Graduation Requirements

REFERENCE NUMBER:  1016
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/01/2024

Students applying for the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Fine Arts, or Associate of General Studies degree must have earned a minimum of 25 percent of total credit hours from Hutchinson Community College (“HutchCC” and/or “the College”).

Students applying for the Associate of Applied Science degree or stackable credential certificate programs are required to complete a minimum of 25 percent of total credit hours at Hutchinson Community College in the technical field for which the degree is granted. Technical coursework transferred from other institutions will be reviewed by the appropriate HutchCC program coordinator, department chair or their representative.

All students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 to graduate. Certain programs have separate grade requirements. Students should check with their advisor.

HutchCC posts degrees at three different periods during the school year: the date of the May commencement ceremony, July 31, and December 15. Student diplomas will bear the same dates as the completed transcripts although the College will hold only one commencement exercise per year.  Students who have applied for graduation must complete the requirements within a calendar year or must reapply for graduation. Students entering programs with selective admission requirements may have different graduation dates based upon state testing requirements.

Although advisers, department chairpersons and the Records Office staff assist in checking requirements, students are ultimately responsible for meeting graduation requirements.

Students shall follow the guidelines of the catalog under which they begin, provided they remain continuously enrolled at HutchCC from the semester of entry to the semester of graduation. Continuous enrollment is defined as the successful completion of at least one class during each semester (excluding summer sessions). Students who are not continuously enrolled from the date of entry to the date of graduation shall follow the guidelines of the catalog under which they reenter.

Students entering programs with selective admission requirements are required to meet current catalog admission standards.

Hutchinson Community College Graduate Profile

HutchCC graduates will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and make reasonable judgments by analyzing, combining, and evaluating information.
  2. Demonstrate the skills necessary to access and manipulate information through various methods.
  3. Demonstrate effective communication through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  4. Demonstrate effective interpersonal and collaborative skills.
  5. Demonstrate effective quantitative-reasoning and computational skills.

General Education Philosophy

The general education requirements at HutchCC are specific requirements that represent the philosophy of education to provide an adequate body of common knowledge necessary to assure a broadly based liberal education. These courses strive to provide proficiency in writing, reading, speaking and listening; they teach mathematical structures which acquaint students with critical thinking skills; they encourage an understanding of science and scientific inquiry; and they provide familiarity with various branches of human understanding.

Each degree program at HutchCC contains an integrated framework of general education requirements. This emphasis helps students understand they are not only trained but also educated and that they are not only individuals but also members of the greater human community. It is a belief that these requirements can enrich the lives of students, broaden their perspectives, and make learning a lifelong enterprise.

Requirements for the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Fine Arts, and Associate of General Studies Degrees

A student may qualify for an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or an associate of Fine Arts degree by completing a program of study consisting of a minimum of 60 credit hours, with 34-35 of those hours in general education courses from each of the areas listed below. To satisfy the Systemwide General Education Framework, 6 credit hours of the General Electives will include the approved institutional Options.

Associate of Arts

Associate of Science

Associate of Fine Arts

A student may qualify for an Associate of General Studies degree by completing a program of study consisting of 60 credit hours, with a minimum of 30 of those hours in general education courses consisting of

Requirements for the Associate of Applied Science Degree

A student may qualify for an Associate of Applied Science degree by completing a planned program of study consisting of 60 credit hours as listed in the catalog as follows:

  1. Specialization in the chosen technical field and related contextual courses (minimum of 45 college credits)
  2. General education courses from at least three of the following areas (minimum of 15 college credits):
    • Arts and Humanities
    • Communication
    • Math
    • Science
    • Social Science
    • Necessary Skills

A student transferring to Hutchinson Community College must complete a minimum of 25 percent of total credit hours in the technical field for which the degree is granted.

The electives requirement may be waived for students in those programs in which the number of credit hours in a selected curriculum mandated by an outside agency causes the graduation requirements to exceed 60 credit hours.

Students in Associate Degree Nursing, Health Information Management, Physical Therapy Assistant, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care, and Surgical Technology curricula must meet the accrediting agency requirements. The Vice President of Academic Affairs must give written approval for an exception to the selected curriculum.

A student may receive more than one Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. Students applying for graduation from an AAS degree program with more than a five-year interruption in their educational program will have their transcripts reviewed by the appropriate program area for current program competencies.

Requirements of Certificates

A student may qualify for a Technical Certificate for programs of instruction that are less than 60 semester hours in length but more than 15 semester hours. Certificates of Completion may be awarded for a course or a sequence of courses not exceeding 15 semester hours.

Certificates range from a Certificate of Completion (1-15 credit hours), Certificate A (16-29 credit hours), Certificate B (30-44 credit hours), and a Certificate C (45-59 credit hours). Certificates under the same program are stackable, students may earn multiple certificates from the same program.

A student transferring to Hutchinson Community College must complete a minimum of 25 percent of total credit hours in the technical field for which the certificate is granted.