Credentials Offered

SENMC offers Associate Degrees of 60 or more semester credit hours and Certificates that are less than 60 credit hours. Students interested in transferring to SENMC or another four-year institution should check the appropriate sections of the college catalog for more information.

Certificates

Certificates include the Certificate of Achievement and the Certificate of Completion. Certificates may be awarded independently from any degree program.

Certificate of Achievement

The Certificate of Achievement is a program of study less than 16 credits and is not eligible for Federal financial aid. This Certificate provides employment related and/or career enhancing skills necessary to succeed in a job or a chosen field of study. These courses can be a subset of those required for a corresponding Certificate of Completion or Degree. These certificates are recorded on the student’s transcript. The following requirements apply to all certificates of achievements:

1. Minimum Credit Hours: The number of credit hours varies from certificate to certificate but must be fewer than 16 credits. Students must successfully complete the total number of credit hours as outlined in the respective catalogs and sections describing these certificates.
2. GPA requirement: Students must successfully complete all courses for the certificate as outlined in the catalog and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater in all courses required for the certificate, but may have a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 for courses taken outside of the certificate.
3. Residency: A minimum of 25% of the credits earned toward the certificate must be completed at SENMC. Number of credit hours required for residency for each certificate is listed in the requirements for that certificate. If the certificate requires fewer than 6 credits, all credits must be completed at SENMC.
4. Individual certificates may have additional requirements.

Certificate of Completion

The Certificate of Completion requires a minimum of 16 credits (other Title IV requirements must be met to be eligible for financial aid). These courses can be a subset of those required for a corresponding Applied Associates Degree. These certificates are recorded on the student’s transcript. Requirements for individual certificates are found in the respective catalogs and sections concerning these programs. The following requirements apply to all certificates.

1. Minimum Credit Hours: The number of credit hours varies from certificate to certificate. Students must successfully complete the total number of credit hours as outlined in the respective catalogs and sections describing these certificates.
2. GPA requirement: Students must successfully complete all courses for the certificate as outlined in the catalog. In addition, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all courses taken at SENMC.
3. Residency: A minimum of 25% of the credits earned toward the certificate must be completed at SENMC. Number of credit hours required for residency for each certificate is listed in the requirements for that certificate. If the certificate requires fewer than 6 credits, all credits must be completed at SENMC.
4. Individual certificates may have additional requirements.

Degrees 

Degrees include associate degrees and applied/technical degrees. Associate degrees include:  Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of General Studies, other associate degrees that link to a specific major (the Associate of Education, for example). Applied/technical associate degrees include:  Associate of Applied Science.

Associate Degrees

Specific requirements for individual associate degrees are found in the sections concerning those degrees. The following requirements apply to all associate degrees:

1. Minimum Credit Hours: a minimum of 60 credits (excluding “N” suffix courses). Some programs of study require coursework in excess of the 60 credit-hour minimum.
2. New Mexico General Education Curriculum: State mandated approved general education courses (as specified in the New Mexico General Education Curriculum section); such course are designated with a “G” with minimum of 31 credits required.
3. GPA requirement: Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all courses taken in the program SENMC.
4. ENGL 1110G: Students must earn a C- or higher.
5. Residency: A minimum of 15 credits for the associate degree must be completed at SENMC. 
6. FYEX 1111 Introduction to College Studies is required for all degree-seeking students with fewer than 30 credit hours successfully completed. The course must be taken in the first semester of enrollment at SENMC.
7. Individual academic programs may have additional requirements.
8. Students interested in transferring to SENMC or another four-year institution should check the appropriate sections of the college catalog for more information.

Applied/Technical Associate Degrees

Specific requirements for individual applied/technical associate degrees are found in the sections concerning these degrees. These degrees typically prepare students for the workforce. The following requirements apply to all applied/technical associate degrees:

1. Minimum Credit Hours: a minimum of 60 credits (excluding “N” suffix courses). Some programs of study require coursework in excess of the 60 credit-hour minimum.
2. New Mexico General Education Curriculum: State mandated general approved education courses (as specified in General Education section); such course are designed with a “G” with of minimum of 15 credits required.
3. GPA requirement: Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all courses taken at SENMC.
4. ENGL 1110G: Students must earn a C- or higher.
5. Residency: A minimum of 15 of the 60 credits for the applied/technical associate’s degree must be completed at SENMC. Individual academic programs may have additional requirements.
6. FYEX 1111 Introduction to College Studies is required for all degree-seeking students with fewer than 30 credit hours successfully completed. The course must be taken in the first semester of enrollment at SENMC.
7. Individual academic programs may have additional requirements.
8. Credits for these programs may or may not apply toward a four-year degree.
9. Students interested in transferring to SENMC or another four-year institution should check the appropriate sections of the college catalog for more information. 

Application for Degree or Certificate

Upon completion of all requirements for degrees and certificates, students will not receive their credentials automatically. In order to receive the degree or certificate, a student must submit an application in the semester in which the student expects to graduate or complete the degree or certificate requirements. The deadline for all applications is specified in the academic calendar for each semester. 

Students who will be completing two degrees or certificates in the same semester must apply for each credential separately. 

Students who do not meet requirements or elect not to graduate after filing an application need to re-apply in a subsequent semester.

Dual/Second Degree

Associate degree seeking students who are interested in a dual degree should consult with their academic advisor.  A student may earn multiple degrees, the two degrees must total at least 75 credit hours, and the second degree must include at least 15 hours of credits which are not applied to the first degree. 

Degree Revocation

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to revoke a degree should it be determined upon investigation that the degree requirements were not properly met. A degree revocation must be in accordance with SENMC policy and related rules.

Honorary Degrees

Ceremonial Honorary Degrees may be awarded in accordance with SENMC policy and rules as set forth in SENMC Policy Manual and the related Administrative Rules and Procedures.