San Bernardino Valley College students now have more than two dozen new courses to choose from, with Introduction to Air Traffic Control, Film Cinematography, Advanced Karate, and Introduction to the Politics of Race and Gender among the 26 fresh courses being offered in the 2024-2025 academic year.

"SBVC is leading the way in developing innovative and impactful courses," Curriculum Coordinator Kay Dee Yarbrough said. "Through close collaboration with faculty and the Curriculum Committee, we ensure that every course is thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of our students. Our commitment to DEIAA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility) initiatives, relevance, and quality guarantees that the curriculum prepares students for success in their future academic, professional, and personal endeavors."

These exciting new offerings build on to the solid foundations already in place. Professor Kimberly Jefferson has "created a whole new education department that will allow students to obtain an Elementary Teacher Education Transfer Degree," with EDUC 200, Introduction to Elementary Education, the first course to go in effect in Fall 2024. In the architecture program, Professor Nicole Lambrou "updated her program to be more technologically savvy and environmentally friendly," Yarbrough said, and students can now take ARCH 106, Sustainability in the Built Environment.

Courses are developed and chosen through various processes, "all of which begin with a faculty member identifying the need," Yarbrough said. "This need may arise from analyzing workforce demands to ensure students gain the skills required for employment in growing industries or from recognizing gaps transferability."

Depending on the type, it can take up to 18 months to build and offer a course, with the faculty member tackling "a lot" of research, Yarbrough said, and once the course is developed, "the curriculum team steps in to ensure it complies with institutional policies, state and accreditation requirements, and any relevant regulations."

A student in FTVM working with videography equipment Students studying in the Aeronautics building