Instructional Program Information
Northeast Texas Community College’s primary purpose is to meet the variety of educational needs of individuals within its service area. The College provides the freshman and sophomore years of traditional baccalaureate programs; it trains technicians for business and industry; it supplies background courses essential to up-grading one’s job; and it enables people to pursue leisure and avocational interests through planned activities. Courses are offered in the day and evening during the academic year, during the December intersession, May intersession, and in the summer. Students may enroll for part or full-time study.
Core Curriculum Philosophy
The philosophy of the core curriculum at Northeast is based on the development of students so they are prepared for successful careers, for successful transfer to baccalaureate programs, and for effective functioning as citizens and as members of families, groups, and organizations. Students need effective oral and written communication skills. They need computational skills which result from the study of mathematics. Effective citizenship is based on a variety of skills and knowledge. However, an understanding of our nation’s history and the political process are certainly keys to effective participation in the formation and implementation of public policy at all levels. Critical thinking and decision-making skills are essential for students to perform effectively at all levels within organizations. The expression of ideas and values through visual and performing arts and other humanities is an integral part of student development. Especially in the technological and fast-paced environment of the modern workplace it is important for students to understand and appreciate the various expressions of ideas, values, emotions, joy, and suffering throughout history as manifested in the arts and other cultures. The integration of personal and social responsibility as well as the ability to work with others as a team is an important aspect of student development. More important than the accumulation of a set body of knowledge is the student’s ability to conduct research and acquire new knowledge through self-learning. Consequently, the research skills acquired through the physical, biological, and social sciences, along with English and communications, are essential for the development of a society of life-long learners.
General Education Competencies
The general education competencies Northeast’s core curriculum include the following core objectives proposed by the Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee (UEAC) on Core Curriculum and approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2011.
- Critical Thinking Skills - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
- Communication Skills - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
- Empirical and Quantitative Skills - to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
- Teamwork - to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
- Personal Responsibility - to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
- Social Responsibility - to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
The above core objectives will be integrated and assessed throughout the following foundational component areas of Northeast’s core curriculum:
- Communication - Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. (6 hours)
- Mathematics - Courses in this category focus on quantitative literacy in logic, patterns, and relationships involving the understanding of key mathematical concepts and the application of appropriate quantitative tools to everyday experience. (3 hours)
- Life and Physical Sciences - Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena using the scientific method. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences. (6 hours)
- Language, Philosophy and Culture - Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures. (3 hours)
- Creative Arts - Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and works of the human imagination. Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical, creative, and innovative communication about works of art. (3 hours)
- American History - Courses in this category focus on the consideration of past events and ideas relative to the United States, with the option of including Texas History for a portion of this component area. Courses involve the interaction among individuals, communities, states, the nation, and the world, considering how these interactions have contributed to the development of the United States and its global role. (6 hours)
- Government/Political Science - Courses in this category focus on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations. (6 hours)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences - Courses in this category focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes us human. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture. (3 hours)
- Component Area Option - Institutionally designated courses. (6 hours)
Core Curriculum Required Courses
(These courses are required of all students earning transfer degrees, both A.A., A.S., and A.A.T)
Communication - 6 hours
Choose one from the following:
Mathematics - 3 hours (one from the following):
Life and Physical Sciences - 6 hours (two from the following):
Language Philosophy and Culture - 3 hours (one from the following)
Creative Arts - 3 hours (one from the following)
American History - 6 hours (two from the following)
Government/Political Science - 6 hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours (one from the following)
Component Area Option (CAO) A - 3 hours (one from the following)
- Any approved course from one of the above Core Curriculum Required Courses not also being used to satisfy another core requirement
Component Area Option (CAO) B - 3 hours (one from the following)
- HUMA 1305 or
- Any approved course from one of the above Core Curriculum Required Courses not also being used to satisfy another core requirement
TOTAL: 42 semester credit hours
Degree Requirements
Associate Of Arts (A.A.) Degree
Associate Of Science (A.S.) Degree
The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees include coursework in general academic and pre-professional education and give broad exposure to lower division baccalaureate study. These degrees enable students to enter as juniors at the four-year college/university of their choice.
While the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree programs will satisfy the transfer requirements of most four-year institutions, it is the student’s responsibility to determine the transfer institution’s specific requirements and plan accordingly with the assistance of a Northeast advisor.
