Completing a Certificate
Mt. San Antonio College offers two different types of certificates for credit programs of study:
"Certificates of Achievement" are awarded for completion of an approved program of study meeting certain requirements of the California Community College Chancellor's Office in terms of total unit values and other criteria. The possession of such a certificate is favorably recognized by business and industry and is frequently requirement for professional advancement. The awarding of all Certificates of Achievement is noted on a student's official transcript.
"Skills Certificates" are lower-unit certificates in various occupational areas. Although the awarding of skills Certificates is not noted on a student's official transcript, the student may apply for and receive a documentation certificate from the college that may be value in documenting knowledge and skills to potential employers. In many cases, entry-level Skills Certificates may be part of a ladder-track of increasing levels of preparation in an occupational area, and courses used to complete them may form a core of requirements that are augmented as students pursue higher levels of proficiency toward a Certificates of Achievement.
Note: The unit requirement for Skills Certificates is below that required for some forms of financial aid eligibility. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine whether a particular program of study qualifies for financial aid.
Most certificates will be auto–awarded by the Office of Admissions and Records.
Requirements for all certificates include the following:
- At least 1/2 of the credits earned toward the certificate must be completed at Mt. San Antonio College
- A grade of "C" or better must be earned in each course to be applied to the certificate
- Students may also request a program variance to substitute a course for one needed to complete a Mt. San Antonio certificate program for courses taken at other institutions
Certificate programs listed do not necessarily qualify as specific majors for a two-year A.S. Degree program; however, most can be readily phased into existing majors. Students should consult the course descriptions in the College Catalog to determine prerequisites for each course listed as part of a certificate program. Consult a counselor for further information.
Alphabetical listing of Certificate Programs can be found in the College Catalog.
