General Information
Common Course Numbering (CCN)
 Common Course Numbering (CCN) was adopted as a way to more easily identify the same course at different community and technical colleges in Washington. Courses identified as “common” between community and technical colleges are denoted with an ampersand (&) next to the department and course number. (Example: MATH& 141)
Students who have taken Pierce classes before Summer Quarter 2008 must check the Pierce CCN Crosswalk to ensure they do not enroll in the same course twice as a result of new course number or title changes. CCN does not affect how courses transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Common course numbers, departments and titles were changed to simplify transferring between community and technical colleges. Student transcripts will contain a statement that alerts others to the Washington state Common Course Numbering change.
Quarter System
Pierce College’s academic year is divided into quarters. Fall, winter and spring quarters are ten weeks in length; summer, eight weeks. See Academic Calendar .
Course Number System
| 001-099 |
Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), General Education Development (GED) and high school completion |
| 042-099 |
Developmental or pre-college level courses designed to help students succeed in subsequent college-level courses. These are not transferable credits and will not be used toward fulfilling degree/certificate requirements |
| 100-299 |
College-level courses applicable to associate degrees and certificates |
| 300-499 |
Junior and Senior level courses applicable to Bachelor of Applied Science degrees |
Completion Time for Degrees and Certificates
Students are allowed up to six years to complete degree or certificate requirements that were in effect at that time. The six-year period begins when a program of study is officially declared. Students who do not fulfill the requirements in that period must meet the requirements currently in effect for their degree/certificates. All prior credit that has been evaluated as equivalent to current requirements will be counted toward their fulfillment. Alternately, a student may choose to meet current degree requirements.
Changes in Program
Official changes in the student’s program of study or change of advisor require approval. Students should meet with their advisor to discuss options. An official program change will establish an “official starting date” for the new program and preserve a full six-year period to complete the program under current requirements.
Discontinued Programs
If a degree or certificate is discontinued, students will be permitted to finish the program, to the extent the college finds possible, provided the student fulfills the requirements within three years of when the program is discountinued. Substitutions for discontinued courses will be permitted when appropriate substitute courses are available and when authorized through the course substitution procedures currently in effect. Requests for course substitutions should be made through the appropriate faculty.
Degree Outcomes
Core Abilities Outcomes
Critical, Creative and Reflective Thinking
Graduates will be able to question, search for answers and meaning, and develop ideas that lead to action.
Responsibility
Graduates will be able to respond by examining the relationship between self, community and environments, evaluating potential impacts and consequences of actions, and making choices and contributions based on that examination and evaluation.
Information Competency
Graduates will be able to seek, find, evaluate and use information and employ information technology to engage in lifelong learning.
Effective Communication
Graduates will be able to exchange messages in a variety of contexts using multiple methods.
Multiculturalism
Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of diverse ideas, cultures and experiences and the ability to examine their own attitudes and assumptions in order to engage others with civility and empathy.
Fundamental Areas of Knowledge Outcomes
Communication
Graduates identify, analyze and evaluate rhetorical strategies in their own and other’s writing in order to communicate effectively.
Humanities
Graduates acquire skills to critically interpret, analyze and evaluate forms of human expression, and create and perform as an expression of the human experience.
Social Sciences
Graduates use social science research methods and/or theory in order to analyze and interpret social phenomena.
Natural Sciences
Graduates use the scientific method to analyze natural phenomena and acquire skills to evaluate authenticity of data/information relative to the natural world.
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Graduates utilize mathematical, symbolic, logical, graphical, geometric, or statistical analysis for the interpretation and solution of problems in the natural world and human society.
University Transfer Degrees
University Transfer Degrees ensure that students who complete these degrees have satisfied the lower division general education/core requirements and lower division degree related requirements for the baccalaureate institutions.
