STLCC Program Information Policies

Degrees and Certificates Offered

St. Louis Community College offers five associate degrees, one baccalaureate degree, the certificate of proficiency, and the certificate of specialization. Most degrees and certificates are designed for full- or part-time students.

• Associate degrees can typically be completed in two years of full-time study.
• Baccaureate degrees are generally completed in four years of full-time study.
• Certificates are usually completed in one or two semesters.

Because most students attend part-time, actual completion times may be longer.

Associate in Arts (AA) Degree

St. Louis Community College offers an Associate in Arts (AA) degree to help students prepare for transfer to four-year institutions to complete a bachelor's degree. Students planning to transfer should:

• Review program requirements at the destination college or university.
• Share their goals with their STLCC advisor.

Many bachelor's programs have very specific requirements for the first and second years, and it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the courses will count toward the bachelor's degree. Advisors at each campus are familiar with a wide range of four-year institutions and can provide guidance on course selection to facilitate transferability.

Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) Degree

St. Louis Community College offers an Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) degree with three degree options: General Fine Arts, Graphic Communications, and Photography. This degree is offered jointly with the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) and is designed for students planning to transfer to UMSL and earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

• Freshman and sophomore courses are offered at Florissant Valley, Forest Park, Meramec, and Wildwood campuses.
• Junior and senior courses take place on the UMSL campus.

UMSL accepts all art courses completed at STLCC, up to a maximum of 66 credit hours. Students should work with an STLCC advisor to ensure their courses will transfer. UMSL admission counselors are available at Florissant Valley, Forest Park, and Meramec to assist students with their transfer applications.

Associate in Science (AS) Degree

The Associate in Science (AS) degree is designed for students planning to transfer into pre-professional or specialized programs.

This degree is substantively different from both the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) and the Associate in Arts (AA) degrees. The AS degree provides an alternative to the AA degree for fields that require specialized coursework in mathematics and science.

Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) Degree

The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree is a state-approved program that satisfies the Missouri's general education requirements.

• This program includes a contains a core area of concentration with four Teacher Education courses, consistent with all other Missouri community colleges.
• The curriculum is designed to facilitate seamless transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
• The AAT provides the first two years of study toward a bachelor's degree.
• The program is governed and accredited by the state of Missouri and meets the mid-preparation benchmarks for pre-service teachers by the state.

Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree program helps students develop practical and theoretical skills for entry-level employment.

• AAS programs can typically be completed in two years of full-time study; however, many students attend part-time, which may extend completion time.
• Many courses are offered both day and evening, and some are available online.
• All AAS graduates must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of general education courses.

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree

St. Louis Community College offers a Bachelor of Science degree.  The Bachelor of Science is a four-year undergraduate degree.  STLCC currently only offers one Bachelor of Science degree in Respiratory Care.  

Certificate of Proficiency

The Certificate of Proficiency is designed for students pursuing careers that do not require an associate degree. It is ideal for individuals seeking additional knowledge and skills in a specific field.

• Certificates of Proficiency typically require one year of full-time study to complete (30 credit hours or more).
• Students attending part-time may take longer to complete the program. 

Certificate of Specialization

The Certificate of Specialization is designed for students seeking knowledge and skills in a specific area, often related to a current job. This certificate may help students qualify for promotion, obtain professional certification, or enhance future employment opportunities.

• Certificates of Specialization require fewer than 30 credit hours
• Programs can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Clinical and Field Work

Some degree and certificate programs at St. Louis Community College require clinical or other field experience as part of their curriculum.

• Students with criminal convictions or illegal drug use may be ineligible to progress in these programs.
• Healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and other field experience settings may require a criminal background check and/or drug screening, which are conducted at the student's expense.
• Students who do not pass these checks may be prohibited from participating in clinical or field experiences, which could prevent them from meeting the course or program requirements.

Students should consult the program handbook or contact a program representative for more information.

