Degree and Certificate Information

Gainful Employment Disclosures

The US Department of Education requires all colleges to disclose a variety of information for specific programs that “prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. These programs are defined by the Department as financial aid eligible certificate programs of at least 16 credit hours in length. The information provided in these reports is the best available but represents one year’s data only. We hope, however, that this information will be helpful to current and prospective students as they make their career and educational choices. To access this information, please visit www.aims.edu/ced. For further information about the data and what it means to you as a student, please contact Karoline Woodruff at 970-339-6333.

AAS, AA, AS, AGS

Aims Community College offers a variety of instructional programs designed to meet the needs of a diverse student body and the demands of a technological and diverse society. Each academic division of the college represents the integration of academics (liberal arts and sciences) and career and technical education (vocational/occupational training). The college offers four types of two-year degrees and numerous shorter career and technical certificates.

Opportunities to prepare for both a career and further education at a four-year school are available within many degree programs. Students should make it clear to advisors which option they are seeking because requirements for career entry and transfer are different. Students may earn more than one degree or certificate concurrently at Aims Community College if all course and program requirements for each degree or certificate are satisfied.

Students may not earn more than one each of the A.A., A.S., or A.G.S. degree. (e.g. Students may earn an A.G.S. degree and an A.A. degree, but may not earn more than one A.A. degree.) Additional A.A.S. degrees or certificates must be earned in a different major/option.

The certificates/degrees and their purposes are as follows:

Career and Technical Education certificates

Entry into the workforce

Associate of Applied Science degree

Entry into the workforce

Associate of Arts degree

Transfer to four-year colleges and universities

Associate of Science degree

Transfer to four-year colleges and universities

Associate of General Studies degree

Tailored to student needs     

Career and Technical Education Certificates

Career and Technical Education (C.T.E.) certificates are short-term courses of study that will give the student entry-level skills in a specific occupation. Some certificates are designed for skill enhancement or recertification for the career professional seeking professional development or promotion. Certificates vary in length from less than one semester to three semesters.

Associate of Applied Science Degree

The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is a career and technical education degree plan that prepares students primarily for entry into the workforce. Although some college credits within these degree programs are accepted for transfer by particular four-year colleges and universities, career and technical education courses are not specifically designed to transfer. Some alternative transfer options may exist for the student who completes an A.A.S. degree. (See below for information on Alternative Transfer degrees.)

Associate of Arts Degree and Associate of Science Degree

The Associate of Arts (A.A.) and the Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are guaranteed to transfer, upon admission, to baccalaureate arts and sciences degree majors at Colorado public four-year institutions if requirements for “gtPathways” and the 60 + 60 articulation agreement are met. (See http://highered.colorado.gov/ for current information regarding gtPathways, the 60 + 60 Articulation Agreement, and Transfer Guides to 60 + 60 eligible majors at four-year colleges and universities in Colorado.) Students completing either an A.A. or A.S. Liberal Arts degree may elect to sign a contract to complete the course of study for the degree in two years. Any failure on the part of the student to meet the requirements of the 60 + 60 articulation or the contract to complete the A.A. degree in two years voids these agreements.

Additionally, numerous statewide articulation agreements have been established with public four-year colleges and universities. Articulation agreements also have been developed for transfer to a specific baccalaureate major at a specific four-year college. Additional details regarding Statewide Articulation Agreements can be found at http://highered.colorado.gov/academics/transfers/students.html.

Associate of General Studies Degree

The Associate of General Studies (A.G.S.) degree is a flexible degree plan that allows the student to combine workplace skill enhancement with arts and sciences courses. The A.G.S. degree may transfer if there is an established articulation agreement with a four-year school. Otherwise, it is not intended for transfer.

College Preparatory Courses

Aims Community College also provides courses to prepare individuals for college-level course work. College assessment testing may indicate that a student needs basic skills course work before starting in a degree or certificate program. Students who need such course work may be required to take college preparatory/developmental education courses in reading, mathematics, and/or English composition. College prep education courses are not transferable and do not fulfill degree or certificate requirements. Students should complete college prep education courses within their first 30 semester credit hours.

Continuing Education Offerings

Continuing Education (CE) offers workplace skill enhancement, customized and basic skills training for business and industry, and workshops and seminars for small businesses. CE also offers CPR and First Responder Training. Additionally, CE offers quality improvement training, self-interest programs, online learning, flight simulator training, and lifelong learning workshops and seminars as well as senior education. These offerings are in a non-credit format.  Please visit www.aims.edu/ced for more information on Continuing Education offerings.

