2024-2025 Catalog

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Graduation Requirements

To receive a degree or certificate from the Community College of Aurora students must meet all the requirements detailed in this section. The Registration and Records office evaluates and processes all graduation applications to determine if a student has met the requirements for a degree or certificate. The final determination occurs at the end of each academic semester. The Registration and Records office evaluates your student record for graduation eligibility based on the catalog of record for the student. The community College of Aurora hosts one commencement ceremony each year.

Graduation Applications

Students who anticipate completing their degree or certificate requirements and meeting eligibility for graduation at the end of a semester must complete a graduation application prior to that semesters submission deadline. Early application submission allows CCA’s Graduation Processor to review students records and ensure students are on-track to complete appropriate requirements in their final semester. Application deadlines are shown below:

Planning to graduate
at the end of:		 Final Submission Deadline*:
Spring Semester March 1
Summer Semester July 1
Fall Semester November 1

*Graduation Applications are processed in the order they are received. Applications received after a Final Submission Deadline will be processed for the following semester. 

- Applications submitted prior to deadlines ensures that students are included in their accurate graduating class in the commencement ceremony program. NOTE: Spring/Summer applications received after the Spring Final Submission Deadline will not be included in the immediate Spring’s commencement ceremony program. Those students will be included with the Summer graduates in the following years commencement program.  

The Graduation Application is available on MyCCA under the Student Tab where the Steps-To-Graduate icon is located. Prior to submitting a Graduation Application, students should complete the following:

  • Review Degree Check
  • Verify they are declared in the accurate degree/certificate program intended for completion.
  • Review Degree Check to ensure registration and completion of all program requirements.
  • If there are questions or concerns regarding declared programs or program requirements, please speak with an Advisor at 303-360-4929 to clarify prior to submitting an application
  • Review and accept acknowledgements upon opening the graduation application.
  • Complete and submit a graduation application. 

Graduation Requirements

  1. Students enrolling at the Community College of Aurora will follow the provisions of the catalog in use at the time of admission. When students interrupt their continuous attendance at CCA for three consecutive terms, or change their degree or certificate program, they will become subject to the provisions of the catalog current with their next enrollment.
  2. Students should complete the course requirements as prescribed by the specific degree or certificate program.
  3. Students must maintain a required grade point average of 2.0 (C) in all credit applicable toward a degree or certificate.
  4. For A.A.S. degrees and certificates, students should earn at least a C in all courses in the area of study (eg. students working on a program in business must earn a C or higher in all business related coursework). D grades in general education coursework may allow graduation, but likely will not transfer to other institutions.
  5. As of May 29, 2012 (summer semester 2012), "D" grades earned will not be applicable to A.A., A.S., and A.G.S. degrees at CCA.
  6. To graduate with a degree or certificate from CCA, 25% of all coursework applicable toward that degree or certificate must satisfy residency requirements. 
    1. Residency requirements at CCA are:
      1. Credit hours completed at CCA
      2. Credit hours completed at CCCOnline through CCA
      3. Credit hours that are 100-level or above and applicable towards your degree or certificate requirements
    2. Residency requirements at CCA do not include:
      1. Transfer credits
      2. English as a Second Language credits
      3. Developmental Education credits
      4. Prior Learning Assessment credits
      5. Credit hours that are 100-level and above but that are not applicable towards your degree or certificate requirements
  7. To obtain a single degree or certificate at CCA, a student must complete all program requirements and satisfy all residency requirements (see item 6 above).  For example, a 60 credit hour degree requires that a student complete 15 credit hours following residency guidelines.
  8. To obtain a second degree from CCA, a student must complete all program requirements, satisfy all residency requirements (see item 6 above), and complete an additional 15 credit hours that meet residency requirements at CCA.  The additional 15 credit hours must be unique to the second degree and not used for completion of the first degree. 
  9. The college reserves the right to substitute or delete course work requirements based on current curriculum. Students are assured that if the curriculum does change, the college will make every effort to determine an equitable solution.
  10. No more than six semester hours of special topics may be applied to any associate degree program.
  11. No more than six semester hours of independent study courses may be applied to any associate degree program.
  12. No more than six semester hours of directed study courses may be applied to any associate degree program.

Automatic Graduation

Students should submit graduation applications by the published deadlines to ensure that they are evaluated and graduated in the correct semester. In some circumstances, the college may automatically graduate students from programs as they are completed without an application. Students who are automatically graduated are notified by email of their graduation status.

Reverse Transfer 

Reverse Transfer, also known as "Colorado Reverse Transfer", is a platform set up for certain qualifying Associate degree programs, which allow students who have transferred out of CCA before graduating to a four year state college or university in Colorado, the ability to transfer credits completed at the four year institution back to CCA to fulfill the remaining Associate degree requirements.  Students must 'opt in' to the program, and must have completed at least 15 credit hours (with residency) at CCA to qualify for Reverse Transfer Degrees. 

Graduation Requirement Appeals

Students should initiate appeals regarding completion of graduation requirements within 60 calendar days after the decision was rendered. To submit an appeal, the student should contact the CCA graduation processor in writing. The graduation processor will work with the Registrar, student, Department Chair and Division Dean of Academic Success as appropriate. The Office of Registration and Records will respond in writing within 15 days.

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