Change of Major

Students may change their major until:

• Friday of Week 4 for fall or spring terms
• Friday of Week 3 for the summer sessions

Before changing majors, students are required to work with an academic advisor to understand the potential implications. Financial aid is awarded only for courses that align with the student's current major at St. Louis Community College.

In certain cases, the student may request a re-evaluation of academic records to establish a new cumulative GPA. Courses with grades below a D will not be included in the recalculated GPA. Other courses may be applied if they fulfill the requirements of the new program. Coursework removed from GPA calculations cannot be used to meet degree requirements.

All courses will remain on the transcript.

Graduation Requirements for an Associate Degree

To be eligible for an associate degree, students must:

• Be a degree-seeking student.
• Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of college-level work, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in one of the programs listed in this catalog. Credit hours completed at another college are only computed in the minimum credit hours, not the cumulative grade point average.
• Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours applicable to the declared associate degree at St. Louis Community College. 
  • A maximum of 9 credit hours in Special Topics courses may apply as unspecified electives toward the associate degree. Special Topics courses may not be applied as electives defined by disciplines such as “science-mathematics elective” or “humanities-communications elective.”
• Complete the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination.
• Participate in an appropriate outcomes assessment prior to the degree being awarded. 
• Complete one Missouri Civics course as defined by the state of Missouri.

Note: Completion of graduation requirements does not mean professional certification, registration, or approval to sit for board or licensing examinations.

Graduation Requirements for a Baccalaureate Degree

To be eligible for a baccalaureate degree, students must:

• Be a degree-seeking student.
• Complete a minimum of 120 credit hours of college-level work, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in one of the programs listed in this catalog. Credit hours completed at another college are only computed in the minimum credit hours, not the cumulative grade point average.
• Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours applicable to the declared baccalaureate degree at St. Louis Community College.
• Complete the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination.​
• ​Participate in an appropriate outcomes assessment prior to the degree being awarded.
• Complete one Missouri Civics course as defined by the state of Missouri.

​Note: Completion of graduation requirements does not mean professional certification, registration, or approval to sit for board or licensing examinations.

Graduation Requirements for a Certificate of Proficiency

To be eligible for a certificate of proficiency, students must:

• Be a degree-seeking student.
• Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of college-level work, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in one of the programs listed in this catalog.  Credit hours completed at another college are only computed in the minimum credit hours, not the cumulative grade point average.
• Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of college-level work applicable to the declared certificate of proficiency at St. Louis Community College.

​​Note: Completion of graduation requirements does not mean professional certification, registration, or approval to sit for board or licensing examinations.

Graduation Requirements for a Certificate of Specialization

​To be eligible for a certificate of specialization, students must:

• Be a degree-seeking student.
• Complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of college-level work, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher in one of the programs listed in this catalog.  Credit hours completed at another college are only computed in the minimum credit hours, not the cumulative grade point average. If a program is less than 9 credit hours, all college-level work that is applicable to the declared certificate of specialization must be completed with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher.
• Complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of college-level work applicable to the declared certificate of specialization at St. Louis Community College. If a program is less than 9 credit hours, all credits must be earned at St. Louis Community College.

Note: Completion of graduation requirements does not mean professional certification, registration, or approval to sit for board or licensing examinations.

Second Associate Degree

Students seeking a second associate degree must complete at least 15 additional credit hours and satisfy the College's academic requirements for the new program.

Application for Graduation

Students eligible to graduate with a degree or certificate will receive an email notification from the Registrar's Office before the start of week 8 for fall and spring, and before the start of week 4 in the summer. Students who do not wish to earn the degree or certificate they are eligible for must notify the Registrar's Office by the date listed in the email. Students who wish to change from non-degree-seeking to degree-seeking should complete all admission requirements for a degree-seeking student.

The degree date reflects the term of application for graduation. All degree requirements must be completed within two weeks of the official graduation date. Any exceptions must be approved by the chief campus academic officer. Students who do not complete degree requirements within the two weeks will need to reapply for graduation in the following term or later, depending on when all requirements for graduation have been met.

