The West Valley College Umoja Community is a community of educators and learners committed to the academic success, personal growth, and self-actualization of African Americans and other underrepresented students on the road to higher education. The Umoja Community is open to all students, yet it gains meaning through its connection to the African Diaspora. African and African American intellectual, cultural, and spiritual gifts inform the Umoja Community values and practices. WVC Umoja has actively contributed to the transfer of hundreds of West Valley students to the University of California and California State University systems, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other renowned public and private universities.
Umoja Community Benefits and Services
- Dedicated counseling support for educational planning, career exploration, and personal counseling
- Priority Registration and enrollment at West Valley College
- University tours with the opportunity to meet university students and representatives
- Opportunity to participate in local, regional, and national student and leadership conferences
Contact Us
Philip Severe
Counseling
Counselor and Department Chair
(408) 741-2493
[email protected]
Student Services Center
Check us out on Instagram: @westvalleyumoja
Courses
Umoja Community program courses emphasizes African American culture, experience, history, and community in the curriculum of the courses offered; as well as priority access to off campus events sponsored by the program.
Fall Semester
3 units: lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Advisory: ENGL 905
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
This course integrates personal growth, academic and career success with problem solving, and critical and creative thinking. The course focuses on life management, goal setting, career decision making, educational planning, college expectations and opportunities, instructor student relationships, cultural diversity, health maintenance, stress management, and campus resources. Learning styles and strategies including lecture note-taking, test taking, memory and concentration are also included. Pass/No Pass Option
3 units: lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Prerequisites: ENGL 905 or proof of qualifying assessment score; or LRSV 941C or proof of qualifying assessment score; or ENGL 905X or proof of qualifying assessment score; LRSV 942 or proof of qualifying assessment score; or READ 961 or proof of qualifying assessment score
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
This course introduces the techniques of collegiate English composition with emphasis on clear and effective writing and analytical reading. In English 1A, students write a series of essays including a documented research paper. Because this is a collegiate-level writing course, students must enroll with strong grammatical competence. English 1A fulfills the written communication requirement for Associate and Bachelor degrees. This course is also offered in an online format.
Spring Semester
3 units: lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Acceptable for credit: California State University
Counseling 12C is a special topic module for those who desire more in-depth career direction. This course focuses on specialized concerns relating to job search and the world of work. Pass/No Pass Option
3 units: Lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Prerequisite: ENGL 1A
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
English 001B introduces students to literary analysis with an emphasis on critical thinking, close reading, and analytical writing skills. Introduces representative works from major genres. Promotes appreciation and critical understanding of the cultural, historical, and aesthetic qualities of literature. Students read, discuss, and compose analytic essays about literary texts (such as short fiction, poetry, drama, and novels) from diverse cultures. This course covers formal and informal fallacies of language and thought, and the principles of inductive and deductive reasoning. Students conduct research, study literary criticism, and write research essays that synthesizes multiple sources. This course fulfills the critical thinking requirement for CSU transfer and is also offered in an online format.
Additional Umoja Supported Courses
3 units: lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
This course will explore cross-cultural theories and research relative to personal and cultural identity, communication styles, value orientation, leadership styles, social justice, cultural assimilation, the family, health care, education, the world of work, media in the United States, ethnocentrism and racism. The goals will be to enhance understanding, insights, and respect for diverse cultural groups. Cultures examined include: African American, Latino/Chicano, Japanese American, Chinese American, Vietnamese American, Native American, and Middle Eastern. This course satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement for an Associate degree. Pass/No Pass Option
3 units: lecture 3 units; lab 0 units
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
This course surveys the political, economic, and social developments of African-Americans from the 1619 to the present. Topics include Africans before European contact and slavery in the US, abolitionism, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the rise and resistance to Jim Crow, WWI, WWII, the Civil Rights movement, and the present state of African-Americans. Pass/No Pass Option
4 units: lecture 4 units; lab 0 units
Prerequisite: MATH 105 or MATH 106 or MATH 106R
Acceptable for credit: University of California, California State University
This course covers the use of probability techniques, hypothesis testing, and predictive techniques to facilitate decision-making. Topics include descriptive statistics; probability and sampling distributions; statistical inference; correlation and linear regression; analysis of variance, chi-square and t-tests; and application of technology for statistical analysis including the interpretation of the relevance of the statistical findings. Applications discussed use data from disciplines including business, social sciences, psychology, life science, health science, and education.
Resources
The Umoja Community features information on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Scholarship binder, Study Space for Program Students, Embedded Writing Tutor for English classes and more.
The Umoja Community features information on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Scholarship binder, Study Space for Program Students, Embedded Writing Tutor for English classes and more.
Receive special assistance with Scholarship applications. Find out about grants and scholarships at Financial Aid.
We take our students to visit campuses such as:
- UC Santa Cruz
- UC Berkeley
- UC Davis
- CSU East Bay
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- San Francisco State University
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the US
We’ll match you with a mentor from one of the top corporations in the Bay Area as well as West Valley College staff and faculty.
The Transfer Center works hard to place African American students at UC, CSU, and private universities throughout the country.
The Black Student Union is a student organization that encourages fellowship and academic achievement, social activities and entertainment.