Academic Requirements

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Associate Degree

The minimum number of credits for all associate degrees is sixty credits with a maximum of seventy-two credits. Requests for requirements beyond seventy-two credits should be fully justified relative to program outcomes. Remedial and developmental work should be in addition to the collegiate level requirements of the degree program but should, whenever possible, be pursued concurrently with technical training to enhance intent and relevance.

Every associate degree program has a major consisting of a minimum of thirty credits in program-specific courses. Associate degrees may have concentrations, which are curricula generally consisting of a minimum of twenty credits of related/sequential course work. Students may choose among two or more of such course groupings for a specialized focus.

All associate degrees must have a general education core. The general education core consists of courses that are drawn from the sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities and other courses that give students breadth and prepare them for life experiences. These general education requirements fulfill essential competencies beyond those associated with specialized study or specific occupational or professional objectives.

Courses fall into the following areas:

  1. Composition, Literature, and Communication
  2. Science
  3. Mathematics
  4. Social Science
  5. Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language
  6. Liberal Arts electives (from categories 1–5 above)

The following list offers a sample of the disciplines within the humanities, fine arts, and social sciences:
Humanities: History, Language, Religion, Literature, Philosophy
Fine Arts: Visual Arts (drawing, painting, sculpture), Performing Arts (dance, theater, film), Auditory Arts (Music)
Social Science: Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History, Anthropology, Geography, Economics

Associate in Science Degree (A.S.)
Associate in Science degree programs require a minimum of thirty credits of program-specific coursework and a minimum of twenty credits of general education courses. Such programs prepare students either for direct entry into employment or for transfer into an associated baccalaureate program.

To earn an associate degree from any CCSNH college, a student must:

  • Successfully complete at least sixty credits in college-level coursework, excluding remedial or developmental coursework or credits (i.e., those identified as being “for institutional credit only”).
  • Earn at least fifteen credits in coursework offered by and under the direct control of the college awarding the degree with at least eight of those credits earned in advanced-level courses in the student’s major field.
  • Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken at the college awarding the degree (including remedial or developmental coursework or credits).

A student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Science Degree:

  • Earn at least thirty credits in program-specific courses in a defined major field.
  • Earn at least twenty credits in general education courses, including one course of three credits or more in:
    • English Composition (required).
    • Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language (required).
    • Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics (required).
    • Science (required).
    • Social Science (required).
    • English Elective.

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)
The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) programs emphasize specific outcomes designed to meet competencies required for direct entry into employment. These degree programs also provide a basis for transferring at a minimum the general education requirement of the curriculum. Although A.A.S. degrees are designed for direct entry into the workforce, they are not considered terminal. In addition to the need for lifelong learning resulting from changing technologies, students may make career changes during their lifetimes. Moreover, A.A.S. degrees may not have an occupational-specific curriculum for upper-level positions within a career track. It should be noted that some bachelor’s degree institutions have developed upper-division programs for A.A.S. graduates who seek transfer options for further education in their field.

To earn an associate degree from any CCSNH college, a student must:

  • Successfully complete at least sixty credits in college-level coursework, excluding remedial or developmental coursework or credits (i.e., those identified as being “for institutional credit only”).
  • Earn at least fifteen credits in coursework offered by and under the direct control of the college awarding the degree with at least eight of those credits earned in advanced-level courses in the student’s major.
  • Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken at the college awarding the degree (including remedial or developmental coursework or credits).

In addition, the A.A.S degree requires students to meet the following course distribution requirements:

  • Earn at least thirty credits in program-specific courses in a defined major.
  • Earn at least fifteen credits in general education courses, including one course of three credits or more in:
    • English (required).
    • Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language (required).
    • Mathematics (required).
    • Science (required).
    • Social Sciences (required).
  • The remaining fifteen credits to reach the required minimum total of sixty credits may be assigned in any subject area, as deemed by the faculty to be appropriate to the curriculum.

Associate in Arts Degree (A.A.)
Associate in Arts degree programs offer easy pathways for transfer to four-year baccalaureate institutions, provide the core skills necessary for career mobility, and reveal the breadth of human knowledge and understanding critical to useful members within a community. An A.A. degree offers the equivalent of the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree. For the best results, students select courses based on the requirements of the four-year college or university to which they plan to transfer.

The A.A degree requires a minimum of sixty credits from the following distribution:

  1. English Composition (4 credits)
  2. English Literature, Composition (requiring English Composition as a prerequisite), or Communications (3 credits)
  3. Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics (6-8 credits)
  4. Natural or Physical Science (including at least one laboratory science) (7-8 credits)
  5. Social Sciences (9 credits)
  6. Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language (9 credits)

Plus, EITHER

  • Electives in a Specialized Major Field (20-24 credits)

OR (for A.A. in Liberal Arts)

  • Liberal Arts Electives (12-15 credits)
  • Open Electives (9 credits)
Certificates

Credit
Regardless of duration or composition, certificate programs emphasize specific skills and outcomes for employment or career advancement. There are no specific general education requirements, except those that fulfill stated competency requirements. The three levels of certificates are the following:

  1. Certificate programs up to twelve semester hours.
  2. Certificate programs of more than twelve semester hours.
  3. Certificate programs requiring licensure and accreditation.

A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher by the last semester of study is required for one to receive credit for the certificate or become eligible for an associate degree.

Non-Credit and Micro-credentials
A certificate may be awarded for a variety of educational experiences, including short-term, seminar, and/or community-service programs. The awarding of certificates for non-credit courses, workshops, and the like is the responsibility of WMCC.