Academic Regulations on Graduation Requirements

Graduation Procedures and Deadlines

If a student and their advisor have determined that the student has fulfilled or will fulfill all graduation requirements by the last day of the term, the student must submit an application for graduation according to the following schedule in order to be reviewed for graduation for the specified term. Students must complete and submit a graduation application regardless if they will attend the commencement ceremony. The college will not retroactively date a degree or certificate to a previous term. Students must submit a graduation application through MyAACC.

For Spring graduation: By March 1
For Summer graduation: By July 1
For Fall graduation: By November 1

Applications are good for only one term. Students who do not qualify in the term for which they apply are required to reapply by the deadline for the term in which they will meet all the graduation requirements and wish to graduate.

Summer graduates, fall graduates and spring graduation candidates are invited to attend the spring commencement ceremony.

Students must be in good financial standing with the College, all accounts paid in full, to receive their diploma/transcripts and to attend the commencement ceremony.

Graduation Honors

Latin honors of cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude indicate the level of academic distinction attained by the members of the graduating class who have completed an associate degree.  These Graduation Honors are designated on a student’s academic record based on all grades earned from Anne Arundel Community College at the time of award of degree. Graduation Honors are awarded to associate degree recipients whose adjusted cumulative grade point average (GPA) are:

(a) 3.400 to 3.599 - cum laude;

(b) 3.600 to 3.799 - magna cum laude; and

(c) 3.800 to 4.000 - summa cum laude.

Courses Cancelled in Students’ Final Term

Students, who in their last term before graduation, have a required course cancelled should immediately contact their department chair to request substitution of another course for graduation.

Associate Degree Requirements

To qualify for any associate degree, students must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours, 15 of which must be earned at Anne Arundel Community College. A minimum of 30 of the required 60 credit hours must be earned through direct classroom instruction (including distance learning classes).

2. Achievement of an adjusted cumulative grade point average  of 2.00 or higher.

3. Completion of the course and general education requirements of a program or curriculum as described in the college catalog. Any catalog may be used provided that it is for the current year or one of the four preceding academic years, and is for a year in which the student completed at least one credit or developmental class. On a student’s application for graduation he/she will declare the catalog year to be used.

4. Submission of a graduation application through MyAACC by the deadline.

Additional Associate Degree

To earn more than one associate degree at Anne Arundel Community College, students must:

1. Fulfill all program requirements for each degree in accordance with college requirements as stated above.

2. Submit a graduation application through MyAACC by the deadline.

Similar Degrees (Registrar’s Guidelines)

In cases where a similar degree, as determined by the Registrar, has been renamed from a previous catalog year, students can only receive that degree from one catalog.

Posthumous Degrees or Certificates

Anne Arundel Community College has authority to award posthumous degrees or certificates . Upon request of a family member the review and determination to award a posthumous degree or certificate will be conducted by the Registrar on a case-by-case basis.

Certificate Requirements

To qualify for a certificate, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of the course requirements of a program as described in the college catalog. At least 25 percent of the total credit hours in the program must be earned at Anne Arundel Community College. Any catalog may be used provided that it is for the current year or one of the four preceding academic years, and is for a year in which the student completed at least one credit or developmental class. On a student’s application for graduation he/she will declare the catalog year to be used.

2. Demonstrated eligibility for ENG 101 /ENG 101A . 

3. Achievement of an adjusted cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

4. Submission of a graduation application through MyAACC by the deadline.

Students who qualify for graduation for a degree that has a stackable certificate  may also be awarded the certificate. 

Letter of Recognition

To qualify for a Letter of Recognition, students must complete the courses for the letter as stated under areas of study in the catalog. At least 50 percent of the total credit hours in the letter of recognition must be earned at Anne Arundel Community College. Students must apply for the letter of recognition at the Records and Registration office. (There is no fee for a letter of recognition.) Letters of recognition are not a formal award and therefore not noted on the official transcript.

Fast Track Option

For programs that have been identified as having a Fast Track Option, general education, diversity, technology and wellness requirements are considered satisfied for those students who have earned an associate, baccalaureate, or master’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university and whose program of study included at least 20 credit hours of general education courses (excluding physical education activity courses). Students must fulfill all other graduation requirements. Official transcripts from all previous institutions attended must be submitted to the Records and Registration office.

Reverse Transfer Award of the Associate Degree

Reverse transfer award of the associate degree (reverse transfer) allows a student who transferred to a four-year institution prior to earning an associate degree to transfer credits back to Anne Arundel Community College to fulfill the remaining requirements for the associate degree while continuing to work toward a bachelor degree. The Records and Registration office reviews coursework from Anne Arundel Community College and the four-year institution to determine if the remaining course requirements have been completed at the four-year institution for the award of an associate degree. College transfer credit criteria  and graduation requirements apply to reverse transfer students. Students should complete the reverse transfer degree application form found on the reverse transfer website and send all official transcripts to initiate the review.