Degree and Certificate Requirements | Pasadena City College Academic Catalog

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Certificates of Achievement
- Occupational Skills Certificates
Associate Degrees
Philosophy of General Education
Catalog Rights

Certificates of Achievement

Students interested in developing advanced levels of proficiency in a career and technical area may pursue a Certificate of Achievement, which requires the completion of 16 units or more. Pasadena City College currently offers 122 Certificate of Achievement Programs. Employer feedback suggests that strong academic skills are critical for success in today’s high-performance workplace. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that students also complete the requirements for the Associate in Science Degree (see here). Students may earn only one Associate in Science Degree with a Certificate of Achievement.

Some programs will include certain subjects required by the College or by state law. Beyond these minimum requirements, programs will vary widely depending upon the vocational or professional goal of the student. Students who change their vocational goals during their course of study may find it impossible to complete the curriculum in the customary span of time and may need to take additional courses. Students should consult with an Academic Counselor for information about specific requirements, any pre-requisites or co-requisites, and to develop an education plan that will assist them in reaching their goal. Upon completion of the specified curriculum for a program students may petition in the appropriate division office for issuance of the Certificate of Achievement. Students may earn multiple Certificates of Achievement.

Refer to Course Descriptions for information on every course PCC offers. Please consult with an Academic Counselor for proper understanding of requirements.

Occupational Skills Certificates

Students, who want to develop job skills in a special area of occupational education in a short period of time, can earn an Occupational Skills Certificate, which requires 17 units or less.

Associate Degrees

Pasadena City College offers the following Associates degrees:

Associate in Arts Degree (AA)
Associate in Science Degree (AS)
Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T)
Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T)
Associate in Science Degree with the Certificate of Achievement (CTE AS)

General Education Requirements: a broad exposure to a variety of areas of study
Major Preparation: an in-depth study of a particular field or area of emphasis
Electives: courses selected by a student to meet the required units for a degree

These are the rules pertaining to all Associate degrees:

All of the Associate degrees require at least sixty (60) semester units.
Upon completion of requirements, a student will be granted an Associate in Arts, Associate in Arts for Transfer, Associate in Science for Transfer, and/or an Associate in Science Degree with or without Certificate of Achievement.
Students may earn multiple Associate in Arts and (non-CTE) Associate in Science degrees as long they complete the major requirements for the various degrees.
Students may earn only one CTE AS degree in a single TOP/CIP Code, however they may earn multiple CTE AS degrees with different TOP/CIP Codes (Note: Students may earn multiple Certificates of Achievements in the same TOP/CIP Code).
Responsibility for filing a petition for graduation rests with the student, and all transcripts for high school and prior college work attempted, including test scores, must be on file for the petition to be considered.
File the petition for graduation with an Academic Counselor by the published deadline for each term.

Requirements for the Associate in Arts Degree (AA) and Associate in Science Degree (AS)

A minimum of 60 semester units of degree applicable courses, numbered 001-099 or C1000-C2999.
Completion of one major or area of emphasis of at least 18 semester units.
Completion of all general education requirements outlined in one of the following general education patterns:
1. PCC Local General Education
2. California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
3. CSU General Education Breadth (CSU Breadth) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) if student has rights to former general education patterns.
4. Bachelor degree or higher from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution.
  1. Students who have previously been awarded a bachelor‛s degree or higher from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution shall be deemed to have fulfilled the general education and elective course requirements for the Associate in Arts and/or Associate in Science degree.
Completion of the 60 units required for the major or area of emphasis and general education requirements of the associate degree with a minimum 2.00 grade point average.
At least 12 units of the required 60 units, in courses numbered 001-099 or C1000-C2999, must be completed at PCC. No more than 6 units may be transferred from another college if earned after the student’s last enrollment at PCC. Active-duty service members can complete PCC’s academic residency at any time they are enrolled. Reservists and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the same manner. Please note: a maximum of 4 units of Kinesiology Activity or Intercollegiate Athletics or Dance (activity) may be applied toward an Associate Degree.
Courses may not be counted more than once to meet multiple areas of the general education requirements. A course may be used to satisfy both the requirements of a major or area of emphasis as well as a general education requirement, but the units shall count only once.
The PCC Local General Education pattern does not prepare students for transfer. Students who intend to transfer to a CSU, UC, or private institution are advised to complete the Cal-GETC, or the CSU GE Breadth or IGETC if they have rights to the former general education patterns, or the unique general education pattern of the private institution. Please consult with an Academic Counselor.

