Academic Options

Davidson-Davie Community College offers a variety of instructional programs that prepare students to accomplish one or more of the following:

• Prepare for employment opportunities (see Associate in Applied Science)
• Transfer to senior colleges and universities (see College Transfer)
• Achieve personal and professional educational goals

The College’s programs are offered in a variety of delivery methods: traditional face to face; hybrids, which are a mixture of some traditional class meetings with a significant online component; and completely online programs. Advisors are available to assist students in planning their programs to meet their educational goals. Refer to specific programs later in this section for more information.

College & Career Readiness

The College and Career Readiness program administers the following programs: Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult High School (AHS), high school equivalency diploma preparation (GED® and other test options), English Language Acquisition (ELA), Get REAL Alternative High School, Workplace Basic Skills, and College Transition Center.

Students should call to get further information about entry days and times.

1. Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a program of instruction designed to assist adults who wish to improve their skills in reading, grammar, written communications, and mathematics.  Adults with intellectual disabilities who can benefit from the ABE academic setting are served in the Occupational Network class.
2. English Language Acquisition (ELA), is a program of instruction designed for adults who are limited English proficient and whose primary language is not English.
3. Adult High School Diploma (AHS) is a program of study that consists of core courses required by the Department of Public Instruction and the local public school systems. Along with the core courses, the College offers electives. Completing these courses enables students to receive an Adult High School Diploma once all graduation requirements are met.
4. High School Equivalency is a program of instruction to prepare students for a series of tests which, when passed, certifies that the examinee has high school equivalency academic skills. The diploma is issued by the North Carolina Community College System when a student successfully completes the testing requirements.
5. Get REAL (Real Educational Achievements for Life) assists youth between the ages of 16 and 21 obtain a high school credential, job skills, and employment. The program is offered collaboratively by Davidson-Davie and DavidsonWorks.
6. Davie Campus NextGen: Linking Education to Employment program serves out-of-school youth between the ages of 16 and 21 and is designed to assist students with basic skills education, life skills, and employability.
7. Distance Learning opportunities are available online in the following programs: ABE, AHS, ELA, and High School Equivalency (HSE).
8. Backpacks to Briefcases (Basic Skills Plus) is a program that allows students enrolled in High School Equivalency (HSE) or AHS programs to dually enroll in tuition and fee-waived college courses in identified career pathways.
9. College Transition Center allows students to complete Transition Math and Transition English at their own pace, on their own time and free of charge.  Transition Math and Transition English are also offered as curriculum courses.

College & Career Readiness Program Placement Guidelines

All students who enter College and Career Readiness programs are assessed to determine the appropriate level of placement. The assessment process determines the student’s current functional level to assure placement in the program which best meets the student’s needs and provides the appropriate instruction. Students entering ABE, AHS, HSE, the Transition Center and Get REAL programs are assessed using an NRS approved assessment for adult education and English literacy students. Students enrolling in a high school completion program will be informed about both the AHS and HSE programs. Students may then choose the program that best suits their needs.  In addition, CCR partners with Continuing Education and Curriculum to provide job related training opportunities for CCR students.

Curriculum Program Options

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are designed to provide students with skills necessary for employment and can generally be completed in one or two semesters on a full-time or part-time basis. In some curriculum areas, the courses earned in completing the certificate program are applied toward the credits required to earn a diploma and/or the associate degree.

Diploma Programs

Diploma programs are designed to prepare students for employment and can generally be completed in three semesters on a full-time basis. In some curriculum areas, diploma programs are the equivalent of the first three semesters of the associate degree program, and courses earned in completing the diploma are applied toward the credits required to earn the associate degree.

Associate Degree Programs

Students can generally complete associate degree programs in two years; however, this goal is dependent upon the student’s ability to carry an academic load of 14-16 credit hours each semester the student is enrolled. Students carrying a minimum full-time load of 12 credit hours should plan accordingly, anticipating that time to completion will exceed two years.

The College offers two types of associate degree programs: A degree program that has the immediate goal of employment upon completion of the degree (though increasingly students do have other options, including the opportunity to transfer to a senior college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree). This option is the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.). The second associate degree program tends to focus more on guiding students to completing the first two years of a four-year degree and then transferring to complete the bachelor’s degree; these programs include the following: Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Teacher Preparation, and Associate in General Education (A.G.E.).

Students choosing to enter associate degree programs must meet educational requirements applicable to the individual program, and those who need preparation for college-level work are provided preparatory education to help them be successful in their chosen program of study.

The associate degree programs consist of three areas of study for students:

• Major course work - courses that guide students toward their “major” focus at the College.
• General education courses - courses in communication arts, social science, humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences that are designed to give a broad experience with the many components of human knowledge and to provide an understanding of our cultural and social heritage.
• Supporting courses - courses that are required for success in the major.

Philosophy of Davidson-Davie’s General Education Program

The faculty of Davidson-Davie Community College are committed to student learning and believe that the best evidence of their commitment to the College’s service area is the quality of Davidson-Davie graduates. A Davidson-Davie graduate should combine their specialized interest exemplified by the program of study “major” and the general education core, which focuses broadly in skills, behaviors, knowledge, and understanding necessary to be a lifelong learner; an ethical and independent decision maker; a critical and creative thinker; a clear and effective communicator; and a responsible citizen of one’s community and of the world.

The character and abilities of an educated person are more than the sum of course work that leads to the hours required for a credential. Educated individuals are those who are engaged through the commitment of their time and their resources in the process of their education. The College faculty and staff also have a commitment and a responsibility to engage students and to foster the knowledge and sensibility of an educated person. Lastly, the College faculty and staff acknowledge that this commitment to the development of educated individuals belongs to the entire College community, not just to a single department or organizational unit.

