Earning a Degree or Certificate

Degree, Certificate, and Graduation Requirements

Pima Community College offers certificates and degrees in a variety of areas. Each certificate and degree has specified program requirements for graduation. See certificate and degree displays for specific program requirements. The certificates and degrees are displayed alphabetically beginning with Accounting.

Each program display lists the required coursework and credits. A degree may be awarded with fewer than the number of credits shown in the program display as long as the student has completed the required coursework and a minimum of 60 credit hours numbered 100 or higher. A certificate may be awarded with fewer than the number of credits shown in the program display as long as the student has completed the required coursework.

A student registering for a course must meet the prerequisites or otherwise satisfy the instructor of his or her preparation to take the course. After notification, an instructor may withdraw a student who does not have the proper prerequisites for the class as stated in the catalog. Prerequisites may be waived by the instructor.

Note to Title IV Financial Aid Recipients: Some degrees and certificates display a range of credits needed to complete the program. Once a student completes the specific course requirements and has met the minimum number of credits in the range, the student will no longer be eligible for Title IV funds for that program.

Earning a Degree or Certificate

Earning a certificate or degree requires fulfilling all requirements defined below.

Students are responsible for determining the presence or absence of any barriers to professional licensure or certification outside of College awarded completion documents. If students have concerns about any non-educational barriers to professional licensure or certification, they are advised to seek academic advising to explore that possibility before beginning their course of study.

Selective Programs (Conditional Enrollment/Limited Admissions/Competitive Admissions)

Certain programs of study may have additional admissions requirements that must be met in order for a student to be fully admitted into the particular program and/or be eligible to enroll in major courses in the program. These additional requirements may include: meeting minimum placement standards and/or completing prerequisite courses; attending a program orientation; completing an application; meeting a specified grade point average; and/or meeting non-academic requirements. See Educational Programs, Degree and Certificates to see the Selective Programs.

Preparatory Coursework may be required before being admitted into some Selective Programs. This coursework is in place to ensure that students have the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the program. These courses may add a semester or more to the time needed to complete the certificate or degree. If a program has preparatory coursework it will be found in the program display.

Program Requirements

General Education Courses

General Education courses enhance the student’s education and are required for graduation for all degrees.

Core/Major Courses

Core/major courses provide in-depth knowledge and/or skills in the student’s chosen field of study. Core/major courses are required and are listed by program in the certificates and degrees section of the catalog.

Support/Elective Courses

Support/elective courses expand the knowledge and skills beyond the core/major requirements and are usually in subject areas different than the core/major courses.

Graduation Requirements

1. Students must apply for graduation within one year of completing program requirements. Graduation applications must be submitted by the Graduation Application Deadline as published in the Academic Calendar.

• Students that have met the necessary requirements by the end of the term in which they apply to graduate will be awarded the degree or certificate that was requested.
• Students that do not meet requirements will have to reapply for graduation when additional requirements are met.
• Students applying for graduation more than three semesters after completion must meet the catalog requirements for the current term.

2. The Associate of General Studies may not be awarded at the same time or after earning another degree. 
3. Students must complete all program course requirements as published in the student’s Catalog of Record, and meet the requirements defined below:

Associate Degree Requirements

• Complete General Education requirements appropriate to the degree;
• Complete Core, Support, and Concentration requirements;
• Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework at the 100 level or higher;
• Complete at least 15 credit hours of degree requirements at PCC;
• Have a minimum overall 2.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 grade point scale and;
• The Associate of General Studies may not be awarded at the same time or after earning another Associate Degree.
• Complete all courses with appropriate grades as defined here:

1. Transfer Degrees (AA, AB, AFA, & AS)

• ‘C’ grades or higher are required for all courses in the program;
• ‘D’ or ‘F’ grades do not fulfill any program requirements
• ‘P’ grades cannot be used for any requirements except for applicable courses transferring to Pima for which a ‘P’ grade is the only option available.

2. Career & Technical Education Degrees (AAS)

• ‘C’ grades or higher are required for all courses in the program;
• ‘D’ or ‘F’ grades do not fulfill any program requirements
• ‘P’ grades cannot be used for any General Education requirements except for applicable courses transferring to Pima for which a “P” grade is the only option available. 

Certificate Requirements

• Complete program Core, Support, and Concentration requirements.
• Complete at least 6 credit hours of certificate requirements at PCC.
• Have a minimum overall 2.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 grade point scale.
• Complete all courses with appropriate grades as defined here:

1. Transfer Certificates (AGEC-A, AGEC-B, & AGEC-S)

• ‘C’ grades or higher are required for all courses in the program;
• ‘D’ or ‘F’ grades do not fulfill any program requirements
• ‘P’ grades cannot be used for any requirements except for applicable courses transferring to Pima for which a ‘P’ grade was the only option available.

