Adult Education/Noncredit
What is Noncredit Instruction?
Noncredit Instruction is one of many educational options offered by the Adult Education Program (AEP) at Coastline College. Students seeking noncredit instruction can access no and low cost courses and programs to aid them in their pursuit of personal and professional goals. Noncredit courses are intended to provide students with opportunities to gain skills for Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP).
Noncredit courses and programs focused on Career Development and College Preparation can lead to a Certificate of Competence or Certificate of Completion.
Noncredit Courses and Programs
Noncredit courses prepare students to attain the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully acquire and retain employment, transition to College, and/or effectively explore, plan, and establish career pathways leading to opportunities in high demand occupations.
Noncredit programs are designed to allow students to participate in workforce education programs as an initial step towards a career pathway. Successfully completing noncredit programs can be a benefit to students in attaining economic self-sufficiency with subsequent career pathway progression to credit, certificated programs, and associate degree programs.
All noncredit courses and programs are tuition free. Specific fees for materials and books may vary for each class.
Some noncredit classes may require students to participate in an orientation prior to enrollment. When you successfully complete all the classes required for a noncredit program, you will receive a signed Certificate of Competence or Completion that verifies your education, and the skills you learned.
What is the Difference Between a Noncredit and Credit Student?
Noncredit Students are taking courses for personal or professional interest. These courses do not offer college credit, but in some cases noncredit students can earn certification or other evidence of class or program completion to meet personal or professional goals and/or requirements.
Credit Students are working towards either a career education certificate or degree program at Coastline or are taking courses that will be eligible to transfer for a program at another college or university. In some cases, students take courses that are offered for credit for personal reasons or skills updating, even if they do not need the college credit.
Noncredit students are eligible for many college services.
Noncredit Course Evaluation
Noncredit courses do not generate grades or degree applicable credit; however, active student participation is critical for successful completion of classes, programs and attaining a certificate.
Noncredit courses are usually evaluated as Pass (P)/No Pass (NP) or Satisfactory Progress (SP), but may be evaluated with any of the marks below.
- P = Passing (at least satisfactory)
- NP = No Pass (less than satisfactory, or failing)
- SP = Satisfactory Progress towards completion of the course
- A-NC = Excellent
- B-NC = Good
- C-NC = Satisfactory
- D-NC = Passing
- F-NC = Failing
- W-NC = Withdrawal after the start of the class. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from the class. In noncredit classes, a student can withdraw at any time after the class started and be assigned a W-NC symbol.
- MW-NC = The military withdrawal symbol may be used to denote military withdrawal in accordance with Title 5 Section 55024 and BP 5013.
- EW-NC = Excused Withdrawal (for description see AP 4230)
Benefits of Taking Noncredit Classes
- No tuition, free classes
- Focus is on skill development and attainment, not grades or credit
- Repeatable classes
- Open Entry/Exit, self-paced (if applicable)
- Available to nearly all students
- Entry point for English language learners and Immigrant education (including citizenship)
- Basic Skills and College Preparation courses and certificate
- Career Development, Workforce Preparation, and Short term Vocational certificates
- Career Education (CE) Preparation, Practice, and Certification
Noncredit Programs
- Animal Care, Certificate of Completion
- Art Basics, Certificate of Completion
- Creative Arts Basics, Certificate of Completion
- Culinary Arts, Certificate of Completion
- Customer Service Technology Level 1, Certificate of Completion
- Customer Service Technology Level 2, Certificate of Completion
- Drama Basics, Certificate of Completion
- English as a Second Language Beginning-Level Skills, Certificate of Completion
- English as a Second Language High Beginning Skills, Certificate of Competency
- English as a Second Language Intermediate to Advanced Oral/Aural Skills, Certificate of Completion
- English as a Second Language Low Beginning Skills, Certificate of Competency
- English as a Second Language Low Intermediate Skills, Certificate of Competency
- English as a Second Language High Intermediate Skills, Certificate of Competency
- English as a Second Language Preparation for Careers, Certificate of Completion
- ESL Intermediate Preparation for Careers, Certificate of Completion
- ESL Preparation for College-Level English, Certificate of Competency
- Guest Services, Certificate of Completion
- Health and Wellness for Esports, Certificate of Completion
- Horticulture, Certificate of Completion
- Language Preparation for U.S. Citizenship, Certificate of Competency
- Mathematics for Workforce Developmental Skills, Certificate of Competency
- Music Basics, Certificate of Completion
- Online Learning Basics, Certificate of Competency
- Porter, Certificate of Completion
- Preparation for College Mathematics, Certificate of Competency
- Successful Online Learning, Certificate of Competency
- Supplemental Instruction, Certificate of Competency