Common Course Numbering

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is the purpose of the Common Course Numbering (CCN) Project?

  CCN is an effort to identify equivalent community and technical college courses and label them with the same Department/Division Abbreviation, Course Number and title, to assist students with their transfer course selections.

  CCN is good for students.

  Approximately 25 percent of all community and technical college students’ graduate from a two-year college with credits transferred in from another college. CCN will ease transfer between and among the two-year colleges because course equivalencies will be transparent through the common courses.

• What are the criteria for identifying common courses?

  Questions considered in determining if a course is equivalent for transfer include:

  • Is the course description in the official college catalog similar enough to be accepted as equivalent at a receiving college for transfer purposes? If yes, it is common.
  • Would a student be required to take another course with similar content to meet degree requirements? If yes, it is not common.
• Why is Common Course Numbering important to me?

  It is important to you if you have taken courses at other Washington Community or Technical Colleges, or plan to in the future. By properly planning your class schedules it will help to ensure that you do not take duplicate coursework. While many colleges use their own course numbering systems and titles, the course objectives are often the same. The CCN project will help to clarify to students which courses are duplicative in course content.

• How will I know when a course is part of the common course numbering group?

  GRCC has identified each CCN course. You will find courses with an & (ampersand) after the course abbreviation that will identify this course as common. In addition, you can access the GRCC website for a complete crosswalk of courses indicating their "old" number and their "new" number.

  If you are looking for courses at other colleges, the Washington State Board of Community and Technical College’s website has a complete listing of currently identified CCN courses for all community and technical colleges in Washington State.

• Will only those classes listed as "common courses" be transferable?

  No. Common course numbering only identifies courses that have a common content at more than one community/technical College. As a general rule, courses that are numbered 100 or above may be eligible for transfer as a distribution requirement or as an elective credit. Please contact a GRCC Educational Planner, the GRCC course descriptions or a transfer advisor at your receiving institution for specific transfer information.

• Does this affect how classes transfer to a university?

  No. Common Course numbers were changed to simplify transferring between community and technical colleges; not between community/technical colleges and four-year colleges and universities.

• Where can I get help or ask more questions?

  If you have any questions or would like some assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Career and Advising Office at (253) 833-9111 Ext. 2641 or your assigned advisor.

• Is this information for all of the community and technical colleges available online?

  Yes! Visit the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges website.