5 What evidence exists of the internal and external demands for the program?
In accordance with State and Accreditation guidelines, all degree programs and technical certificates requiring more than 30 credits at North Idaho College must incorporate a mathematics course, specifically a computation course. This ensures that nearly all students at the college engage with the program within one of our core areas, namely Career Technical, Developmental, General Education, or Mathematics.
Career Technical: Students enrolled in Intermediate and Advanced Technical Certificate programs are typically required to fulfill State or Accreditation standards by completing one of our MCTE courses. These courses are meticulously aligned with industry needs, regularly reviewed, and adjusted to reflect the evolving programmatic requirements of the CTE programs we serve. Examples of such courses include MCTE-101 Technical Mathematics, MCTE-102 Computational Methods for Allied Health, and MCTE-105 Technical Mathematics for Machining and Mechanical Design.
Developmental Mathematics: For students identified as not yet ready for college-level math, we offer developmental course options. These include traditional pathways such as Math-015 and Math-025, along with an accelerated pathway (Math-090) designed to meet the diverse learning needs of our student population. Additionally, co-requisite courses are available for all three Math Pathways, providing extra support for students identified as requiring additional assistance in Mathematics.
General Education: Our program offers a wide array of General Education (GEM 3) courses to support Mathematics Pathways, including Quantitative Reasoning, Statistics, and STEM. These GEM courses guide students in exploring various ways of knowing through Mathematics, representing a significant service provided by the program at NIC.
Mathematics: We actively support numerous STEM degree programs by offering essential courses, such as the Calculus sequence or specialty math courses like Discrete Mathematics, typically taken in the first two years of study. Two of the top five in-demand transfer programs by enrollment on the NIC campus are Engineering and Computer Science. These two programs along with Physics require and demand an immense amount of mathematics from our STEM pathway. This contribution plays a crucial role in shaping the foundation for students pursuing STEM-related degrees.
Math Education Center (MEC): The MEC provides extensive support for Math students at NIC, offering a diverse range of services. These include co-requisite learning supports such as facilitated study groups, placement preparation workshops, learning workshops, one-on-one math consultations, and the primary support mechanism: drop-in tutoring. The MEC consistently serves approximately 150 students each week through its various services.