How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses listed in this catalog apply to the fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025 terms. Courses are numbered within alphabetically arranged subject areas. (Please refer to the Credit Courses section of the catalog for more detailed information about course numbering.)

• Course numbers 0-49: Basic skills or college preparatory courses that are not associate-degree applicable.
• Course numbers 50-99: Associate-degree applicable courses; not intended for transfer to a four-year university.
• Course numbers 100-299: Associate-degree applicable courses; intended for transfer to a four-year university.
• Course numbers 300-400: Upper-division courses; available only to students in the baccalaureate degree program in biomanufacturing at MiraCosta. 

Other course description information includes the following:

• Units: The semester credit for the course. One unit of credit is defined as one hour of lecture or three hours of laboratory work each week.
• Prerequisites: A requirement that must be met in order to demonstrate current readiness for enrollment in the course. When courses in a subject must be taken in a particular order, the prerequisites indicate the required sequence.
• Corequisites: A course students must take in the same semester/term in order to enroll in the course.
• Advisories: Recommended preparation the student is advised but not required to have before or in conjunction with the course.
• Enrollment Limitations: Some courses place restrictions on enrollment. Most of these restrictions prevent students from duplicating coursework. Others specify something the student must do prior to enrolling in a course, such as audition or obtain special approval. Some enrollment limitations restrict the number of units a student can earn or the number of courses a student can take within a group of courses that share a similar primary educational objective.
• Acceptable for Credit: CSU means the course is accepted for transfer at any California State University (CSU) campus; UC means it is accepted for transfer at any University of California (UC) campus. Some courses can be used to satisfy general education or major requirements while others transfer as elective credit. UC Credit Limitation means credit for the course may have UC transfer restrictions; these restrictions are identified at the end of the course description.
• Lecture and Lab Hours: The number of hours the course meets for lecture and/or lab per week.
• Course Typically Offered: Indicates patterns of course offerings; however, students should check the class schedule for the current semester's offering. (Note: MiraCosta College reserves the right to cancel any course due to insufficient enrollment or other circumstances beyond the District's control.)

The course description summarizes the purpose and key topical areas of the course and includes special requirements if any exist. Some course descriptions end with information about whether the course was "formerly" another course, how many times the course may be repeated, or whether the course is offered on a "pass/no pass" basis. Some course descriptions identify UC credit limitations, and some indicate an instructional materials fee is required as a condition of enrollment in the course. (Please refer to the Fees section of the catalog for information about required instructional materials fees.)

When a course description ends with a C-ID number, students can be assured the course will be accepted in lieu of a course bearing the same C-ID designation at another community college. The C-ID designator means the course is comparable in content and scope to a similar course offered by participating California community colleges. (For a list of MiraCosta College courses that have a C-ID, see the C-ID Courses page under Admissions & Registration.)