Academic Degrees and Certificates

Degrees and Certificates

Laramie County Community College offers students five degrees and numerous certificates of completion:

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
Associate of Arts Degree (AA)
Associate of Science Degree (AS)
Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS)
Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN)
Certificate of Completion
Certificate of General Education
Credit Diploma

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)

This degree is for students seeking to further their advancement within an occupational area or career field through additional study. The program has academic and applied coursework with distinct curriculum specific to the field of study. The program is primarily intended for students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science degree and are working in an occupational area or career field, but not limited to such.

The Associate of Arts Degree (AA) and The Associate of Science Degree (AS)

These degrees prepare students for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program. The Associate of Arts degree is designed for students pursuing arts, humanities, social sciences and education areas. The Associate of Science is designed for students pursuing sciences, technology, agriculture, engineering, business and mathematics. Baccalaureate programs vary considerably; therefore, students are urged to obtain specific information regarding requirements of the transfer institution and the assistance of an LCCC advisor.

The Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS)

This degree is designed for students planning to enter the workplace upon degree completion. This degree has substantial applied coursework associated with the fields of study.

The AAS degree typically can be transferred into a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree at some colleges and universities. Courses within the AAS degree programs may be accepted at a four-year college or university if the student is transferring into degrees other than the BAS. Students anticipating transfer are encouraged to consult with an advisor and carefully check the requirements of the institution and program into which they plan to transfer.

The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

This degree is designed for students pursuing nursing. This degree has substantial applied coursework and allows the student to enter the workplace upon degree completion. The ADN degree typically can be transferred into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at some colleges and universities. Students anticipating transfer are encouraged to consult with an advisor and program faculty to carefully check the requirements of the institution and program into which they plan to transfer.

Certificate of Completion

The Certificate of Completion is a program of applied study primarily designed to prepare students for immediate employment or advancement in a job indicated by the certificate title, and provides eligibility to sit for state or national licensing or certification exams. Certificates of Completion include general education as outlined in Board of Trustees Policy 2.2, except for post-baccalaureate options, and must meet a minimum requirement of 30 credits.

Certificate of General Education

The Certificate of General Education is a credential granted to a student by LCCC upon completion of a coherent list of academic credit courses, which satisfy the requirements of the General Education Core for an AA or AS degree. The Certificate of General Education is not a stand-alone program.

Credit Diploma

The Credit Diploma is designed to prepare students for immediate entry into or advancement in the workplace. This credential is granted to a student upon completion of a list of academic credit courses, which is less than either an associate degree or a certificate of completion. Credit Diploma is a very short program of study, between 12-29 credits with the expectation that it can be completed in two academic semesters.

Students desiring to further their education are encouraged to submit their certificates, licenses or transcripts to the Office of the Registrar for evaluation. As many as 49 semester hours may be applied toward an Associate of Applied Science degree for previous technical training and experience.

Laramie County Community College cooperates with various public and private institutions so that transfer students may be granted the maximum possible number of credits for technical training. The additional courses needed to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree are taken from LCCC and are selected based upon published degree requirements and the advisor’s recommendations.

In those cases in which course work is transferred and applied toward certificates or licensure, students may be asked to demonstrate competency.

Interstate Passport

The Interstate Passport enables successful transfer of a block of lower-level general education learning to other institutions participating in the Interstate Passport Network. All students who complete the general education requirements for an AA or AS degree will have completed the Interstate Passport. Students who complete their Passport at LCCC will not be required to repeat course work to meet lower division general education requirements in the Passport’s nine areas when they transfer to a participating institution in any member state. LCCC began transcripting the Interstate Passport following the Fall 2016 semester.

Online Degree Programs

All LCCC degrees and certificates are accredited, including online degrees and certificates, through the Higher Learning Commission. A variety of courses, certificates, and degrees is available online to assist students in meeting their educational goals. Students should discuss their educational plans with an advisor.

Assessment of Student Learning

Assessment of student learning is an integral and ongoing component in Laramie County Community College’s effort to continuously improve and strengthen itself so that the college may more effectively meet the needs of the learner. In addition, the assessment of student learning provides information used to determine if students are learning what the institution expects them to learn. The success of the student learning assessment process depends on the commitment of the administration, faculty, and staff to excellence in programming and services. Continuous assessment of student learning ensures that informed and professional choices are made to improve the learning experience and academic achievement of students.

The college assesses student learning in a variety of ways. Students will be asked to participate in assessment activities designed to measure achievement in their courses and programs of study and of general education competencies and core abilities.

