The communication sciences and disorders major is designed to provide students with pre-professional preparation essential to pursuing graduate work in speech-language pathology or audiology. Graduate degrees at the masters or doctoral level are necessary to work as speech-language pathologists or audiologists. These individuals work as professionals to assist people who have communication disorders; teachers, clinical supervisors and/or researchers in universities; administrators and leaders in healthcare or educational settings.

Research is essential in order to understand more about how humans communicate and the problems that can interfere with their communication. The major encourages students to become involved in research, provides them with opportunities to pursue honors projects and honors theses, and encourages students to attend and present their research work with the student's faculty mentor at regional and national conferences.

There is a nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, so they are in strong demand for jobs. Communication sciences and disorders provides an excellent background for students who want to pursue careers in related areas such as special education, deaf education, medicine, or dentistry and offers an exciting and fascinating course of study for students who simply wish to study the area as a major.

The communication sciences and disorders major is designed to provide students with pre-professional preparation essential to pursuing graduate work in speech-language pathology or audiology. Graduate degrees at the masters or doctoral level are necessary to work as speech-language pathologists or audiologists. These individuals work as professionals to assist people who have communication disorders; teachers, clinical supervisors and/or researchers in universities; administrators and leaders in healthcare or educational settings.

Research is essential in order to understand more about how humans communicate and the problems that can interfere with their communication. The major encourages students to become involved in research, provides them with opportunities to pursue honors projects and honors theses, and encourages students to attend and present their research work with the student's faculty mentor at regional and national conferences.

There is a nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, so they are in strong demand for jobs. Communication sciences and disorders provides an excellent background for students who want to pursue careers in related areas such as special education, deaf education, medicine, or dentistry and offers an exciting and fascinating course of study for students who simply wish to study the area as a major.

Purpose: This program prepares students for entry-level opportunities as a local, state, or federal law enforcement officer; commercial and industrial security officer; police officer; or private or government investigator, particularly in the areas of homeland security.

Purpose: This program is designed to prepare the student for entry-level positions in the air conditioning, refrigeration and facilities maintenance industry. Students receive entry-level instruction in the principles, service, maintenance, repair, and installation of air conditioning, refrigeration, heating, plumbing, and electrical systems.

Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program may be eligible for credit for prior learning and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the program head.

Purpose: This curriculum is designed to prepare students with the skills and knowledge needed for paid internship in architecture and associated fields. The foundation courses preparing students with drafting, modeling, materials, construction methodology and building code are accompanied by two electives which are selected based on employment opportunities. The program would assist students with exploring career pathways while providing students the opportunity to continue the Architecture AAS program with the possibility of a paid internship.

Purpose: of this certificate is to enhance a studentÕs employment options to include electric, hybrid, and autonomous (ADAS) vehicle technology repair facilities. Program Prerequisites: Completion of the Maintenance and Light Repair Career Studies Certificate or demonstrate knowledge through field experience in the areas of shop safety, brakes, suspension and steering, basic engine operation, cooling systems, and 12V electrical systems including battery, starting, and charging systems.

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in the Visual Arts with a major in cinema, film, or media production.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed to qualify personnel in both engineering technology and management for employment in many areas of a construction firm. Job opportunities include engineering aide, construction project manager, construction supervisor, estimator, and facilities planning and supervision.

Purpose

The program is designed to prepare students to serve in a dynamic and growing health profession as members of the dental health team. After successful completion of the program, the student will be eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and professional licensure examinations. Upon successful completion of the licensing process, the title ÒRegistered Dental HygienistÓ (R.D.H.) is awarded.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Special Accreditation Status

The Dental Hygiene Program is accredited by the American Dental AssociationÕs Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of approval without reporting requirements. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678. The CommissionÕs web address is https://coda.ada.org.

Bloodborne Pathogens and Infectious Diseases Statement

By nature of the profession, students accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program may be exposed to blood and body fluids while practicing dental hygiene skills or providing services during clinical, preclinical, and laboratory sessions. Policies and procedures have been established to ensure the working environment is safe in order to minimize disease transmission. Prospective students may request a copy of the policy on bloodborne infectious diseases by calling 703-822-6627.

Purpose

To prepare competent entry-level abdominal sonographers and obstetrics and gynecology sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for Abdominal Sonography - Extended and Obstetrics and Gynecology Sonography. This curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the human body using special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into different anatomic structures in a patientÕs body. The sonographer is a central member of the healthcare team and assists the radiologist in gathering diagnostic data for interpretation. NOVAÕs program emphasizes didactic and Òhands-onÓ practice of sonographic techniques in a well-equipped scanning laboratory at the Medical Education Campus in Springfield, Virginia. Clinical experience is acquired at numerous area hospitals and private medical affiliates.