Requirements for the Associate in Science Degree with Certificate of Achievement (CTE AS)

A minimum of 60 semester units of degree applicable courses, numbered 001-399 or C1000-C2999.
Completion of a Certificate of Achievement of at least 18 semester units.
Completion of all general education requirements outlined in one of the following general education patterns:
1. PCC Local General Education
2. California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
3. CSU General Education Breadth (CSU Breadth) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) if student has rights to former general education patterns.
4. Bachelor degree or higher from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution.
  1. Students who have previously been awarded a bachelor‛s degree or higher from a U.S. institutionally accredited institution shall be deemed to have fulfilled the general education and elective course requirements for the Associate in Science (CTE AS) degree.
Completion of the 60 units required for the Certificate of Achievement and general education requirements of the associate degree with a minimum 2.00 grade point average.
At least 12 units of the required 60 units, in courses numbered 001-399 or C1000-C2999, must be completed at PCC. No more than 6 units may be transferred from another college if earned after the student’s last enrollment at PCC. Active-duty service members can complete PCC’s academic residency at any time they are enrolled. Reservists and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the same manner. Please note: a maximum of 4 units of Kinesiology Activity or Intercollegiate Athletics or Dance (activity) may be applied toward an Associate Degree.
Courses may not be counted more than once to meet multiple areas of the general education requirements. A course may be used to satisfy both the requirements of a Certificate of Achievement as well as a general education requirement, but the units shall count only once.

Requirements for the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science Degrees for Transfer (AA-T and AS-T)

These degrees are designed to provide a clear pathway to a university major and baccalaureate degree. California Community College students who are awarded an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission with junior standing somewhere in the CSU system, Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU), Western Governors University, Southern New Hampshire University (fully online universities), or participating non-profit, independent colleges in California, and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU campus or to a program that is deemed similar to their Associate Degree for Transfer (AD-T) major. This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or campuses. Students who have been awarded an AA-T or AS-T are able to complete their remaining requirements for the 120-unit baccalaureate degree within 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units at the university. The AD-T may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or to a non-participating university or college. Students should consult with an Academic Counselor when planning to complete the degree or for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.

A minimum of 60 semester units of degree applicable courses, numbered 001-099 or C1000-C2999.
Completion of one AD-T major of at least 18 semester units.
Completion of all general education requirements outlined in one of the following general education patterns:
1. California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
2. CSU General Education Breadth (CSU Breadth) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC-CSU) if student has rights to former general education patterns.
A minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average must be obtained in PCC courses numbered 001-099 or C1000-C2999 and in comparable courses completed at institutions with the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates (ICAS) approved accreditation.
At least 12 units of the required 60 units, in courses numbered 001-099 or C1000-C2999, must be completed at PCC. No more than 6 units may be transferred from another college if earned after the student’s last enrollment at PCC. Active-duty service members can complete PCC’s academic residency at any time they are enrolled. Reservists and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the same manner. Please note: a maximum of 4 units of Kinesiology Activity or Intercollegiate Athletics or Dance (activity) may be applied toward an Associate Degree.
Courses may not be counted more than once to meet multiple areas of the general education requirements. A course may be used to satisfy both the requirements of a major as well as a general education requirement, but the units shall count only once.

Philosophy of General Education

General education requirements guide the student toward an intelligent understanding of the whole self and of the physical and social world. These requirements encourage the student to explore different areas of human inquiry not only to gain a basic understanding of these areas, but also to comprehend and use the principles, methods, values and thought processes of these disciplines. These explorations include an examination of the physical universe, its life forms and natural phenomena, human behavior and artistic and creative accomplishments. Basic to these studies and to the student’s effectiveness in society is the capacity to think clearly, logically and analytically; to communicate clearly both orally and in writing; to perform quantitative functions; to find information; and to examine and evaluate that information using critical thinking skills.

After completing the general education requirements, the graduate should have the skills, knowledge, and insights to evaluate and appreciate the physical environment, culture, and society. To promote these skills and knowledge, Pasadena City College has developed Institutional Learning Outcomes and Competencies. The major areas of knowledge and skills that these outcomes seek to address are found in Pasadena City College General Education Outcomes.

Catalog Rights

Starting with the 2024-25 academic year, catalog rights are established with enrollment in the Fall and any consecutive semester or intersession within each academic year. When PCC graduation requirements are revised, a student with continuous enrollment may graduate under the new requirements or the requirements in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment. Continuous enrollment is defined as attending PCC at least one semester (either Fall or Spring) during each academic year without missing two consecutive semesters. The Summer and Winter intersessions are not considered when determining continuous enrollment.

Students whose first enrollment at PCC is between Fall 2025 and Summer 2026 will follow the provisions of the 2025-26 catalog. Students who maintain continuous enrollment at PCC will be eligible to graduate based on the requirements defined in the 2025-26 catalog or by the requirements defined in the catalog published at the time of graduation. If there is a break in enrollment by missing two consecutive semesters, the term students re-enroll at PCC will establish a new catalog rights year.

Catalog rights for Cal-GETC certification or the former certifications of CSU Breadth and IGETC may follow different policies established by the CSU and/or UC. Please see an Academic Counselor for guidance on transfer GE requirements.

PCC Local General Education Requirements

While a course might satisfy more than one general education requirement, it may not be counted more than once for these purposes. A course may be used to satisfy both a general education requirement and a certificate, major, or area of emphasis requirement.

All PCC Local General Education areas below must be completed with a grade of D or higher.