ASSOCIATE DEGREES (4-YEAR TRANSFER)

Academic Credentials Awarded

Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS)

Core Transfer Component	AA	AS
Writing/Accessing Information	6 credit hours	6 credit hours
Oral Communications	3 credit hours	3 credit hours
Heritage	3 credit hours	3 credit hours
Humanities	3 credit hours	3 credit hours
Social Interaction	9 credit hours	9 credit hours
At least two disciplines must be represented
Science	6 credit hours	6 credit hours
Must include at least one with a laboratory experience
Mathematics	3 credit hours	3 credit hours (1)
Subtotal Core Transfer	33 credit hours	33 credit hours
Additional General Education Requirements
Heritage/Humanities/
Foreign Language	3 credit hours
Heritage/Humanities/
Social Interaction/
Foreign Language	3 credit hours
Science/Mathematics	3 credit hours	9 credit hours (1)
Computer Literacy and/or course(s) to be chosen from the approvedgeneral education list	6 credit hours (2)	6 credit hours (2)
Subtotal	15 credit hours	15 credit hours
Total GeneralEducation Block	48 credit hours (3)	48 credit hours (3)
Notes:
(1) Mathematics: The AS degree requires a total of 18 hours in Science/Mathematics. Of these 18 hours, at least 4 hours must be in Mathematics/Statistics courses with prefixes MT (courses numbered 150 and above), MA, ST, or STA: and at least 6 hours must be sciencecourses with one laboratory experience. Refer to General Education Requirements for a complete list.
(2) Computer Literacy: A student must pass an approved three (3) credit hour computerliteracy course unless the computer competency exam is successfully completed.
(3) Cultural Studies: At least one course within the 48 cr. hr. general education block mustbe selected from the identified Cultural Studies course list.
Other DegreeRequirements/Electives	12	12
Students are advised to choose hours to satisfy additional generaleducation and pre-major requirements at the institution to whichthey are transferring. Students who complete ENG 105 to satisfythe Writing/Accessing Information competencies must complete 15hours of electives.
Total Credit Hours	60	60
Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees are awarded to studentswho complete a minimum of 60 hours, including the specified generaleducation requirements, with a grade-point average of at least 2.0.
A course used to fulfill one competency cannot be used to fulfill anothercompetency. Developmental/remedial courses (courses numbered001-099) cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements.

Associate in Applied Science

General Education Component
All SACS* accredited colleges, or colleges that are applying for SACS*accreditation, will assure compliance with SACS* general education criteria.
A student must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours to fulfill thegeneral education requirement. General education credits must meetthe following required distribution:
Mathematics	3 credit hours
Science	3 credit hours
Social Interaction	3 credit hours
Heritage/Humanities/Foreign Languages	3 credit hours
Writing/Accessing Information	3 credit hours
Computer Literacy	0-3 credit hours
Computer literacy must be demonstrated either by competency exam orby completing an approved computer literacy course.
The above are minimum general education requirements; additionalhours may be required in specific program curricula.
Technical and Support Component	45 - 61
General Education and Technical and Support Components must be distributedso that programs do not exceed 76 credit hours.
Total Credit Hours	60 - 76
AAS degree programs should incorporate multiple exit points, i.e.awarding certificates and diplomas, when possible.
*SACS refers to Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools.

Diploma

A diploma program is designed to prepare students for technical employmentwithin a one- to two-year period. The total number of credithours for the diploma must not exceed those required for a degree in thesame program of study. A prescribed program of technical and generaleducation courses is designed to prepare students for a specific job title.Diploma programs provide preparation for a specific occupation, credittoward an associate degree, and continued training opportunities for certificateprogram graduates. The diploma program contains general educationcourses emphasizing the skills identified in the SCANS (Secretary’sCommission on Achieving Necessary Skills) report that are critical toentry-level workforce success for persons prepared at the diploma level.

1. Diplomas will address appropriate general education competencies.
2. Diploma curricula will be approved through the KCTCS Curriculumprocess.
3. Diplomas will be applicable toward at least one associate degree.(Courses designated “Diploma Only” on the General Education listwill not apply toward an Associate Degree)
4. General education 6-9 credit hour requirement for diplomas in areas 1-3 as follows:

Area 1 = Writing/Accessing Information,Oral Communications,Humanities, or Heritage	3 credit hours
Area 2 = Social Science,Behavioral Science, Natural/Applied Science, or Mathematics	3 credit hours
Area 3 = Computer Literacy courseor demonstrated competency	0-3 credit hours

Additional courses could be used for other areas in approved curriculafor diplomas but may not meet general education transfer requirements.

The above are minimum general education requirements; additionalhours may be required in specific program curricula.

Technical & Support*	30 - 62
Total Credit Hours	36 - 68
*The Technical and Support requirements must include a work experience component of1-12 credit hours.
Computer literacy must be demonstrated either by competency exam or by successfullycompleting a computer literacy course as outlined in the program of study.

