03:01:00

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND CREDENTIALS AWARDED:
CAREER PROGRAMS NOT DESIGNED FOR TRANSFER

I. It is the intent of Pellissippi State Technical Community College that career programs designed primarily for immediate employment will fully comply with the applicable Criteria for Accreditation of The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Accordingly, Pellissippi State will adhere to the following degree requirements for career programs not designed for transfer.  The meeting of minimum degree requirements does not remove Pellissippi State's obligation to meet any appropriate specific program accreditation requirement.  Any course for which a student receives degree credit will presume and not replicate the Basic Academic Competencies defined by the Educational Equality Project of the College Board (the Green Book) as what a student needs to know and be able to do upon college entry.  A student will demonstrate academic readiness for college-level courses by meeting or surpassing established scores on specified assessment instrument(s).

II. Credentials awarded by Pellissippi State Technical Community College for career programs designed primarily for immediate employment are restricted to the following:

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 Pellissippi State Technical Community College are published in the General Education section of the Catalog & Handbook.

7. Although admission to the College for all adults is a characteristic of Pellissippi State, minimum admissions requirements for career degree programs may be established.

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