Highland Community College offers educational programs designed to transfer into a baccalaureate program at senior institutions, lead directly to employment, or satisfy a special interest. The college offers programs of study that lead to associate degrees and various certificates. Students who plan to transfer to earn a baccalaureate degree should plan to earn an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Engineering Science degree. Students who desire to develop an individualized program of study to meet their personal and vocational goals may earn the Associate of General Studies degree. Students who desire to take coursework leading directly to employment should enroll in a Certificate Program or an Associate of Applied Science degree.

Associate Degree General Requirements:

1. Enrolled at Highland for the last 15 approved semester hours applied to a degree preceding graduation.
2. Successful completion of at least 62 semester hours of college-level credit applicable to the degree.
3. Successful completion of courses in a curriculum of study as presented in this catalog and aligned with the designated major field of study.
4. Students pursuing the Associate of Arts or Science Degree must have one IAI Political Science/History class (3 credit hours) in the Social and Behavioral Science area.
5. A cumulative grade point of 2.0 (C) or higher based on credits earned at Highland and any credit accepted in transfer.
6. Courses with "F" grade will not count toward the total semester hours required for graduation.
7. A maximum of four (4) hours towards the general education electives requirements in the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree may be taken in activities courses such as mass communication, speech, theatre, physical education, and music. Highland Community College recognizes the importance of educating its students in a wide range of course curricula to prepare them for the responsibilities that they share as citizens in a free and changing society. Each student who receives a degree from Highland Community College will be required to complete a series of general education courses.
8. Students pursuing the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Engineering Science degrees should choose courses designated with "T" in the catalog for their major/minor electives. These courses are most often articulated with state universities and are usually transferable. Students should check with a student advisor for more information.
9. Beginning in summer 2016, students pursuing an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Engineering Science (AES) degree must fulfill new requirements. These new requirements do not satisfy the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) GECC. See your HCC advisor and/or transfer institution for more information. Students starting before summer 2016 may complete the previous AS and AES graduation requirements.
10. Students pursuing any Associate's degree at Highland must have one course that meets the state of Illinois requirement (Public Act 87-851) that incorporates human diversity to improve human relations throughout an educated citizenry. These courses are identified in the course descriptions section of the catalog as having an IAI Code with either a D or N. Students should check with a student advisor for an updated course list that meets this requirement.