Description

Students who plan to earn a degree but have not yet decided on a path are identified as exploratory and assigned the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) in their audit in GradTracks. The AAOT is used for exploratory students because it provides a guideline of courses that meet bachelor’s degree general education requirements at Oregon public universities. The AAOT does not include all bachelor degree requirements for freshmen and sophomores, and it does not include requirements for the College's career and technical education (CTE) programs. It is important for exploratory students to work actively to identify an educational goal and communicate with their advisor.

Some exploratory students may choose to declare the Associate of General Studies (AGS) degree, which allows students to self-design a program to meet their needs. However, the AGS degree is not designed to waive bachelor’s degree general education requirements as the AAOT degree is, nor does it align with workforce training and skills as do CTE programs.

Entrance Requirements

While this program has no formal entrance requirements, individual courses may have prerequisites which must be met before enrollment.

Course Requirements

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HHPA activity courses (1 credit each) are not to be duplicated.

Advising Notes

Students should use several strategies to ensure effective decisions about educational goals and college success. Many resources are available.

• Take HD 110 Career Planning, a three-credit course offered every term.
• Take HD 100CS College Success, a three-credit course offered every term.
• Visit with the career services coordinator in CAP Services.
• Discuss options with an academic advisor and faculty in departments of interest.

The College uses the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) and Associate of General Studies degrees to provide exploratory students with a framework, but students should change their declared major when they make a decision. Initially, the GradTracks audit will present the AAOT requirements, but students should be aware that these guidelines are preliminary. Students can explore other programs by using the What If option on the GradTracks menu. Many universities require students to declare their major within their first 90 credits, but large majors (i.e., engineering, science, and business) should be declared in the first 45 credits. Career and technical education programs that lead directly to employment typically don’t have elective credits, so it is best to make a decision early.

Most bachelor’s degrees are either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). Students pursuing a BA usually need to complete two years of a world language (200-level language courses may be applied to the Arts and Letters requirement in discipline studies). Students pursuing a BS should consider taking more math and science courses. Students should refer to the transfer institution's degree requirements for details.

Performance Standards

• Academic Requirements:
  • Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA to earn a COCC certificate or degree.
  • Options for additional standards:
    • All courses in the program must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Sample Plan

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The AAOT requires one foundational math course and two foundational writing courses (WR 121Z Composition I and WR 122Z Composition II or WR 227Z Technical Writing). Please view the program requirements for details.