Credentials Offered

Associate in Applied Science

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees are occupational programs that are structured for students primarily interested in acquiring Career Technical Education (CTE) skills in order to enter the job market. However, a number of four-year institutions offer baccalaureate degrees designed to accommodate AAS degree graduates. Students planning to transfer to a four-year institution should meet with an advisor from the institution to which he/she plans to attend to discuss transferability of the AAS degree and individual courses.

Students seeking an AAS degree must select a program of study, (e.g., Child Development, Manufacturing Technology, Nursing) in order to determine the specific general education courses, the program core courses, and electives that are required to complete the program. An AAS degree is comprised of 50 to 75% of required technical core and specialty course work. Additionally, the AAS degree requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of general education. Students are required to take at least one course that fulfills the State of Illinois Human Diversity (HD) requirement for the Associate in Applied Science degree.

Minimum General Education15
Minimum Degree Core and Electives45
Total Hours60


Degree offered at: DA, KK, MX, OH, TR, HW, WR

For individual AAS Degree requirements, see program pages under Academic Program Requirements

Associate in Arts

The Associate in Arts (AA) degree prepares an individual for transfer to a four-year college or university. Consistent with the IAI model and the ICCB Administrative Rules, City Colleges of Chicago requires that the degree is inclusive of a minimum of 37 semester hours of General Education.

For students who want to earn an associate degree before transferring to a four-year institution, the Associate in Arts degree (AA) is the traditional choice for most students. The AA degree indicates a student has mastered the basics of higher education. This degree plan provides you with the IAI General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) courses explained above, and in addition, you will select elective classes (25 credit hours).

Students are required to take at least one course that fulfills the State of Illinois Human Diversity (HD) requirement for the Associate in Arts degree.

General Education
ENGLISH 101Composition3
ENGLISH 102Composition3
SPEECH 101Fundamentals of Speech Communication3
Mathematics3
Fine Arts & Humanities 19
Social and Behavioral Sciences9
Physical Sciences & Life Sciences 27
AA Electives
Students should work with a College Advisor to select appropriate core and elective courses or select an AA semester map as a guide.23
Total Hours60
1

At least one (1) of the courses must be from the Fine Arts category, and at least one (1) must be from the Humanities category.

2

At least one (1) of the courses must be from the Physical Sciences category, and at least one (1) must be from the Life Sciences category. At least one (1) lab course is required.

At least one course must meet the Human Diversity (HD) requirement.

Degree offered at: DA, KK, MX, OH, TR, HW, WR

Associate in Engineering Science

The Associate in Engineering Science (AES) degree offers courses required for transfer to a four-year college or university for students majoring in engineering sciences. Completion of the AES degree does not fulfill the requirements of the IAI General Education Core Curriculum (IAI GECC). City Colleges of Chicago requires that the degree is inclusive of a minimum of 22 semester hours of General Education. A student must complete the general education requirements of the college or university to which she/he transfers.

General Education Coursework
ENGLISH 101Composition3
ENGLISH 102Composition3
MATH 207Calculus & Analytic Geometry I5
CHEM 201General Chemistry I5
One Fine Arts & Humanities course 13
One Social and Behavioral Sciences course 13
Required Degree Core
ENGR 190Computer Programming for Engineers3
or CIS 142 C++ Object Oriented Programming I
MATH 208Calculus & Analytic Geometry II5
MATH 209Calculus & Analytic Geometry III5
MATH 210Differential Equations3
PHYSICS 235Engineering Physics I: Mechanics & Wave Motion5
PHYSICS 236Engineering Physics II: Electricity & Magnetism5
Program Electives
Select a minimum of 16 credit hours of program electives16
Total Hours64
1

One of the courses in the Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences category must satisfy the Human Diversity requirement.

Program Electives

BIOLOGY 115Human Biology4
BIOLOGY 121Biology I5
CHEM 203General Chemistry II5
CHEM 205Organic Chemistry I6
CHEM 207Organic Chemistry II6
CIS 144Java Object Oriented Programming I3
CIS 242C++ Object Oriented Programming II3
CIS 244Java Object Oriented Programming II3
ENGR 111Engineering Success Seminar3
ENGR 131Engineering Graphics & Intro to Design3
ENGR 206Elements of Mechanics-Statics3
ENGR 215Electrical Circuit Analysis5
ENGR 225Introduction to Thermodynamics3
ENGR 250Engineering Projects2
MATH 146Discrete Mathematics4
MATH 212Linear Algebra3
PHYSICS 215Statics3
PHYSICS 216Dynamics3
PHYSICS 217Mechanics Of Materials3
PHYSICS 237Engineering Physics III: Heat light and Modern Physics5
1

One of the courses in the Humanities or Social & Behavioral Sciences category must satisfy the Human Diversity requirement.