All students are required to successfully complete COLLG 110 College Success during the first or second quarter of attendance. College Success is designed to prepare students to navigate the college system and enhance opportunities for success. The course emphasizes college success strategies, self-assessment, goal-setting, career exploration, effective study habits, campus resources, and efficient use of online tools for learning, educational planning and enrollment.
Associate of Arts - Direct Transfer Agreement Degree
When you earn a two-year Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Degree, you can transfer to any public university in Washington state as a junior, with virtually all your general education credits fulfilled. Many private colleges also accept these degrees. These degrees are often abbreviated as AA-DTA (the DTA stands for Direct Transfer Agreement). This is Washington’s most popular and most flexible transfer degree.
Associate of Arts - Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA)
Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Pathway (DTA/MRP) Degrees
Some transfer degrees help prepare students for a particular major, like business or nursing. These are called “Major-Related Programs” and are sometimes abbreviated DTA/MRP. If you earn this type of two-year degree, you can transfer as a junior only if the community or technical college has an agreement with the university. Work with your advisor to see if your college has an MRP agreement with the university you want to attend. University transfer degrees are available in biology, business, construction management, pre-nursing, music and math education.
Associate in Biology (DTA/MRP)
Associate in Business (DTA/MRP)
Associate in Construction Management (DTA/MRP)
Associate in Pre-Nursing (DTA/MRP)
Associate in Math Education (DTA/MRP)
Associate in Music (DTA/MRP)
Associate of Science Transfer Degrees
The Associate of Science transfer (AS-T) degrees are designed to prepare students for upper-division study. Students completing the AS-T degree will receive the same priority consideration for admission to the baccalaureate institution as they would for completing the DTA associate degree, and will be given junior status by the receiving institution. Students are responsible for checking specific major requirements of Washington baccalaureate institutions in the year prior to transferring.
AS-T Track 1 for science pre-majors in biological sciences, environmental/resource sciences, geology, earth science and chemistry.
AS-T Track 2 for science pre-majors in engineering, computer science, physics and atmospheric sciences.
Associate of Science (AS-T) Degree Track 1
Associate of Science (AS-T) Degree Track 2
Professional/Technical Degrees
Pierce College’s professional/technical degrees are designed to provide students with technical and related skills needed for successful employment. These degrees emphasize practical, work-related skills that translate to effectiveness and expertise in the workplace.
Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
To keep up — and stay ahead — in the ever-changing workplace, education and skills training is a lifelong pursuit. Get the skills to go further in your career with a bachelor’s degree from a community or technical college. An applied bachelor’s degree builds on the education and training from a two-year technical associate degree.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
Students who complete the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in one of Pierce College’s specific professional/technical programs will receive a degree titled with that program specialty. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 90 quarter credits or their equivalent, including all specific requirements of an approved professional/technical program. The purpose of these degrees are to provide immediate employment.
Associate of Applied Science - Transfer (AAS-T)
The AAS-T is built upon the technical courses required for job preparation but also includes a college-level general education component, common in structure for all such degrees. The AAS-T is designed for the dual purpose of immediate employment and as preparation for the junior year with institutions Pierce College has agreements for a bachelor of applied science (BAS) degree. The AAS-T degree generally will not be accepted in preparation for Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees, although the general education component of the degree will be accepted. Check with your advisor on these degrees.
Associate in Technology - General
A graduate of any approved occupational/vocational program from an accredited college, military school, vocational/technical institute, technical college, licensed private college, vocational school, industry, apprentice-based training or university may be granted up to 65 quarter credits toward the Associate in Technology – General degree. The remainder of the student’s program shall include a minimum of 18 credits of related instruction. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the following areas: communications, computation and human relations. All related instruction courses must be numbered 100 or above. A total of 90 credits is required.
Professional/Technical Certificates
Professional/technical certificate programs emphasize basic, practical skills needed for entry-level employment. Often, these programs can be completed in a short period of time, preparing a student with beginning job skills or providing knowledge and skills that are needed for advancement in a specific professional/technical area.
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