Special Programs
american indian/ALASKAN native (AIAN) student success program
The AIAN learning community focuses on supporting AIAN students in their lived experiences as citizens of tribal nations while helping AIAN students maintain tribal lifeways, cultural values, and practices that assist students in navigating higher educational systems.
The AIAN Student Success Center serves as a home away from home atmosphere for our AIAN students while nurtured by caring AIAN faculty, classified professionals, student ambassadors, and community allies.
AIAN students receive valuable resources and referrals specific to the unique legal and historical status of AIAN students. AIAN students receive specialized support services including but not limited to academic/career/transfer counseling, access to basic needs resources, guest lecturers, workshops, scholarship opportunities, peer-to-peer connections, and more.
SJCC Honors Program
San José City College students benefit from participating in the Honors Program by working individually with distinguished faculty to complete additional coursework to earn an Honors notation on their transcripts.
To qualify for the Honors Program:
- Continuing SJCC Students must have 1) a cumulative college GPA of 3.0 or higher and 2) completed 12 college units.
- Continuing College Students Transferring to SJCC from Another Institution must have 1) a cumulative college GPA of 3.0 or higher and 2) completed 12 college units.
- Newly High School Graduates must have one of the following recent documents: a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher or a cumulative GED score of 3400 or higher or an AP test score of 3 or above or an SAT score of 1500 or higher.
Students who apply to the SJCC Honors program maintain their eligibility for future semesters as long as their GPA remains at 3.0 or higher. Courses that can earn students (1) credit or more at SJCC are eligible for Honors designation with cooperation from the instructor.
There is no limit to the number of Honors courses students may complete. For students seeking to apply to the University of California, taking an Honors course can make them more competitive upon application.
Students and faculty members complete an Honors Planning Contract in which they establish the parameters of the project and link it to Student Learning Outcomes. After successful completion of the project, students receive an Honors notation on their transcript next to the Honors course(s). Students who have completed fifteen (15) credits with Honors will receive an Honors Sash upon graduation.
For more information, contact the Division of Humanities & Social Sciences at (408) 288-3785.
Honors Society-Phi Theta Kappa
San José City College is a chartered member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Students who participate in the SJCC Honors Program may be eligible to join the chapter. Membership in Phi Theta Kappa expands the students' knowledge in the four hallmarks of excellence: scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. In addition to the bond of membership, scholarships are available at many four-year institutions for Phi Theta Kappa transfer students. To qualify for Phi Theta Kappa, the Honor Society will send an invitation to students who have 1) a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher and 2) completed 12 college units.
For more information, contact the Division of Humanities & Social Sciences at (408) 288-3785.
lavender learning community
The Lavender Learning Community will focus on building a community among students who self-identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum and student allies who want to engage in community awareness and create a sense of belonging.
Students will enroll in classes centered on LGBTQ+ themed material, simultaneously cultivating connections with fellow students and educators on campus who share similar perspectives.
Beyond academic coursework, it will provide supplementary support systems, including access to mental health counseling, basic needs resources, tutoring, special guest lecturers, workshops, student symposiums, outings, and mentorship prospects with student-employee partnerships. For more information, visit https://sjcc.edu/basic_needs/the-jaguar-equity-hub/pride-hub.aspx
leap program
The Leveraging Education for AAPI Progress (LEAP) learning community builds community amongst students who identify as Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) by providing cultural enrichment opportunities and instruction. LEAP also grants students priority access to campus and local AAPI cultural and career development events. Aside from having a dedicated campus space for academic and social activities, LEAP students have guaranteed enrollment in program pathway courses, benefit from cost-free textbooks, and receive counseling, tutoring, transfers, and basic needs support.
LEAP is open to all students who wish to inquire and participate.
For more information, visit https://sjcc.edu/students/support-programs/leap.aspx
Learning Communities
Learning Communities are designed to promote student success through integrated and collaborative learning. In a learning community, students enroll together in two or more linked courses, which typically share an interdisciplinary theme. Faculty teaching these courses work collaboratively to align assignments, activities, and assessments, helping students make meaningful connections across subject areas.
Enrolling in a learning community offers several benefits. Students can complete requirements for multiple courses within a coordinated structure, develop a deeper understanding of course content, strengthen critical thinking skills by integrating ideas from multiple disciplines, and build supportive relationships with peers and instructors that foster a strong sense of belonging and community.
For additional information, please contact the Learning Communities office at (408) 288-3752.
