Academic Information

Important Disclaimer

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as, but not limited to, pandemics, weather, natural disasters, WWCC may deliver program and/or course instruction by an alternative method(s).

College Academic Year

The College academic year (September to June) is divided into three quarters (fall, winter, spring) of approximately eleven weeks each. Most courses at Walla Walla Community College are offered for one quarter. Each quarter a full range of courses is available. A 7-week summer session is offered in July and August when fewer courses are offered over a shorter, more concentrated time frame. Ordinarily, students must enter a course at the start of a quarter and plan to participate for the full quarter. However, students may enter certain continuously-enrolling classes at any time during the quarter with permission of the instructor. In addition, courses may be available for a mid-quarter start. For a current College calendar, please check online at www.wwcc.edu/calendar.

Credit Hours

The College follows the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) guidelines around credit hours and the effort required to earn credit (See Policy 6400 - Credit Hour Policy and Procedure). Courses are comprised of one or more types of instruction: Theory (lecture), Guided Practice (lab) and Field-Based Experience (clinicals). Generally speaking, earning 1 credit requires one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week. Theory/lecture courses usually have credits that match weekly classroom hours: 5 credits = 5 hours in class per week. Guided practice/lab courses require double: 5 credits = 10 hours in lab/shop per week. Field-based/clinical courses require triple: 5 credits = 15 hours off site per week. The number of credits for each course is listed with the course description in the online Course Catalog and in the quarterly Class Schedule. 

Student Academic Responsibilities

1. Advising: Every student at Walla Walla Community College seeking to complete a degree or program requirements is responsible for maintaining regular contact with a college advisor. All students receiving financial aid must have a college advisor.
2. Catalog Information: Every student at Walla Walla Community College is responsible for following guidelines and information provided in the WWCC catalog.
3. Course Requirements: Students at Walla Walla Community College are responsible for meeting requirements as outlined by the instructor. This information may be included in the course syllabus.
4. Attendance: Students are expected to attend classes regularly to ensure the successful completion of coursework. Excused absences may be permitted at the discretion of the instructor for illness, official college activities, or personal emergencies. All coursework missed must be completed to the satisfaction of the instructor. The student is responsible for initiating procedures for make-up work. Career and Technical Education programs may require a minimum of hours of instruction before a student can take a licensing examination. Students should check with their instructor(s) to make sure the required hours have been completed.
5. Examinations: Students must take examinations at the time scheduled by the instructor. A request to take a final examination at another time must be approved by the instructor and the Vice President of Instruction. Proctored exams may be required for online courses and must be scheduled in the Testing Center or an approved testing location.
6. Student Progress: Students must work toward completion of degrees or certificates by working with their advisors to meet their intended educational goals in a timely manner.
7. Student Rights and Responsibilities: Students must adhere to the Rules of Conduct and Procedures of Enforcement as listed in Policy 7110/WAC 132T-100.

Grading Policy 

Grades and Grade Reporting

The WWCC grading system provides a permanent record of grade evaluations which reflect the student’s course achievement. Grades are available online through the Student Self-Servce page in ctcLink approximately one week after the end of the quarter. To review the college’s Grading Policy (Policy 6210), please visit https://www.wwcc.edu/policies-procedures/.

The following grades are used:

Outstanding Achievement

• A 4.0 points per credit hour
• A- 3.7 points per credit hour

High Achievement

• B+ 3.3 points per credit hour
• B 3.0 points per credit hour
• B- 2.7 points per credit hour

Average Achievement

• C+ 2.3 points per credit hour
• C 2.0 points per credit hour
• C- 1.7 points per credit hour

Minimum Achievement

• D+ 1.3 points per credit hour
• D 1.0 points per credit hour

Unsatisfactory Achievement

• F 0.0 points per credit hour

Grades not included in GPA calculation

I - Incomplete: The grade of “I” may be assigned upon the request of the student and with the concurrence of the instructor. It is available only to a student who is doing passing work and has completed at least two-thirds of the coursework when a circumstance arises that prevents normal completion. Neither lateness in completing work nor the desire to do extra work to raise a poor grade is considered an extenuating circumstance. A student must contact their instructor and negotiate a formal agreement with the instructor specifying:

• The work completed by the last day the student was actively involved in the course
• The work remaining to complete the course
• The work required to complete the course must be finished in the subsequent quarter
• The grade to be issued if the work has not been completed by the end of the subsequent quarter

A student with an incomplete grade in a prerequisite course may enroll in a subsequent course. However, the student must successfully complete the required work for the prerequisite course and replace the incomplete with a grade that meets the prerequisite requirement during the first three days of the subsequent quarter. If the student does not complete the prerequisite course in the first three days of the subsequent quarter, the student will be administratively dropped from the class.

