Degrees and Certificates

Click on any of the following links for information:

• General Degree Requirements
• Multiple Associate Degrees
• Declaration of Major
• Graduation Under a Particular Catalog
• Application for Graduation
• Commencement
• Curriculum Plans
• General Education

Amarillo College offers four associate degrees and various certificates of completion.

Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degrees

These degrees are awarded upon the completion of a curriculum which has been designed to parallel the first two years of a four-year college or university program. Thus, these degrees enable the student to transfer toward a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.

Associate of Arts in Teaching

This degree is awarded upon the completion of a curriculum which has been designed based on the guidelines established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and parallels the first two years of a Texas four-year college or university program. These degrees enable the student to transfer toward a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree designed to prepare a person for teacher certification in the respective areas of emphasis. This degree also will satisfy the requirement of the No Child Left Behind guidelines for teacher’s aides in public schools.

Associate in Applied Science

This degree is awarded upon the completion of one of the technical or health occupations curricula. These curricula are designed to prepare the student to enter a career directly upon completion of the program.

Certificate of Completion

A Certificate of Completion in designated technical and health occupations areas will be conferred on students who complete the prescribed curriculum.

Departmental Certificate

A Departmental Certificate will be awarded to students who satisfactorily complete prescribed courses within a department. These certificates contain fewer than 15 semester hours and are awarded by the department.

Completion Time

Generally, students completing 15 semester credit hours each semester will be able to complete a certificate of completion within one academic year and an associate degree in two academic years.

• Completion of admission requirements.
   
• Satisfactory completion of the curriculum as prescribed for the major and degree sought including:
  
  
  • A minimum of 60 semester hours, (courses with numbers which begin with zero can not be included in total hours)
     
  • The general education requirements as specified,
     
  • Satisfactory completion of the competencies set forth in the syllabus for each course specified for the particular degree or certificate will constitute successful completion of program competencies.
     
• A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Grades in courses not applying to the degree may be waived by petition if approved by the Vice President and Dean of Instruction and submitted to the Registrar. The waiver of grades as indicated above will not entitle a student to graduation with honors.
   
• Completion of at least 18 semester credit hours required at Amarillo College.
   
• Any student who has completed a minimum of 42 semester hours of Amarillo College course work may meet Amarillo College degree requirements by completing the required course work at another accredited college or university. Students who wish to graduate under this policy must file an application for graduation and meet all Amarillo College catalog and program requirements in effect at the time of application.
   
• Graduation With Honors - Associate degree students are eligible to graduate with honors or highest honors by completing a minimum of 45 hours at Amarillo College. Graduation with Honors requires a graduation G.P.A. of 3.6, graduation with Highest Honors requires a graduation G.P.A. of 3.8. Course work from other institutions will not be considered in calculating graduation G.P.A.
   
• Discharge of all financial obligations to the College prior to graduation.
   
• Must satisfy all requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).

Students who wish to pursue an additional associate degree should consult with their academic advisor.

A student who has received an associate degree from Amarillo College or any other institution of higher education may obtain an additional associate degree in another area. However, students should seek appropriate academic advising before initiating the pursuit of another associate degree.

• For each additional associate degree, a minimum of 18 additional semester credit hours must be completed at Amarillo College or any accredited institution. These credit hours may not repeat credit applied to a previous degree and must apply to the additional degree.

• All courses required by any specific program must be completed.

Students who wish to pursue an associate degree or certificates of completion must declare a major and should consult with their academic advisor. Under the guidelines listed below, a student may pursue a degree or certificate in a major field of study.

• Major refers to a program of study concentrating in a discipline and related disciplines. Within some majors there may be options or areas of specialization. In the following pages “majors” are presented as curriculum plans which outline the requirements for a degree or certificate in the respective “major”. For example there is a “curriculum plan” for each “major” such as Aviation Maintenance Technology. Each curriculum plan sets out the requirements for a major and the respective degree.
   
• Students are encouraged to declare a major as soon as a decision is made regarding their preferred field of study.

This declaration will aid in proper advising and encourage student success.

• A student who changes majors will be required to graduate under the requirements in effect at the time of the change.
   
• A student who has been continuously enrolled in a specific degree or certificate major may choose to graduate under the requirements for that same major in a more recent catalog by changing their catalog year. Enrollment in at least one semester or summer session during the selected catalog year must be documented.
   
• A student may not declare a major that has been deleted from our curriculum without permission of the academic dean. Prior enrollment while major was active must be documented.
   
• A double major will not be permitted in Certificates of Completion and AAS degrees. Students who complete all requirements will be awarded additional Certificates of Completion or AAS degrees.
   
