Associate Degrees

• The Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree recognizes mastery in the arts and sciences.
• The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is designed primarily to lead to immediate employment.
• The Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree is designed for transfer to a four-year institution to obtain a baccalaureate degree and teacher certification.
• The Associate of Science in Engineering (A.S.E.) degree is designed for transfer to a four-year institution to obtain a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

At Howard Community College (HCC), the associate of arts, associate of applied science, associate of arts in teaching, and associate of science in engineering degree requirements include:

• completion of at least 60 credit hours, depending on the major selected, with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0;
• completion of a minimum of 15 of the 60 required credit hours at HCC. In order to ensure the quality of its programs, the college reserves the right to determine the courses students must take to successfully complete a specific degree program;
• completion of the requirements of an approved curriculum in the college catalog;
• the recommendation of the faculty; and
• approval by the board of trustees.

The associate of arts, associate of arts in teaching, and associate of science in engineering degrees require the completion of a minimum of 31 credits of general education core courses and the associate of applied science degree includes a minimum of 18 credits of general education core courses.  

Completion of an A.A.T. degree requires a cumulative quality point average of at least 2.75 in the specified program of study, and a passing score on an approved basic skills test (see Social Sciences and Teacher Education division).

Completion of an A.S.E. degree requires a grade of “C” or better in certain courses. See program requirements for details (see Science, Engineering, and Technology division).