Step 1 - Design & Development

Questions? Contact us: 971-722-7816 | fax: 971-722-7576 | curriculum@pcc.edu | Meet the Curriculum Office Staff

The first step is to contact and meet with someone from the Curriculum Office. To set up a meeting, contact any of the following specialists:

Determine what type of degree or certificate you want to develop:

  1. Associate of Applied Science Degree: 90-108 credits which includes 16 credits of general education
  2. Associate of Applied Science Degree Option: 90-108 credits, 70% of the credits, minimum, must be the SAME as the parent degree, and 16 credits of general education.
  3. Statewide Associate of Applied Science Degree: 90-108 credits, member of a statewide consortium of community colleges who offer like curriculum.  PCC can be a member or a host school for the consortium
  4. Less-than-one-year certificate: 12-44 credits.
  5. Career Pathway certificate: 12-44 credits, and is wholly contained within a 45 credit certificate or an associate degree program, requires a roadmap.
  6. One-year certificate: 45-60 credits, 8 credits or 240 hours of embedded related instruction in the areas of communication, computation and human relations. This can be related to a degree (related certificate) or an independent certificate
  7. Two-year certificate: 61-108 credits, 16 credits or 480 hours of embedded related instruction in the areas of communication, computation and human relations. This can be related to a degree (related certificate) or an independent certificate.
  8. Business and Industry Certificate: Certificate is exclusively for employees at that business. It cannot be promoted to the public.

Sub 100-level courses

Note about the use of sub 100 level courses (not collegiate) in degrees and certificates. Sub 100 level course cannot be used in:

  • The first 12 credits of a less-than-one-year certificate
  • The first 45 credits of a one-year certificate
  • The first 61 credits of the two-year certificate 
  • The first 90 credits of an AAS degree

Resources for designing and developing degrees and certificates

Degree and Certificate Outcomes
Advice for writing your AAS degree and certificate outcomes.
Career Pathway Roadmap
Certificates of 12-44 credits in which EVERY class within the certificate is within a larger degree or certificate are required to have a roadmap. Learn more about setting up a career pathway roadmap.
Related Instruction: for certificates only 45-108 credits
Certificates of 45 credits or more MUST include a recognizable body of instruction in program-related areas of communication, computation, and human relations. Learn more about these requirements on the Related Instruction pages.

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