If a student does not make up the incomplete grade, the grade will lapse to the indicated grade on the contract.

N - Audit: course not taken for credit (does not appear on transcript). Students wishing to enroll for audit must do so by the 5th day of the quarter.

P - Passing:  Used for short courses, workshops and where deemed appropriate by the Vice President of Instruction.

W - Withdrawal: Students finding it necessary to withdraw from a class or the College must complete an official withdrawal form and submit it to the Office of Admissions and Records. Withdrawals can be processed at the Office of Admissions and Records throughout any drop period. Students should refer to the Important Dates document to find the last day to drop (https://www.wwcc.edu/calendar/). Failure to withdraw officially from classes may result in failing grades being assigned, forfeiture of any tuition and fee refund, and overpayment of veterans benefits, financial aid, etc. Students will be responsible for refunding any overpayments received. The schedule for drop deadlines for 100% refund and 40% refund appear in the Important Dates document online at www.wwcc.edu/calendar; dates may differ for Shared Courses (formerly WAOL).

Z - No credit: student has not met minimal objectives due to documented extenuating circumstances (accident, illness, death in family, etc.). The faculty member initiates this grade. This grade is not computed in the GPA.

M/Q/S/U Mastery/Qualified/Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory: Used in a limited number of courses where students will not have their work recorded on their transcripts.

Grade Exclusion Policy

A returning student submits a Grade Exclusion Request form for a review of their academic record with the intent of excluding grades earned at Walla Walla Community College from computation of the WWCC cumulative GPA. This policy is designed for students who had difficulties (generally characterized by grades below “C” or 2.0 GPA) in their early term(s), left WWCC, returned later and demonstrated improved academic achievement.

In order to be eligible for grade exclusion, the student must meet the following criteria:

• At least three calendar years must have passed since the student was last enrolled at WWCC;
• Grades to be excluded must have been awarded prior to the minimum years of absence;
• Completing at least 24 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher since returning to the College.
• Only exclusion of all grades in the quarters prior to the absence will be considered; petitions to exclude singular courses within a quarter or singular quarters will not be considered.
• Only grades earned at WWCC can be removed under this policy.
• Only one such exclusion is permitted.
• These courses and credits may not be reinstated.
• These courses and credits may not be used as prerequisites.
• These courses and credits may not apply toward degree or certificate completion requirements.

To initiate a petition for exclusion of grades, the student should complete the online Grade Exclusion/Redline Request form: https://www.wwcc.edu/admissions/forms/. After review, if the student’s petition is approved, the excluded grades will not appear on the student’s transcript and will not be used in calculating the GPA. The excluded grades, however, will remain as part of their permanent record, and a reference to the use of the grade exclusion policy will be made on the transcript.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The GPA indicates the general achievement of a student. It is calculated by multiplying the number of credit hours for a course attempted by the grade points assigned to the grade for that course, taking the sum of products calculated and dividing by the total credit hours attempted. The calculation does not include courses in which the student received the following grades: I, Z, N, W, S, M, Q, U or P.

Quarterly Grades

At the end of each quarter, grades are processed for each student enrolled for credit. Students may access their quarter grades and all previous grades by viewing an unofficial transcript online through their ctcLink Self-Service Account.

Grade Change

Once a grade has been filed with the Office of Admissions and Records, the grade is regarded as final. Except for the conversion of an Incomplete (I), grade changes are accepted only under restrictive circumstances. These circumstances include:

• Clerical error in transcription or recording of grade.
• Instructor error in computation.
• Decision as the result of a grievance procedure.
• Grade resulted from academic dishonesty.

At the end of each quarter, grade reports are posted for each student enrolled for credit. If an error or omission should occur on a student’s grade report, the Registrar must be notified no later than the last day of the subsequent quarter. Otherwise, the issued grade becomes part of the student’s permanent record and should not be changed. Exceptions may apply in cases where sufficient evidence is provided showing the need to change a grade.