Graduation Requirements

1. Successfully complete a minimum of 60 semester hours with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
2. Complete the general education degree requirements indicated on the following page for the AA, AS, AAS, ADN, BAS degrees, or Certificates of Completion.
3. Meet the state statutory requirement for instruction in the constitutions of the United States and Wyoming by completing one of the following:
   
   POLS 1000 - American and Wyoming Government  (3 credit hours) -or-
   HIST 1211 - U.S. to 1865  (3 credit hours) -or-
   HIST 1221 - U.S. from 1865  (3 credit hours) -or-
   HIST 1251 - Wyoming History  (3 credit hours) -or-
   ECON 1200 - Economics, Law, and Government  (3 credit hours)
   Exception: Students who have earned credit for American Government or U.S. History at an out-of-state college or by advanced placement but have not fulfilled the Wyoming Constitution requirement may complete the one-credit hour POLS 1100 instead of one of the above courses.
4. Complete a minimum of 30 semester hours from Laramie County Community College applied toward graduation for a Bachelor of Applied Science. Complete a minimum of 15 semester hours from Laramie County Community College applied toward graduation for an AA, AS, AAS, or ADN. Complete a minimum of 25% of the semester hours from Laramie County Community College applied toward a Certificate of Completion or a Credit Diploma.
5. Submit a graduation application online through Self-Service. A cap and gown fee is required to participate in graduation ceremonies. Students planning to graduate should consult the academic calendar for the application deadline. If a student does not meet all the requirements for graduation and later completes the remaining requirements, the student should reapply or contact the Office of the Registrar with questions.

Multiple Associate Degrees from LCCC

1. It is permissible for a student to earn more than one degree at LCCC.
2. A student may receive as many degrees at the end of the semester as he or she has earned at that point.
3. For each degree earned, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 15 additional credits from LCCC. A student may concurrently earn two degrees by achieving 30 hours from LCCC.
4. Students must complete the degree requirements for a second degree as listed in the current year’s catalog.
5. A maximum of 45 semester hours of credit from the first degree may be applied toward the second degree.
6. Students must consult an advisor when planning multiple degrees.

General Education Competencies

The general education component is a purposeful program of students’ educational activities that builds a mature understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and the human condition, the mastering of multiple modes of inquiry, the ability to effectively analyze and communicate information, and the recognition of the importance of creativity fundamental to lifelong intellectual growth.

At LCCC, the mechanism by which student learning outcomes are assessed is the competency. A competency is a specific, measurable statement of what students know or are able to do upon completion of a course or program of study. LCCC’s general education competencies are the overarching skills that students develop throughout their education experience at LCCC and are able to demonstrate upon graduation.

All graduates of LCCC’s certificate and associate degree programs will have completed a robust curriculum that builds the competencies and abilities necessary for students to engage successfully as citizens in a globalized, competitive, and socially interconnected world, regardless of their chosen career field. Therefore, LCCC has established a blueprint for academic success based on the following general education outcomes that are incorporated throughout the curriculum.

The LCCC General Education program leverages nationally recognized and readily transferable, competencies-based learning through the Interstate Passport program. At LCCC, the mechanism by which student learning is assessed is the trait:

1. Oral Communication: Oral communication entails a crucial set of skills for higher education students to develop not just because of its importance for effective participation in classrooms, but primarily because of its central position as a tool of democracy and civic engagement. Proficiency in oral communication also requires development of the ability to actively listen, accurately summarize, and evaluate oral presentations by others.
2. Written Communication: Writing sits at the heart of the mission of the higher education institution. Regardless of the discipline, irrespective of the curriculum, written communication is the key that unlocks critical thinking, analysis, and logical reasoning. Learning to write effectively as an undergraduate is not accomplished in any one course, but learning to use this key to unlock intellectual potential across the curriculum does, in fact, require at least one dedicated course.
3. Quantitative Literacy: Quantitative literacy requires comfort and capability with fundamental quantitative methods, and incorporation of quantitative concepts into the student’s worldview, so the student does not hesitate to apply quantitative skills in any appropriate context.
4. Natural Sciences: Proficiency in the natural sciences entails exploration and comprehension of the universe that requires an informed understanding of the scientific method and its scope, an appreciation of the inherent beauty and wonder that one can find in science and its possibilities, and its application in conducting research to gather and subject empirical evidence to quantitative analysis. Proficiency also demands understanding and appreciation of the requirement that all applicable evidence must be integrated into scientific models of the universe, and that scientific models must evolve. Proficiency of Natural Sciences includes both physical and life sciences, describing the scope of scientific study using core theories, practices and discipline-related terminology in both fields.
5. Human Cultures: Proficiency in evolving human cultures, increases student knowledge and appreciation of the human condition in different cultures in relation to each other and of cultural diversity and/or cultural evolution over time.
6. Human Society and the Individual: Human society and the individual explores human behavior in social settings through scientific inquiry within the context of value systems, institutions, economic structures, social groups and/or environments.
7. Creative Expression: Interpretive and creative expression of the potential and limits of the human condition relies on critical analysis of specific texts or works to support its claims.

