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Course Level Information

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Course Level Definitions

K-12:

Courses at the elementary, middle school, and high school level. A few of the high school courses are Advanced Placement (AP), some are enrichment electives, and some are standard courses needed to earn a high school diploma.

Adult Learning Skills:

Courses to learn and practice the skills necessary for successful college level work (effective writing, communication, reading, and mathematics). Most community colleges offer these basic skills courses. Basic skills courses may be credit or noncredit courses.

Noncredit:

A course or activity carrying no academic credit applicable toward a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. Corporations or nonprofit organizations may offer noncredit courses in conjunction with community colleges or universities. Workshops, professional development training, and courses with numbers less than 100 typically are noncredit courses.

Lower Division (100-200):

Lower division courses are those numbered in the 100s and 200s and are generally taken in the first and second year of college. Many students complete all of the required 100 and 200 level courses at a community college (often earning an associate's degree) before transferring to a four-year college or university.

Upper Division (300-400):

Upper division courses are undergraduate courses numbered in the 300s and 400s. Upper division courses are generally taken in the third and fourth year of college or university.

Graduate Level:

Graduate level courses have numbers above 500. Graduate level courses can lead to a master's degree or a doctorate. In general, you must be a college graduate or a college senior to enroll in graduate courses. Graduate courses are offered by all of Oregon's universities.

Professional Technical:

In the ONE catalog, professional technical courses are credit-bearing courses offered by a community college. These courses may lead to either a certificate or an associate degree in a professional field.

Professional Development:

Professional development courses are designed for working professionals to increase specific business-related skills. Courses are targeted at "need-to-know" information, skills, and processes. Some universities use 800 numbers to designate non-credit bearing workshops for professional development. Professional development courses typically do not carry college credit.

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