Degree and Certificate Requirements

MHCC Credentials (degrees and certificates) may be awarded upon completion of both institutional and credential-specific requirements. 

Always check your official degree audit to see how courses are counting toward your chosen degree's requirements. 

Associate degrees

Associate degrees range from 90-108 credits and are typically two-years in length designed for students who either intend to transfer to a four-year institution in a field of study or complete a career technical program that leads directly into employment in a specific career.

Associate degrees offered at MHCC:

  • Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT)
  • Associate of Arts Transfer (AAT)
  • Associate of General Studies (AGS)
  • Associate of Science (AS)
  • Associate of Science Transfer (AST)
  • Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

To be awarded an associate degree, a student must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 90 credit hours according to a planned curriculum.
  2. Complete all required courses in a career-technical, general studies or transfer degree, including the general education requirements as listed in the catalog. 
  3. Achieve and maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in:
    • The cumulative MHCC grade point average.
    • All courses being applied toward the degree.
    • All courses in the respective major (e.g., course prefixes such as DH, FSE, NRS, etc.).
  4. Satisfactorily earn 12 credit hours at MHCC. Non-traditional credit (College Level Examination Program, Credit for Prior Learning, Course Challenge, etc.) does not satisfy this requirement.
  5. Complete the graduation application two terms prior to the completion term (i.e., spring term graduates must apply during fall term).

Bachelor of Applied Science degree

Bachelor of Applied science (BAS) degrees are bachelor-level, workforce-focused program that prepare students for high-value careers through teaching advanced technical skills, problem-solving, communication, and builds upon the knowledge and skills learned in an Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Science degree. BAS degrees add on 90 more credits of higher division courses to an AAS or AS with a minimum 180 credits in total.

To be awarded a Bachelor of Applied Science degree, a student must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 180 credit hours according to a planned curriculum.
  2. Complete all required courses in the program as listed in the catalog.
  3. Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher in:
    • The cumulative MHCC grade point average.
    • All courses being applied toward the degree.
    • All courses in the respective major.
  4. Satisfactorily earn 12 credit hours at MHCC. Non-traditional credit (College Level Examination Program, Credit for Prior Learning, Course Challenge, etc.) does not satisfy this requirement.
  5. Complete the graduation application two terms prior to the completion term (i.e., spring term graduates must apply during fall term).

Certificates

Certificates typically range from 12-60 credits (but may contain more) and may be a standalone program or part of an AAS program. All courses in a Career Pathway Certificate of Completion (12-44 credits) count toward the completion of the related Associate of Applied Science degree. Repeated courses may be counted only once toward graduation unless specified in the course description or unless specifically required in the course description.

To be awarded a certificate, a student must:

  1. Pass all required courses in a certificate program as listed in the catalog.
  2. Achieve and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher in:
    • The cumulative MHCC grade point average.
    • All courses being applied toward the certificate.
    • All courses in the respective major.
  3. Satisfactorily earn a minimum of 12 college-level credit hours at MHCC. Non-traditional credit (College Level Examination Program, Experience-Based Credit, Challenge, etc.) does not satisfy this requirement.
  4. Complete the graduation application two terms prior to the completion term (i.e., spring term graduates must apply during fall term).

Certificates that contain 45 or more credits and are three or more terms in length must include two of the four general education components required for AAS degrees.

Additional Credentials

MHCC also offers opportunities for students to:

1

A successfully completed course cannot "double dip" to fulfill more than one degree requirement, except for Cultural Literacy. For example, COMM115 will fulfill the Cultural Literacy requirement and count toward either Oral Communication or Arts & Letters.

2

Specific programs may have higher GPA requirements.