General Education Competencies

In the 21st century, post-secondary education must guide the student’s ability to gather, comprehend, and evaluate information and then to communicate this information effectively.

Also, post-secondary education instills the awareness of values that further guide a student’s synthesis of this information into knowledge. Because such skills are important to lifelong learning and to participation in a global culture, Davidson-Davie graduates should demonstrate the following general education outcomes:

1. Communicate effectively.
2. Think critically.
3. Demonstrate information literacy.
4. Demonstrate interdependence.

To ensure that our students attain these Student Learning goals by graduation, Davidson-Davie requires that students:

• complete the general education core requirements listed in the students’ major program of study (see these courses/skills listed in the General Catalog under the headings of “degree program”) and
• reinforce these goals through a series of courses and learning experiences encountered by our students from their freshman experiences up to their matriculation from the College into their careers or into continued educational opportunities.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards list the skills and abilities that have been deemed essential for students to achieve program and learning outcomes. Technical Standards are available online and through the Admissions Office.

If you have a disability and think that you may require a reasonable accommodation to meet these Standards, please contact Disability Services at 336-249-8186, ext. 6342.

Distance Learning

The purpose of distance education at Davidson-Davie Community College is to provide quality instruction and supplemental learning beyond the location and time-specific formats of traditional classes in various electronic formats that enhance access to programs and services, increase scheduling alternatives, and respond to diversity in learning styles.

Every effort is made to provide comparable services for both distance learning students and on-campus students. Services include but are not limited to: general information, advisement, registration, library resources, Moodle technical support, and tutoring.

Course Delivery Options

Face to Face Course Delivery Method

• Designation will be used when all of the required meeting time occurs on campus or in a combination of on campus and virtual instruction. 
• Description: Face to face courses have required, scheduled meeting days/times on campus or as a combination of on campus and scheduled virtual meetings.  Attendance and participation is expected and necessary for success.

Hybrid Course Delivery Method

• Will be denoted using a Y.  Designation will be used if a course has some required meetings (virtual or face to face) and some online work.
• Description: A hybrid course combines regularly scheduled meeting days/times with online work.  Regular meetings might occur face to face on campus or virtually through a web meeting platform such as Zoom.  Attendance and participation are expected and necessary for success.

Online Course Delivery Method

• Will be denoted using a W.  Designation will be used only if the course is completely online and there is no required meeting times.
• Description: An online course does not have required scheduled meetings and course content is found on a course website. Online courses require completion of an entry assignment within the first few days of the start in order to maintain enrollment.  Regular interaction is expected and necessary for success.  Some online courses require proctored testing. Online courses offer maximum flexibility and can be good for those who have changing or uncertain schedules.

Virtual Course Delivery Method

• Will be denoted using a V.  Designation will be used only if the course is completely virtual and there is no time scheduled on campus. 
• Description:  A virtual course has scheduled day/times for meetings that are held via a web meeting platform such as Zoom.  Attendance and participation are required for successful completion.  The virtual option is a good fit for those who prefer scheduled course times, but might need more flexibility than on campus courses require.

Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) Delivery Method

A multi-modal instructional delivery method where the college has the option to deliver the online portion of a curriculum course synchronously, asynchronously, or both as long as 100% of the instruction is offered face to face with the instructor in a physical classroom. Students may choose to attend the regularly scheduled in-person session or the online option on a session-by-session basis. (1B SBCCC 100.1)

Transfer Opportunities

Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA)

The North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) is a statewide agreement governing the transfer of credits between NC community colleges and NC public universities and has as its objective the smooth transfer of students. The CAA provides certain assurances to the transferring student; for example:

• Assures admission to one of the 16 UNC institutions (Transfer Assured Admissions Policy)
• Enables NC community college graduates of two-year Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degree programs who are admitted to constituent institutions of the University of NC to transfer with junior status.

For more information, view the NC Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (opens in new window)​ webpage.

Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA)

The ICAA establishes the procedures governing the transfer of credits for students who transfer from a North Carolina Community College to a Signatory Institution of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. The ICAA does not address admission to a specific institution or to a specific major within an institution.

• Community college graduates of the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree programs who have earned 60 semester hours in approved transfer courses with a grade of “C” or better and an overall GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will receive at least 60 semester hours of academic credit upon admission to a Signatory Institution of the ICAA.
• Enables North Carolina community college graduates of two-year Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) degree programs who are admitted to a Signatory Institution of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities to transfer with junior status.

For more information, view the Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (opens in new window)​ webpage.

University Partnerships

Although the A.A.S. degree prepares students for immediate entry into the workforce, many students are electing to continue their education at senior colleges and universities. An increasing number of senior institutions are allowing graduates of selected A.A.S. degree programs to transfer some or all of their course work into baccalaureate degree programs. Refer to the listing of Associate in Applied Science programs as well as diploma and certificate programs for more information.

Davidson-Davie Community College has entered into formal articulation agreements with some institutions that make it possible for graduates of certain associate degree programs to transfer to the senior institution with junior status. For a listing of current agreements visit University Partnerships (opens in new window) on the college website.

In cases where formal articulation agreements do not exist, the senior institution will evaluate the student’s transcript on a course-by-course basis and accept equivalent courses for transfer credit. A.A.S. students have successfully transferred on this basis to Appalachian State University, High Point University, North Carolina State University, UNC-Wilmington, and other institutions. It is the responsibility of each student to identify the college to which they are preparing to transfer and to confirm the transferability of any course in question. Assistance in this process can be provided by Davidson-Davie academic advisors, the General Catalog, and the transfer institution’s catalog and admissions staff.