Specific Degree Requirements
Associate of Arts (AA) Degree Requirements
The Associate of Arts (AA) degree is geared toward students in university-parallel and pre-professional areas and enables students to transfer to four-year institutions as juniors. Students may only complete one AA degree.
Applicants for the AA degree must:
1. Satisfy all conditions for admission.
2. Successfully complete at least 60 semester credit hours (SCH) of college-level courses.
3. Successfully complete 42 SCH of core curriculum requirements included as part of the total 60 SCH. Only academic transfer courses may be used; courses are marked “Type: ACAD” in the Course Description section of the catalog.
4. Meet Texas State Initiative (TSI) requirements.
5. Earn a cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.0.
6. Complete at least 25% of semester hours at Wharton County Junior College.
7. Meet all financial obligations to the college.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree Requirements
The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is an occupationally-oriented degree. Its primary purpose is to prepare students for entry into a particular occupation upon completion of the degree. While a graduate of an AAS degree is career-ready upon graduation, many AAS programs also have pathways into baccalaureate programs.
Applicants for the AAS degree must:
1. Satisfy all conditions for admission.
2. Meet Texas State Initiative (TSI) requirements.
3. Successfully complete all coursework according to the degree program’s deadlines.
4. Complete at least 25% of their semester credit hours at WCJC.
5. Meet all financial obligations to the college.
Certificate Requirements
WCJC certification programs are designed to prepare students with the occupational skills required to enter the workforce in a short period of time. Some certificate programs provide a direct pathway into an AAS degree.
A Level One certificate can be completed in one calendar year or less. It must consist of at least 15 SCH and no more than 42 SCH. Students in Level One certificate programs are not required to take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) or any other assessment exam prior to entering the program.
A Level Two certificate is defined as any certificate for which a student must meet certain eligibility requirements prior to entry into the program. Level Two programs may consist of between 30 SCH and 51 SCH. Students enrolling in a Level Two certificate program must satisfy TSI requirements and may be subject to other eligibility requirements, as determined by WCJC.
The minimum acceptable standard of satisfactory progress is a cumulative average of at least a 2.0 GPA on attempted semester credit hours. Certificates will not be awarded unless the minimum 2.0 GPA is achieved in all coursework required to complete the certificate. Courses required in a certificate program may be transferred from equivalent courses taken at another accredited institution for up to 25% of the total certificate program hours, with approval of the Department Head.