Cisco College awards four associate degrees and several certificates as evidence of academic achievement.
The Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are general studies degrees designed for transfer to a university, or for students seeking a 2-year general education degree. Students may complete an A.A. degree or A.S. degree with an emphasis in their area of academic interest or intended major after transferring to a 4-year university.
The Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) Degree is a specialized associate degree program designed to transfer in its entirety to a baccalaureate program that leads to initial Texas teacher certification.
The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree is designed for students seeking a 2-year degree in a technical, health sciences or workforce program.
| Degree | Type | Length | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
Academic | 2 years | 60 | |
Academic | 2 years | 60 | |
Technical | 2 years | 60 | |
Academic | 2 years | 60 |
Core Curriculum
The core curriculum is a 42-hour block of general education courses that makes up “the basics” of a 2-year degree or the lower-level course work of a baccalaureate degree. Use the core curriculum plan to keep track of your progress towards becoming core complete. A course may only fulfill 1 core requirement. Any public college or university in Texas must accept in transfer the full 42-hours in place of the core curriculum of that college or university for any student who successfully completes the full 42-hours.
Get specific information on core curriculum courses in the Cisco College catalog. Read about the history, purpose and defining characteristics of the core curriculum from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Why Is the Core Curriculum Important?
- Transfer is guaranteed. Texas law states that if a student successfully completes the full 42-hour core curriculum, the 42-hour block of courses are guaranteed to transfer as a block of credit to any Texas public college or university.
- The general education core curriculum builds a solid academic foundation for any 2- or 4-year degree. Completing the core ensures that you build fundamental skills in the major academic areas: communication, math, science, creative arts, history, humanities and social science.
- You can earn an associate degree with just a few more courses. The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees consist of the 42-hour core plus 18 additional hours that you can select based on your area of academic interest or intended major after transferring to a 4-year university. The Cisco College Catalog has suggested curricula that you can follow to complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science general studies degree with an emphasis in your intended transfer major.