METAS Center
The Centro (Metas Center) supports SJCC students through a Latinx-centered holistic approach that prioritizes belonging, validation, and student success. The Center works to support student enrollment, retention, completion, and transfer through three core areas: Pathways to College, including Summer Bridge and early college transition support; Pathways to Persistence and Success, through Latinx-affirming programming, academic and personal support, and culturally responsive student services; Community and Belonging, by creating welcoming, humanizing spaces where students co-create knowledge, build relationships, and connect to campus resources that support their educational and personal goals.
The Metas Center is located in M-104 in the Multi-Disciplinary Building. For more information, contact us at sjccmetas@sjcc.edu.
Offsite Programs
Several programs and classes are offered throughout the San José community in places such as public buildings, community resource centers, or schools. All of San José City College classes are open to admitted students who meet course prerequisites regardless of the location at which they are offered. There are some off site areas that are specific for memorandum of agreements (MOUs) as Lead Education Agency (LEAs) and other agreements that are for designated learning communities. Because the offerings are developed to respond to community requests or needs, the courses may begin or end at times other than the standard schedule on campus.
These offerings are listed in each semester's class schedule and at http://www.sjcc.edu.
Peer-Led Team Learning
Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a learning and leadership program accomplished through a collaborative effort between the METAS Center and several disciplines. The central component of PLTL is weekly workshops facilitated by peer leaders for students enrolled in a variety of academic courses, mostly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and expanding in other disciplines. During the workshops, students participate in discussions, problem solving, and other activities to assist them in enhancing their subject matter knowledge, study skills, and course success.
Visit the Metas Center (M-104) at the Multi-Disciplinary Building or contact staff at sjccmetas@sjcc.edu.
Puente Program
Puente (which means “bridge” in Spanish) is a nationally recognized, two semester academic program designed to help students adjust to college life and prepare for transfer to four-year universities. The mission of Puente is to increase the number of underrepresented students who enroll in four-year universities, earn degrees, and return to the community as successful leaders and mentors. Puente was founded in 1981 to address the low rate of academic achievement among Mexican-American/Latino community college students. Puente is co-sponsored by the University of California and the California Community Colleges and is open to all students.
Puente provides an academic and supportive environment in which students plan and work toward achieving their educational and career goals in partnership with a counselor, culturally competent instructors, and community professionals. The program integrates writing instruction, counseling, and mentoring to provide a focused and engaging learning environment for students. An important part of the program is the mentoring component. Students are matched with professionals who provide them with knowledge and guidance about education, careers, and life, as well as leadership.
The program provides students with a strong academic foundation and offers a one-year learning community that consists of Phase I: English C1000 linked with a Guidance Course and Ethnic Studies 37A Mexican American History I and Phase II: English C1001 linked with Guidance Course and Ethnic Studies 37B Mexican American History II.
Puente is open to all students who wish to inquire and participate.
For more information, visit https://sjcc.edu/students/support-programs/puente.aspx
Si se puede
Sí Se Puede is an HSI Title V Grant. The program aims to increase Latinx first-generation student enrollment, retention, completion, and transfer through three main activities. 1)pathways to college with programs like Dual Enrollment and Summer Bridge, 2)pathways to Career and Transfer by promoting participation in programs like First Year Experiences (FYE), Student Pathways to Opportunity & Transfer (SPOTs), and Honors programs, 3) organizational and professional learning through workshops, professional development supporting educational equity, and enhancing the sense of belonging for all students.
Sí Se Puede is located in M-106 or contact by email at SiSePuede@sjcc.edu.
Supplemental Instruction
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that uses peer-assisted workshops. SI workshops are regularly scheduled review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and predict test items. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together in a small group setting. The workshops are facilitated by SI leaders, students who have done well in the course and have a genuine desire to help their peers succeed. In addition to facilitating weekly sessions outside of class, SI leaders are embedded in classes.
Visit the Metas Center (M-104) at the Multi-Disciplinary Building or contact staff at sjccmetas@sjcc.edu.
Umoja Program
Named for the Kiswahili word meaning "unity," Umoja is a community of educators and learners committed to the academic success, personal growth, and self-actualization of African American and other students.
The Umoja Community Program at SJCC envelops students in a supportive atmosphere designed specifically to increase retention, graduation, and transfer rates for students of African ancestry and other underserved populations. We believe that by honoring student voices, intertwining them with the rich intellectual and cultural traditions of the African and African American diaspora, we lay the foundation for personal, academic, and career leadership.
Umoja is open to all students who wish to inquire and participate.
For more information, visit https://sjcc.edu/students/support-programs/umoja.aspx.