Program Type Definitions

program type	definition
AA Associate of Arts	A collegiate degree providing liberal arts curricula in university parallel and the pre-professional areas related to the baccalaureate degree. This is not generally a degree with a declared major but is a program of first- and second-year courses, which will generally transfer to a four-year college or university. The Associate of Arts degree requires 60 semester credit hours.
AA Associate of Arts in Music	A collegiate music degree that is consistent with the first two years of most university music degrees. This degree includes studies in piano, music theory, ear training, sight singing and music literature as well as an emphasis on performing solo and ensemble repertoire on a primary instrument or voice. This degree fulfills the transferable Field of Study in Music and not the TCC Core Curriculum. The Associate of Arts in Music degree requires 60 semester credit hours.
AAT Associate of Arts in Teaching	A collegiate degree that will satisfy the lower division requirements for a bachelor’s degree leading to initial teacher certification. The Associate of Arts in Teaching degree requires 60 semester credit hours.
AS Associate of Science	A collegiate degree related to the baccalaureate degree providing curricula in university parallel and pre-professional areas to students with a major in a science or a related discipline. The Associate of Science degree requires 60 semester credit hours.
AS Associate of Science in Engineering	A collegiate degree aligned with the Tuning Texas Engineering Degree Pathways and leading to a baccalaureate degree in an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited engineering program. The Associate of Science in Engineering degrees are Civil Engineering, Electric Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The Associate of Science in Engineering degree requires 60 semester credit hours.
FOS Field of Study	A Field of Study (FOS) is a set of lower-division courses that transfer and apply to a degree program, as required by state law, Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Section 61.823, and Coordinating Board rules, Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter B. Under the Texas Transfer Framework, a complete Field of Study curriculum consists of the following elements: Discipline-relevant Texas Core Curriculum courses Up to 12 semester credit hours of Discipline Foundation Courses At least 6 semester credit hours of Directed Electives, which are developed by faculty at Texas public universities and published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board If a student completes all courses in a Field of Study and transfers to another Texas public institution of higher education, the Field of Study courses transfer as a block and are applied to the student’s selected major. If a student completes the Field of Study, the Texas Core Curriculum, and any courses required of all students regardless of major, the student has completed all lower-division coursework for that major. If a student transfers with an incomplete Field of Study, each completed Field of Study course transfers and applies to the degree program, and the receiving institution may require the student to complete additional lower-division coursework.
AAS Associate of Applied Science	A degree in a workforce field designed for students who wish to begin a career after completing a program of study. The curricula is designed to enable the graduate to enter an occupation with a marketable skill, an acceptable level of competency and the ability to communicate intelligently. The curricula provide highly specialized courses to develop technical skill and general education courses to enable students to be effective members of society. Several AAS degree programs provide a foundation for transfer to a four-year institution offering Bachelor of Science degrees in occupational programs. Most AAS degrees require 60 semester credit hours (SCH). The following degrees have been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to exceed the 60 SCH limit: Sign Language Interpreting (65 SCH), Dental Hygiene (68 SCH), Diagnostic Medical Sonography (65 SCH), Physical Therapist Assistant (66 SCH), Radiologic Technology (64 SCH), and Respiratory Care (66 SCH).
Certificates	A program of study that varies in length and is designed to prepare the student for occupational employment. It is awarded upon completion of specific courses that have been industry validated and sequenced for the purpose of developing and upgrading skills in an occupation.
Occupational Skills Award (OSA)	Requires 9 to 14 semester credit hours
Level 1 Certificate (C1)	Requires 15 to 42 semester credit hours, exempt from TSI requirements
Level 2 Certificate (C2)	Requires 30 to 51 semester credit hours, subject to TSI requirements
Enhanced Skills Certificate (ESC)	Requires 6 to 12 semester credit hours, subject to special admission. This certificate is attached to an associate degree that provides the student with skills beyond career entry as identified by business and industry.
Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC)	Requires 16 to 45 semester credit hours, subject to special admission. The certificate has a specific associate or baccalaureate degree (or, in some circumstances, junior-level standing in a baccalaureate degree program) as a prerequisite for admission, and is focused and clearly related to the prerequisite degree.
Institutional Credential Leading to Licensure or Certification (ICLC)	Awarded by an institution upon a student’s completion of a course or series of courses that represent the achievement of identifiable skill proficiency leading to licensure or certification.