-major and major requirements, check the requirements of the institution to which transfer is planned. Courses not transferable to one four-year college or university may be considered acceptable by other colleges or universities.

For the most current information regarding transferability of courses to the California State University, the University of California and independent colleges and universities, contact the University Transfer Center, Room SS-140, or refer to www.assist.org.

Transfer Credit Limitation

Transfer credit limitations occur for some courses when taken in a particular sequence, or in combination with other courses. For those courses designated as having a transfer credit limitation, contact an academic counselor or the University Transfer Center for specific limitations.

Common Course Numbering Explained

The Common Course Numbering (CCN) System is a state-mandated initiative (AB 1111) designed to streamline the transfer process for students by standardizing course prefixes and numbers across all California Community Colleges. Beginning in Fall 2025, Santa Barbara City College will implement this system by aligning its courses with the new CCN standards.

CCN makes it easier for students attending multiple California community colleges to identify and receive credit for equivalent courses, helping them avoid retaking classes they’ve already completed. This saves time and money and supports timely degree completion or transfer. Over time, the CCN system is also expected to improve consistency in course transferability, articulation, and Cal-GETC approvals across the state, further benefiting students as they transition to CSU or UC campuses.

Common Course Numbering (CCN) Taxonomy

Example of a Common Course Numbering course: PSYC-C1000

All Common Course Numbering courses have:

• a prefix with a four letter abbreviation (Example: PSYC for Psychology).
• an identifier of “C” (for “Common”) between the prefix and the course number. Non-CCN courses will not have the “C” identifier. 
• a course number with four digits, starting with 1000 and going through 4000. 3000 and 4000 number courses are designated for upper division courses, which SBCC currently does not have.
• a statement at the end of the Catalog Description with the pre-Common Course Numbering prefix and course number. (Example: Formerly PSY-101)

Below are the are six courses included in Phase I of Common Course Numbering starting Fall 2025.  

Students who attended SBCC prior to Fall 2025 do not need to register for a Common Course Numbering (CCN) course if they have already completed the equivalent pre-CCN course with a grade of C or better or Pass. Pre-CCN and CCN courses are considered equivalent and fulfill the same degree, certificate, and prerequisite requirements. There is no need to retake the course under the CCN designation if it was completed successfully under the previous numbering system.

Additional CCN courses will be introduced in Phases II and III, beginning in Fall 2026 and Fall 2027, respectively.

For more information and to check whether a course has been renamed under the CCN system, please visit: https://www.sbcc.edu/was-my-course-renamed/.