Finding the Right Educational Degree Plan for You

Step 1: Career Cluster

Step 2: Educational Pattern

Step 3: Degree Plan

2. Choose the Correct Educational Pattern There are two distinctly different ways to pursue your education at HCC. Each pattern has its own particular purpose, and its own advantages and disadvantages. Read the descriptions carefully to make an informed choice. You must choose one of the two following patterns: Do you want the Academic Transfer pattern of education? If so, choose Academic Education. The Academic Transfer Pattern means that you will be taking General Education Core Curriculum courses and some major prerequisites at the community college. The major courses of the bachelor degree will be taken in the junior and senior years at the university after completion of the associate degree. Is your primary goal to obtain a bachelor's degree at a university? Do you plan on taking the "basics" at a community college so that you can transfer to a university as fast as possible? Are you already at a university and wish to take courses at a community college to transfer back to the university? If you are answering yes to any of the above, then you will need to follow a Transfer Plan, sometimes called a 2+2 plan. That means you can take the first two years of a bachelor's degree at a community college and then transfer to the university to take the last two years of the bachelor degree. OR Do you want the Workforce Career pattern of education? If so, choose Workforce Education. The Workforce Career Pattern means that you will be taking mostly Technical Job-focused courses and a few General Education courses for the completion of your certificate or associate degree at the community college. Workforce course credit does transfer to some universities and not to others. See a counselor for workforce transfer options. Is your primary goal to obtain the skills to get a job as fast as possible? Do you want a short-term, up-to-date and relevant education using a workplace curriculum? Are you wanting to update your work skills or advance your career? Are you thinking about quickly changing careers? Do you want your community college education to include both technology competency and human relations skills? Do you want to count the tech prep or workforce dual credit courses from high school toward your certificate or degree at the community college? Are you thinking about transferring to the university to get a bachelor's degree but only after you have been working for awhile? If you are answering yes to any of the above, then you will need to follow the Workforce Career pattern of education. Choose a different Career Cluster