Academic Information
Degrees and Certificates
Associate in Arts degrees
Transfer programs listed in this catalog generally lead to the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree and prepare students for transfer to a four-year college or university. These programs are designed to meet most senior institution requirements. However, students are responsible to make sure that their program will transfer to the institution of their choice. The BCC Transfer Office works with students by appointment to design programs for transfer. Refer to the catalog section Transferring for more information.
Associate in Science degrees
Courses of study leading to an Associate in Science (A.S.) degree are generally described in this catalog as career programs. Successfully completing one of these programs prepares students for technical or professional entry-level positions. Many A.S. programs also allow students to transfer to four-year institutions.
Associate in Applied Science degree
Courses of study leading to the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree are designed to lead directly to employment in a specific occupational area. The career courses in these programs are linked to current practices in the work world.
Certificate programs
The College also offers a number of certificate programs that can be completed in one year if the prerequisites are met. Three levels of certificates are offered:
Graduates earning the Certificate of Achievement will be recognized at Commencement.
Certificate of Achievement
Certificate of Accomplishment
Certificate of Recognition24-29 credits
15-23 credits
less than 15 credits
General education requirements
Entering a degree or certificate program at Bristol Community College means that you are committed both to expanding your general education and pursuing a career.
At BCC, General Education is a core of courses that helps students strengthen their skills in reading, writing and mathematics, while increasing their awareness and appreciation of historical thinking, important social issues, and the role of languages, literature, science and the arts in our society.
The core courses for degree programs include:
Foreign language requirement
English 11, 12 6 credits History 6 credits Arts and Humanities 3 credits Behavioral and Social Sciences 3 credits Mathematics 3-4 credits Science 3-4 credits See here for a list of specific courses that fulfill BCC's general education requirement
In those programs that require foreign language, students may elect to enroll in any foreign language offered at Bristol Community College, including American Sign Language. Under Massachusetts Law, ASL is recognized as the equivalent of a spoken language for the purpose of foreign language study and course credit. Students may also receive transfer credit for foreign languages not offered at BCC.