Degree Requirements

Associate in Arts

Purposes of the degree:

1. Provide a degree goal for students who choose to follow a course of study which is specifically designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program.
2. Provide the essential general education, grade, and semester hour requirements for upper division status at most senior colleges and universities.

Requirements for the degree include:

1. Completion of at least sixty-two (62) semester hours of work consisting of courses whose principal design is for a baccalaureate program. Up to 16 semester hours of career courses can be used as elective credit. Developmental courses cannot be used to meet this requirement.
2. One-half of the required semester hours must be completed under the aegis of North Iowa Area Community College.
3. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC. Developmental courses are not used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation.
4. Completion of the following General Education Core  with a minimum of 41 semester hours:

• Communication - 9 s.h.
  This requirement can be satisfied by baccalaureate-oriented communication or speech courses with a minimum of two courses in English composition.
• Social Sciences - 8 s.h.
• Humanities - 8 s.h.
  Performance courses such as vocal and instrumental music may satisfy no more than four hours of this requirement. (Additional performance courses will be counted as elective credit.)
• Natural Science/Mathematics* - 8 s.h.
  (including at least one math and at least one science course)
• Distributed Requirement - 8 s.h.
  (to be taken from among the four divisions above)
  *It is recommended that students take a minimum of four semester hours of laboratory science.

5. Completion of SDV - 199 College Essentials  (1 s.h.)

Associate in Science

The purpose of the Associate in Science Degree is to provide a degree goal for students with a strong emphasis on math or science.

Requirements for the degree include:

1. Completion of at least sixty-two (62) semester hours of work consisting of courses whose principal design is for a baccalaureate program. Up to 16 semester hours of career courses can be used as elective credit. Developmental courses cannot be used to meet this requirement.
2. One-half of the required semester hours must be completed under the aegis of North Iowa Area Community College.
3. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC. Developmental courses are not used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation.
4. Completion of the following General Education Core  with a minimum of 41 semester hours:

• Communication 9 s.h.
• Social Sciences/Humanities 8 s.h.
• Natural Science/Mathematics 20 s.h.
  (must include at least one math and at least one science course)
• Distributed Requirement 4 s.h.

5. Completion of SDV - 199 College Essentials  (1 s.h.).

Associate in Applied Science

Purposes of the degree include:

1. Provide a degree goal for students who choose to follow a course of study which is specifically designed to lead to employment upon completion of two years of study.
2. Provide the student with an entry skill level appropriate to the career for which he/she has been preparing.
3. Provide the student with general education skills: communication, social science and/or humanities, and math and/or science.

Requirements for the degree include:

1. Completion of at least sixty (60) semester hours of a prescribed two year career curriculum. Developmental courses cannot be used to meet this requirement.
2. One-half of the required semester hours must be completed under the aegis of North Iowa Area Community College, unless specified otherwise by a program’s accrediting agency.
3. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC. Developmental courses are not used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation.
4. Completion of a General Education Core  of at least 15 semester hours including 3 semester hours from each of the following categories: Communications, Social Science/Humanities, and Natural Science/Mathematics.

Associate in General Studies

Purposes of the degree include:

1. Provide a degree goal for students who choose to follow an individualized course of study which is not specifically designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program.
2. Provide an attainable associate degree for students who complete career programs of less than two years duration.
3. Provide an associate degree for career education students who wish to enroll in selected courses to reach a personal career objective.
4. Provide a degree goal for students whose educational goals shift after initial commitment has been made.
5. Provide a flexible associate degree for students who attend college on a part-time or other nontraditional basis.

Requirements for the degree include:

1. Completion of at least sixty (60) semester hours of work designed to meet the personal or career goals of each individual student. Developmental courses cannot be used to meet this requirement.
2. One-half of the required semester hours must be completed under the aegis of North Iowa Area Community College.
3. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC. Developmental courses are not used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation.

Diploma

Purposes of the diploma include:

1. Provide a diploma goal for students who choose to follow a course of study which is specifically designed to lead to employment.
2. Provide the student with an entry skill level appropriate to the career for which he/she has been preparing.

Requirements for the diploma include:

1. Completion of at least thirty (30) semester hours of credit including a minimum of 3 semester hours of General Education  credit.
2. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC. Developmental courses are not used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation.

Certificate

Certificates of completion are awarded to indicate that a student has satisfactorily completed a program of instruction other than those indicated previously. Certificates are issued to students upon completion of a short-term program of study with a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (C) including a 2.00 (C) cumulative grade point average in all course work at NIACC.