Courses of Instruction

Classification of Courses

There are three types of courses/classes offered by College of the Desert:

  1. Credit Courses - Credit courses are designated as either associate degree credit courses or nondegree credit courses. Associate degree credit courses may be used as required or elective courses in a degree or certificate program. Nondegree credit courses are designed to assist the student in preparation for college level course work. Units earned in nondegree credit courses may not be applied toward a degree or certificate.
  2. Noncredit Courses - Noncredit developmental and Career Technical Education courses are offered in Adult Basic Education (ABE), Air Conditioning/HVAC (ACR), Applied Construction Technology (ACT), Automotive Technology (AUTO), Building Inspection Technology (BIT), Culinary Arts (CART), College (COLL), Counseling (COUN), Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), Employability Skills (EMP), Energy Systems Technology (ESYS), English (ENG), English as a Second Language Noncredit (ESLN), Health Sciences (HS), Kinesiology (KINE), Mathematics (MATH), and Natural Resources (NR). All noncredit courses are graded only on a pass (P) and no pass (NP) basis

Abbreviations and Symbols

Transfer Status

CSU = meets baccalaureate criteria for the California State University system.
UC = accepted by the University of California system.
UC* = University of California will accept course but with some unit limitations or other stipulations. Please consult a counselor.  

Degree Applicability

AA/AS  =  applies to the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science and/or Associate in Arts for Transfer or Associate in Science for Transfer degree
NAA     =  offered for credit but does not apply to the A.A. or A.S. degree
NONC   =  noncredit course
COD GE = meets General Education criteria for COD's occupational/ vocational non-transfer degrees
CSU GE = meets criteria for California State University and College of the Desert General Education
IGETC   = meets criteria for Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (applicable to both the  California State University system and the University of California system)   

Key to Subjects

Course Code Title Units
A - Astronomy
ABE - Adult Basic Education
ACR - Air Conditioning/HVAC
ACT - Applied Construction Technology
AGBU - Agriculture/Business
AGEH - Agriculture/Environmental Horticulture
AGPS - Agriculture/Plant Science
AIS - Applications and Information Systems
ANTH - Anthropology
ARCH - Architecture
ART - Art
ARTH - Art History
ASC - Academic Skills Center
ASL - American Sign Language
AUTO - Advanced Transportation Technology
AUTO - Automotive Technology
BCOT - Basic Correctional Officer Training
BFFA - Basic Fire Fighter Academy
BI - Biology
BIT - Building Inspection Technology
BPOT - Basic Peace Officer Training
BUAC - Business/Accounting
BUFI - Business/Finance
BUHM - Business/Hotel & Restaurant Management
BUMA - Business/Management
CART - Culinary Arts
CDE - Child Development & Education
CH - Chemistry
CIS - Computer Information Systems
CJ - Criminal Justice
CM - Construction Management
COLL - College
COMM - Communication Studies
COUN - Counseling
CS - Computer Science
CSFM - California State Fire Marshal
DANC - Dance
DDP - Digital Design and Production
DRA - General Drafting/CAD
DSPS - Disabled Students Programs and Services
ECON - Economics
EDUC - Education
EMP - Employability Skills
EMR - Emergency Medical Responder
EMT - Emergency Medical Technology
ENG - English
ENGR - Engineering, General
ENGT - Engineering Technology
ENTR - Entrepreneurship
ESL - English as a Second Language
ESLN - English as a Second Language Noncredit
ESYS - Energy Systems Technology
ETHN - Ethnic Studies
FILM - Film
FIRE - Fire Technology
FR - French
G - Geology
GEOG - Geography
GER - German
GIS - Geographic Information Systems
GOLF - Golf Management
GS - Global Studies
HIST - History
HS - Health Sciences
HSAD - Human Services/Alcohol & Drug Studies
J - Journalism
JPN - Japanese
KINE - Kinesiology
LIS - Library & Information Studies
MATH - Mathematics
MAKR - Makerspace
MC - Mass Communication
MUS - Music
NRN - Nursing
NR - Natural Resources
PH - Physics
PHIL - Philosophy
PS - Political Science
PSY - Psychology
PTA - Physical Therapy Assistant
RED - Real Estate Development
RTV - Radio-Television
SJS - Social Justice Studies
SOC - Sociology
SPAN - Spanish
TA - Theater Arts
VRN - Vocational Nursing
VSM - Varsity Sports, Men
VSO - Varsity Sports, Off-Season
VSW - Varsity Sports, Women
WEG - Work Experience, General
WELD - Welding

Key to Course Codes

Course Code Title Units
Academic Skills Center - ASC
Adult Basic Education - ABE
Advanced Transportation Technology - AUTO
Agriculture/Business - AGBU
Agriculture/Environmental Horticulture - AGEH
Agriculture/Plant Science - AGPS
Air Conditioning/HVAC - ACR
Alcohol & Drug Studies - HSAD
American Sign Language - ASL
Anthropology - ANTH
Applications and Information Systems - AIS
Applied Construction Technology - ACT
Architecture - ARCH
Art - ART
Art History - ARTH
Astronomy - A
Automotive Technology - AUTO
Basic Correctional Officer Training - BCOT
Basic Fire Fighter Academy - BFFA
Basic Peace Officer Training - BPOT
Biology - BI
Building Inspection Technology - BIT
Business/Accounting - BUAC
Business/Finance - BUFI
Business/Hotel & Restaurant Mangement - BUHM
Business/Management - BUMA
California State Fire Marshal - CSFM
Chemistry - CH
Child Development & Education - CDE
College - COLL
Communication Studies - COMM
Computer Information Systems - CIS
Computer Science - CS
Construction Management - CM
Counseling - COUN
Criminal Justice - CJ
Culinary Arts - CART
Dance - DANC
Digital Design and Production - DDP
Disabled Students Programs and Services - DSPS
Drafting - DRA
Early Childhood Education - see CDE
Economics - ECON
Education - EDUC
Emergency Medical Responder - EMR
Emergency Medical Technology - EMT
Employability Skills - EMP
Energy Systems Technology - ESYS
Engineering, General - ENGR
Engineering Technology - ENGT
English as a Second Language - ESL
English as a Second Language Noncredit - ESLN
English - ENG
Entrepreneurship - ENTR
Ethnic Studies - ETHN
Film - FILM
Fire Technology - FIRE
French - FR
General Drafting/CAD - DRA
Geographic Information Systems - GIS
Geography - GEOG
Geology - G
German - GER
Global Studies - GS
Golf Management - GOLF
Graphic Design - DDP
Health Sciences - HS
History - HIST
Human Services/Alcohol & Drug Studies - HSAD
Japanese - JPN
Journalism - J
Kinesiology - KINE
Library & Information Studies - LIS
Makerspace - MAKR
Mass Communication - MC
Mathematics - MATH
Music - MUS
Natural Resources - NR
Nursing - NRN
Nutrition - HS
Philosophy - PHIL
Physical Therapy Assistant - PTA
Physics - PH
Political Science - PS
Psychology - PSY
Public Health - HS
Radio-Television - RTV
Real Estate Development - RED
Social Justice Studies - SJS
Sociology - SOC
Spanish - SPAN
Theater Arts - TA
Varsity Sports, Men - VSM
Varsity Sports, Off-Season - VSO
Varsity Sports, Women - VSW
Vocational Nursing - VRN
Welding - WELD
Work Experience, General - WEG