Certificate

The primary purpose and features of certificate programs of study areto provide marketable, entry-level skills. Certificates qualify students totake external licensure, vendor-based, or skill standards examinations inthe field. If standardized external exams are not available in the field ofstudy, certificates prepare students at skill levels expected of employeesin an occupation found in the local economy.

1. Certificates will address one or more general education competencies.
2. Certificate curricula will be approved through the KCTCS Curriculumprocess.
3. Certificates will be applicable toward at least one associate degree.

The above are minimum general education requirements; additionalhours may be required in specific program curricula.

Requirements for a certificate are applicable to the requirements of adiploma or associate degree in the same or a related field of study. Requestsfor exceptions must include appropriate documentation to justifyapproval. Certificates may contain general education courses emphasizingthe skills identified in the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving NecessarySkills (SCANS) report that are critical to entry-level workforce successfor persons prepared at the certificate level and associated with thediploma or associate degree program. SCANS identified three foundationskills and five competencies necessary for success in the workplace.

Foundation Skills

Basic Skills: reading, writing, arithmetic and mathematics, listening, andspeaking;

Thinking Skills: thinking creatively, making decisions, solving problems,knowing how to learn, and reasoning;

Personal Qualities: individual responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, selfmanagement,and integrity/honesty.

Competencies

Resources: allocating time, money, materials, space, and staff;

Interpersonal Skills: working on teams, teaching others, serving customers,leading, negotiating, and working well with people from culturallydiverse backgrounds;

Information: acquiring and evaluating data, organizing and maintainingfiles, interpreting and communicating, and using computers to processinformation;

Systems: understanding social, organizational, and technological systems,monitoring and correcting performance, and designing or improvingsystems;

Technology: selecting equipment and tools, applying technology to specifictasks, and maintaining and troubleshooting technologies.

Total Credit Hours

12 - 36

Continuing Education Certificate

Students shall be awarded a continuing education certificate when theyhave successfully completed a continuing education course or set ofcourses.

Specialized Training

Adult Agriculture

Short-term adult upgrade classes in agriculture are offered at selectedsites. These classes are designed to help young and adult farmers, aswell as individuals employed in agribusiness, keep up with the constantlychanging technology in the field of agriculture. The program provideson-the-farm and on-the-job supervision year-round with organized instructionalclasses conducted in the late fall and winter.

Apprenticeship program registration is the responsibility of the KentuckyState Apprenticeship Council in cooperation with the United States Departmentof Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship Training. Application mustbe made through an employer, a labor union or a joint apprenticeshipcommittee. Verify with the KCTCS college that it provides the minimum144 hours per year of supplemental related instruction required of theapprenticeship program. Additional information may be obtained by callingthe Kentucky Apprenticeship Council or the United States Departmentof Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship Training.

Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education courses can be either credit or non-credit and aredesigned to meet the needs of the labor market and persons preparingto enter the workforce. They can also supplement knowledge and skillsfor initial employment or job advancement. They are developed to meetthe lifelong learning needs of the general public by providing short-termtraining, retraining, or upgrading of skills for employment or job advancement.

Customized Industry Training

At the request of business and industry, Community and EconomicDevelopment Coordinators (CED) assist in the development and implementationof customized training for prospective and current employees.A specialized training agreement is developed that specifies the dutiesand responsibilities of the college and the company and may include theawarding of college credit. Contact the CED Coordinator at the localcollege.

Fire/Rescue Training

Fire/Rescue Training classes are delivered throughout the state to meetthe training needs of fire/rescue and other emergency service personneland to provide health and safety training programs for industries,institutions, and government agencies. Successful completion of the basictraining classes for firefighters qualifies participants for certification asKentucky firefighters through the Kentucky State Fire Commission. Thebasic Emergency Medical Technician and First Responder courses qualifystudents for state certification through the Kentucky Board of EmergencyMedical Services.

Other Training Options

In addition to full-time programs, KCTCS colleges provide short-termtraining courses to meet specific labor force needs and demands. Contactthe local college for a list of short-term training programs andschedules.

Educational Opportunities in Correctional Institutions

KCTCS provides educational opportunities at 13 adult correctional facilitiesacross Kentucky. Services are managed by Bluegrass Communityand Technical College, Jefferson Community and Technical College andMaysville Community and Technical College. Each college offers occupational-technical programs where certificates, diplomas and/or associatedegrees can be earned. Currently, occupational-technical programsare offered at ten (10) correctional facilities with the possibility that newtechnical programs will be introduced at Little Sandy Correctional Complex.All programs prepare students for high skill, high wage or high demandoccupations so that an ex-offender can become an educated, skilledcitizen and a member of the Commonwealth’s workforce.