Associate Of Arts Degree Requirements
- Core Curriculum.
- Eighteen hours of academic transfer electives as approved appropriate for a field of study. (see Programs of Study section for specific program requirements)
TOTAL: 60 semester credit hours
- Complete a minimum of 25% degree-specific hours at Northeast Texas Community College.
- Attain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses counted for graduation.
- Discharge all financial obligations to the College prior to graduation.
To earn both the Associate of Arts Degree and the Associate of Science Degree, the minimum requirements for each must be met, and an additional 15 college-level semester hours of transfer courses must be earned at Northeast. All residency requirements must be met.
For all students who fall under the guidelines of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), passage of the TSI test is required prior to graduation with an Associate of Arts degree. Please consult the Northeast Texas Community College Texas Success Initiative Institutional Plan for further information.
(Students may not receive the full six hours of credit for HIST 1301 and HIST 1302 by testing. Three hours of United States history must be taken in class to meet the state requirements for graduation).
Associate Of Science Degree Requirements
- Core Curriculum.
- Eighteen hours of academic transfer electives as approved appropriate for a field of study. (see Programs of Study section for specific program requirements)
TOTAL: 60 semester credit hours
- Complete a minimum of 25% degree-specific hours at Northeast Texas Community College.
- Attain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses counted for graduation.
- Discharge all financial obligations to the College prior to graduation.
To earn both the Associate of Science Degree and the Associate of Arts Degree, the minimum requirements for each must be met, and an additional 15 college-level semester hours of transfer courses must be earned at Northeast. All residence requirements must be met.
For all students who fall under the guidelines of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), passage of the TSI test is required prior to graduation with an Associate of Science degree. Please consult the Northeast Texas Community College Texas Success Initiative Institutional Plan for further information.
(Students may not receive the full six hours of credit for HIST 1301 and HIST 1302 by testing. Three hours of United States history must be taken in class to meet the state requirement for graduation).
Associate Of Arts In Teaching (A.A.T.) Degree
The Associate of Arts in Teaching degree is a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved collegiate degree program consisting of lower-division courses intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. The Associate of Arts in Teaching degree is fully transferable to any Texas public university offering baccalaureate degree programs leading to initial teacher certification.
Associate Of Arts In Teaching Degree Requirements
- Core Curriculum
- Three hours in literature or psychology
- Six hours of education field experience courses including EDUC 1301 and EDUC 2301
- All required courses as specified in the degree plan
TOTAL: 60 semester credit hours
- Complete a minimum of 25% degree-specific hours at Northeast Texas Community College.
- Attain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses counted for graduation.
- Discharge all financial obligations to the College prior to graduation.
To earn both the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree and the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science Degree, the minimum requirements for each must be met, and an additional 15 college-level semester hours of transfer courses must be earned at Northeast. All residency requirements must be met.
For all students who fall under the guidelines of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), passage of the TSI test is required prior to graduation with an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree. Please consult the Northeast Texas Community College Texas Success Initiative Institutional Plan for further information.
Associate Of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree
The Associate of Applied Science Degree includes a concentration of coursework in a specific technical or occupational field and support courses in general education.
The Associate of Applied Science Degree is awarded for successful completion of prescribed programs of study which prepare students with the knowledge and entry-level skills necessary to enter and compete in the job market. Such courses and programs of study are not intended to transfer to four-year institutions although some colleges and universities will accept all or some of the work.
Associate Of Applied Science Degree Requirements
Complete a minimum of sixty college-level credit hours (sixty-six in Physical Therapy Assistant) including:
- Three hours in English or three hours in speech.
- Six hours in mathematics, science or computer technology.
- Three hours in language, philosophy and culture or creative arts from the following: SPAN 2311 or philosophy or literature or world civilization or HUMA 1301 or ARTS 1301 or MUSI 1306 or DRAM 1310 or DRAM 2361
- Three hours in the social or behavioral sciences from the following: COMM 1307 , history, government, psychology, sociology, economics, geography or anthropology.
- All required courses as specified in the degree plan.
Complete a minimum of fifteen total semester hours at Northeast Texas Community College.
The student must attain a minimum of a “C” grade for all courses in the major and a cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses counted toward the degree.
Discharge all financial obligations to the College prior to graduation.