Repeating a Course

Students may repeat the same course up to three times at WWCC per the SBCTC Repeat Policy: https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/policies-rules/policy-manual/chapter-5.aspx. A course applies to the repeat rule if the student receives a grade or withdraws from the class. The class with the highest grade assigned counts towards the student’s GPA while the other two are excluded. These courses are listed with the “Repeated” identifier on the student’s transcript. Students may take variable credit courses up to the number of times necessary to complete the credit number required for a given program.

Students may not repeat a course for a fourth attempt unless they meet an extenuating circumstance. Extenuating circumstances may include, but not limited to:

• Medical or military withdrawals
• Courses required for a certificate or degree with limited or no substitute option
• Significant break in enrollment
• Grade exclusion process
• Mandated training for employment

Note: Students planning to transfer to baccalaureate institutions should be aware that many baccalaureate institutions have strict policies on course repeats. We recommend checking with the transfer institution before repeating a class to determine course transferability.Students receiving financial aid or veterans’ benefits should consult the respective office prior to repeating a course as financial penalties may be imposed. This procedure has no effect on admission criteria and procedures established for selected program areas.

Academic Standards Policy

Quarterly Academic Recognition

See Policy 6200 - Academic Standing Policy and Procedure.

Each quarter, the College recognizes student academic achievement for full-time students (12 credits or more exclusive of remedial courses and cooperative work experience credits) who meet the following minimum criteria:

President’s List: 3.9 - 4.0 GPA
Vice President’s List: 3.70-3.89 GPA
Dean’s List: 3.5-3.69 GPA

Students with grades of I (Incomplete), Y (In-Progress), Z (No Credit), or an F are not eligible for honor roll recognition.

Degree Academic Recognition

Upon completion of a degree or certificate, a student’s academic achievement is recognized using the following honors designations:

Summa Cum Laude: 3.90 - 4.0 GPA
Magna Cum Laude: 3.70 - 3.89 GPA
Cum Laude: 3.50 - 3.69 GPA

Academic Warning, Probation, Suspension

The academic warning and suspension policy is intended to promote successful learning. With this help, students will be alerted to potential problems in time to take corrective action. The following guidelines have been established to ensure academic standards are maintained:

1. At the conclusion of each quarter, the grades of all students enrolled in that quarter will be reviewed by the Director of Guided Pathways.
2. Students who have attempted 10 or more credits in the quarter and whose quarterly GPA is less than 2.0 will be notified of their situation.
   1. The first quarter in which the GPA is less than 2.0 will cause students to receive an academic warning regarding the level of their academic achievement from the Director of Guided Pathways.
   2. If students experience two consecutive quarters of work in which the GPA is less than 2.0 each quarter, they will be placed on academic probation for the following quarter of attendance.
   3. When students fail to earn a 2.0 GPA for three consecutive quarters, they may be suspended from attendance at the College for a period of one academic quarter (exclusive of summer). They must submit an appeal to the Director of Guided Pathways to review their situation before registering for classes.
3. Any student whose GPA is under 2.0 will be referred to services provided by the College to enhance student success.
4. Students placed on academic probation or suspension may appeal to the Director of Guided Pathways for reconsideration if they feel that unusual circumstances beyond their control contributed to their low academic achievement.
5. After academic suspension of one quarter (fall, winter, spring), a student must contact the Director of Guided Pathways for re-instatement to the College. If re-admission is allowed, the student will remain on academic probation until achieving a quarterly 2.0 GPA or higher.

Plagiarism/Cheating

1. Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else’s work, including the work of other students, as one’s own. People’s ideas may be contained in written text, visual text, and multi-media products, including websites, music, and written text. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever:
   1. directly quoting another person’s actual words, whether oral or written;
   2. using another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories;
   3. paraphrasing the words, ideas, opinions, or theories of others, whether oral or written;
   4. borrowing facts, statistics or illustrative material; or
   5. offering materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgement.
2. Any student who aids or abets the accomplishment of such activity as defined in subsection one (1) above shall also be subject to reasonable action by the instructor (see below).
3. An instructor may take reasonable action against any student who is deemed to have been guilty of plagiarism. Course of action might include, but not be limited to:
   1. student receives a warning;
   2. student receives a lowered grade;
   3. student receives failing grade for the course;
   4. student is referred to an appropriate dean and/or the Vice President of Instruction (VPI);
   5. student is referred by the VPI to the Conduct Officer for violation of Student Code of Conduct to the Conduct Officer.
4. An instructor taking action against any student for an act of academic misconduct reports such action to the Vice President of Instruction as soon as possible. Any student subject to action of an instructor for a violation of this section may seek review of that action by referring to the Grievance Procedure for Instructional Issues.