Degree and Certificate Time Limits

Students are expected to complete degree and certificate requirements within six years of declaring their program of study. Students who do not meet this time frame must follow the degree and certificate requirements of any catalog in effect within six years of their graduation application.

Former students returning to STLCC may petition the Campus President and Chief Academic Officer to continue the original program of study if the program was discontinued before their re-entry.  Petitions may only be made for the catalog under which the student was previously enrolled, and approval is not guaranteed.

Academic Honors

Graduation Honors

• Cum Laude: Cumulative GPA of 3.5 - 3.74
• Magna Cum Laude: Cumulative GPA of 3.75 - 3.99
• Summa Cum Laude: Cumulative GPA of 4.0

Transcripts and diplomas will reflect the appropriate designation for graduates meeting these criteria.

Dean's List

• Full-time students (enrolled in at least 12 credit hours) with a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher will be named to the Dean's list
• Part-time students will be named to the Dean’s List upon completion of each increment of 12 credit hours (12, 24, 36, etc.) with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination

 All new students who are seeking an associate or bachelor's degree are required to take the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination.  This is also known as the Missouri Civics Exam (MCE).

What you should know about the Missouri Civics Exam

• The exam is a graduation requirement for students at public colleges and universities in the state, and is a result of Missouri Senate Bill 807, which passed in 2018. 
• At St. Louis Community College, the course is MCE 100 Missouri Civics Exam.
• Students register for MCE 100 the same way as any other course. You may enroll in MCE 100 any time after being accepted to STLCC.  You do not need to complete any other courses before you register for the exam; it can be the first course you sign up for, if you choose.
• MCE 100 is zero credit hours; there is no cost.
• Preparation materials are online, hosted on Canvas.
• Students may take the civics exam online as many times as necessary to pass.
• Although the class is zero credit, it must appear on your college transcript.
• The Missouri Civics Exam requirement does not apply to students who are seeking certificates.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

All students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress. The standards of academic progress are:

• Good Standing—Cumulative 2.0 GPA after completing at least six credit hours.
• Academic Probation—Less than a cumulative 2.0 GPA after completing at least six credit hours.

This definition of satisfactory academic progress does not preclude the establishment of additional requirements for enrollment in specific programs (i.e., Title IV eligibility, veterans' benefits, etc.)

Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may result in probation or suspension. A student may remain on academic probation for a limited period of time.

Academic Probation/Restricted Probation/Suspension

• Students on academic probation will not be allowed to self-advise. Once placed on probationary status, a student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the next academic term in which he or she is enrolled.

• Students who do not raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 after one term on probation will be placed on restricted probation, which requires a student to sign a contract stipulating the conditions for remaining enrolled in the College.  The Academic Advising department will direct the development of the restricted probation contract.
• Students on restricted probation will have two terms in which to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0. If they fail to do so, they will be suspended from the College for one calendar year. Students on restricted probation who achieve a term GPA of 2.0 or higher will not be suspended but will remain on restricted probation until their cumulative GPA reaches 2.0.  However, students on restricted probation will be suspended after any term in which their semester GPA falls below 2.0
• Students who return following the suspension year will continue on restricted probation and will be expected to achieve a 2.0 cumulative or term GPA during that first session, or they will be suspended from the College again for one year.
• Students may appeal decisions regarding restricted probation and suspension to the campus Probation/Suspension Appeals Committee.
• The College will notify students in writing that they have been placed on academic probation at the end of an academic term.  The letters to the students will identify a specific individual or office to which all student inquiries are to be directed.
• The College informs students of how to avail themselves of a process designed to assist them in improving their academic performance.
• Students on academic probation may be allowed to participate in athletic programs according to NJCAA regulations or College policies and procedures.
• Students who wish to appeal their probation or suspension status may notify the campus chief academic officer in writing no later than five working days before the first day of class of the term in which they wish to enroll.  The students explain their reasons for the appeal and why the probation/suspension should be rescinded.