For all students who fall under the guidelines of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), passage of the TSI test is required prior to graduation with an Associate of Applied Science degree. Please consult the Northeast Texas Community College Texas Success Initiative Institutional Plan for further information.
The College confers the Associate of Applied Science Degree for the following areas:
Note: The Associate of Applied Science Degrees in all Health Science Programs have unique admission and graduation requirements.
Certificates Of Competency
Certificates of Competency are awarded for successful completion of prescribed programs of study which prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter a specific job market or to up-grade their skills in a particular area. Such courses or programs are not intended for transfer to four-year institutions. The student must attain a minimum of a “C” grade for all courses in the major and a cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for all courses counted toward the certificate. Students wishing to complete a certificate of competency must complete at least 9 hours or 50% whichever is greater of the certificate-specific requirements in order to confer a certificate at Northeast Texas Community College.
The College awards Certificates of Competency for the following:
Northeast Honors Program
Northeast Texas Community College offers alternate ways for students to excel and reach career goals. The Honors Program endeavors to free students from financial obligations, promote student success at the highest levels, and foster lucrative transferability to universities of choice, including admittance into four-year honors programs.
This program features smaller classes, special amenities like laptops, field trips, and more contact time with faculty, in this case, honors professors. It includes two kinds of students. Presidential Scholars receive substantial institutional scholarships, gifts, and other grants that usually eliminate all educational costs. Honors Scholars receive lesser institutional scholarships, which in addition to other grants, however, can often cover all basic educational costs. Presidential and Honors Scholars enroll in one honors seminar (6-7 hours combining two core curriculum classes) in each of their first three semesters of matriculation at Northeast. For their final semester at NTCC, scholars are free to take any “designated class” noted below of their own choosing for honors credit. For this, they should contact the Honors Director.
An ‘h’ will appear on the transcript of any student who successfully complies with the special standards of any course offering honors credit.
Mission Statement Of Honors Program
The Honors Program at Northeast Texas Community College strives to provide free and exemplary education. It exists to develop original ideas and successful projects. Inclusive and supportive, the program resolves to enroll ambitious, rising, students, promote their careers, and enhance the vitality of the college and surrounding community.
Admission To Honors
Becoming An Honors Or Presidential Scholar
High school students who have scored a minimum of 25 on the ACT or 1740 on the SAT, or who have graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class are eligible to apply. Dual Enrollment students or college students with more than twelve hours of credit and a 3.5 GPA or better are also welcome to apply. Aspiring scholars must also submit an application which will include a one-page essay showing how they could work successfully in the program. Applications can be acquired from and sent to the office of the Honors Director, Dr. Andrew Yox.
Enrolling In Open Honors Courses
Any student who has attained the necessary prerequisites of a given course can enroll in any course announced as “honors” unless it is reserved only for scholars in the program include honors and non-honors students. Students with a 3.0 GPA after twelve credit hours in college, or high school graduates or students with an equivalency of a B or better average in High School can also receive an honors designation if they receive a B or better on the Honors portion of the course. All students desiring honors credit must make this clear to the professor within ten calendar days after the course begins.
Honors Credit By Taking Designated Courses
In the “Designated Courses,” shown below, students with a 3.0 GPA after twelve credit hours in college, or high school graduates or students with an equivalency of a B or better average in High School may initiate an honors component, and receive honors credit. These components must be approved by the instructor of the course, the Division Director, and the Honors Director within 10 calendar days after the course has started. This honors portion will consist of at least two elements: 1) a project that goes beyond traditional expectations, and illustrates original thought. 2) “with-it-ness” in class, a continuing engagement with course material that is exemplary. To receive honors credit in a Designated Course, students must have an abstract of their project approved by the Honors Director, and must receive a B or better from their instructor in the honors portion of their course. The abstract should state a problem, an awareness of other attempts to solve it, the question or focus posed by the student, and the student’s thesis or findings.
Designated Courses
Designated Courses in the honors system are those in a given discipline with course numbers that are equal to or greater than the following: ACCT 2301 , AGMG 2380 , ANTH 2351 , ARTS 1301 , BIOL 1406 , BUSI 1301 , CHEM 1405 , COMM 1307 , ITSE 2313 , CSME 2410 , CSME 2514 , DRAM 1330 , ECON 2301 , EMSP 2330 , ENGL 1302 , HIST 1301 , HUMA 1301 , MATH 1325 , PHIL 1301 , PTHA 2301 , PHYS 1401 , GOVT 2305 , PSYC 2301 , SOCW 2361 , SOCI 2301 , SPAN 1411 , DRAM 1330 .
