Granting Degrees and Certificates

A complete listing of Portland Community College’s (PCC) degree and certificate programs and transfer disciplines can be found in the Programs and Disciplines [http://catalog.pcc.edu/programsanddisciplines/] section of the catalog.

For degree purposes, a governing catalog is a set of academic programs and their requirements.  PCC publishes a new catalog each academic year, which begins in the Fall and runs through the end of Summer term the following year.  An edition of the catalog is valid for six academic years.  For example, a catalog that takes effect fall term 2012 is only valid through summer term 2018.  Students should review the catalog and consult with an advisor regularly about their course of study.  

To earn an associate's degree or a certificate, students may select the requirements of the catalog in effect during the year they first earned credit(s) at PCC or unless they choose to meet the requirements of a later catalog. This is what is known as “catalog rights”.  However, at the time of graduation all students must use a catalog that is no more than six years old.  

Some career technical education (CTE) programs may impose shorter time limits on accepting credits for degree or certificate requirements. CTE programs that are accredited or licensed must ensure that students are meeting requirements imposed by their accrediting agency or licensing authority.  Occasionally, the college may change courses and course numbers within a program.  Depending upon the college certificate or degree, students may be asked to complete updated requirements or petition to the Department Chair (for CTE programs) or Registrar for an exception. 

Students at Portland Community College will receive degrees and/or certificates based upon an institutional awarding standard. The College will grant degrees and/or certificates upon completion of requirements for the student’s recorded program of study. Opting out of an institutional award requires completing the appropriate request through the Student Records office. Multiple credentials may be institutionally awarded within a student’s program of study. For details regarding this standard, see the Graduation web page [http://www.pcc.edu/resources/graduation/].

For Certificate Requirements

See Handbook section C100

For Associate's Degree Requirements

See Handbook Sections, A102, A103, A104, A105, A106, and A113