Degree Requirements

Associate Degrees

Students seeking an Associate (AA/AS) degree must complete the Recommended Program of Study. The program of study includes sixty (60) semester credit hours.

Students must satisfy the following requirements to earn an Academic Associate Degree:

1. Meet all admission requirements.
2. Complete the Core Curriculum.
3. Complete a Recommended Program of Study.
4. Complete twenty-five percent of coursework in the Recommended Program of Study at Lamar Institute of Technology.
5. Earn at least a 'C' in all program specific courses. Credit for general education courses may be awarded a 'D' or better. Consult the applicable program information in the LIT catalog for specific requirements.
6. Earn a minimum of a 2.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average for all courses within the Recommended Program of Study.
7. Complete the College Success Skills Course (DORI 0200 ) or be exempt.
8. Successfully complete all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements 

Core Curriculum

Core Curriculum  

In each Associate of Applied Science degree program, Lamar Institute of Technology requires the completion of general education or academic courses at the college level that ensures breadth of knowledge and is based on a coherent rationale. Students who plan to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree must complete a minimum of fifteen semester credit hours (15 SCH) of general education courses. These courses are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics. Students completing a program of study that results in the award of a certificate may not be required to complete general education courses.

Students must satisfy the following requirements to be awarded an Associate of Applied Science Degree:

• Meet all admission requirements.
• Complete a Recommended Program of Study.
• Complete a minimum of fifteen semester credit hours (15 SCH) of general education courses in humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics.
• Demonstrate competencies in reading, writing, and oral communication. Courses that satisfy the competencies include Composition I (ENGL 1301 ) and Public Speaking (SPCH 1315 ).
• Twenty-five percent of coursework in the Recommended Program of Study must be completed at Lamar Institute of Technology.
• Earn at least a 'D' in Composition I (ENGL 1301 ) and Contemporary Mathematics I (MATH 1332 ) or College Algebra (MATH 1314 ) courses used to satisfy the Recommended Program of Study.
• Earn at least a 'C' in all program specific course(s) in the Recommended Program of Study. Credit for general education courses may be awarded a 'D' or better. Consult the applicable program information in the LIT catalog for specific requirements.
• Earn a minimum of a 2.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average for all courses within the Recommended Program of Study.
• Complete additional requirements of individual programs.
• Complete the College Success Skills Course (DORI 0200 ).
• Successfully complete all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements.

Acceptable academic college level courses may be used to meet degree requirements. The following table should serve as a guideline to make the determination if academic college level courses may be used to meet the requirements of an Associate of Applied Science Degree.

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Requirements

A degree seeking student who has not passed all portions of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment must enroll and regularly attend at least one developmental class each semester until they satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements.

Certificate

Students must complete the following requirements to receive a Certificate:

1. Meet all admission requirements.
2. Complete a Recommended Program of Study for a certificate award.
3. Earn at least a 'C' in all program specific course(s). Credit for general education courses may be awarded a 'D' or better. Consult the applicable program information in the LIT catalog for specific requirements.
4. Complete additional requirements of individual programs.
5. Complete the College Success Skills Course (DORI 200) if required for the certificate.

Additional Associate Degree

When another associate degree is completed simultaneously or has been taken previously, the second associate degree may be granted upon the completion of all required work for the second degree. A minimum of an additional fifteen semester credit hours (15 SCH), as specified by the department granting the second degree, must be completed at Lamar Institute of Technology.

Graduation under a Particular Catalog

A student must satisfy the degree requirements published in the catalog in effect at the time they registered for the first time. Students that enroll and have a break in enrollment of one sixteen week semester must re-apply. When the student is re-admitted they must meet the degree requirements in effect at the time of their re-admission.

Exceptions include:

1. A catalog more than seven years old shall not be used;
2. The student who interrupts enrollment for involuntary military service may re-enroll within one year from the date of separation from military service in order for this provision to apply. For these purposes, enrollment shall be defined as registration for and successful completion of at least one course during an academic term. A student forced to withdraw for adequate cause before completion of a course may petition for a waiver of this provision at the time of withdrawal.

If a student changes their major, the degree requirements and program requirements in effect at the time of the change of major must be satisfied by the student. At the discretion of the appropriate departmental chair, students may be required to comply with all changes in the curriculum made subsequent to the year in which they were initially enrolled.

Candidates for graduation are required to wear the graduation regalia designated by LIT during the commencement ceremonies.

Graduation

Graduation marks the point when a student has completed all of the requirements to earn a degree or certificate. Graduation candidates must notify the degree department, early in their final semester, of their intent to graduate. To graduate, the student must also apply for graduation at Student Services or online. Students who do not complete the process will not graduate nor receive a diploma.

If a student fails to complete the graduation process, LIT reserves the right to award a degree or certificate when the requirements have been met.

Graduation Ceremony

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled in May and December. To participate in the Graduation Ceremony, students must have completed the application for graduation and be eligible to graduate the current or following fall or spring semester. Students who are completing their degree requirements in the summer may choose to walk in either the May or December ceremony. Participation in the Graduation Ceremony should not be considered evidence that the student has satisfied all graduation requirements.

Graduating with Honors

Students that achieve academic excellence are recognized as honor graduates. Honor graduates are identified by meeting specific criteria. The criteria include: (1) completion of at least twenty-four semester credit hours (24 SCH) at Lamar Institute of Technology and (2) have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 for all courses that apply to the program of study.

There are three levels of honors. The levels are Summa Cum Laude (highest honors), Magna Cum Laude (high honors), and Cum Laude (honors). Students earn honor status based upon their Cumulative Grade Point Average. Grades made during the semester of graduation are included in the calculation of GPAs for honors, which will be displayed on diplomas and final transcripts.  Honor graduates will be recognized during graduation ceremonies based on their GPA on the census day of their graduating semester. Grades earned in transfer credit will be included in the honor calculations.