Students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree program learn to perform an ultrasound of the Abdomen and Small Parts as well as Obstetric and Gynecologic sonography. Upon successful completion of the degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) examination(s) leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS¨).

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Special Accreditation Status

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program maintains their status of accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Purpose

To prepare competent entry-level adult cardiac sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The curriculum prepares students to produce diagnostic images of the heart structures and motion to diagnose cardiovascular changes. The echocardiographer uses special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into areas of the patientÕs body. The echocardiographer is a central member of the health care team and assists the radiologist in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography examinations leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS¨).

Purpose

To prepare competent entry-level vascular technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the blood and blood flow. The vascular sonographer uses special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into areas of the patientÕs body. The vascular sonographer is a central member of the health care team and assists the radiologist in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography examinations leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS¨), Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS¨) and Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT¨).

Purpose: This program is designed for students who wish to become qualified teachers of driver education or maintain qualifications in the state of Virginia.

Purpose This curriculum is designed for students seeking licensure in either PreK-3rd Grade or PreK-6th Grade. Upon completion of endorsement courses, students should take the Praxis II: Elementary Education Multiple Subjects. This curriculum prepares students to transfer to any four-year college or university teacher preparation program. Courses in this degree are designed to satisfy some of the endorsement and professional course requirements of a Virginia teaching license. In EDU 200, students will identify the endorsement (content) courses they need to earn a teaching license. Students should meet with a Teacher Education faculty member or Education Field Placement Coordinator and Advising Specialist to select the correct courses for their area of licensure. EDU 200 and EDU 204 both require 20-hour field placements in a K-12 public school. Students will be required to complete a background check before being placed in the schools. Students with criminal records should consult with the Teacher Education Field Placement Coordinator before enrolling in the courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the VCLA after completing ENG 111, ENG 112, Eng-literature course, and CST 100 or 110.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed to develop the competencies needed to prepare the student to achieve National Registry Paramedic Certification (NRP).

Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program who hold current EMS certification may be eligible for credit for prior learning. See an academic advisor or counselor for further information.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed for individuals who seek full-time employment in the communication design profession. Upon completion, an individual would be prepared to work in the field of web-based interactive design including multimedia techniques specific to the web. Job opportunities include web designer, UX designer, web content developer and motion graphic designer, among others in the graphic design marketplace.

Purpose: The Interior Design program provides quality education to prepare students for entry level employment in the interior design field or to transfer to an accredited university for further education. The curriculum provides a foundation education covering a broad range of topics in interior design, art history, furniture history, and basic design. Computer aided drafting, rendering and business practices round out the curriculum. Career opportunities exist in a diverse array of fields including retail marketing, residential design, commercial design, space planning, kitchen and bath design and design support for designers specializing in these fields. The curriculum can be completed in two years; however, students may enroll on a part-time basis. There are no entry requirements, but many Interior Design courses have prerequisites to ensure that students are properly prepared for advanced coursework.

Purpose

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to perform essential laboratory testing on blood and body fluids that is critical to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. In a medical laboratory, the medical laboratory technician (MLT) is part of a team of highly skilled pathologists, technologists, and phlebotomists working together to determine the presence, extent or absence of disease, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. This program emphasizes Òhands-onÓ practice of laboratory methods in a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Medical Education Campus in Springfield, followed by clinical experience at various affiliating healthcare organizations.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification examination and other national certification examinations offered at the technician level.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students in this program who have completed a military laboratory training program and hold Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) are eligible for credit for prior learning in the major coursework. See an academic advisor for further information.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but transfer may be an option for certified MLTs. Students interested in transfer should contact an academic advisor early in their program.

Career Opportunities

Employment for medical laboratory technicians is available in hospital laboratories, private laboratories, physiciansÕ office laboratories, health department laboratories, and industrial medical laboratories.

Special Accreditation Status

The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS); 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois 60018; Phone: 773-714-8880; Fax: 773-714-8886; www.naacls.org.

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for individuals who wish to set up their own studio or seek employment as music recording technicians. Occupational objectives include development for positions as assistants and aides in recording studios, broadcast studios, myriad other recording enterprises, and countless private studios in the recording industry. Training in digital audio is emphasized using industry standard software.

Purpose

The program is designed to provide students with the philosophical, theoretical, and clinical knowledge necessary to provide quality occupational therapy. This curriculum is designed to prepare students to assist and collaborate with occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. Students will participate in classroom and fieldwork experiences in this program. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates must take and pass a national board exam and complete the licensing process in order to begin a career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Graduates may, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans; carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments.