2. Career & Technical Education & Post Degree Certificates

• ‘C’ grades or higher are required for all courses in the program;
• ‘D’ or ‘F’ grades do not fulfill any program requirements  

Graduation with Honors

Students who are graduating with a degree and who have completed 30 credit hours at Pima Community College may be granted honors designation if they meet certain grade point averages:

• 3.500 to 3.749 grade point average = Graduation with Honors
• 3.750 to 3.899 grade point average = Graduation with High Honors
• 3.900 to 4.000 grade point average = Graduation with Highest Honors

These designations will be shown on diplomas and listed on the student’s official transcripts.

Student’s Catalog of Record

(Catalog Under Which a Student Graduates)

Students maintaining continuous enrollment at any public Arizona community college or university may graduate according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment or according to the requirements of any catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment. Students may maintain continuous enrollment whether attending a public community college and/or public university in the state of Arizona. Students must follow a Catalog of Record that complies with Continuous Enrollment rules and is no more than six years old.

The rules for maintaining continuous enrollment are:

• A semester in which a student earns course credit will be counted toward continuous enrollment.
• Noncredit courses, audited courses, failed courses, or courses from which the student withdraws do not count toward continuous enrollment.
• Failure to enroll in three consecutive regular (fall or spring) semesters breaks continuous enrollment for a student. Enrollment in the intervening summer terms may be used to maintain continuous enrollment status.
• If continuous enrollment is not maintained, the student must meet the requirements for graduation of the catalog in effect at the time they re-enroll or any subsequent catalog of continuous enrollment. 
• Students who elect to change their program of study must follow and may only graduate according to the catalog in effect at the time of the change, or any subsequent catalog if they maintain continuous enrollment.

Time Limit for Coursework

In areas of study in which the subject matter changes rapidly, material in courses taken long before graduation may become obsolete or irrelevant. Coursework that is more than eight years old is applicable to completion of certificate and degree requirements at the discretion of the student’s major department. Departments may accept such coursework, reject it, or request that the student revalidate its substance. The eight-year limit on coursework applies except when program accreditation agencies limit the life of coursework to less than eight years. Departments may also require students to satisfy current major requirements rather than major requirements in earlier catalogs, when completing earlier requirements is no longer possible or educationally sound. There is no time limit for General Education Courses, other than mathematics courses that may not count as a prerequisite if older than three years.

General Education Information

The Value of General Education

The Pima Community College general education philosophy is based on the belief that all students of higher learning will attain a common core of knowledge that transforms them from college applicants to college-educated citizens, who adapt personally, professionally, and socially to a fluid global culture and who value lifelong learning and civic responsibility.

The general education program provides a foundation in the following, upon which further studies can be undertaken successfully:

• Communication - Effectively communicate information, ideas and/or arguments appropriate to the audience and purpose.
• Critical and Creative Thinking - Identify and investigate problems and develop creative, practical, and ethical solutions by evaluating information and using appropriate methods of reasoning. 
• Quantitative and Scientific Literacy and Analysis - Use mathematical and scientific processes, procedures, data, or evidence to solve problems. 
• Information Literacy - Locate, evaluate, and use information from diverse sources in an effective and ethical manner. 
• Diverse Cultural, Historical, and Global Perspectives - Demonstrate understanding of the values and influence of diverse cultural, historical, and global perspectives.

Preparation for General Education

To succeed in general education courses, students will need to attain college-level preparedness in the English language, reading, writing, and mathematics.

General Education Requirements by Degree

The following list shows the minimum General Education credits needed for each type of degree program offered at Pima Community College. When considering which type of program is best for you, please note that if you intend to transfer to a university to complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), or Bachelor of Science (BS), then the Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Business Administration (ABUS), Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), and the Associate of Science (AS) are the degrees designed for that purpose. The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees require different General Education courses.

A student who provides transcripts documenting an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution will have the general education requirements waived for an associate’s degree as long as the student has a minimum of 60 credits applicable toward the degree, and has met all other graduation requirements. Any degree requirements which would apply toward both the prerequisite, major or support course requirements as well as general education requirements would still need to be met. If the student is pursuing a transfer degree, the degree would be awarded and the general education requirements would be waived, but the Arizona General Education Requirement (AGEC) certification would not be awarded.

Transfer Degrees

Minimum General Education Credits Needed

Career and Technical Education Degrees*

General Education Credits Needed

General Education Requirements for Career and Technical Education Programs and the Associate of General Studies

This section covers the General Education requirements for the following degrees:

• Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS) 
• Associate of General Studies Degree (AGS)

General Education Requirements for AAS or AGS Degrees:

Courses may not be used to complete more than one category. 

