Degree Requirements

The College offers Associate in Arts and Associate in Science Degrees.  All Associate degree programs require a minimum of 60 credits.

Associate Degrees

1. To earn an Associate Degree from the College, a student must:
   • successfully complete at least sixty (60) credits in college-level coursework (excluding remedial or developmental coursework/credits – i.e., those identified as being “for institutional credit only”)
   • earn at least fifteen (15) credits in coursework offered by and under the direct control of the college awarding the degree with at least eight (8) of those credits earned in advanced-level courses in the student’s major field
   • achieve a Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken at the college awarding the degree (including remedial or developmental coursework/credits)
   • meet all course distribution requirements for the specific type of Associate Degree as described below
2. Associate in Science

In addition to meeting the requirements set forth in Section 1, above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science Degree:

• earn at least 30 credits in program-specific courses in a defined major field
• earn at least 20 credits in general education courses, including one course of three (3) credits or more in:
  • English Composition (required)
  • Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language (required)
  • Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics (required)
  • Science (required)
  • Social Sciences (required)
  • The remaining general education credits to reach the required total of 20 general education credits may be taken in English, Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language, Quantitative Reasoning, Science, or Social Sciences.
• The remaining 10 credits to reach the required minimum total of 60 credits may be assigned in any subject area, as deemed by the faculty to be appropriate to the curriculum.

3. Associate in Arts

Students may earn an Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts or in a specified major field.   In addition to meeting the requirements set forth in Section 1 above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Arts degree.  Each category below must include at least one course worth at least three (3) credits:

Additional Associate Degrees   

Students may earn additional Associate degrees or certificates within programs through concurrent completion of requirements for two or more degrees, or by continuing study after the first degree has been completed.  The requirements for earning additional degrees are as follows:

1. Complete all requirements of each program of study, including general education requirements; and 
2. Earn a minimum of fifteen (15) additional credits at the College, beyond credits required for the first and subsequent degrees, excluding Credit by Examination, Credit for Experiential Learning, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Transfer Credit.  

Students must be matriculated into both degree programs or degree/certificate programs.

Mathematics and English Requirements for Graduation

To earn an Associate degree, students are required to successfully complete one or more college-level Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics classes and one or more college-level English courses, as specified by the particular program and curriculum to which the student was accepted.  Students lacking basic skills, including arithmetic, algebra, writing, and reading skills, may achieve the competencies through developmental courses offered at the College or Adult Basic Education Centers.  See Academic Placement Policy, section VIII of this catalog for placement testing information.

Elective Course Information

In addition to the required courses in a student’s program, there may be elective options.  Each program/discipline offers a different set of electives, so please refer to each individual program for specific options.  Please see the General Degree Information section of this catalog for Elective Course Information.