Understanding Course Requirements
Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) is committed to student success. The College offers courses for students who need additional academic preparation. The College requires students be proficient in reading, writing and math or a combination of these basic skills before they can enroll in most College courses.
Proficiency is defined as course placement above:
RD90 Introduction to College Reading and
Study Skills
WR90 Basic Writing Skills
MTH20 Applied Arithmetic and Pre-Algebra
Note: Students who have completed a reading, writing or math prerequisite numbered higher than RD90, WR90 and MTH20 meet the reading, writing or math proficiency requirement.
Reading, Writing and Math Proficiencies
Reading Proficiency
A student who meets the reading proficiency generally is able to read pre-college textbooks (9th grade level) and find main ideas and supporting details. Students may still have great difficulty when the amount of reading material is high, content is abstract or vocabulary is difficult.
Writing Proficiency
A student who meets the writing proficiency is able to generate ideas to write a logical nonfiction paragraph on a single topic. The writing will be free of distracting technical errors. The student may have difficulty writing long papers or answering essay questions. They should have little difficulty writing one or two paragraph essays or lab reports.
Math Proficiency
A student who meets the math proficiency is able to understand and do basic mathematical problems with fractions, decimals and percentages. Note: A student who places beyond a specific course may not have all the skills contained within the prior courses.
Proficiency Levels
Proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics can be determined by taking the College Placement Test (CPT) or by successfully completing previous College coursework. There are two proficiency levels: proficiency needed or proficiency required. Proficiency levels for each course can be found at the end of individual course descriptions in the College catalog.
Proficiency Needed
All students registering for proficiency-needed courses must meet the proficiencies in reading, writing and mathematics either through the CPT or through self-evaluation. Self-evaluation can be used only if the student enrolls in five or fewer credits. Students enrolling in five or fewer credits are expected to possess the needed reading, writing and math proficiencies to enroll in the specified course.
Proficiency Required
All students registering for proficiency-required courses will be required to take the CPT and place above RD90, WR90 and MTH20 or prove proficiency with successfully completed college coursework regardless of the number of credit hours taken.
Other Helpful Course Description Terms
Proficiency:
Having suitable or sufficient skills, knowledge and / or experience.
Prerequisite:
A requirement that must be successfully completed before taking the course.
Co-Requisite:
A requirement that must be either successfully completed beforehand or taken in combination with the course.
Concurrent Requisite:
A course that must be taken in combination with another course.
Recommended / Suggested Requisite:
Students are strongly encouraged to complete the stated requirement in order to be better prepared for the course.
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