Degree or Certificate
Students who come to the College of Lake County in order to earn credits that are transferable to a four-year college or university will find a wide range of programs designed to prepare them for work at the junior level. These programs lead either to an Associate in Arts (A.A.), an Associate in Science (A.S.), an Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.), or an Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.) degree at CLC. Classes in these programs are comparable to those offered in the first two years at a four- year institution.
Students are urged to select the college where they would like to transfer and design their program to meet the requirements of that institution. For specific information on which courses are transferable to a given college or university, students should consult the Advising Center.
Many students are working to gain skills and knowledge in a field in order to find a job in that career area when they leave CLC. Other career students enroll in a two-year program that leads to an Associate in Applied Science degree (A.A.S.) or a shorter sequence that leads to a certificate. See our Associate in Applied Science degree page for more information.
Trained and skilled individuals are needed to meet increasingly exacting qualifications in many fields. Career programs prepare students to step directly into this fast-moving age of technological change. The college currently offers over 40 specialized career programs, many of which are available both day and evening.
Certificates
The College of Lake County awards two types of certificates.
Career Certificates
Certificates in career areas are programs which require less than two years of full-time study.
A certificate program is generally distinguished from a degree program by having fewer general education requirements. Candidates for certificates must submit a completed Request to Graduate (available through the Graduation tile in Student Center).
All students must meet the following general graduation requirements to earn a career certificate from the college:
1. Satisfactory completion of the hours and courses required for the certificate.
2. For certificates of 30 credit hours or less, students must complete at least one half of the credit hours required by the certificate at the College of Lake County. For certificates in excess of 30 credit hours, students must complete at least 15 credit hours required by the certificate at the College of Lake County. This does not include credit earned through proficiency examinations.
3. Maintenance of a "C" (2.0) average for all work at CLC used to compute the grade point average.
4. For certificates of 16 credit hours or more, completion of College Success Seminar (CLC 120) with a grade of "D" or better.
Class Certificates
A class certificate may be awarded upon completion of a course which fulfills a special educational objective within the Adult Basic Education area. Courses for which certificates are awarded may or may not carry academic credit.