Veterans’ Academic Progress

Persons receiving VA education benefits are subject to the following standards of progress:

All persons utilizing VA education benefits must maintain a minimum GPA to ensure continued VA support. For any quarter of study, the GPA must be 2.0 or above. A list of all grades with their respective grade points appears in this catalog under “Grading Policy.”

Persons who fail to make satisfactory progress will be placed on Academic Probation according to WWCC’s “Academic Standards Policy” located in this catalog. Persons who are placed on Academic Probation can be reinstated to regular status by earning a 2.0 GPA or higher for the probationary quarter.

When a student fails to earn a 2.0 GPA or higher for three (3) consecutive quarters, unless successfully appealed through the Academic Standards Review Board, the individual will be terminated from receiving VA education benefits and the VA will be notified of the unsatisfactory progress. Every effort will be made to notify the VA within 30 days, although the monitoring process may take more than the allotted time.

Persons whose financial support has been discontinued for reasons of unsatisfactory progress will not be recertified for VA education benefits until satisfactory progress is maintained for the quarter in which re-admittance by the Academic Standards Review Board was allowed and they complete a meeting with their academic advisor.

Persons who receive a grade of Incomplete (I) or In-Progress (Y) must complete an Incomplete Grade Contract with the appropriate instructor and finish the incomplete in accordance with the established policy in the Registrar’s Office. If the incomplete grade is not removed by the end of the following quarter, it will be reported to the VA and will usually result in having to repay the VA a portion of the money previously received.

Full-time study is a minimum of 12 credit hours per quarter. However, a student is not required to be full-time in order to utilize VA education benefits; their award is adjusted accordingly.

Individuals cannot be certified for audit or other non-credit courses, or remedial courses taken online.

Veterans’ Records of Progress

Walla Walla Community College maintains adequate records to show the progress of each student receiving VA benefits. Specific procedures include the following:

• Records of withdrawals are filed and checked with the official schedule certified by the College for funding. Appropriate forms are submitted if funding levels are reduced or increased due to the schedule change.
• Records of re-enrollment for courses leading to degrees are checked against permanent records when a program change application is submitted. This ensures that all eligible persons pursue courses and programs for which they are certified.
• A cumulative transcript of progress is on file in each veteran or eligible person’s folder. Progress or lack of progress is monitored each quarter when grades are submitted for final review. The courses are double-checked with the original certification to make certain persons eligible are making progress in courses approved for funding. Transcripts of previous education and training are included with the transcript evaluation forms to show credit granted for prior educational experiences.

Transfer Information

Transfering Credit from WWCC to another Higher Education Institution

Walla Walla Community College strives to ensure transfer students seemlessly transition to other higher education institutions, particularly in WA state. Fully transferable courses are listed on the Transfer Courses and Course Distribution Areas  and will transfer to a WA State  institution within guidelines established by those schools (including baccalaureate institutions). Students who plan to transfer to a specific college or university (particularly those outside of WA sate) should work with a transfer advisor both at the community college and at the baccalaureate institution they plan to attend to ensure their courses will transfer.

While the agreements with baccalaureate institutions assure the transfer of credit, the admission to a particular university or university program is not assured. Each institution has separate admission criteria which can be based on grades, prerequisite coursework, test scores, and other considerations. Students who plan to transfer to a university should attend a college transfer workshop, work with a community college advisor, and make early contact with their intended transfer school. Many universities have representatives who visit WWCC. Students are encouraged to visit with these representatives when they are on campus. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to become knowledgeable about the admission and graduation requirements of the baccalaureate institution they plan to attend.

For more information about transfer programs, go to:  wwcc.edu/academics/transfer call the Student Success Center 509.527.4262 or Clarkston Student Services 509.758.3339.

