Automatic Certificate and Degree Awarding FAQ

Automatic Degree Awarding (Auto-Awarding) is the process by which your declared certificate or degree is automatically awarded when all program and college requirements have been met. No application is necessary!

No, automatic degree awarding typically should not affect federal aid or veteran benefits. However, students wanting a change in program from one that has already been approved through a Maximum Credit Appeal should contact the Financial Aid Office for more information. Students using veteran benefits should also report any change in program to the Veteran Coordinator.

You will be sent a series of communications to your COCC email address updating you on your status as you near completion. Sent to all students: Remaining Course Notification: Sent to you when you are nearing completion of your declared program of study as shown on GradTracks. Final Course Notification: Sent to you when you have registered in the final courses required for your declared certificate or degree. Award Notification: Sent to you when you have completed 100% of all courses and non-course requirements, and have been awarded your declared certificate or degree! Some students may receive additional notifications, but only if there are specific issues preventing graduation. Non-Course Requirement Notification: Sent to you if you have completed all of the courses required for your declared certificate or degree, but have remaining requirements such as an insufficient GPA, unmet residency requirement, or unmet credit requirement. Incomplete Requirements Notification: Sent if you were previously registered in all required courses for your declared program of study, but did not reach 100% completion in the following term. This may result from a course drop, insufficient grade, or incomplete grade.

You will be awarded your certificate or degree within 2-3 weeks after you successfully complete the final courses for your declared program of study, and final grades are posted. Your completion will be reflected on your transcripts, which can be accessed and requested in your Bobcat Web Account. You will receive an email notification to your COCC when this has been finalized.

Certificates and diplomas will be mailed within approximately 1-2 months after the end of the completion term.

Commencement is held once a year in spring. Information will be sent to your COCC email account or you can check the Commencement web page for details.

It is important to note that automatic degree awarding is based on the program you have declared (or are enrolled in). If you change your program of study it may impact the auto-award process. If you wish to be automatically awarded a certificate or degree and plan to take classes in a different program of study, you must wait to change your program of study until after you have been awarded your degree.

You may be awarded a certificate or degree that you have not declared by submitting an Application for Certificate/Degree for the program of study you wish to have awarded. This will prompt a final degree check to determine if you have satisfied all requirements.

No, embedded certificates will not be automatically awarded but you may submit an Application for Certificate/Degree to prompt a final degree check to determine if you have satisfied all requirements.

COCC offers Associate of Applied Science degrees that may have certificates that can be awarded on the way to earning your AAS degree. To find if your program of study has this option, review your program requirements in the planning year in which you are enrolled. This information is found at the top of your GradTracks audit, and refers to the annual COCC catalog that you are following. Visit our website for current and archived catalogs.