Academic Master Plan 2016-2021

A. INTEGRATE HIGH SCHOOL, ASSOCIATES, AND BACHELOR’S DEGREES
By working with MCPS and USG, MC has the opportunity to reduce time and cost to degree by creating 1) a high school senior year experience that results in the first year of an associates degree and 2) integrated programs with USG that merge the second year of the associate’s with the beginnings of the baccalaureate degree. This initiative builds upon the 2016–2021 Initiative 5: Deepen Existing Partnerships with MCPS and USG. Extensive negotiation and potential policy changes may be required to begin implementation in 2021.

B. OFFER EXPANDED ACADEMIC ORIENTATION
Summer orientation programs offered by the Student Affairs division have shown a positive impact on student success. In order to build upon this success, the Academic Affairs division will explore discipline specific, extended, summer orientation programs designed for college-ready and not-yet-college-ready students. This initiative builds upon Academic Affairs Division Goals D: Engage and E: Connect and upon the 2016–2021 Initiative 1: Embed Classroom Support. These programs should be offered in close collaboration with Student Affairs faculty.

C. ENHANCE SCHEDULING (BLOCK, COHORT, ACCELERATED)
As new technology provides us the tools to be more intelligent and analytical about course scheduling, Montgomery College will explore options, such as block scheduling, cohort scheduling, pathway scheduling, accelerated scheduling, and long-term scheduling. This initiative builds upon the 2016–2021 Initiative 2: Offer Alternative Scheduling and Delivery. Designating this initiative for the second five years will allow us to gain some experience with less complex alternative scheduling strategies, to explore ways in which we might truly “accelerate” a program, and to thoroughly research and implement the right software application.

D. OFFER MC CURRICULUM AND CREDENTIALS GLOBALLY
As a member of a global community, Montgomery College has an opportunity and an obligation to share curriculum and expertise with our international colleagues who are struggling to find the capacity and resources to educate millions of students. The next step, offering credentials and degrees jointly or singly to students studying in other countries, may require significant time and effort to overcome regulatory obstacles (hence the need to slate this initiative for the second five years). This initiative builds upon the 2016–2021 Initiative 6: Expand Global Partnerships and International Opportunities.

E. INSTITUTIONALIZE ON-LINE TRAINING FOR ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS
Colleges are called upon increasingly to teach career and professional skills to students, but fitting these lessons into a curriculum already filled with program content and general education competencies is difficult. Fortunately, many vendors are now providing low-cost, online modules on topics ranging from financial literacy to time management to listening skills. In order to make sure that students access this training, we must either find a way to document it in their portfolios or recruit faculty to require it in some classes. The next five years will give us time to structure this learning and choose an appropriate vendor. This initiative builds upon Academic Affairs Division Goals D: Engage and E: Connect.