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STEM Academic Resources

 

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Join the NC-STEM Pathways Canvas page to receive important announcements and information on upcoming STEM events, internship, research, and scholarship opportunities. You can self-enroll at https://rccd.instructure.com/enroll/TWNAEL 

 

 

 

Free Library Textbooks

Did you know that there are several STEM course textbooks available on loan through the Norco College Library? Save $$$ by borrowing your textbook for free from the Library for the entire semester. You can view the full listing of available textbooks here.

Currently the library has textbooks available for the following STEM courses:

  • ARE/DFT-24:  Residential Design Using Autodesk Revit 2002; Architecture:  Residential Drafting & Design; Parametric Modeling with Autodesk Fusion 360
  • BIO-50A & 50B:  Human Anatomy & Physiology (Marieb & Hoehn 11 edition)
  • CHE-1A & 1B:  Chemistry:  A Molecular Approach (Tro 5 edition)
  • CHE-12A & 12B:  Organic Chemistry (Wade & Simek 9 edition)
  • ELE-73:  Electrical Motor Controls for Integrated Systems (5 edition)
  • ENE/DFT-21:  Exploring Drafting
  • ENE/DFT-30:  AutoCAD 2022 Tutorial First Level 2D Fundamentals (Shih)
  • ENE/DFT-42:  SOLIDWORKS 2021 Basic Tools (Tran)
  • ENE-52:  Exploring Drafting (Walker, Mathis, Scribner 12 edition)
  • MAN-73:  Electrical Motor Controls for Integrated Systems
  • MAT-1A, 1B & 1C:  Calculus Early Transcendentals (Stewart 8 edition)
  • PHY-4A/4B/4C:  University Physics with Modern Physics (Young 14 edition)

Free Access to Electronic Textbooks

Free Online STEM Resources

Anatomy & Biology

Astronomy

Chemistry

Environmental Science

 Engineering

  • Khan Academy - free electrical engineering video lessons, exercises, and quizzes
  • MIT Open Courses - free access to MIT engineering courses and materials

 Math

  • Desmos - online graphing tool
  • Khan Academy - free video lessons, exercises, and quizzes for statistics, algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra
  • Math-o-mir - software tool designed to write and edit math equations as easily as possible by acting as your personal math notepad where you can write down your quick and informal calculations.
  • MIT Open Courses - free access to MIT math courses and materials
  • PhET Interactive Simulations - for math
  • Statistics and Graphing - free statistics and graphing resources

 Organic Chemistry

  • Khan Academy - free organic chemistry video lessons, exercises, and quizzes
  • Marvin - a chemically intelligent desktop toolkit built to help you draw, edit, publish, render, import and export your chemical structures and as well as allowing you to convert between various chemical and graphical file formats. It requires a free account, but it’s not a scam.

Physics

Sketching Software

  • Sketchbook - free high quality digital drawing software
  • Whiteboard - digital whiteboard designed for stylus use

Engineering

 

Nursing

CA Statewide Nursing Programs

Riverside City College (RCC) Nursing Programs

 

RCC Traditional ADN Program (Non-Advanced Placement)

  • Who it's for: Students without prior nursing education or licensure (i.e., new to nursing).
  • Entry point: Begins in Semester 1 of the ADN program.
  • Coursework: Requires completion of all four semesters of the nursing curriculum.
  • Admission: Based on a multi-criteria point system including GPA, TEAS score, prerequisites, and life experiences .
  • Testing: Requires the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) with a minimum score of 62%.
  • Outcome: Leads to eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN upon completion of the full ADN program.

RCC Advanced Placement Program

  • Who it's for:
  • Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs)
  • Military-trained healthcare personnel
  • Nursing students transferring from other RN programs
  • Entry point: Students may enter the ADN program at Semester 3, effectively skipping the first year of RN coursework.
  • Pathways include:
  1. LVN to RN (Full ADN Track): Complete prerequisites and then enter into Semester 3.
  2. LVN 30-Unit Option: A non-degree path allowing LVNs to qualify for NCLEX-RN with approximately 30 units of nursing coursework—does not lead to an ADN degree and may restrict RN licensing in other states.
  3. Military/Transfer Applicants: Assessed for placement based on coursework and clinical experience equivalency.
  • Testing: Requires HESI Advanced Placement exam for placement and ranking.
  • Additional Requirements:
  • Documentation of licensure, coursework, syllabi, and transcripts.
  • Possible completion of nursing transition courses (e.g., RN-18 and RN-19).
  • Outcome: Faster path to NCLEX-RN and ADN degree (except 30-unit option, which grants eligibility for NCLEX-RN but not the ADN).

Summary of Key Differences

Feature

Traditional ADN

Advanced Placement

Entry Point

Semester 1

Semester 3 (mostly)

Target Audience

New nursing students

LVNs, Military Medics, Transfer Students

Degree Earned

ADN

ADN or eligibility only (30-unit option)

Admission Test

TEAS (≥ 62%)

HESI Advanced Placement

Required Background

None

LVN license or prior nursing training

Special Options

N/A

LVN 30-unit non-degree path

 

Learn more by attending a virtual RCC -pre-nursing ifo session and send follow-up questions to Steven Purdy.

Alternative Nursing Pathways

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A-BSN)

For: students with a Bachelor's degree in any field who have completed the necessary prerequisites, students who want to explore the field of nursing as a RN.

Length: full-time, typically 12 to 24 months

An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (A-BSN). prepares students to take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurse (RN) licensure while obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. These programs are full-time and intensive programs. Students will build on prior undergraduate coursework while also gaining valuable experience through lectures, labs, and clinical training.

California A-BSN Programs

The following programs are located in California. The approximate length of the program is noted after institution's name.

Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

For: students with a Bachelor's degree in any field who have completed the necessary prerequisites, students interested in advanced practice and who know which nursing specialty they want to practice in.

Length: Full or part-time, 2-3 years

Entry-level Master of Science in Nursing degrees are designed for students who already possess a bachelor's degree or higher in a discipline other than nursing. Alternate names for Entry-level Masters include Direct-Entry MSN, Accelerated MSN, and Masters Entry to Nursing Practice (MENP). Students complete their baccalaureate-level content and initial RN licensure within the first year of the program before moving onto a specialized track for their Masters-level content. These fast-paced programs provide a challenging environment for students that have already proven their ability to succeed in post-secondary studies.

California Nursing Schools (Entry Level Master's)