Overview: Certificate Programs

Cañada College awards two types of certificates (only certificates of 16 or more semester units are eligible for federal Title IV aid):

The section – Associate degrees, Certificates, transfer found in the Cañada College Catalog, lists programs alphabetically by subject and identifies the certificate and Associate Degree programs available.

1. Certificates of Achievement

 Certificate programs are designed for students looking for short-term programs of instruction with a high degree of specialization. They are designed to prepare individuals to enter a particular field of employment or provide a level of in-service training or education for those already employed.

 Title 5, section 55070 defines Certificate of Achievement as a credit certificate that appears by name on a student transcript, diploma, or completion award. Chancellor’s Office approval is required. The college can develop and propose a Certificate of Achievement that includes coursework taken to satisfy transfer patterns established by the UC, CSU, or accredited public postsecondary institutions in adjacent states. Certificates of Achievement that consist solely of basic skills and/or ESL courses are not permitted.

Certificates of Achievement represent a well-defined pattern of learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities that may be oriented to career or GE.  All Certificates of Achievement programs of 8 or more semester units of degree-applicable coursework must be submitted for Chancellor’s Office approval.

Cañada College awards two thresholds of Certificates of Achievement (only certificates of 16 or more semester units are eligible for federal Title IV aid):

  1. 10 to less than 16 semester units of degree-applicable credit coursework that have been approved by the State of California as a program leading to a higher level certificate of achievement, and will be posted to the student’s transcript. These certificates are NOT eligible for federal Title IV aid.
  2. 16 or more semester units of degree-applicable credit coursework that have been approved by the State of California, and will be posted to the student’s transcript. These certificates are eligible for federal Title IV aid.

The Certificates of Achievement are designed on the career ladder concept; all of the course work applied to the certificates can also be applied to Associate Degrees. If no Associate Degree major exists in the area, all of the units can be counted as electives toward any Associate Degree.

2. Skills Certificates

Skills Certificates are CTE credit programs from 6 to less than 10 semester units of course work. These skills certificates have NOT been approved by the State of California, and will NOT be posted to the students’ transcript. These skills certificates are also NOT eligible for federal Title IV aid, and are omitted from the College’s yearly commencement program.