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Transfer Placement

OTA credits earned at other institutions will be reviewed by the program director of the OTA program to determine if any course substitutions may be warranted within the curriculum. Students wishing to transfer into the NOVA OTA program will be required to satisfactorily complete a skill competency assessment before being accepted into the OTA program. Transfer students must additionally be in good academic standing and must provide a written reference from the program director of the previous institution as well as from a clinical educator as applicable. All transfer students must meet all of the OTA program application and admission requirements before being considered in the competitive admissions process.

Special Accreditation Status

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Northern Virginia Community College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE¨) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTEÕs telephone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-6611. ACOTE can be found online at www.acoteonline.org. Upon graduation, students will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice and one component of licensure generally includes the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction could affect a graduateÕs ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Purpose

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to be effective members of the healthcare team in assisting with diagnosis, treatment, management, and preventive care of patients with cardiopulmonary problems. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the entry-level and advanced practitioner examinations leading to certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and registration as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

Transfer Information

Transfer is not the primary purpose of an A.A.S. program, but NOVA has articulation agreements that facilitate the transfer of this and other career-oriented programs to selected senior institutions. Students interested in transfer should contact a counselor or their academic advisor early in their program.

Special Accreditation Status

The Northern Virginia Community College Respiratory Therapy (RTH) Program, CoARC number 200206, offers an Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS), located at Medical Education Campus, 6699 Springfield Center Dr, Springfield, VA 22150, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an Ôoutcomes basedÕ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

Continuation Requirement

All courses (including General Education courses) must be completed with a grade of ÒCÓ or better before taking the next course in the sequence and to satisfy graduation requirements (note: some prerequisite requirements may require a higher grade).

Special Program Continuation Requirements

If general education courses are not completed before acceptance into the Respiratory Therapy Program, then they are to be taken in the corresponding semester as indicated in the curriculum plan. Students may not proceed to the next sequential respiratory therapy course without having completed the appropriate general education coursework.

Reenrollment

• Students in good standing may be permitted to reenroll in the RTH curriculum on a space-available basis, with permission of the program director.
• Students who leave the program for any period up to two years for either personal or academic reasons are required to demonstrate proficiency in all previously enrolled skills courses prior to reentering the program. ÒPractical examsÓ are administered and scheduled by the program faculty. A written exam will be required.
• Students who leave the program for any period of time for medical reasons are required to submit evidence of good physical and mental health, as substantiated by a newly completed Pre-Admission Health History and Physical for Allied Health and Nursing Form (125-007) signed by the primary physician responsible for their care.

Licensure Requirements

The Virginia Board of Medicine reserves the right to deny licensure to any candidate who has been convicted of a crime or any offense relating to the abuse of alcohol and/or use or sale of controlled substances in Virginia or any other state. Any applicant to the Respiratory Therapy Program who has been found guilty of a misdemeanor or felony must consult with the program director of Respiratory Therapy prior to acceptance into the program.

Purpose This curriculum is designed to fulfill the Virginia state educational requirements for the certification of substance abuse counselors. To meet substance abuse counselor certification requirements, the applicant is expected to meet specific education requirements including didactic and experiential learning with a supervised internship required.

Individuals seeking skills and knowledge in this career field, but not seeking state certification may also enroll.

Cooperative Education: Students in this curriculum will participate in at least 3 semester hours of Cooperative Education unless they already have equivalent experience.

Purpose This studio-arts, portfolio-intensive curriculum is designed for students who seek transfer into a competitive Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program or similar baccalaureate program in either fine arts, graphic design, or photography at a college or university. Students work on a common foundation year of studio art courses and then select their concentration in either finearts, graphic design, or photography for their second year of study. NOTE that the graphic design concentration is offered at the Alexandria campus and Loudoun campuses and the photography concentration is offered at Alexandria campus and Woodbridge campus

PurposeThis curriculum is designed for students seeking to pursue an Associates of Sciences degree in Public Health, designed for transfer. Students will be introduced to public health principles, practices, and policies. Students will be provided with an overview of public health systems globally to better understand the trends within public health and the public health effects on individuals and populations. They will learn about social determinants of health, the influence of culture on health, learn about health disparities, and will learn about the impact of effective health education and health promotion. After completing this major, students will be prepared to continue their education at a partnering four-year university.

The arts, and music specifically, offer unique and personal ways for the individual to view, understand, and communicate about the world. The music program at Randolph-Macon offers all students the hands-on opportunity to explore the creative process of music, to form an understanding of the relationship between art and society, and to develop personal musicality through participation in ensembles, applied study, coursework in music history and music theory, technological applications, music industry coursework, research, internships, and pedagogy coursework.