We value how students think as much as what they learn. A successful general education program will help students transform their lives regardless of their path after graduation. All general education courses will incorporate all four of these essential practices:

1. Exploration, Research, and Problem Solving
2. Creativity and Innovation
3. Empathy and Integrity
4. Communication and Collaboration

Students who are successful in these four essential practices will be better prepared to be leaders and entrepreneurs in their fields and their communities.

General Education Core Curriculum Requirements

The general education core curriculum is guided by Laramie County Community College’s student learning core abilities and are designed to be in alignment with Wyoming statutory requirements, Wyoming Community College Commission recommendations, and the accreditation criteria set forth by the Higher Learning Commission.

The specific courses in the links below are designed to fulfill general education categories for associate degree programs and are taken in conjunction with the specific course requirements for each program of study and degree completion requirements. Individual programs of study may require specific core courses; students should contact their program advisors prior to registration to ensure the proper selection of courses for their desired majors. Students are advised that delays in graduation may result if they change their program of study due to these specific course requirements in some programs. The General Education Procedure can be found at lccc.wy.edu/Documents/General-Education-Procedure.pdf.

General Education Core Requirements by Degree Type

General education credits required for a credential vary by type.  General Education credits required range from 12 credits for a Certificate of Completion to 31 credits for a Bachelor of Applied Science.

Certificate of Completion    

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)   

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

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)  

General Education Core Courses

 Approved General Education Courses  

Strategies for Success Exemption 

* STRT 1000 - Strategies for Success    

Students learn academic success skills, explore life and career goals, develop a support system to connect to campus, and prepare for responsible lives in a dynamic and interdependent world in the STRT 1000  course. LCCC recognizes that students may have already achieved the learning outcomes and competencies of STRT 1000  through prior learning. Students may request an exemption from STRT 1000  if they meet one of the following requirements:

• Student has completed a credit-bearing Credit Diploma, Credit Certificate, Certificate of Completion, AAS, AA, AS, or higher degree from an institution of higher education whose institutional accreditation is through an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Student has successfully completed a minimum of 15 college-level credits, which must include college-level English and college-level math, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher at an institution of higher education whose institutional accreditation is through an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time of admission or readmission.
• Student has successfully completed a minimum of 24 college-level institutional credits with a GPA of 2.5 or higher at the time the student submits a formal change of program.
• Student has transferred a minimum of 15 military credits (Joint Services Transcript).

The STRT 1000  Exemption Form should be completed by the student and his/her academic advisor, and submitted to the Student Hub for review and final approval from the Office of the Registrar.

LCCC/University of Wyoming Precollege Program

LCCC offers Precollege courses on the University of Wyoming campus for both University of Wyoming and non-University of Wyoming students. The university in return offers select upper division courses for LCCC and University of Wyoming students.

Additional Academic Resources

LCCC/University of Wyoming Off-Campus Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs

Combining courses at LCCC with University of Wyoming courses delivered in Cheyenne, Cheyenne-based students can complete several bachelor’s and master’s degree programs as off-campus students. The University of Wyoming Southeast Regional Office is in Suite 406 in the Clay Pathfinder Building. Call 307.632.8949 for more information.

Articulation Agreements

Articulation agreements are in place with the University of Wyoming and other transfer institutions for specific programs. The articulation agreements ensure that the academically successful student who selects and follows an articulated major can transfer to the specified institution and complete the baccalaureate degree within the period of time that such a degree would normally be completed at that institution. Articulated programs are denoted within the program description in the catalog and require students to complete a very specific course sequence. It is recommended that students speak with their advisor and program faculty to ensure that courses in the chosen programs are aligned for maximum transferability. Detailed information about existing articulation agreements LCCC has with several four-year institutions is available at lccc.wy.edu/academics/policies/articulation-agreements.aspx.