Common Course Numbering

Over the next three years, between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027, the California Community Colleges will be adopting a statewide Common Course Numbering (CCN) system to streamline credit transfer between institutions and help students make informed course selections that support degree completion.

The goal of Common Course Numbering is to ensure that students can easily identify courses that meet equivalent transfer requirements across all California Community Colleges. This system will eventually assign common numbers, titles, and descriptions for approximately 75-80 of the highest volume transfer courses.

The Common Course Numbering system helps students plan their academic journeys with confidence, particularly when transferring to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. This initiative supports seamless articulation agreements and reinforces consistency across the state's diverse community colleges.

Implementing Common Course Numbering

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District will be adopting new course numbers and titles beginning Fall 2025 as part of Phase I of the Common Course Numbering project. These changes will appear across the schedule, catalogs, and other college publications, affecting the following courses:

Common Course Number (CCN)	Former Course Number	Effective
ENGL C1000 Academic Reading and Writing	ENGL 120 College Composition & Reading	Fall 2025
ENGL C1001 Critical Thinking and Writing	ENGL 124 Advanced Composition: Critical Reasoning	Fall 2025
COMM C1000 Introduction to Public Speaking	COMM 122 Public Speaking	Fall 2025
STAT C1000 Introduction to Statistics	MATH 160 Elementary Statistics	Fall 2025
POLS C1000 American Government and Politics	POSC 121 Intro to U.S. Govt & Politics	Fall 2025
PSYC C1000 Introduction to Psychology	PSY 120 Introductory Psychology	Fall 2025

What Does This Mean for Summer and Fall 2025 Registration?

In Summer 2025, if you are interested in enrolling in ENGL 120 - College Composition & Reading, you will look up ENGL 120 as usual in Self-Service. However, if you are looking for that course in Fall 2025, you will need to look for ENGL C1000 - Academic Reading and Writing instead.

What will appear in Self-Service and on my transcript?

Students will see the former course number for any classes taken during or before Summer 2025. Beginning Fall 2025, students will see the new common course numbering system. All common course numbering courses will start with a "C" in the catalog number.

STAT	C1000
Subject	Catalog Number

FAQs

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What is Common Course Numbering?

The California Community College system is implementing a student-facing Common Course Numbering (CCN) system, as required by Education Code Sections 66725-66725.5 through Assembly Bill No. 1111 (Berman), to be completed by July 1, 2027. This system will create common course numbers for comparable courses across all community colleges in the state, facilitating smoother transfers to four-year institutions and reducing unnecessary credit accumulation. By maximizing credit mobility, the CCN system will enhance equitable transfer opportunities and support student success by helping students build cohesive academic plans, understand course transferability, and make informed course selections. This collaborative effort involves faculty, administrators, staff, and system officials to ensure the best outcomes for California community college students. (Source: ASCCC)

Why is this information important to me?

It is important to you if you have taken courses at any California Community College prior to Fall 2025 because course numbers and titles have changed and you do not want to accidentally repeat the same course.

Why Fall 2025?

When colleges update courses, they do it during an academic year. Fall 2025 is part of the 2025-2026 academic year. So each phase will roll out courses during the fall semesters.

How will I know when a course is part of the common course group?

Courses identified as common between California Community Colleges are denoted with a "C" in the catalog number of the course (e.g., ENGL 120 is now ENGL C1000).

Why did some subject area prefixes change?

Some subject area prefixes have been changed to align with what is common throughout the state. At Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Political Science (POSC is expanded to include courses in POLS), Psychology (PSY is expanded to include courses in PSYC), and Mathematics (MATH is expanded to include courses in STAT).

How will Common Course Numbering affect course transfer and articulation?

Course articulation occurs at the college level, including for all CCN courses. Students are strongly encouraged to speak with a counselor and consult ASSIST to confirm how a course will apply to their specific academic plan.

Courses that are not part of the CCN system will continue to fulfill general education, major preparation, and course-to-course equivalency credit under previously established transfer agreements between GCCCD colleges and four-year transfer institutions.

Will courses that are not part of the Common Course Numbering System continue to transfer?

Yes. Courses that have not been changed may continue to transfer under previously agreed-upon transfer agreements between two-year colleges and four-year colleges.

I have catalog rights for 2023-2024 and I am enrolling in a CCN course (e.g., STAT C1000). My degree requires MATH 160. Do I need to submit a modification of major to use STAT C1000?

No, you do not need to submit a modification of major. MATH 160 is equivalent to STAT C1000, so STAT C1000 will automatically count toward your degree requirement in place of MATH 160.

I took MATH 160 and earned a "C" or better, but my certificate/degree requires STAT C1000. Do I need to take STAT C1000?

No, you do not need to enroll in STAT C1000. MATH 160 is equivalent to STAT C1000, so MATH 160 will fulfill your certificate or degree requirements in place of STAT C1000.

I successfully completed ENGL 120 and plan to enroll in ENGL C1001. The prerequisite for ENGL C1001 is CCN college-level composition (ENGL C1000, ENGL C1000H, ENGL C1000E/C-ID ENGL 100) or equivalent. Do I need to take ENGL C1000 or submit a petition for prerequisite clearance to enroll in ENGL C1001?

No, you do not need to take ENGL C1000. ENGL 120 is equivalent to a CCN college-level composition course. You can directly enroll in ENGL C1001 without needing to take ENGL C1000 or submit a petition for prerequisite clearance.

I took POSC 121 and did not pass. If I take POLS C1000 and pass, am I eligible for grade alleviation?

Yes, you can receive grade alleviation for POSC 121 by successfully completing POLS C1000, as they are considered equivalent courses (the same).

I took ENGL C1000H at another California Community College, but GCCCD does not offer it. Can I use it for my certificate or degree?

Yes, ENGL C1000H will be accepted in place of ENGL C1000. The "H" indicates it is an honors course. While GCCCD colleges do not offer separate courses for honors, they include honors within specific sections of a course. Your ENGL C1000H will still meet the certificate or degree requirement.

I took PSYC C1000 at another community college, but intend to graduate from a GCCCD College, will it count for the same Cal-GETC area at GCCCD?

Efforts are underway to align course articulation across California Community Colleges, as well as with the University of California and California State University systems, for Cal-GETC, major preparation, and course-to-course equivalencies. However, students are encouraged to consult ASSIST or speak with a counselor to confirm how the course will apply to their specific academic plan.

Where can I find more information about the Common Course Numbering System?

For additional background information and progress on the implementation of Common Course Numbering, please see the websites of the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.