Washington Reverse Articulation Program

Washington Community and Technical Colleges (CTC) have developed and adapted the following guidelines for reciprocity of transfer coursework from the Washington State Public Baccalaureates. If a student transfers an individual course that meets a Communication Skills, Quantitative Skills, or Distribution Requirement at the sending baccalaureate-granting institution for a specific bachelor’s degree, that course is considered to have met that same requirement at the receiving CTC for an associate’s degree, even if this course does not have an exact equivalent and even if the course credit is awarded through prior learning credit or completed at the 300 or 400 level.

If a student transfers an individual course that meets a Diversity Requirement at the sending baccalaureate-granting institution for a specific bachelor’s degree, that course is considered to have met that requirement at the receiving CTC for a specific associate’s degree, even if this course does not have an exact equivalent and even if the course credit is awarded through prior learning credit.

The receiving college retains the right to impose unique, local prerequisite and graduation requirements. Such requirements may include but are not limited to learning communities/coordinated studies requirements, writing-intensive course requirements, and/or physical education/health requirements.

Transfering Credit to WWCC

Students may request for previously earned credit to be evaluated and transferred to their WWCC academic record (See policy 7350 - Transfer of Credit and Alternate College Credit Policy and Procedure). To have credits evaluated, students should complete a WWCC Application for Admission and have their previous college(s) send an official transcript to the WWCC Office of Admissions and Records (OAR). Once accepted to WWCC, students are required to fill out the Transcript Evaluation Request form available online, indicating the degree they are seeking and the transcripts requesting to be evaluated. 

WWCC will review transcripts with credits from an accredited institution (recognized by the Department of Ed) with grades of D (1.0) or better, provided they are essentially equivalent in academic level and nature to classes offered at WWCC. Students should note certain degree requirements may require a higher grade than a D and therefore may be required to retake the course. If a course does not meet the equivalent of a course offered at WWCC, elective credit may be awarded. Courses are evaluated based on the degree or certificate the student is pursuing. A student must complete at least 30 credits at WWCC in order for WWCC to confer the degree.

Transferring Credit from another Washington State Community and Technical College

Reciprocity Agreement - Transfer of credits within the Washington State Community and Technical College system

Washington Community and Technical Colleges (CTC) offer reciprocity to students transferring within the CTC system who are pursuing the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) Degree or the Associate in Science-Transfer (AS-T) Degree. Students who have completed an individual course that met distribution degree requirements or fulfilled entire areas of their degree requirements at one college will be considered to have met those same requirements if they plan to complete the same degree when they transfer to another community or technical college in Washington. These degree requirements include Communication Skills, Quantitative Skills, or one or more Distribution Area requirements. Students must initiate the review process and must be prepared to provide necessary documentation. For complete information, students should contact the Office of Admissions and Records at registrar@wwcc.edu. 

Washington State Community and Technical College: Common Course Numbering

Common course numbering (CCN) for both academic and professional/technical courses was developed to provide ease of transfer between Washington State Community and Technical Colleges. Courses with these common course numberings are identified with an & after the subject prefix (ex. BIOL& 160), and are considered equivalent across all participating institutions. WWCC transfers in these courses accordingly.

Transfering International College Credit to WWCC

Credits earned at a higher education institution outside the United States may be evaluated for transfer purposes. Transcripts must be translated and evaluated course-by-course by a service listed as a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation services.

Transfer Rights and Responsibilities

Source: www.wsac.wa.gov

Student Rights and Responsibilities

• Students have the right to clear, accurate, and current information about their transfer admission requirements, transfer admission deadlines, degree requirements, and transfer policies that include course equivalencies.
• Transfer and freshman-entry students have the right to expect comparable standards for regular admission to programs and comparable program requirements.
• Students have the right to seek clarification regarding their transfer evaluation and may request the reconsideration of any aspect of that evaluation. In response, the college will follow established practices and processes for reviewing its transfer credit decisions.
• Students who encounter other transfer difficulties have the right to seek resolution. Each Institution will have a defined process for resolution that is published and readily available to students.
• Students have the responsibility to complete all materials required for admission and to submit the application on or before the published deadlines.
• Students have the responsibility to plan their courses of study by referring to the specific published degree requirements of the college or academic program in which they intend to earn a bachelor’s degree.
• When a student changes a major or degree program, the student assumes full responsibility for meeting the new requirements.
• Students who complete the general education requirements at any public four-year institution of higher education in Washington, when admitted to another public four-year institution, will have met the lower division general education requirements of the institution to which they transfer.