Progression In Program
Honors and Presidential Scholars are expected to engage in five hours of community service each semester, and to maintain course loads as full-time students. To continue as Honors and Presidential Scholars, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25, as well as a minimum cumulative GPA in their interdisciplinary seminars of 3.0 and in subsequent classes taken for honors credit. To graduate as a Presidential Scholar, students must have taken at least twenty-one hours of overall honors credit, and meet the requirements of an associate degree.
The Honors Program is meant to be porous. Any Northeast student with a cumulative 3.5 GPA or better can apply to enter the program before the fall or spring semesters. Any Honors Scholar can be elevated after any fall or spring semester to Presidential Scholar by completing projects that exceed expectations, and keeping up with their commitments in Honors.
Instructional Support Services
Charlie and Helen Hampton Library
The Charlie and Helen Hampton Library’s mission is to support the institution’s educational programs through the acquisition of a well-balanced collection of instructional materials that are accessible to students and faculty regardless of location. The library is conveniently located in the center of campus, as part of the newly renovated Learning Commons, and provides an attractive atmosphere for study, research, and leisure.
Use of the library and its materials is extended to all members of the community. Students, faculty, and staff of Northeast, as well as adult residents of Camp, Morris, and Titus counties, may register for a library card and borrow materials. In addition, the library provides Interlibrary Loan services and participates in the TexShare Library Card program, a reciprocal lending program that allows users to borrow materials in person at libraries across the state.
Books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and online databases are selected primarily to support the curriculum and serve the needs of Northeast students and faculty. The book collection consists of over 15,000 print titles, and over 55,000 eBooks are available through a database subscription. Over 120 periodicals and newspapers are available in print, and thousands more are accessible online through database subscriptions. DVDs and videocassettes are available for checkout, and the library subscribes to Films on Demand, an online, state-of-the-art, streaming video database which provides access to over 23,000 titles geared towards academics.
The library’s website, www.ntcc.edu/library, contains links to its online catalog, databases, and other Internet resources. Instruction in the use of library resources is provided to classes on request. Individual assistance from a librarian is always provided.
The Bill and Sally Ratliff Computer Lab, Tutoring, and Jo’s Coffee Shop share the Learning Commons with the Charlie & Helen Hampton Library. The library houses collections of John Biggers’ art and Caddo Indian pottery. Wireless Internet access is available in the library and throughout campus. Printing is available for a nominal cost through Wepa print management solutions, and scanning services are provided at no cost.
Continuing Education and Corporate Training
Continuing Education and Corporate Training at Northeast Texas Community College is committed to providing opportunities to all who are motivated to learn and enrich their lives. Non-credit courses, seminars, workshops, and conferences are offered on current topics in a wide variety of areas, such as banking, management and business related courses, computers, food safety, as well as food protection management certification. Students can explore the latest developments in their occupational fields, meet continuing education requirements for job re-certification, and train for new and emerging careers or enrolling in the night Police Academy. In addition, human interest and leisure learning programs in the arts, recreation, gardening, and family, money management, dancing, and personal development courses help people of all ages improve their quality of life. Finally, corporate training classes can be customized for business, industry, and area organizations to meet the ever-changing needs and requirements. These classes can be offered on campus, on-site, or at the Hanson-Sewell Center in Pittsburg, as well as other sites provided by the community. Programs for youth ages 6 and up are available throughout the year, and during the summer, Kids Camp is held annually. In cooperation with local workforce development boards, the Continuing Education program targets specific demand occupations for intensive training and retraining. Tuition and fees may be defrayed through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) with approval of the local boards for students who qualify. Other grant aid is limited but may be available to qualified students who apply at least six weeks in advance of a workforce-related training program. Students may enroll in a credit course for no credit through Continuing Education on a space available basis with instructor permission. Tuition and fees will be assessed at the same rate as a credit course. For more information, please call 903-434- 8134.
Professional Education and Health Sciences
The Professional Education and Health Sciences Training Department is responsible for the development, coordination, and management of a variety of noncredit continuing professional education programs and courses for licensure and/or certification for individual students. This area consists of Nurse Aide, Medication Aide, Phlebotomy, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Academy, Professional Driving Academy (CDL), and other program areas as well as various state and local agencies, community services, and health-care providers that provide quality pre-service training and staff development. For more information, please call 903-434-8288.
