Application for Graduation

Students must apply for graduation to receive an Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement from Henry Ford Community College. Students who do not meet the requirements for graduation in the semester of their application will need to notify the Registration and Records office to inform them of the semester they want to have their application reconsidered. There is an application fee for each Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement application filed.

Graduation Applications and Information

General Requirements for all Associate Degrees

Henry Ford Community College awards the following Associate’s Degrees:

• Associate in Applied Science – area of concentration
• Associate in Arts
• Associate in Business
• Associate in General Studies
• Associate in Science

To earn an Associate Degree, students must complete the General Requirements for an Associate Degree, General Education Requirements, and Specific Degree Requirements.

In order to improve programs, HFCC may occasionally change the requirements for a degree. If degree requirements have changed, students may elect to:

• Graduate under the current program/degree requirements (year of graduation)
  
  OR
  
  
• Graduate under previous degree/program requirements within three (3) years of any degree/program change.
  

Associate Degree recipients may graduate with Honors.

Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.90-4.00 graduate SUMMA CUM LAUDE.
Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.70 – 3.89 graduate MAGNA CUM LAUDE.
Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50-3.69 graduate CUM LAUDE.

General Requirements for an Associate Degree

An associate degree will be awarded to all students who have completed an approved program, provided the following conditions have been fulfilled:

1. Earn a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit with a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) or higher.
   
2. Complete General Education and Degree Specific Graduation Requirements.
   
3. Complete all required and elective courses for the Program of Study. Go to WebAdvisor and select Program Evaluation to find this information.
   
4. A maximum of six credit hours in developmental courses (numbered 099 or lower) may be used as elective credit. Developmental courses do not meet General Education, Specific Degree Requirements, or Program Requirements.
   
5. Complete a minimum of 20 semester hours of credit at HFCC. The balance of credit may be transferred in from other sources (usually accredited colleges). Students must work with the HFCC University Transfer, Advising, and Career Counseling Office and/or the Admissions, Registration, and Records Office to establish an official record of transfer credit at the college.
   
6. A maximum of 40 semester hours of credit from any HFCC associate degree may be applied toward meeting the requirements of another degree. In other words, to earn a second associate degree at HFCC an additional 20 semester hours of credit must be earned or all second degree requirements must be met, whichever is greater. The same rule applies for all subsequent degrees.
   
7. A maximum of six semester hours of credit may be transferred after leaving HFCC to complete degree requirements. All degree requirements must be met. A minimum of 20 semester hours of credit must be earned at HFCC.
   
8. A student holding a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be given transfer credit equivalencies that meet the General Education Requirements for graduation.
   
9. All financial obligations to the college have been met.

General Requirements for Certificates of Achievement
Programs leading to a Certificate of Achievement are available. These programs are highly specialized and intended to provide skills that will increase students' opportunities for employment or promotion. There are three types of certificates: Basic, Complex, and Advanced.

Level 1: Basic Skills Certificate

The learning domain must be limited to a single technology or skill area, and the certification candidate should be able to:

• Accomplish basic tasks in the domain without assistance.
• Solve common problems within the domain.
• Assist in more advanced tasks.
• Describe the technical structure of the domain.

At HFCC, the following academic conditions apply to Level 1 Certificates:

• The certificate includes a maximum of 18 credit hours.
• Twenty-five percent of coursework may be transferred from another institution with written approval of the appropriate Associate Dean.
• A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required of all certificate coursework.

Level 2: Complex Skills Certificate
The learning domain must encompass either multiple technologies/skill areas or a complex single technology, and the certification candidate should be able to:

• Serve as a resource for others.
• Solve moderately complex problems without assistance.
• Perform advanced tasks within the domain.

At HFCC, the following academic conditions would apply to a Level 2 certificate:

• The certificate includes 12-48 credit hours.
• Twenty-five percent of coursework may be transferred from another institution with written approval of the appropriate Associate Dean.
• A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required of all certificate coursework.

Level 3: Advanced Skills Certificate
The learning domain must encompass multiple technologies or skill areas, and the certification candidate should be able to:

• Troubleshoot complex problems.
• Confidently traverse the scope of the domain, from the most basic material to complex issues involving interfaces outside the domain.
• Present "significant experience."
• Complete a hands-on assessment/lab exam/project.

At HFCC, the following academic conditions would apply to a Level 3 certificate:

• Certificate candidate would be required to have a related Associate degree or higher, or a minimum of two years of recent, verifiable work.
• Certificate includes 5-30 credit hours.
• Twenty-five per cent of coursework may be transferred from another institution with written approval of the appropriate Associate Dean.
• A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required of all certificate coursework.

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS
Continuing Education Units are awarded in recognition of completion of certain non-credit courses and programs. CEU credits do not apply to certificate or degree requirements. Information regarding CEU credits is available from the Center for Lifelong Learning.