College and University Rights and Responsibilities

• Colleges and universities have the right and authority to determine program requirements and course offerings in accordance with their institutional missions.
• Colleges and universities have the responsibility to communicate and publish their requirements and course offerings to students and the public, including information about student transfer rights and responsibilities.
• Colleges and universities have the responsibility to communicate their admission and transfer related decisions to students in writing (electronic or paper).

Awarding Academic Credit for Prior Learning (ACPL)

Academic credit for prior learning refers to the knowledge and skills gained through work and life experience; through military training and experience; and through formal and informal education and training from in-state and out-of-state institutions See policy 7350 - Transfer of Credit and Alternate College Credit Policy and Procedure). WWCC follows the policies as outlined by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (CTC), RCW 28B.77.239, RCW 28B.10.053, as well as the policies established by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

To award ACPL, WWCC evaluates the knowledge, skills and abilities a student has gained through prior learning in relation to the knowledge, skills and abilities a student would gain by completing a specific course. If outcomes of prior learning equal outcomes of a specific course, then credit for this non-traditional learning may be awarded. Students must fill out the ACPL Request for Transcribed Credit form on the WWCC website to initiate the request for this kind of evaluation. A fee may be required before transcribing the credit onto a student’s transcript. ACPL is posted on a student’s transcript per the SBCTC Coding manual.

ACPL can be transcribed under the following categories:

Standardized Testing: Commonly accepted higher education equivalency exams that are documented via transcript or other official record. Credit for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Cambridge “A” and “AS” Level Exams are awarded credit based on the SBCTC Credit Policy for Dual Credit Exams and RCW 28B.77.239. Currently accepted credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) are posted on the WWCC website. Other higher education equivalency exams may be evaluated on an individual basis.

Course Challenge: Challenge exams are sufficiently comprehensive to determine that the student has the same knowledge and skills as those students who enroll in and successfully complete the course. Upon completion of the Course Challenge, the student is awarded credit reflecting the final grade earned on the Course Challenge, if the grade is a C or higher.

Extra-Institutional Learning: WWCC may award credit based on knowledge and skills acquired outside the institution and objectively verified through industry certifications, such as the NCLEX-RN; industry-recognized testing/training, such as that addressed by the American Council on Education (ACE), particularly for the military; and occupational crosswalks, such as those for police, firefighters, and AmeriCorps.

Prior Experiential Learning: WWCC may award credit based on knowledge and skills acquired through experience alone, evaluated by qualified faculty via evaluation of a compilation of work. All prior learning assessment credits in this category are awarded through a prior experiential learning portfolio review, as in the HS21+ program.

Degree/Certificate Completion Information 

Requirements for each degree/certificate are listed in the Degrees and Certificates sections of this catalog. Students may graduate under the catalog published at the time they first begin their degree or certificate at WWCC, if continuously enrolled. Continuous enrollment is defined as attending each quarter during the academic year, excluding summer. If there is a gap in enrollment, the student is required to go under the catalog degree requirements at the point they re-enter the College.

General Requirements for Associate Degrees/Certificate Completion

• Complete all degree/certificate requirements in the specified curriculum
• GPA Requirements:
  • For DTA/MRP degrees: Student must earn a cumulative college-level grade point average of at least 2.00. 
• Residence Requirements: a certain amount of course work must be taken at WWCC. Students must meet the following:
  • A minimum of 30 credits that apply toward the degree (or 15 credits for a certificate) must be earned at WWCC, AND
  • A minimum of two (2) quarters enrolled at WWCC, AND
  • The last 12 credits to be earned in Professional-Technical programs must be taken at WWCC, unless waived by the Vice President of Instruction. **This requirement does not apply to students earning transfer degrees [Associate of Arts degrees (AA), Associate of Science-Transfer degrees (AS-T), Major Related Program Direct Transfer Agreements (MRP/DTA)]

Distribution Area requirements for Transfer DTA/MRP Degrees

Associate degrees marked with a DTA/MRP require courses to fulfill specified distribution areas in the degree. The following displays which courses meet these distrubiont areas and their corresponding course designations:

Related Instruction Requirments for Professional Technical Degrees

Professional Technical Degrees require certain courses to fulfill Related Instruction Requirements. The following displays which courses meet those requirement ares:

Requirements for Bachelor of Applied Science Degree (BAS)

Students must achieve at least an associate-level degree and complete the degree related entrance requirement courses prior to beginning a BAS degree program. Upon completion, students can enter the workforce or continue their education at the graduate level. Requirements include the following:

• A minimum of 180 quarter credits in an approved program.
• Last 12 credits to be earned at WWCC unless waived by the Vice President of Instruction.
• A minimum of 30 upper division quarter credits within the specified program must be taken at WWCC.
• A cumulative GPA of 2.0.
• A minimum of 50 credits in general education instruction.
• A minimum of 60 credits in upper division instruction.
• Most professional-technical programs have program-specific requirements; see course sequences and degree requirements listed under each program.

Applying for a Degree/Certificate 

Students should apply for their degree when they are within 20 credits of completion. After consulting with an advisor and verifying they are close to completion, students must complete a graduation application in their ctcLink account. Once it has been verified the student has completed their degree/certificate, the credential will be posted to their transcript. Students can see updates in their ctcLink account and the status of their application. If WWCC determines a degree/certificate is complete but has not been applied for, WWCC retains the right to auto-confer the completed credential. 

Commencement Ceremony

The June commencement is a graduation ceremony for those students who have completed or plan to complete their degree or certificate during fall, winter, spring or summer of the current school year, or are within 10 credits of completion prior to the following fall term, as verified by the Credentials/Graduation Evaluator. Participation in the ceremony is highly encouraged but not required. Information about the commencement ceremony can be found on our web page: https://www.wwcc.edu/academics/graduation 

First Year Experience Policy

The mission of First Year Experience is to create an environment that supports first year students’ academic and social transition into the WWCC community. The program offers students a comprehensive first-year experience that empowers them as engaged learners, integrates them into the college community as meaningful participants in campus life, and facilitates their successful transition into future transfer and career pathways.

All online, hybrid and face-to-face students at either Walla Walla or Clarkston, including Running Start students, are required to enroll in First Year Experience their first quarter of attendance. If a student cannot enroll their first quarter (because of full sections), he/she is expected to enroll the following quarter. The FYE course is a graduation requirement for all new students starting Summer 2019.

A grade of C or better is considered successful completion of the First Year Experience class. If students aren’t successful in passing the class, they must enroll in the class the following quarter.

Possible exemptions for taking the class are:

• A student has transferred in with the following:
  • 30 or more quarter credits OR 20 or more semseter credits (must be college-level credits)
  • AND
  • 2.0 or higher GPA
• A student is non-degree seeking and /or is taking less than a one-year certificate (44 or fewer credits). All Running Start students are considered degree-seeking students.
• A student is enrolled in another higher education institution and is enrolled in 5 credits or fewer at WWCC
• A student has previously completed a course that is similar to the First Year Experience course offered at WWCC
• A student starts/completes their degree at the WSP or CRCC campus, however, it is recommended the student take FYE if they later enroll at the Walla Walla or Clarkston Campus 

Religious Accommodation Policy

In accordance with RCW 28B.137.010, Walla Walla Community College District No. 20 (WWCC) is dedicated to providing students an equal opportunity, as well as reasonable accommodations, that will allow them to be successful.

Faculty are required to reasonably accommodate students who, due to the observance of religious holidays, expect to be absent or endure a significant hardship during certain days of the course or program. They must also notify students of this policy in their course syllabi.

“Reasonably accommodate” means coordinating with the student on scheduling examinations or other activities necessary for completion of the program and includes rescheduling examinations or activities or offering different times for examinations or activities. Examples of religious accommodations may include: rescheduling of an exam or giving a make-up exam for the student in question; altering the time of a student’s presentation; allowing extra-credit assignments to substitute for missed class work or arranging for an increased flexibility in assignment due dates.

Any student seeking reasonable accommodations under this policy must provide written notice to the faculty, within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course, of the specific dates the student requests accommodations regarding examinations or other activities.

Being absent from class or other educational responsibilities does not excuse students from keeping up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class. Students are responsible for obtaining materials and information provided during any class missed. The student shall work with the instructor to determine a schedule for making up missed work.

Students may not be required to pay any fees for seeking reasonable accommodations under this policy. To view the college’s Religious Accommodation Policy (Policy 7910), please visit https://www.wwcc.edu/policies-procedures/.