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About Degrees & Certificates

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Associate in Arts (AA) Degree

A general and pre-professional education degree, consisting of at least 60 baccalaureate-level semester credits, which provides students with skills and competencies essential for successful completion of a baccalaureate degree. The issuance of an AA degree requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of an AA degree requires that the student must earn cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses used to meet the degree requirements. AA degrees may be offered in areas of study (e.g., Liberal Arts, Hawaiian Studies).

Associate in Science (AS) Degree

A degree designed to prepare students for employment in career and technical fields, and/or transfer to a baccalaureate granting institution in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics or other articulated baccalaureate-level programs of study. The AS degree consists of at least 60 semester credits, which provides students with either skills and competencies for gainful employment, or with courses in the arts and sciences or career and technical education that will prepare students for entry into an articulated baccalaureate program of study. All courses applicable for the AS degree will be at the baccalaureate level. The issuance of an AS degree requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of an AS degree requires that the student must earn cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses used to meet degree requirements.

Associate in Applied Sciences (AAS) Degree

A career and technical education degree, consisting of at least 60 semester credits, which provides students with skills and competencies for gainful employment in a Career and/or Technical Education (CTE) area. The AAS degree is not intended or designed for transfer directly to a baccalaureate program. AAS programs may, however, include some baccalaureate-level course offerings. Components of General Education included within the AAS must be consistent with levels of quality and rigor appropriate to higher education. The issuance of an AAS degree requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of an AAS degree requires that the student must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses used to meet degree requirements.

Certificate of Achievement (CA)

A college credential for students who have successfully completed designated medium-term career and technical education credit course sequences which provide them with entry level skills or job upgrading. These course sequences shall be at least 24 credit hours, but may not exceed 51 credit hours (unless external employment requirements exceed this number). Appropriate to the CTE program, this certificate may include General Education courses that meet industry requirements. The issuance of this certificate requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met, and requires that the student must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses required in the certificate.

Certificate of Competence (CO)

A college credential for students who have successfully completed a sequence of career-technical education courses within a Board of Regents-approved CTE program that has been identified as fulfilling an employable set of skills recognized by Business and Industry. The issuance of a this certificate requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of this certificate requires that the student's work meets or exceeds competencies necessary for employment. Credit course sequences shall be at least four and less than 24 credit hours and may include General Education courses appropriate to industry requirements. In a credit course sequence the student must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses required in the certificate.

Certificate in Applied Forensic Anthropology (CAFA)

The CAFA is a joint program offered by Leeward Community College and University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu. The Certificate is awarded by University of Hawai‘i West-O‘ahu (UHWO) upon the completion of all requirements. The CAFA program is designed to provide a strong background in forensic anthropology, which uses standard scientific techniques to identify human remains and assist in the detection of crime. This certificate, in combination with appropriate Associate and Bachelor’s degrees, will help make students competitive for a variety of job opportunities, including crime scene analyst, forensic anthropologist, forensic scientist, and crime lab technician.

Advanced Professional Certificate (APC)

A college credential for students who have successfully completed the associate-level degree, or designated medium-term credit/non-credit career-technical education courses, or the equivalent which has provided the student with skills and competencies for gainful employment beyond entry-level positions. The certificate is designed for transfer directly into a baccalaureate program or for industry professionals seeking industry/occupation-specific skills. Credit course sequences shall be at the upper-division course level and contain at least 18 and no more than 30 credit hours. The issuance of an APC requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of an APC requires that the student must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses required in the APC.

Academic Subject Certificate (ASC)

A supplemental college credential for students enrolled in an AA program or unclassified students already holding an Associate, Bachelor, or Graduate level credential and who have successfully completed a focused, specific sequence of credit courses from the AA curriculum. The sequence must fit within the structure of the AA degree, may not extend the credits required for the AA degree, and shall be at least 12 credit hours. The issuance of an ASC requires that the student's work has been evaluated and stated outcomes have been met. The issuance of the ASC requires that the student must earn a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses required in the certificate. Students enrolled solely for the purpose of obtaining an ASC will be identified as unclassified for admission and enrollment purposes.

Notes

  • Application for Degree/Certificate: To be awarded a degree/certificate from the College it is recommended that students schedule a "Grad Check" appointment with a counselor and submit an "Application for Degree/Certificate" by the appropriate deadline.

  • Students that wish to purchase a diploma and diploma cover can indicate this when completing the "Application for Degree/Certificate". A non-refundable $15 fee is required for each diploma cover.

  • IMPORTANT: All degrees and certificates require a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better for all courses used to meet the degree or certificate requirements. Transfer coursework is not calculated into the GPA.

  • To graduate with a degree from Leeward Community College (CC), a student must have earned a minimum of 12 credits of program courses in the degree/major at Leeward CC.

  • To graduate with a certificate from Leeward CC, a student must have earned a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of program courses in the certificate/major from Leeward CC.

  • Courses Completed at other Accredited College & Universities: Courses completed at other accredited colleges and universities with a grade of “D” or better may be transferable toward a Leeward CC degree. Some programs may require a grade of “C” or better. Upper division courses (numbered 300 or higher under the University of Hawai‘i (UH) System’s course numbering system) may be applied to no more than 20% of the Leeward CC’s degree or certificate.