Courses offered in this division satisfy general education requirements for Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Many also are prerequisites for other classes.
From technical to creative writing, from Beowulf to J.R. Tolkien or from Spanish and French languages to personal health and fitness, our Communication Studies and Wellness general education courses are designed to prepare you for upper-level coursework at a four-year college. Whether you choose on-ground or online courses, our faculty members will provide one-on-one help when you need it.
Communications Studies and Wellness includes all classes in these categories:
Communications
Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communications, Public Relations, etc.
English
Composition I, Creative Writing, Business Communications, etc.
Foreign Languages (French and Spanish)
Elementary Spanish, Elementary and Intermediate French, etc.
Health
Personal Health and Fitness, First Aid
Literature
American, English and World Literature, etc.
Service Learning
Emerging Leaders, Service Learning and Leadership, etc.
Student Success
College Skills, Career Choices, Computer Skills for College, etc.
Wellness
Building Fitness for Life, Aerobics, Women and Health
Developmental Courses
Developmental courses are designed to make sure you have the skills you need to succeed in college.
All associate degrees require at least one math course and at least one writing course. Some certificate programs also require math or writing. Reading is required for students whose scores fall below a certain level. The required math and writing courses for each degree are listed in the SFCC online catalog.
What Do My Placement Scores Mean?
All associate degrees require at least one math course and one writing course. Some certificate programs also require math or writing. The required math and writing courses for each degree are listed in the SFCC online catalog.
Your placement scores are used to enroll you in the level of math and writing where you are most likely to succeed. Once your scores have been determined, you can view the placement chart for math, writing, and reading courses. Your Navigator can help you understand which classes you will be enrolled into based on how you scored.
Accelerated Learning Program
If your ACT or ACCUPLACER scores place you in ENGL 060 (Foundations of English I), you will receive an intensive foundation in sentence and paragraph structure, which will prepare you for English 070 (Foundations of English II.)
If your ACT or ACCUPLACER scores place you in ENGL 070 (Foundations of English II), you will take it as a co-requisite of English Composition I.
If you place in ENGL 060 or ENGL 070, you also have the option of taking ENGL 090 (Introduction to English Composition,) a one-week online English review course. Upon successful completion of the course, you can retest with ACCUPLACER. If you earn the appropriate placement score for Composition I, you can bypass the developmental course.
Lisa Shoemaker Distinguished Student Writer Awards
Each spring the college presents the Lisa Shoemaker Distinguished Student Writer awards to three students whose essays are judged best by SFCC faculty and staff. English Composition and Literature instructors nominate student papers from hundreds submitted in fall and spring classes, and faculty independently select and rank the top 10 essays.
The awards are named in honor of Lisa Shoemaker, former English instructor and literature coordinator who retired in 2015 after teaching nearly 36 years at SFCC.