Aims Community College

Aims Community College is a single educational institution consisting of campuses and sites in Greeley, Fort Lupton, Loveland, and Windsor. There also are various outreach sites throughout the college’s service area in Weld and Larimer counties. All degrees and certificates are conferred by Aims Community College, not by a specific campus or site. The college does not offer all degrees and certificates at all campuses. Students who begin their education on one campus may need to complete degree/ certificate requirements on a different campus or site. Aims Community College also offers a variety of courses online.

General Education

Each degree granted by the college contains a minimum number of general education courses. “General Education” refers to a group of courses designed to assist individuals to assume the responsibilities they share in common as citizens in a free society and to promote wholesome and creative participation in a wide range of life activities. Aims Community College will accept any of the following types of courses as meeting the general education requirement of the appropriate degree:

• For the Associate of Applied Science degree, specific courses that are non-career and non-technical are required in each degree program. Courses vary from major to major.
• For the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, courses designated as gtPathways Courses are required. For current information on State Guaranteed Transfer courses, see gtPathways at http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers/.
• Statewide Articulation Agreements specify which General Education courses are required.
• For the Associate of General Studies degree, specific arts and sciences courses are required.

Graduates of Aims Community College degree programs are expected to accomplish the following General Education competencies:

Critical Thinking

Students should be able to evaluate real-world examples in terms of course content and knowledge, applying thinking skills focused on critical thinking.

Problem Solving

Students should be able to evaluate real-world examples in terms of course content and knowledge, applying thinking skills focused on problem solving.

Professionalism

Students should strive for excellence in their performance of required roles in their future profession.

Written Communication

Students should be able to demonstrate a high level of written communication skills as necessary for their future profession through the development and expression of ideas in writing.

Oral Communication

Students should be able to demonstrate a high level of oral communication skills as necessary for their future profession through prepared, purposeful presentations designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners’ attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree

The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is awarded to a student who successfully completes a program designed to prepare students for immediate employment in a full-time skilled and/or paraprofessional occupation. Each of the college’s A.A.S. degree programs is in a specified occupational field.

Although some college credits within these programs are accepted for transfer by particular four-year colleges and universities, career and technical courses are not specifically designed to transfer. The student who anticipates transferring is encouraged to check carefully the requirements of the institution and program into which he or she might desire to transfer.

General Requirements

The following are general requirements for the A.A.S. degree:

1. A minimum of sixty (60) semester hours in approved course work is required for graduation. Since each A.A.S. program is designed for a specified career and technical field, the minimum semester hours requirements above 60 will vary with the particular program.
2. A minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours of the total must be in general education courses. Course requirements vary among the A.A.S. degree programs and are outlined in this catalog within the program section.
3. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (a ‘C’ average) in the particular A.A.S. degree program curriculum is required for graduation.
4. Fifteen (15) semester hours of course work applicable to the degree and completed prior to graduation must be Aims Community College courses.
5. No courses numbered below 100 may be applied toward completion of the A.A.S. degree.
6. Courses used as electives in meeting degree requirements and taken in addition to specified courses in a particular program are accepted toward the requirements of this degree only upon the approval of the appropriate program official. This approval is given only when courses are appropriate to the educational objectives of the student.

Certificate in Career and Technical Education

A certificate in Career and Technical Education is awarded to a student who successfully completes a career and technical program not leading to an associate degree. Normally, these programs are one year or less in duration. These programs are designed exclusively to prepare students for immediate employment. Course requirements for the various certificate programs are outlined in this catalog within the program section.

The following are general requirements for the certificate in Career and Technical Education:

1. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (a ‘C’ average) in the particular certificate program curriculum is required for graduation.
2. A minimum of one-half (50%) of course work applicable to the student’s program and completed prior to graduation must be Aims Community College courses.
3. No courses numbered below 100 may be applied toward completion of a certificate in Career and Technical Education.
4. Courses used as electives in meeting certificate requirements and taken in addition to specified courses in a particular program are accepted toward certificate requirements only upon the approval of the appropriate program official. This approval is given only when courses are appropriate to the educational objectives of the student.

General Education State Guaranteed Transfer Courses (gtPathways)

A student attending one of Colorado’s 15 community/junior colleges can complete a block of courses that will meet the freshman-sophomore general education requirements at baccalaureate, degree-granting programs in Colorado’s publicly supported four-year institutions.

The State General Education Guaranteed Transfer Courses provide a comprehensive block of transferable courses that Aims Community College students may complete alone or as the general education component of the two-year Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees. For guaranteed transfer, a grade of ‘C’ or better is required in each course. For more information, students should consult with an advisor.

Guaranteed Transfer (GT) Numbers

The numbers beside courses in the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) identifiers for guaranteed transfer of a general education course. Each number represents a requirement in a particular General Education category. For example, the code GT-CO1 represents the following: GT = Guaranteed Transfer, CO = General Education Category, and 1 = General Education Sub-category. See the CCHE website for additional information, http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers/.