The arts, and music specifically, offer unique and personal ways for the individual to view, understand, and communicate about the world. The music program at Randolph-Macon offers all students the hands-on opportunity to explore the creative process of music, to form an understanding of the relationship between art and society, and to develop personal musicality through participation in ensembles, applied study, coursework in music history and music theory, technological applications, music industry coursework, research, internships, and pedagogy coursework.

The arts, and music specifically, offer unique and personal ways for the individual to view, understand, and communicate about the world. The music program at Randolph-Macon offers all students the hands-on opportunity to explore the creative process of music, to form an understanding of the relationship between art and society, and to develop personal musicality through participation in ensembles, applied study, coursework in music history and music theory, technological applications, music industry coursework, research, internships, and pedagogy coursework.

Studio art is the discipline of making and creating works that have a visual and conceptual validity. The powers of observation and contemplation are vigorously trained and bonded to the forces of the intellect and the creative act.

Biology invites students to participate in the scientific study of living organisms in all their fascinating complexity from molecular and cellular processes to the functioning of the entire planet. Students majoring in biology may satisfy their curiosity about the workings of the natural world, define their strengths and interests, and become lifelong learners in one of hundreds of biology-related careers. All students undertaking a study of biology should receive a thorough grounding in biological principles, should understand the interdisciplinary connections between biology and the other sciences, and should realize that our knowledge of biology is built on scientific discovery. Our curriculum seeks to develop in students the values, habits, and practices of a scientist by allowing them to actually do biology beginning in their freshman year, continuing in subsequent upper division courses, and culminating in a capstone experience in the senior year. An innovative course (BIOL 121 Foundations of Experimental Biology), taken during the freshman year, engages students in discovery-based laboratory exercises. Biology majors will also deepen their understanding of molecular biology (BIOL 123 Principles in Molecular Biology), genetics (BIOL 200 Genetics), and evolution (BIOL 205 Evolution) and are subsequently provided with an intensive and balanced learning experience by taking at least one course from each of the three major sub-disciplines of contemporary biology including:

1. cell and molecular biology
2. organismal biology, and
3. ecology.

Each student works closely with an adviser to select upper-level courses for an individualized curriculum to prepare for a field in medicine, allied health science, ecology, environmental science, or graduate studies in biology. Finally, each student will take a capstone course (BIOL 499 Biology Capstone), which reinforces the skills and abilities developed in the major by having students read the primary literature and discuss the work with the scientists who conducted the studies. All biology students are also encouraged to participate in research early in their college career by taking research courses and by participating in summer research through the College's Shapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF).

Many graduate and professional programs require the completion of additional courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and the humanities. Prospective biology majors should meet with a departmental adviser in their career area(s) of interest at or before the beginning of the sophomore year.

Biology invites students to participate in the scientific study of living organisms in all their fascinating complexity from molecular and cellular processes to the functioning of the entire planet. Students majoring in biology may satisfy their curiosity about the workings of the natural world, define their strengths and interests, and become lifelong learners in one of hundreds of biology-related careers. All students undertaking a study of biology should receive a thorough grounding in biological principles, should understand the interdisciplinary connections between biology and the other sciences, and should realize that our knowledge of biology is built on scientific discovery. Our curriculum seeks to develop in students the values, habits, and practices of a scientist by allowing them to actually do biology beginning in their freshman year, continuing in subsequent upper division courses, and culminating in a capstone experience in the senior year. An innovative course (BIOL 121 Foundations of Experimental Biology), taken during the freshman year, engages students in discovery-based laboratory exercises. Biology majors will also deepen their understanding of molecular biology (BIOL 123 Principles in Molecular Biology), genetics (BIOL 200 Genetics), and evolution (BIOL 205 Evolution) and are subsequently provided with an intensive and balanced learning experience by taking at least one course from each of the three major sub-disciplines of contemporary biology including:

1. cell and molecular biology
2. organismal biology, and
3. ecology.

Each student works closely with an adviser to select upper-level courses for an individualized curriculum to prepare for a field in medicine, allied health science, ecology, environmental science, or graduate studies in biology. Finally, each student will take a capstone course (BIOL 499 Biology Capstone), which reinforces the skills and abilities developed in the major by having students read the primary literature and discuss the work with the scientists who conducted the studies. All biology students are also encouraged to participate in research early in their college career by taking research courses and by participating in summer research through the College's Shapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF).

Many graduate and professional programs require the completion of additional courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and the humanities. Prospective biology majors should meet with a departmental adviser in their career area(s) of interest at or before the beginning of the sophomore year.