Why is accreditation important?

One of the first steps any prospective student should take before enrolling in a college or university is to verify whether or not the school is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. Accreditation helps determine if an institution meets or exceeds minimum standards of quality and assists students in determining acceptable institutions for enrollment. It also helps institutions determine acceptability of transfer credits and employers in determining the validity of programs of study.

Course Identification Numbering System

C-ID is a supplemental common course numbering system aimed at helping students and faculty identify courses across institutions that fulfill associate or baccalaureate degree requirements.

C-ID designations can be used in two ways:

The ASSIST acronym stands for:

There is an important difference between these two terms, transferable and articulated, but they often get used as if they are interchangeable. The following information is based on transferability and articulation in terms of transferring from a community college to a UC or CSU campus.

Transferable Courses

A transferable course is a course taken at one college or university that can be used for unit credit at another institution. This does not indicate how the course can be used to fulfill a subject matter requirement at a university campus.

Articulation is the process that links the curriculum between community colleges and universities so that students can transfer from a community college to a university without experiencing a delay or duplication of coursework. Articulated courses at Irvine Valley College are those that are identified by a university as equivalent or comparable to courses taught on a university campus.