Computer Competency Requirement for Students

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College emphasizes the importance of computer competency for all students who are enrolled in a college program that requires a minimum of 30 credits for graduation. Programs with 30 or more credits provide for the computer competency of students in one of three ways:

1. including a computer competency course - ITE 115 or CSC 155 in the curriculum,

2. requiring that students in the curriculum pass the college’s computer competency exam, or

3. including a course or courses that meet or exceed the computer competency requirements as a part of the curriculum. Students should consult the catalog description of their program to determine the computer competency requirement.

Students in programs that require ITE 115 or CSC 155 can satisfy the computer competency course requirement in the curriculum by passing the college’s computer competency exam administered in the testing centers on each campus. Because CSC 155 includes content that is not covered in ITE 115, students seeking college credit for CSC 155 will take a different version of the computer competency exam. Those students who successfully pass the computer competency exam will receive college credit for either ITE 115 or CSC 155, without enrolling in the course, depending on the version of the exam taken.

Any student not passing the computer competency exam will do one of the following based on the results of the test:

1. successfully complete ITE 115 or CSC 155 or

2. learn the competencies the student is lacking through self-study or any other method that will enable the student to learn the competencies and then retake the computer competency exam. Students will be allowed to retake the computer competency exam only once. Upon retaking the computer competency exam, students who do not pass the exam must complete either ITE 115 or CSC 155.

ITE 115 and CSC 155 Course Descriptions:
>> ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts (3 cr.)
>> CSC 155 Computer Concepts and Applications (3 cr.)


A computer competent student at JSRCC will be able to:

• demonstrate a working knowledge of computing concepts, components, and operations to accomplish educational and career tasks.



• use appropriate components of an integrated productivity software package involving word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and/or communication applications;



• access, retrieve, and apply networked information resources, e.g., on-line catalog, virtual libraries, the internet and world wide web; and



• use telecommunication software, e.g., electronic mail, listservs, bulletin boards, and/or newsgroups, to communicate with faculty, students, and information providers.