Note: Some programs require specific courses for general education. See program displays.

Special Requirement

One course from the above categories must meet either Cultural Diversity or Global Awareness criteria (C or G designation) from the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) lists. The AGEC lists are found in the General Education Requirements for Transfer Programs following this section.

Please see the General Education Courses  page to view lists of courses to meet the categories below.

Communication Requirement (3 credits)

WRT 101 ^†, WRT 102 , WRT 154 , or GTW 101  

Arts and Humanities Requirement (3 credits)

Any course from the AGEC Art list  

Any course from the AGEC Humanities list 

Any course from the AGEC Other Requirements Options: (c) Second Language list

Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirement (3 credits)

Any course from the AGEC Social and Behavioral Sciences list 

Any course from the AGEC Other Requirement Options: (d)  

International and Multicultural Studies list

Mathematics or Science Requirement (3 credits)

Note: The Mathematics Competency must be met

Mathematics Category

Any course from the AGEC Mathematics List†

Any 3 credit or greater mathematics (MAT) course at the 100 level or higher

BUS 151  (if taken after Spring 2008)

GTM 105  

Science Category

Any course from the AGEC Biological/Physical Science List^†

MAC 275  

Math Competency

The math competency can be met by any one of the following:

1. Completing one of the courses from the Mathematics Category listed above with a “C” or better
2. Any of the following cut scores on a Mathematics placement test
   • 85 or higher on the Accuplacer Elementary Math
   • 41 or higher on the Accuplacer College Level Math
   • 250 or higher on the Next Generation Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics
   • 225 or higher on the Next Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions
3. In some cases, test scores from previous placement tests may be used to meet the math competency.
4. Completing MAT 092  , MAT 095  or MAT 097  with a “C” or better **

^† Suggested for students who may transfer.

** Credits earned in MAT 092  , MAT 095 , MAT 097   WILL NOT apply to general education credits, but completing one of these courses does meet the Math Competency.

Other Requirement (See Program Display to determine which course is required for your program of study) (3 credits)

Additional Communication: CMN 102 ^†, CMN 120 ^†, JRN 101 , WRT 102  or Communication courses from the above category.

Additional Arts, Humanities, Social Behavioral Sciences, Science, or Mathematics from the above categories

Computer Literacy: CIS 104  or CIS 120  

General Education Requirements for Transfer Programs

This section covers the General Education requirements for the following degrees:

• Associate of Arts Degree (AA)
• Associate of Fine Arts (AFA)
• Associate of Business Administration Degree (ABUS)
• Associate of Science Degree (AS)

Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

The AGEC is a block of 35 or more credits and 11 or more courses that, when completed, can be transferred to meet all lower-division General Education requirements for bachelor’s degrees at Arizona’s public universities (Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona). The AGEC may also meet other universities’ General Education program requirements. At least six credits of AGEC coursework must be completed at Pima Community College to earn an AGEC at Pima. See an advisor or counselor for more information.
There are three AGECs available: the AGEC-A, the AGEC-B, and the AGEC-S.

AGEC-A:

The AGEC-A applies toward PCC’s Associate of Arts and Associate of Fine Arts, and toward universities’ Bachelor of Arts or Fine Arts degree programs. Follow the Semester Pathway for your Program of study. See an advisor or counselor to establish a degree plan using a university transfer guide. See the Liberal Arts Associate of Arts Degree for Transfer in this catalog for more information on the choice of major.

AGEC-B:

The AGEC-B applies toward PCC’s Associate of Business and toward universities’ business administration degree programs. Follow the Semester Pathway for your Program of study. See an advisor or counselor to establish a degree plan using a university transfer guide. Also, an AGEC-B fulfills the requirements for an AGEC-A

AGEC-S:

The AGEC-S applies toward PCC’s Associate of Science, and toward universities’ Bachelor of Science degree programs. Follow the Semester Pathway for your Program of study. See an advisor or counselor to establish a degree plan using a university transfer guide. Also, an AGEC-S fulfills the requirements for an AGEC-A.

If the AGEC is not completed before a student transfers to another community college or university:

• The student cannot complete an AA, AFA, ABUS, or AS degree.
• The student may be required to take additional general education courses at the college or university.
• The credits will be evaluated individually by the college or university using the Course Equivalency Guide and accepted depending on the degree requirements

AGEC Categorical Requirements

The same course may not be used to complete more than one category, but it may meet both a category requirement and a Special Requirement. Per Arizona statewide policies, no course substitutions are allowed in the AGEC.

• Arizona General Education Curriculum-A (AGEC-A) Certificate  
• Arizona General Education Curriculum-B (AGEC-B) Certificate  
• Arizona General Education Curriculum-S (AGEC-S) Certificate