Certificate Programs
Certificate of Achievement and Local Certificates are designed for students interested in programs of instruction with a high degree of specialization without completing General Education. Programs vary in length and generally require less than two years of full-time study to complete. If the student prefers, they may also be completed on a part-time basis. Students are encouraged to check with their counselor for help with planning their courses. Certificates can be found in the the Degrees & Certificates section of the catalog.
Successful completion of the Certificate of Achievement is notated on official college transcripts. Local Certificates (those of less than 12 units) are not posted on the official transcript. There is no limit on the number of certificates a student can earn. Many certificates have been designed on the ladder concept where courses taken to meet the lower-unit Local Certificate requirements meet part of the higher-unit Certificate of Achievement requirements; and those Certificate of Achievement courses can be applied to the corresponding associate degree requirements. Before a certificate will be awarded, the prescribed number of courses for each certificate is required. The student must satisfactorily complete the required units with a minimum of a ‘C’ in all courses in the certificate.