Degrees and Certificates

Dutchess Community College is authorized by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to award the following degrees and certificates:

Associate in Arts (A.A.)
Programs that lead to this degree are designed for those students who plan to receive a baccalaureate degree from a senior college or university. The A.A. degree may be completed in two years and consists primarily of courses in the liberal arts and sciences, special liberal arts and science courses related to the student’s major field of interest and electives.

Associate in Science (A.S.)
These programs are designed primarily to prepare students to continue their education for the baccalaureate degree in scientific or professionally related programs at a senior college or university. The A.S. degree may be completed in two years and consists of a core of liberal arts and science courses, additional required special courses related to the student’s field of interest and electives.

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)
These programs may be completed in two years and prepare their graduates for immediate employment in specific occupations or careers. Many graduates, however, do transfer some or all of their credits toward more advanced study at a senior college or university. The A.A.S. degree consists of a basic core of liberal arts and science courses, special courses related to a specific career area and electives.

Associate in Occupational Science (A.O.S.)
Like the Associate in Applied Science, these programs may be completed in two years and prepare their graduates for immediate employment in specific occupations or careers. The A.O.S. degree consists primarily of special courses related to a specific career area.

Honors Minor
DCC currently offers the option for qualified student to enroll in one Minor: the Minor in Honors Studies. A Minor is a set of supplemental requirements designed for students who wish to complement and enrich their respective major curricula. Minors are designed to be broad and complementary, and do not constitute scaled-down versions of active degree programs. Students must be matriculated in a degree program in order to declare a Minor. Click here for specific details on the Minor in Honors Studies.

Certificate Programs
DCC offers two types of credit certificate programs: an academic certificate and an applied academic certificate.

The Academic Certificate includes career‑oriented courses and at least nine credits of liberal arts courses.

The Applied Academic Certificate includes career‑oriented or technical courses and at least one liberal arts course, ENG 101. Certificates may be of varying length. However, it is expected that the majority of certificate programs can be completed in one calendar year. Courses in certificate programs are applicable to associate degree programs at Dutchess Community College.

Applied Academic Credential (Microcredential)
A Microcredential is a targeted credential that is smaller than a certificate. Students do not need to be matriculated to enroll in the courses to earn a Microcredential, and can complete the credential on a flexible schedule. Any Microcredentials that you earn at DCC will appear on your official DCC transcript, and you will also earn a “Digital Badge” that will allow you to share your achievement with potential employers on professional networking sites. A Microcredential is a targeted credential that is smaller than a certificate. Students do not need to be matriculated to enroll in the courses to earn a Microcredential, and can complete the credential on a flexible schedule. Any Microcredentials that you earn at DCC will appear on your official DCC transcript, and you will also earn a “Digital Badge” that will allow you to share your achievement with potential employers on professional networking sites. Get more information here on the Microcredentials currently offered at DCC.

Online Learning
Each semester, the College offers numerous online and hybrid courses in a variety of disciplines. In online courses, communication with the professor and the other students occurs electronically and assignments, papers and tests are done from your computer. The quality of teaching and expectations for learning are the same whether the course is taken online or on campus. Students should be aware that success in online learning requires organization, self-discipline and good time management skills.

DCC’s online courses are offered through OpenSUNY. All students who register for an online or hybrid course for the first time at DCC are required to complete the Online/Hybrid Student Orientation before their class begins. The orientation will introduce students to online learning and covers basic Blackboard skills for submitting online work. This orientation can be found on the My Courses page in myDCC shortly after a student registers for an online class.