DE Course Approval Process

DE Course Approval & Addendum

Before a course can be offered through distance education, it must have a current Course Outline of Record (COR) and an approved Distance Education (DE) Addendum.

The DE Addendum documents how the course will meet distance education requirements, including Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) and accessibility.

Have a DE Course Approval Question?

Ask about DE addenda, course approval, RSI, accessibility, or GCC distance education requirements.

Ask the DE Helper Bot (opens in a new tab)

DE Addendum Resources

Use the links below to submit a DE Addendum or check whether your course already has an approved addendum.

Submit a DE Addendum

Complete the GCC DE Addendum form for a new or revised distance education course.

Submit a DE Addendum (opens in a new tab)

Approved DE Addenda

Check the current list of approved DE Addenda before submitting a new addendum for your course.

View Approved DE Addenda (opens in a new tab)

Keep Your DE Addendum Current

For non-CE academic courses, GCC requires the Course Outline of Record to be revised every six years. Review and revise the DE Addendum at the same time. Career Education courses follow a two-year curriculum review cycle.

What Happens After You Submit?

DE Addenda are reviewed as part of GCC's curriculum and distance education approval process.

Complete the Addendum

Faculty complete the DE Addendum for the course and submit it for review.

DE Review

The DE Coordinator reviews the addendum for completeness and alignment with distance education requirements.

Committee Review

The addendum moves to the CoDE distance education and curriculum review process. After it is approved at CoDE, it goes to C&I.

Approval

Once approved, the DE Addendum becomes part of the course's approved curriculum record.

Why Is a DE Addendum Required?

California regulations require separate review and approval when any portion of a course will be offered through distance education.

The Course Outline of Record or DE Addendum must address how course outcomes will be achieved in the distance education modality and how the course will meet requirements for RSI.

Course design and instructional materials must also be accessible to students with disabilities. At GCC, the DE Addendum must be separately reviewed and approved through the district's curriculum approval process.

View California Title 5 Distance Education Requirements (opens in a new tab)