Policy 301: Degrees and Graduation Requirements

Associate Degrees

1. Earn a minimum of 90 quarter hours of credit in courses numbered 100 or above. A limit of three physical education activity credits may be counted as general elective credit.
2. Earn a minimum of 25 quarter hours applicable toward the degree while in attendance at Grays Harbor College.
3. Earn a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or better in all work, including transfer credits.
4. Meet the graduation requirements in effect during the year in which the student started a program leading to a degree. These requirements must be met within a seven-year period. The student also has the option to meet the requirements in effect at the time of graduation.
5. Fulfill all obligations to the college, financial or otherwise.
6. Satisfy all specific requirements for the degree sought.
7. Declare a major on the admissions application form or, in the case of a change in major, complete a change of major form at the Office of Student Records.

The following associate degrees are authorized:

Associate in Arts (AA)

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The ninety academic credits must include fifteen credits in basic skills plus fifteen credits each in science, social science and humanities and 20 credits in specified electives and 10 credits in general elective course work.

This degree is intended as the transfer degree for liberal arts majors.

Associate in Business (AB-DTA)

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The ninety academic credits must include fifteen credits in basic skills plus fifteen credits each in science, social science and humanities and 20 credits in specified electives and 10 credits in general elective course work with a focus on lower division business courses.

This degree is for students who intend to secure a bachelor’s degree in business. Completion of this degree does not guarantee admission to the major.

Associate in Arts – Bridge to Native Pathways

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 above. The ninety academic credits must include fifteen credits in basic skills plus fifteen credits each in science, social science and humanities and 20 credits in specified electives and 10 credits in general elective course work with a focus on lower division business courses. Fifteen of the required 90 credits are taken at The Evergreen State College Longhouse.

This degree is for residents of tribal communities in Western Washington and matriculates directly into the Native American Pathways BA program at TESC.

Associate in Music (Music DTA-MRP)

Requires completion of ninety-nine to one hundred and four academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The 99 to 104 academic credits must include thirty core music credits in theory and ear training, fifteen credits in basic skills, plus fifteen credits each in science and social science and five additional humanities. In addition students must complete 19-24 music major related electives.

This degree is for students who intend to secure a bachelor’s degree in music. Completion of this degree does not guarantee admission to the major.

Associate in Nursing (Nursing DTA-MRP)

Requires completion of 135 credits, including forty-five specified credits of general education, an additional 5 credits in communication, 10 credits in humanities, and seventy-five specified credits in Nursing core courses.

This degree has a dual purpose. It qualifies students to take the licensure exam for registered nursing and enables students to complete the BSN in one academic year at any accepting university in Washington State.

Associate in Pre-Nursing (APN-DTA)

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The ninety academic credits must include fifteen credits in basic skills plus fifteen specified credits in social science and fifteen credits in the humanities to include speech. An additional thirty-five credits in the natural sciences is required.

The APN is for students who want to be RNs but who want to begin their nursing careers with a baccalaureate degree.

Associate in Science-Transfer (AS-T) Tracks 1 and 2

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The ninety academic credits include specified credits in basic skills, humanities and social sciences depending on the track. The majority of credits within AS-T degrees are required natural sciences coursework.

AS-T degrees are for students intending to transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering major. The AS-T track 1 degree is designed to prepare students for upper division

study in the biological sciences, chemistry and related fields. The AS-T track 2 degree is designed to prepare students for upper-division study in engineering, physics, and related fields.

Completion of these degrees does not guarantee admission to the major.

Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T)

Requires completion of ninety credits which fulfill the specific requirements of one of the vocational curricula listed in the catalog. In addition, students must complete twenty credits of transferable general education, specifically: 5 credits in Communication – ENGL 101 – English Composition, 5 credits in math – Any generally transferable math course with Intermediate Algebra as a prerequisite, and 10 credits in Science, Social Science or Humanities.

AAS-T courses are designed for the dual purpose of immediate employment and as preparation for the junior year in a bachelor’s degree commonly described as the bachelor of applied science (BAS).

Assocaite in Applied Science or Technology

Requires completion of ninety credits which fulfill the specific requirements of one of the vocational curricula listed in the catalog.

This degree is earned by students completing a two-year program designed to give them specific job market entry skills as well as certain computational, communication and interpersonal relations skills, and appropriate levels of technology related education.

Associate in General Studies

Requires completion of ninety academic credits in courses numbered 100 or above. The ninety academic credits must include English 101(or higher), plus ten credits each from science, social science and humanities. The candidate must complete MATH 107 or higher.

The college president is authorized to certify the eligibility of students to receive the associate degrees.

The president may issue certificates of completion for specific programs of training which are of two years or less in duration.

Exceptions:

No one shall be excused from completing any course required for graduation without first receiving the approval of the vice president for instruction.

Applied Baccalaureate Degrees

28B.50.810 authorizes community or technical colleges to develop and offer programs of study leading to applied baccalaureate degrees. Grays Harbor College approves the following general requirements for all applied baccalaureate degrees:

1. Earn a minimum of 180 quarter hours of credit (90 in Baccalaureate specific coursework and 90 by completion of an approved AAS degree).
2. Earn a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 or better in all work, including transfer credits.
3. Meet the graduation requirements in effect during the year in which the student started a program leading to a degree. These requirements must be met within a seven-year period. The student also has the option to meet the requirements in effect at the time of graduation.
4. Fulfill all obligations to the college, financial or otherwise.
5. Satisfy all specific requirements for the degree sought.

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)

• BAS in Organizational Management
• BAS in Teacher Education
• BAS in Forestry Resource Management

Each BAS requires completion of one hundred and eighty academic credits in courses numbered 100 and above. Ninety credits will be earned by completion of an applicable Associate in Applied Science (AAS) or comparable professional technical degree prior to BAS program entry. The 180 academic credits must include 60 credits of general education courses in including fifteen credits in basic skills plus ten credits each in humanities, social science and natural sciences.

Any remaining general education courses to achieve the required 60 credits may be distributed in a manner that best suits the curriculum needs of the baccalaureate program.

Community College High School Diploma Options

1. Students who are 21 years or older who complete an associate degree (AA, AS, AAS, AAS-T, AT) may request state high school diploma from the college upon written request. Students under this category are not eligible for funding provided for K-12 students.
2. Students enrolled through the Running Start program who complete an associate degree (AA, AS, AAS, AAS-T, AT) may be awarded a state high school diploma from the college upon written request of the student.
3. An individual who satisfactorily meets the requirements for high school completion shall be awarded a diploma from the college, subject to rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education. The college will work in collaboration with the high school to evaluate the educational record of the student to determine and ultimately approve the program of studies leading to the high school diploma. This program is for adult students 16 or older and students 16, 17 or 18 must submit a signed a high school release form to participate.
4. A student must satisfactorily meet the requirements of the GHC High School 21 program. A student must demonstrate competency in all subjects required for a Washington State high school diploma. Prior learning credit can be granted and students must be 21 or older at the time the requirements are completed.