Graduation

Helpful Information

• How to Check the Status of Your Graduation Petition

  Students can see the status of their graduation petition at any time by viewing their unofficial transcripts on the MyCoast portal. Please do not reach out to us to check on the status as this delays the review process. To view your unofficial transcripts, log-in to MyCoast, click on the "Discover More" button on the bottom of the page, then on the next page that loads, look for the "Transcripts" card. Click on the "All Colleges" link below "View Unofficial Transcripts". (Alternatively, you can search for "Transcripts" at the search box at the top left to get to the Transcripts card quickly.) For Transcript Level select “OCC Undergraduate” and for Transcript Type select “Unofficial Transcript”.

  Look for the "Degree Awarded" section, which typically appears near the top of the transcript. If you submitted multiple graduation petitions, you will see multiple curriculums listed. Each certificate and degree will have one of the following status listed:

  Applied = Your petition has been received and is waiting to be reviewed.

  Pending = Your petition is being reviewed and/or is waiting for final grades to be posted for the current semester for final determination.*

  Awarded = The Certificate or Degree listed has been awarded with the Degree Date.

  Denied = The Certificate or Degree listed has been denied.

  *Should there be any missing information, if we need further clarification, or if it looks like you are missing requirements for graduation, we will contact you at your student (@student.cccd.edu) email during the review process. If you don’t hear anything from our office, you can assume that everything is going well. Due to the volume of grad petitions received (especially during the Spring semester) please also allow between 3-12 weeks after final grades are posted for final determinations and awarding of degrees.

• Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT)

  The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act guarantees admission to a California State University (CSU) campus for any community college student who completes an “Associate Degree for Transfer”, a newly established variation of the associate degrees traditionally offered at a California community college. 

  The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing these degrees (ADT) are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. In order to earn one of these degrees, students must complete a minimum of 60 required semester units of CSU-transferable coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Students transferring to a CSU campus that does accept the ADT will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree (unless the major is a designated “high-unit” major).  

  This degree may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or to a university or college that is not part of the CSU system.  Students should consult with a counselor when planning to complete the degree for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.

   

  What does this mean to OCC students?

  • By following this degree pattern, you will complete the general education requirements for the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements.

  • You will be CSU GE Certified – This will appear on your official OCC transcript. You will complete the requirements for a Certificate of Achievement from OCC for the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements.  

  • You will be ready to apply to the CSU (California State University).

  • You will have completed the Major Preparatory Requirements for your degree program.

   

  Students who complete the requirements for an ADT are guaranteed:

  • Junior standing at the CSU

  • Priority admission consideration over all other transfer students when applying to a CSU Baccalaureate (BA/BS) degree program that has been deemed similar to the student’s community college area of emphasis.

  • The transfer associate degree student will only be required to complete 60 additional prescribed units to qualify for the similar BA/BS degree.

• ADT Graduation Requirements

  The following is required for all ADT degrees: 

  1. Completion of 60 CSU-transferable semester units. 

  2. While a minimum of 2.0 is required for admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult with a counselor for more information. 

  3. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of C or better. A “P” (Pass) grade is not an acceptable grade for the courses in the major.

  4. Certified completion of the California State University General Education Breadth pattern (CSU GE Breadth) or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern.

   

  Orange Coast College currently offers Associate Degrees for Transfer in the following Majors:

  • Business Administration
  • Communication Studies
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Elementary Teacher Education
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Journalism
  • Kinesiology
  • Math
  • Music
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Theatre Arts  

   

  Additional majors are being developed. Please see a counselor for more information. 

• Associate Degree (AA or AS) Graduation Requirements

  All students attempting to earn an Associate’s Degree must meet one of the three general education patterns as well as meet requirements for a Major offered at Orange Coast College.  Residency unit requirements as well as GPA requirements are listed below.

  1. OPTION 1 – Non-Transferrable.

     OPTION 2 - CSU Breadth Requirements

     OPTION 3 - IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum) Requirements

  2. Majors/Areas of Emphasis

  3. Unit and GPA Requirement:

     Students must complete at least 60 degree units with a minimum 2.0 grade point average. Students must complete all courses in their program of study with a grade of C or better.

  4. Residency requirements:

     A minimum of 12 units must be taken at Orange Coast College. At least six of these units must be in courses required for the major.

• Incoming Coursework Credits

  Courses completed at colleges and university outside of the Coast District may be able to be transferred to OCC for credit towards Associate Degrees, Certificates and GE Certification. See the Records for more information.

• Student Success Scorecard

  The scorecard represents an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability on student progress and success metrics in public higher education in the United States. The data available in the scorecard tell how well Orange Coast College is doing in remedial instruction, job training programs, retention of students and graduation and completion rates. Please see our Orange Coast College Scorecard.

• Commencement

  ​The commencement ceremony is held annually during the last week of May. All students who have petitioned for graduation during that academic year may participate in the ceremony.  Commencement information is updated regularly on the Commencement website.

• Replacement Diploma Request

  ​If you've already graduated from Orange Coast College and you'd like to order a duplicate copy of your diploma or certificate of achievement, please submit a Duplicate Diploma Request Form (PDF) and a Credit Card Payment Authorization Form (PDF) to the Graduation Office.

  IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Diploma Replacement Requests and Credit Card Payment Authorizations must be mailed to the address below or submitted in person. Due to PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance requirements, Orange Coast College is not able to accept Credit Card Payment Authorizations via e-mail submission. Please complete and print both forms and mail them via US Mail service to the address below for processing:

  Orange Coast College
  Graduation Office
  2701 Fairview Road
  Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

  To request a duplicate copy of a Certificate of Specialization or Certificate of Completion please contact the appropriate Division Office.