According to State Education Department guidelines and possible limitations on financial aid eligibility, students are encouraged to work toward advanced educational achievement, such as bachelor’s degrees, rather than additional associate degrees at C-GCC. In general, students should not re-admit for a second degree at the same degree level. Students are welcome to continue taking courses at C-GCC with non- matriculated status and no financial aid eligibility. There are some conditions which may allow for a waiver of this policy:
- Students who seek education or training in a completely different area.
- Students who have completed a certificate in an area and wish to pursue a degree in the same or different area.
- Students who have completed an occupational degree (AAS or AOS) in an area and wish to pursue a transfer degree (AA or AS) in the same or different area.
- Students who have completed the AA or AS portion of a dual degree and wish to continue in courses prescribed by the BA or BS portion of the degree may do so provided the student obtains a letter on college letterhead from the bachelor’s level school confirming that the student is working with both colleges to satisfy dual degree requirements.
Any exception to the above criteria should adhere to the following guidelines:
A minimum of 24 additional semester hours must be completed for any additional degrees to be awarded, that is, a total of at least 85 credits must be achieved for a second degree. The following chart represents the total required semester hours that must be completed for a certificate to be awarded, unless concurrently receiving two degrees.
30 credit hours certificate: 15 credits required
24 credit hours certificate: 12 credits required
15 credit hours certificate: 9 credits required
Certificates earned by stacking micro-credentials shall be exempt from the residency requirements as listed in the Multiple Degree Policy. Students completing a certificate in this manner shall not be required to take any courses in addition to those required for the stackable micro-credentials.