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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND CREDENTIALS AWARDED: CAREER PROGRAMS NOT DESIGNED FOR TRANSFER
I.
It is the intent of
II.
Credentials awarded by
A.
Continuing Education Unit (CEU) - A C.E.U. denotes ten (10) contact hours of
participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible
sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. C.E.U.s
must adhere to The Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines as
published by the Council on the Continuing Education Unit and to relevant SACS
criteria as outlined in the Commission on Colleges' document, "Guidelines
for Awarding the CEU."
B.
Technical Certificate of Credit - Denotes completion of a body of study (normally
ranging from 1-32 semester credit hours responding to training needs of
business and industry) by a special student not regularly admitted and not
seeking an academic certificate or degree.
The credential depicts proficiency in an area of employment skills, and
it is offered as part of the College's service role to business and
industry. In that light, the program's
standards are determined primarily by the training needs of businesses. While no general college assessment is
required for placement after admission, the College may stipulate assessment
procedures appropriate to accurate student placement in the technical
area. If the student later seeks regular
admission, he or she will be assessed and placed by the placement test.
A student
seeking degree admission may apply credit earned in a technical certificate to
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) degree requirements under these
limitations: (1) the College permits the content articulation of the specialty
area of the technical certificate to an appropriate A.A.S. program and (2) the
student must complete the final 24 semester hours of the A.A.S. degree
(exclusive of developmental requirements) after declaring degree admission.
Likewise, a student
admitted as degree seeking who is pursuing an academic certificate of credit or
an associate degree may concurrently pursue a technical certificate of credit,
but this provision does not alter any requirements for regular admission.
C.
Academic Certificate of Credit - Denotes completion of a coherent body of
college-level study (normally representing no more than one full year that is
articulated with the requirements for an associate degree) by a regularly
admitted student. The credential
requires a minimum of 24 semester hours, including a minimum of 50 percent of
course credits in the technical specialty component and of 25 percent in the
general education component. Students
admitted to academic certificate programs will have required assessment and
placement testing identical to that required for all regularly admitted
students.
D.
Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) - Associate degrees
designed primarily for immediate employment are limited to the A.A.S. and
conform to those principles indicated in the American Association of Community
Colleges (AACC) policy statement on that degree. The following principles apply:
1.
The A.A.S. should be identified with a specialty designation
2.
A.A.S. degree programs must be responsive to the employment needs of
business, industry, public agencies, the military, and entrepreneurship
3.
All components of the A.A.S. degree requirements should directly relate
to intended student attainment: knowledge, skills, or attitudes
4.
A.A.S. degree requirements should be comprised of a minimum of 60
semester credit hours (excluding developmental hours)
5.
The technical specialty component of the A.A.S. degree should consist
of a minimum of 36 semester credit hours
6.
The general education component of A.A.S. degree programs should
constitute a minimum of 25 percent of course credit with the combination of
general education and those courses serving the dual purpose of enhancing
general human development and serving as the basic foundation for occupational
studies constituting up to 50 percent of course credit.
The general
education* component must be consistent with SACS accreditation criteria, and it
must consist of a minimum of one course in each of these areas:
English
Composition I 3
hrs
Mathematics/Natural Sciences 3-5
hrs
Humanities
and/or Fine Arts 3 hrs
Social/Behavioral
Sciences 3-4 hrs
General
Education Elective 3-5
hrs
*Courses
designated to fulfill general education at
7.
Although admission to the College for all adults is a characteristic of
8.
A curriculum structure with multiple exit/re-entry points may be
considered.
9.
A.A.S. degree curriculum should be articulated with receptive and
appropriate four-year institutions through transfer agreements.
Source: TBR Policy 2:01:00:03
Approved: Executive Council, March 4, 1991
Executive Council, June 20, 1994
Reviewed/Recommended: President's Council, September
18, 1995
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, September 18,
1995
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, November 12,
1997
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, October 10,
2001
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, January 24,
2005
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, December 12, 2005