Definitions of Program Types

Definitions and content are extracted and modified from the Program and Course Approval Handbook.

An educational program is defined in Title 5, § 55000(m) as “an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher education.”

Long Beach City College offers the following types of programs:

Noncredit Certificate of Competency

• A certificate in a recognized career field articulated with degree-applicable coursework, completion of an associate degree, or transfer to a baccalaureate institution.
• Considered a Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) program.

Noncredit Certificate of Completion

• A certificate leading to improved employability or job opportunities.
• Considered a Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) program.
• Does not need to be submitted to the regional consortia.
• If CTE short-term vocational, LMI must be submitted.

Credit Certificate of Accomplishment

• A certificate of fewer than 8 units.
• Does not need to be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office for chaptering.

Credit Certificate of Achievement

• Colleges must submit programs of 16 or more semester units or 24 or more quarter units of degree applicable coursework to be chaptered by the Chancellor’s Office. Colleges may submit programs of 8 or more semester units or 12 or more quarter units of degree-applicable coursework to be chaptered by the Chancellor’s office in order that the program may be included in the student transcript.
• If CTE, must include Advisory, LMI, and consortia approval.

Credit Associates in Science/Arts

• These are local degrees defined as a minimum of 60 semester units… of degree-applicable lower division credit courses… (Title 5 Section 55061 Associate Degree Course Requirements 2023).
• If CTE, must include Advisory, LMI, and consortia approval.

Credit Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) including Associates in Science (AS-T) and Associates in Arts (AA-T)

• Must be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office for chaptering.
• The Chancellor’s Office develops a template for each approved TMC. All submissions must include a completed, current template. Faculty authors must work with the Curriculum Chair and Dean, Academic Affairs, to prepare or modify the TMC template.