Central Oregon Community College’s career and technical education (CTE) programs prepare students to enter the workforce in a specific field. CTE programs provide hands-on training in a variety of technical areas with the goal of giving students the skills needed for various technical jobs. (Examples include dental assisting, welding technician, and licensed massage therapist.) Refer to individual programs for specific requirements.
Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS)
The Associate of Applied Science degree prepares graduates for direct entry into the workforce and includes courses that build technical career skills and proficiency.
Advantages
- The AAS degree provides students with the hands-on technical skills needed for employment or certification/licensure in a variety of career areas.
- The AAS degree is generally a two-year degree option for full-time students. Some AAS degrees have shorter certificates contained within them that can be earned along the way.
Considerations
- The degree is not intended to transfer, though most general education and some career and technical education courses may be eligible for transfer.
- Certification obtained through the completion of career and technical programs does not imply or guarantee reciprocity or job attainment in another state or in another country.
COCC Requirements
Required courses:
- 90-108 credits
- Core courses that build technical career skills and proficiency
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses
- Includes related instruction courses in the areas of communication, computation, and human relations
Performance standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- All prerequisite and core courses must be completed with a C grade or higher. Individual programs may set higher standards.
Associate of Applied Science Option Degree (AASO)
The Associate of Applied Science degree option prepares graduates for direct entry into the workforce with the option reflecting a specialization in the field (at least 70% of the credits are shared with the base AAS degree). The AAS option includes courses that build technical career skills and proficiency.
COCC Requirements
Required courses:
- 90 to 108 credits (at least 70% of the credits are shared with the base degree)
- Core courses that build technical career skills and proficiency
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses
- Includes related instruction courses in communication, computation, and human relations.
Performance standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- All prerequisite and core courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; individual programs may set higher standards.
Two-Year Certificate of Completion (CC2)
Similar to the AAS but smaller in scale, a two-year certificate of completion prepares graduates for direct entry into the workforce and includes courses that build technical career skills and proficiency. Certificates can be related to an AAS degree, which means all the certificate credits are included in the degree, or they can be independent of a degree. At COCC, a two-year certificate of completion can range from 36 to 108 credits and takes more than one year to complete.
COCC Requirements
Required courses:
- 36-108 credits, which take longer than one year/four consecutive terms of full-time attendance to complete
- Core courses that build technical career skills and proficiency
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses
- Includes related instruction courses in communication, computation, and human relations
Performance standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- All prerequisite and core courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; individual programs may set higher standards.
One-Year Certificate of Completion (CC1)
Similar to the two-year certificate but smaller in scale, a one-year certificate of completion prepares graduates for direct entry into the workforce and includes courses that build technical career skills and proficiency. Certificates can be related to an AAS degree, which means all the certificate credits are included in the degree, or they can be independent of a degree. At COCC, a one-year certificate of completion ranges from 36-71 credits and can be completed in one year or less of full-time attendance (which could include Summer term).
COCC Requirements
Required courses:
- 36-71 credits, which can be completed in one year or less of consecutive terms
- Core courses that build technical career skills and proficiency
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses
- Includes related instruction courses in communication, computation, and human relations.
Performance standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- All prerequisite and core courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; individual programs may set higher standards.
Career Pathway Certificate of Completion (CPCC)
Career pathway certificates of completion at COCC are a cluster of courses contained within an AAS/AASO degree or a certificate of completion (of 45+ credits) that acknowledge specific technical skill attainment and meet an employment need. Career pathways have a defined job entry point.
COCC Requirements
Required courses:
- 12 to 35 credits, contained within an existing AAS/AASO/certificate of 45+ credits.
- Core courses that build technical career skills and proficiency
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses
Performance standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- All prerequisite and core courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; individual programs may set higher standards.
CAREER Foundations Certificate (CFC)
Career foundations certificates are short-term certificates that should take full-time students less than a year to complete. They provide students with technical skills and/or competencies that meet an employment need in the region. Career Foundations Certificates have a defined job entry point.
COCC Requirements
- 12 to 35 credits and not contained within an existing AAS or certificate.
- Core courses that build technical skills and competencies.
- May include prerequisite, support, and other required courses.
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
- All required courses must be completed with a C grade or higher; individual programs may set higher standards