• A double major will not be permitted for either an AA or AS degree if the degree has one or more options. Multiple options may be completed.
   
• Declaration of Major at Amarillo College
  
  
  • A student must be enrolled during or after the academic year that major is in effect.
     
  • A student cannot declare a major that is not active at the time of enrollment.

Catalog graduation requirements are based upon the year and term of entry to Amarillo College. These catalog requirements will remain in effect for up to five years as long as the student registers for at least one semester or term each school year (i.e. 12 month period beginning with the fall semester and ending with the second summer session). If the student does not register at the college for any one of the four terms during the school year, the student’s new graduation requirements will be those in effect for the year and term the student re-enters the college. A student that changes majors will be required to graduate under requirements in effect at the time of the change. Continuously enrolled students who have not graduated within five years must meet the graduation requirements in effect at the time of their next enrollment.

Graduation is not an automatic process. Students must formally apply for graduation during the term in which they intend to graduate. Students should begin the process by consulting with an academic advisor to ensure that all degree requirements have been met, then visit the Registrar’s Office to file the Graduation Application. Applications must be filed with the Registrar’s Office by the withdrawal deadline of the term in which the student plans to graduate. Degrees are posted to student transcripts at the end of each term.

Amarillo College reserves the right to post degrees and/or certificates for current and former students who have met graduation requirements but have not formally initiated the graduation process.

Amarillo College holds one graduation ceremony per year, at the end of the spring semester. This ceremony recognizes graduates from the fall semester of that year and also the candidates for graduation from the spring semester and upcoming summer semester. All students who complete a Graduation Application are invited to participate in the Commencement ceremony and will be sent a detailed letter containing ceremony related information.

This section of the catalog presents curricula which lead to Certificates of Completion, Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), and Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degrees.

Each student who declares an intended major will be given a degree plan and advised by the faculty advisor based on the university to which he/she intends to transfer.

The certificate and AAS curricula requirements are based on the professional judgment of the faculty and advisory committee for each program. The objective of these curricula is to prepare students for entry level positions in the specific occupation. Course substitutions may be made upon the recommendation of the faculty when it is in the best interest of the student and consistent with the integrity of the program.

The curricula which lead to an AA, AS or AAT degree have been designed to parallel the freshman and sophomore requirements at a typical Texas university in the respective major. The General Education component in each curriculum plan is designed to meet the state core curriculum requirement. Other course requirements are based on the intended major and to best prepare a student for a specific university. Students whose needs are not met by the curricula for specific areas may complete an AS degree under the General Studies curriculum.

Curricula which are based on the Coordinating Board’s Fields of Study do not require completion of the 42 credit hour core curriculum. Those curricula are:

Business - BUSI.AS
Mass Communication - COMM.AS.MCOMM
Criminal Justice - CRIJ.AS
Education - 4-8 - EDUC.AAT.4-8
Education - Secondary - EDUC.AAT.SECO
Education - Elementary Specialist - EDUC.AAT.EC-6
Education - Elementary Generalist - EDUC.AAT.GEC6
Engineering - ENGR.AS.GEN
Engineering Computer Science - ENGR.AS.COMPSC
Human Sciences (Child Development/Early Childhood) - HUSC.AS.TECA
Music - MUSI.AS

General education, as distinguished from professional or technical education, provides a broad-based educational experience. General education courses promote those skills, understandings, attitudes, and values which will equip students for effective, responsible, productive living. The General Education program is structured so that all degrees require a core of courses with each of the following areas represented: Fine Arts/Humanities, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences/Mathematics. The courses required for the AA, AS, AAT and AAS degrees constitute the core curriculum as required by the State of Texas.

General Education Competencies

Completion of a degree program at Amarillo College will demonstrate student competence in oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills and the basic use of computer as specified below:

Mathematics: Students will analyze and solve mathematical problems using computational skills.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Students will analyze problems, acquire and evaluate information, organize concepts and construct solutions.

Communication: Students will evaluate, analyze and communicate effectively through written, verbal and non-verbal expression.

Technology: Students will demonstrate competency in using relevant technology, primarily computer related.

The General Education requirements for the AA, AS and AAT degrees as displayed in the preceding chart make up the “Core Curriculum” as required by the State of Texas. Amarillo College’s 42 credit hour core will transfer to any Texas state college or university and satisfy 42 credit hours of that institution’s core curriculum requirement. Likewise, course credits totaling less than 42 credit hours will transfer and count towards the core curriculum requirements at the receiving institution in the appropriate categories.