A.      Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Arts in Teaching, and
         Associate of Science in Engineering Degrees

Requirements include:

1.	completion of at least 60 semester hours of credit, depending on the major selected, with a minimum of a “C” average (2.0 cumulative grade point average);
2.	a minimum of 15 semester hours of credit of the 60 mentioned above must be completed at Howard Community College.  The college, to insure the quality of its programs, reserves the right to determine which courses students must take to successfully complete a specific degree program;
3.	completion of the requirements of an approved curriculum in the college catalogue; and
4.	the recommendation of the faculty.

The Associate of Arts and Associate of Arts in Teaching degrees include a 30-credit general education core and the Associate of Applied Science degree includes a 20-credit general education core.  The general education core includes courses in writing, literature, arts, humanities, mathematics, science, history, social and behavioral sciences, and interdisciplinary and emerging issues.

B.      Certificate of Proficiency

A certificate of proficiency is awarded to full-time or part-time students who have concentrated their study in a specialized subject matter area and have satisfied the following requirements:

1.	completion of the approved curriculum in the college catalogue;
2.	achievement of a minimum of a “C” average (2.0 cumulative grade point average) in the instructional program;
3.	a minimum of 25 percent of the credit hours must be completed at Howard Community College; and
4.	the recommendation of the faculty.

C.      Letter of Recognition

A letter of recognition is awarded to full-time or part-time students who have completed a designated group of courses, totaling fewer than 12 credits.

D.      Graduation Petitions

Students who anticipate completing the requirements for an Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Applied Science degree, Associate of Arts in Teaching degree, Associate of Science in Engineering degree, or a certificate are responsible for filing a graduation petition with the Office of Records, Registration & Veterans’ Affairs.  The petition to graduate form is available on the records and registration web page and in the offices of records and registration and admissions and advising.  The petition includes an audit of the student’s completion of degree requirements.  The petition must be preliminarily reviewed and signed by an academic advisor prior to submission to the Office of Records, Registration & Veterans’ Affairs for final review and graduation clearance. 

A graduation ceremony is held in May each year. Students who complete degree or certificate requirements and all other requirements listed below prior to the May ceremony, as well as those who need to complete up to two courses during the subsequent summer term, may participate in the spring ceremonies.

The deadlines for submitting graduation petitions are: 

Degree Dates	Petition Deadline*
Spring	March 15
Summer	June 15**
Fall	October 15

*Petition deadlines are subject to change. Students are encouraged to consult with the Office of Records, Registration & Veterans’ Affairs’s web page or the admissions and advising’s web page at the start of each academic year for the petition deadlines.

**Students who will graduate in the summer, but wish to participate in the May commencement ceremony must submit their petitions by April 15.

To be awarded a degree or certificate from Howard Community College, students must:

1.	achieve the minimum of a 2.0 or greater grade point average for all coursework taken at HCC;
2.	complete all the requirements of an approved curriculum in the college catalogue;
3.	be in good academic and financial standing with the college;
4.	have their graduation petitions reviewed and initially cleared by an academic advisor; and
5.	submit their graduation petition for final clearance to the Office of Records, Registration & Veterans’ Affairs.

Students who do not complete degree or certificate requirements for the semester in which they first applied for graduation may petition for graduation at a later date.

Graduation candidates may be required to take a general education assessment examination prior to the date of graduation.  The scores on the exam will be used for statistical purposes measuring student progress.  The scores will not be a part of a student’s record or utilized for graduation clearance.

E.       Graduation with Honors

Students who have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above will be graduated with honors.  Those students with a grade point average of 3.75 or above will be graduated with high honors.  Those who have a 4.0 grade point average will graduate with highest honors.

F.      Other Graduation Distinctions

Students who successfully complete all requirements of special programs such as (but not limited to) the Frederick K. Schoenbrodt Honors Program, Silas Craft Collegians, James W. Rouse Scholars Program, and Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society will have this distinction recognized upon graduation.

Policy Manual Review/Revision:  03/18/11