Photo by Doug J. Scott
By Lucy Lawrence
Not only does Skagit Valley College (SVC) reside in one of the most beautiful areas of Washington State, have several athletic teams, and an invested faculty, but it also boasts over one hundred different pathways to fit the needs of each and every student that attends. As with most community colleges, SVC has several of the most common programs like associates degrees, basic education for adults, countless professional certificates and hundreds of classes that students can take that fall outside of degree requirements. Within understanding degrees and certificates there are a few different key words and acronyms to understand.
The world of education, degrees and their acronyms can be confusing unless they are deeply researched. The Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA or AA-T) is the most general type of associates degree that SVC offers and is awarded after students complete 90 applicable credits. These degrees are most often awarded to students seeking to major in humanities or social sciences. When asked, Shane Servoss who serves as a baseball coach and the Student Success Navigator at SVC, said that AA-DTAs are the most common programs that students are in. Similar to the AA-DTA, the Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program (DTA/MRP) are degrees designed for students transferring to four-year universities in Washington State in more specific majors. When students complete an DTA/MRP they also complete the lower division requirements for bachelor’s degrees and can usually transfer directly
into the specific college. SVC’s DTA/MRP and AA degrees transfer to Washington public schools such as Central Washington University, University of Washington and Washington State University as well as many Washington private colleges and universities. SVC’s DTA/MRP degrees include nursing, pre-nursing, biology and business. SVC also offers Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees. These are associate degrees designed for students to enter directly into the workforce rather than pursuing higher education. These differ from transfer degrees in that many colleges and universities will only accept part of the degree rather than a guaranteed clear-cut transfer.
SVC offers both associate degrees and associate degrees specifically designed to transfer to four-year universities. SVC’s associate degrees that are not specifically designed for transferring are Associates in Visual Arts, Education, General Studies, Fire Protection Technology and several in Technical Arts. Some of the associates degrees for transferring include applied science, business, nursing, and music. Together, these students seeking associates degrees make up much of the student body at SVC. While associates degrees are common, SVC also offers other types of education.
Two other similar degrees that SVC offers are a high school diploma and the general education development (GED). The basic education for adults program at SVC offers students a place to improve their skills in the English language, earn a high school diploma or GED and start earning college credits. Tuition for these degrees are generally significantly lower than most other degrees at SVC and students in these programs generally can qualify for more scholarships and federal assistance. Similar to the programs listed above is the HS21+ program which is a high school diploma program for adults 21 and older. This program has the ability for students to utilize past experiences such as work, life and military service to achieve requirements for their
high school diploma. SVC not only awards degrees, but also has over 100 certificates in unique and specific fields.
SVC offers certificates in anything from medicine, medical services, automotive services, business and entrepreneurship, computer information, criminal justice, culinary arts, dentistry, early childhood education, environmental conservation and sustainability, fire protection, and craft brewing. According to Servoss, welding, diesel, and marine technology are among the most unique programs at SVC. While many people have the perception that students at community colleges are there to achieve degrees in higher learning, many are there to better their current careers or invest in new ones. SVC’s Craft Brewing Academy enables students to learn in a hands-on environment how craft brewing works from grain to glass. SVC not only provides a unique learning experience to students looking for a more traditional approach, but also ones who want something that traditional community colleges do not offer.
SVC provides exceptional learning experiences ranging from a bachelor’s in applied science to a certificate in small business accounting to a high school diploma. When asked about the way that SVC stands out from other community colleges in the surrounding area, he said that SVC staff truly cares about their students and their success in life. SVC equips each and every student with the tools they need to succeed in whatever they may do after they leave. Students at SVC range from degree seeking to wanting to move higher in their job to simply wanting to be more educated. SVC truly does offer one of the widest variety of degrees and certificates from community colleges in Washington State.