Distance Education
Northeast Texas Community College offers courses that students can take over the Internet. Most academic departments on the Northeast campus offer courses online, and the Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas (DigiTex) offers an extensive range of courses in which students can enroll through Northeast. The mission of Distance Education at Northeast Texas Community College is to provide enhanced educational opportunities for students through advanced technology. Distance Education classes enable students to access courses that have already filled in the traditional classroom, and to pursue educational goals while balancing work and family.
Procedures for Protecting Student Privacy in Distance Education
Northeast Texas Community College is committed to protecting the privacy of students enrolled in all courses regardless of the mode of instruction (online, hybrid, or face to face); therefore, all of the college policies regarding student privacy and information security apply to distance education courses. College personnel are required to uphold these policies and follow these procedures to protect student privacy in distance education:
- The college requires the use of Blackboard LMS to teach all distance education courses in order to ensure the security of student course material, communication, student work submission, and grades. Instructors are required to use Blackboard to post course material, send announcements, facilitate collaboration among students, collect student work, deliver tests and quizzes, and post grades.
- Secure college usernames and passwords are generated through the admissions application process. These credentials generate a single sign-on service allowing students access to Blackboard, email, grades, transcripts, and all other student services through the secure MyEagle student portal using their NTCC generated username and password. Although the college assumes the initial responsibility for issuing and maintaining a secure username and password to all students, students are encouraged to change their passwords once they have signed into the portal for the first time. Their self-created password is encrypted and stored in the institution’s active directory. Other than the user, no one on campus, including the information technology (IT) department, has access to the new password. Students can securely manage all aspects of their password through the MyEagle portal.
- Students are assigned an official college email address at the time of admission, and the college email system is required for all official communication with students.
- Faculty are required to keep student usernames, work, scores, and grades confidential. Students in distance education courses do not have access to other students’ work or grades. Students are instructed not to share login and password information with others.
College personnel are required to follow the college and FERPA guidelines for sharing student educational record information with other faculty, staff, parents, or others outside of the college.
Test Proctoring Policy
For classes that require proctored tests, students have three options. Students can test on the main campus at the Northeast Testing Center. If they reside outside of the Northeast Texas Community College area, students can test at an approved college testing center or public library with an exam proctoring service. With instructor approval, students can use one of Northeast’s online testing proctoring services. All proctoring costs are the responsibility of the student.
The Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas (DigiTex)
Northeast Texas Community College is a consortium member of the Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas (DigiTex). The mission of DigiTex is to provide all Texans access via instructional technologies to quality instruction and support wherever they may live, regardless of geographic, distance, or time constraints. DigiTex is a consortium of accredited, public Texas community and technical colleges. It includes 50 community college districts who are members of the Texas Association of Community Colleges. Through DigiTex, students may access college courses offered at institutions across the state. However, students enroll in DigiTex classes through their local community college. They receive advisement, testing, and other student services on their local campus as well. Students interested in learning more about DigiTex may contact Northeast’s Office of Distance Education at 903-434-8257.
Cooperative Education Program
Cooperative Education integrates on-campus classroom study with off-campus work experience for students in career-oriented disciplines. Northeast Texas Community College Work Experience Program provides students with supervised practical experience relating to their field of study while they concurrently obtain college course credit.
Students learn and participate in functions performed in their chosen fields so that they might determine if their selected profession or occupation is compatible with their goals. The availability of this program at the community college level affords the student this experience at a much earlier time in their educational process.
Developmental Education
Developmental education courses are offered in integrated reading and writing, and math. These courses help students be successful in their college-level courses. Courses beginning with a sequence of 0 (0301) are considered to be developmental in nature. Credit for these courses is not used for college-level academic honor, graduation, or transfer. Students who are not Texas Success Initiative (TSI) complete are required to enroll in developmental education courses based on placement scores from the TSI assessment.
Service Learning
Service Learning integrates meaningful community service with instruction. Work experiences and reflection activities enrich the learning process in the classroom, teaches civic responsibility, and strengthens communities. Students participate in an organized 30-hour service activity that meets community or campus needs to enhance the students’ role as citizens. Students volunteer at non-profit agencies to prepare for the workplace and future community involvement.
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