Degree offered at: DA, TR, HW, WR

Associate in Fine Arts

CCC offers three Associate in Fine Arts programs. See their program pages for requirements:

Associate in General Studies

The Associate in General Studies (AGS) degree provides students the ability to explore a broad range of college-level courses to develop new skills or investigate a personal interest. Courses may transfer individually to a four-year university, but the degree as a whole is not designed for transfer or as an occupational degree. Students should work closely with an advisor to determine if the AGS is the right degree program to reach their individual goals. City Colleges of Chicago requires that the degree is inclusive of a minimum of 20 semester hours of General Education.

General Education 1
ENGLISH 101Composition3
Select 17 credit hours from at least three of the following disciplines: 17
Degree Electives
Select 40 credit hours40
Total Hours60
1

Students are required to take at least one general education course that fulfills the State of Illinois Human Diversity (HD) requirement for the Associate Degree.

Degree offered at: DA, KK, MX, OH, TR, HW, WR

Associate in Science

The Associate in Science (AS) degree prepares an individual for transfer to a four-year college or university. Consistent with the IAI model and the ICCB Administrative Rules, City Colleges of Chicago requires that the degree is inclusive of a minimum of 37 semester hours of General Education. For students who already know they are interested in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (the “STEM” fields), the Associate in Science degree, or even the Associate in Engineering Science (AES), is probably the one to pursue. This is also a transfer degree, and it is similar to the Associate in Arts. The main difference early-on concerns the selection of specific math and science courses, which will be different for students who want to major in a STEM field. Again, working closely with your advisor will ensure that you enroll in the right classes to achieve your goals.

Students are required to take at least one course that fulfills the State of Illinois Human Diversity (HD) requirement for the Associate in Science degree.

General Education
ENGLISH 101Composition3
ENGLISH 102Composition3
SPEECH 101Fundamentals of Speech Communication3
Mathematics6
Social and Behavioral Sciences6
Fine Arts & Humanities 16
Physical Sciences & Life Sciences 210
AS Electives
Students should work with a College Advisor to select appropriate core and elective courses, or simply select an AS semester map as a guide.23
Total Hours60
1

At least one (1) of the courses must be from the Fine Arts category, and at least one (1) must be from the Humanities category.

2

At least one (1) of the courses must be from the Physical Sciences category, and at least one (1) must be from the Life Sciences category. At least one (1) lab course is required.

At least one course must meet the Human Diversity (HD) requirement.

Degree offered at: DA, KK, MX, OH, TR, HW, WR  

Career Certificates

City Colleges of Chicago offers two types of career certificates designed to prepare students directly for careers in a shorter amount of time than a degree program. Many certificates stack into higher-level credentials for students to continue their education

Basic Certificates

Basic Certificates (BCs) are less than 30 credit hours and can generally be completed in 1-2 semesters. For individual Basic Certificate requirements, see program pages under Academic Program Requirements.

Advanced Certificates 

Advanced Certificates (ACs) are between 30-50 credit hours and can generally be completed in 2-3 semesters. For individual Advanced Certificate requirements, see program pages under Academic Program Requirements.

General Education Core Curriculum

The General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) Credential is a 37 credit hour transfer credential intended for students interested in completing a distribution of courses designed to satisfy the first two years of a baccalaureate degree at most four-year colleges or universities. The GECC Credential is aligned to the Associate in Arts degree and focuses on the general education requirements required for transfer. The GECC Credential is comprised of courses approved through the Illinois Articulation Initiative and must be completed according the general education categories below:

Communications9
Math3
FineArts & Hum9
Social & Behavioral Sciences9
Physical & Life Sciences7
Total Hours37
General Education
ENGLISH 101Composition3
ENGLISH 102Composition3
SPEECH 101Fundamentals of Speech Communication3
Select one Math course for a minimum of three credit hours3
General Education Math
Math For Elementary Teachers II
Critical Mathematics
Introductory Statistics
Finite Mathematics
Discrete Mathematics
Calculus For Business & Social Sciences
Calculus & Analytic Geometry I
Calculus & Analytic Geometry II
Calculus & Analytic Geometry III
Select three Fine Art & Hum courses for a minimum of nine credit hours 19
Introduction to African-American Studies
Art Appreciation
African-American Art
Chinese IV
Film Rhetoric
Introduction To Religion
The Bible - Hebrew Old Test
The Bible - New Testament
Islamic Scriptures: The Qur'an
Comparative Religion I/Eastern Religion
Com Rel II Western Religion
The World Of The Cinema
History of Painting, Sculpture & Architecture
History of Architecture, Painting & Sculpture I
Hist Of Arch Paint Sculp II
History Of Cinema
Opera And The Humanities
History of Photography
Dance Appreciation
Film History I
Film History II
Fourth Course French
Intro To Modern Literature French
Readings In Literature French
Intro To Arts & Ideas
Intro to Latin American/Latino Studies
Gender and Feminisms in the Arts
Intro to Diversity/Ethnic Studies
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender
General Course I Humanities
General Course II Humanities
Arts of Contemporary America
World Literature I
The Great Books
Women In Creative-Performing Arts
Latinxs in Chicago
Comparative Mythology
Non-Western Humanities
The Art and Philosophy of the African Continent
Fourth Course Italian
Fourth Course Japanese
Introduction To Literature
Poetry
Drama
Fiction
Ideas In Prose
Great Books Seminar/Topics Literature
American Literature from Colonial Days to Civil War
American Literature from the Civil War to the 20th Century
English Literature from its Beginnings to the Age of Johnson
English Literature from the Romantic Revival to the 20th Century
Contemporary African American Literature
Perspectives in Black Literature
Literature of the U.S. from the Civil War to the Present
Contemporary American Literature
Contemporary British Literature
Latin American Literature
U.S. Latino (a) Literature
Children's Literature
Native American Literature
The Black Woman In Black Fiction
Women's Literature
Gay and Lesbian Literature
Literature and Film
Creative Non-fiction
Shakespeare
World Literature
Introduction To Music
Trends In Mod Amer Music
World Music
Music Literature & History
Logic
Introduction To Philosophy
Ethics
Philosophy Of Religion
Social/Political Philosophy
Greek Philo To Renaissance
Enlightenment To Present
Problems In Philosophy
Critical Thinking
Fourth Course Polish
Fourth Course Spanish
Spanish For Hispanos
Spanish For Near Native Speakers I
Modern Civilization & Culture Spanish
Intro To Modern Literature Spanish
Readings In Literature Spanish
Intro To Theater
Theater Diversity in the U.S.
Select three Social & Behavioral Science courses for a minimum of 9 credit hours 29
Intro to Biological and Cultural Evolutions of Humans
Cultural Anthropology
Applied Anthropology
Introduction to Archaeology
Principles Of Economics I
Principles Of Economics II
World Geography
Economic Geography
Introduction to Social Justice
History of American People To 1865
History of American People From 1865
The Afro-American In American History
History of World Civilization to 1500
Hist World Civiliz Frm 1500
History of Latin America
U.S. Latinx History
Modern Middle East History
The Far East in the Modern World
African History to Colonial Period
African History - Modern Period
Principles of Political Science
The National Government
Comparative Government
International Relations
U.S. State & Local Government
General Psychology
Child Psychology
Social Psychology
Adolescent Psychology
Adult Development And Aging
Life Span Developmental Psychology
General Course I Social Science
General Course II Social Science
Intro To the Study Of Society
Sociology of Families and Intimate Relationships
Social Problems
The Sociology Of Sex & Gender
Race & Ethnic Relations
Institutional Racism
Select two Physical & Life Science courses for a minimum of 7 credit hours 37
Descriptive Astronomy
The Solar System
Human Genetics & Evolution
General Education Biology
Human Biology
Environmental Biology
Biology I
Biology II
General Botany I
Basic Chemistry I
General Chemistry I
Man & Environment I
Environmental Geology
Physical Geography
Physical Geology
Intro To Oceanography
General Course Physical Science
General Course Physical Science
Current Public Issues in Physical Science
General Course I Physical Science
General Course II Physical Science
Introduction to Meteorology
Physics of Energy and Climate
Mechanics, Waves, and Heat
General Physics I: Mechanics & Wave Motion
Engineering Physics I: Mechanics & Wave Motion
Total Hours37
1

At least one (1) of the courses must be from the Fine Arts category, and at least one must be from the Humanities category

2

At least two of the courses must be from different disciplines

3

At least one of the courses must be a lab course, at least one of the courses must be a Life Science category course, and at least one of the courses courses must be a Physical Science category

Program offered at: DA, KK, MX, OH, TR, HW, WR