Student Bill of Rights

The General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:

• A quality general education experience that develops competencies in reading, writing, mathematics, technology, and critical thinking through an integrated arts and science experience.
• Students should be able to complete their associate of arts and associate of science degree programs in no more than 60 semester credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than 120 semester credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE).
• A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by CCHE.
• Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees.
• Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education.
• Students, upon successful completion of core general education courses, should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education.
• Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the student’s graduation requirements.
• A student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for 10 years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.

Approved Degree Electives

Courses Approved as Electives for Aims Community College Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) Degrees and Statewide Articulation Agreements for 2016-2017:

This list of electives reflects the best information currently available. Please check with your advisor to determine which courses are most appropriate for your chosen transfer institution and major. Anthropology, business, elementary teacher education, early childhood education, economics, French, history, math, political science, psychology, sociology, and Spanish students should follow the appropriate statewide articulations for specific course selections. If the student is following a formal institution-to-institution written transfer articulation agreement in a specific area of study (e.g. criminal justice to UNC or Metropolitan State), they may apply electives listed in the agreement to their degree even if they are not on this list. Students wishing to apply an elective course not on this list to an A.A. degree may do so with a signed approval of an Academic Dean.

Legend:

AA = Associate of Arts
AS = Associate of Science

The following classes are accepted by at least two transfer institutions as part of their multicultural requirements:

LIT 205 - Ethnic Literature [AH2] 
SOC 216 - Sociology of Gender [SS3] 
WST 200 - Intro to Women’s Studies [SS3]  

Alternative Transfer Degrees

Aims & Franklin University Alliance

When your goal is to finish your bachelor’s degree quickly and affordably without leaving home, the Aims Community College and Franklin University partnership is the right fit for you. By working with your advisor or a Franklin University representative, Franklin enables you to maximize your previously earned credits, take applicable third-year courses at Aims, and transfer up to 84 hours toward your degree. That means you save time and money while you earn your bachelor’s degree.

Regionally accredited and nonprofit, Franklin University has built its reputation on removing barriers to higher education for ambitious adults for more than 110 years. The University offers more than 30 undergraduate majors and nine graduate programs in growing fields like business, accounting, healthcare, and information technology.

Aims students who have earned an associate’s degree can move easily into a bachelor’s degree completion program that provides the majority of required courses through a combination of courses taken at Aims and courses taken online through Franklin. Also, by participating in this program, you can continue to receive the same services and benefits you enjoyed as an Aims Community College student.

For more information on completing your bachelor’s degree quickly and affordably, go to: www.franklin.edu/transfer or to reach a Franklin representative, email: transferinfo@franklin.edu or phone: 614.947.6859 or contact Marie Gallegos at marie.gallegos@aims.edu or 970.339.6675.

Aims Community College Academic Organization

Division I

Division II

Division III

Division of Extended Studies

A.A. and A.S. Degree Transferability

Your A.A. or A.S. Degree will transfer to all public 4-year Colorado colleges and universities

If you

• Complete your AA or AS degree including a minimum 35 semester credits of state-guaranteed general education courses, and
• Earn a C grade or better in all courses for the degree,

Then

• At least 60 semester hours of approved coursework of your AA/AS degree will transfer completely to a baccalaureate Liberal Arts and Sciences major in Colorado’s public four-year institutions if you are accepted by the receiving institution*

And

• You are guaranteed to be able to finish your Liberal Arts and Sciences baccalaureate degree in just another 60 semester hours.

* See your transfer advisor as soon as possible for a list of degrees applicable. Special articulations exist for Elementary Teacher Education, Business, Transfer Engineering, Nursing, Agriculture Business, Animal Science, Anthropology, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Economics, English, French, Geography, Geology, History, Horticulture Business Management, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Soil & Crop Science, Spanish, and Studio Art that specify which lower- division credits you need. For other majors, ask for a transfer guide that will help you select lower-division credits that will speed you on your way to finishing that baccalaureate degree.

Credit earned for prior learning, Advanced Placement, correspondence courses, CLEP and other tested-only credit may not apply. The institution to which you transfer will evaluate these credits according to its own policies.

Student Appeals Policy

If you

• Graduated with an AA/AS degree,
• Completed a minimum 35 semester credits of state- guaranteed general education courses, and
• Earned a C grade or better in each course for the degree,

And

• Your transcript evaluation indicates that you need more than 60 semester hours to complete your bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences, or your state- guaranteed courses are NOT applied to graduation requirements, you can file an appeal.

Contact your transfer advisor at Aims Community College who will provide you with the transfer and student appeals policies and process.

You also may find these policies at www.aims.edu or www.state.co.us/cche/stuinf.html