The Associate's Degree Pathway:

The Associate Degree is a two-year degree program of study, requir- ing between 60-68 credits. Clinton Community College (CCC) is authorized by the State University of New York (SUNY) to grant associate degrees in a number of both specialized career fields Associate in Applied Science�AAS degree programs) and in more general, liberal arts areas of studies (Associate in Arts�AA degree programs and Associate in Science-AS degree programs.) Which of these two pathways is best for you? The answer will depend mostly upon your ultimate goal for coming to college:

1. If your ultimate goal is to earn a two-year degree at CCC and begin working immediately after that, the AAS (Associate in Applied Science) degree pathway is probably the best pathway for you. Clinton Community College offers AAS degree pro- grams in Business Accounting, Business Administration, Business Information Technology, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice�Police, Electrical Technology� Electronics, Industrial Technology, Human Services, Individual Studies, and Nursing. Note: While the AAS degree is designed primarily to make you �marketable� for a job immediately following earning your two- year degree, many four-year institutions also accept these credits toward a bachelor�s (four-year) degree.
2. If your ultimate goal is to earn a two-year degree at CCC and transfer to an upper level college to earn a Bachelor�s (four year) degree, either the AA (Associate in Arts) or the AS (Associate in Science) degree pathway is probably the best pathway for you. Both the AA and AS degree fields are referred to as �liberal arts� degrees, meaning they are meant to give a student a solid grounding in college level skills, thinking, and understanding, but they do not have a specific career focus. You would follow either the AA degree pathway or the AS degree pathway, depending on what type of specialization (college major) you wish to follow once you transfer to a Bachelor�s degree program:
   • For Humanities or Social Sciences areas, you would follow CCC�s Associate in Arts (AA)�Humanities/Social Science degree pathway. Some of the specialized fields or majors you might follow after transferring to a Bachelor�s degree program are: anthropology, art, communications, English, psychology, sociology, foreign language, history, music, education, pre- law, journalism, economics, political science, geography, jour nalism, minority studies, minority studies, social work, phys ical education, recreation management, therapeutic manage- ment, women�s studies, and theatre.
   • For Math or Science areas, you would follow CCC�s Associate in Science (AS)�Math/Science degree pathway. Some of the specialized fields or majors you might follow after transfer- ring to a Bachelor�s degree program are: biology, cytotechnol ogy, chemistry, medical technology, pre-med., math, physical therapy, biochemistry, medical imaging, respiratory care, car- diovascular perfusion, radiation therapy, environmental sci ence, geology, physics, and archeology.
   • For Business Management or Business Administration areas, you would follow CCC�s Associate in Science (AS)�Business Administration degree pathway. Most Bachelor degree pro- grams are in the general fields of business management and business administration, and many have specialized degree work (finance, banking, investments, accounting, marketing, management, economics, human resources, international business, etc.) within these two general business fields.

Certificate Level Pathways:

The Certificate Level Pathway at CCC leads you to specialized, shorter-term career programs, generally one year or shorter in length. This pathway may be appropriate for those who seek a one-year or less cre- dential to begin working in a specialized field or for those with previous college degrees or credits who wish to increase their career skills and opportunities. In most cases, you can use all of your Certificate level courses toward an Associate Degree in the same area, should you wish to go even further at CCC on this pathway.

Gainful Employment Programs
The United States Department of Education has recently mandated that certain information for programs designed to lead to gainful employment be disclosed to prospective students. At Clinton Community College, all of our certificate programs fall under these regulations. Learn more about Clinton�s Gainful Employment programs.

Transfer Program (Bachelor's Degree Pathway):

If your future includes plans to transfer from Clinton Community College to other four year schools within the SUNY system, then you will want to explore the transfer options that CCC offers. CCC will award you an associate degree for your two years here before you transfer on to finish your final 2 years at another institution. Clinton Community College (CCC) has worked with several Bachelor�s degree granting institutions to allow you to begin your study at CCC and transfer easily to a four-year institution (usually after two years and completion of your Associate degree) to complete the Bachelor�s degree of your choice. The written agreements which we sign with these institutions ensure that you can begin any of a vast number of programs at Clinton Community College and then transfer to a Bachelor�s degree level institution to complete your bachelor�s degree work in your chosen field of study.

Because of this special Transfer Degree Pathway, you can complete half of your credits toward the Bachelor�s degree at Clinton Community College. Doing so makes earning a Bachelor�s degree more convenient and will likely save you a considerable amount of money.

By taking one of CCC�s liberal arts programs (Associate in Arts� Humanities/Social Science or Associate in Science�Math/Science) you can also prepare to enter into the junior year for many programs. The Associate�s Degree in Liberal Arts at CCC prepares you for entering into Bachelor�s degree fields such as mathematics, English, history, sociology, art, political science, psychology, science, etc. These Bachelor�s degree programs, in turn, help you prepare for professional careers in these areas and also prepare you for even more advanced degrees, such as those in law or medicine. Wherever you are headed as you pursue a college degree, your pathway can begin at Clinton Community College!