To be considered a candidate for graduation, a student must have been admitted to a degree or certificate program at BCC. Students must complete at least one quarter (25 percent) of their program’s graduation credit requirements by enrollment in regularly scheduled classes at BCC. Hence, a student may not meet more than one half of the program’s graduation requirements by transfer, examination, prior learning experience or a combination thereof.
Specific degree and certificate program requirements are listed for each program in the Programs of Study section. Any substitutions must be approved by the program advisor and, in the case of general education requirements, the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The appropriate waiver/substitution form must be filed with the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Dates
BCC recognizes three graduation dates: at the end of the summer session, the end of the fall semester and Commencement at the end of the spring semester. Diplomas will be distributed to students at this time. Transcripts of students who complete degree requirements will show the appropriate graduation date. While degrees will be conferred and certificates awarded as of the indicated graduation dates, only one annual Commencement is held, and the official program for that occasion contains the names of all who have completed their degrees and certificates since the last Commencement. BCC graduates are expected to attend Commencement exercises in the spring.
BCC General Education Student Learning Outcomes
English Composition/ Writing: Students will write clear, coherent, and well-supported texts for a variety of purposes and audiences, demonstrating effective use of language, structure, and evidence.
Behavioral and/or Social Sciences: Students will apply social science methods to analyze human history, behavior, institutions, or social systems, demonstrating understanding of their impact and relevance to contemporary issues.
Humanities and/or Fine Arts: Students will interpret or create artistic and cultural works, demonstrating critical engagement with diverse human experiences and the role of the arts in personal and public life.
Math or Quantitative Reasoning: Students will apply quantitative reasoning and mathematical principles to solve problems, interpret data, and communicate findings effectively.
Natural and/or Physical Science: Students will use scientific methods to investigate natural phenomena, evaluate evidence, and communicate conclusions about the physical world.
Global Awareness: Students will explain and engage with diverse voices and perspectives, personal and societal values, and environmental awareness through writing, speaking, and listening, fostering participation in local and global communities.
Graduation Honors
A number of academic distinctions are made known at the graduation ceremony. These include the introduction of a Valedictorian and the recognition of students graduating from a degree program with Honors (3.250 to 3.749 cumulative grade point average) and High Honors (3.750 to 4.000 cumulative grade point average).
General Education Requirements
BCC has adopted a core curriculum intended to:
- Provide students with a strong base of knowledge from a broad spectrum of disciplines reflecting human kind’s past in language, art, science, mathematics, history and the social sciences;
- Provide students with basic skills for current and future college-level work, the dynamics of a changing job market, and the demands of a knowledge-based society; and
- Expose students to the values that sustain and nurture productive, purposeful and healthy lives.
MassTransfer Requirements
Students planning to transfer to one of the state-supported universities or colleges in Massachusetts are eligible for MassTransfer. See MassTransfer for more information.
MassTransfer provides community college graduates who complete designated associate degrees with the benefits of the full transfer and applicability of credit, guaranteed admission (2.500 GPA or higher) and a tuition discount (3.000 GPA or higher).
MassTransfer also provides students in the Massachusetts public higher education system the intermediate goal of completing a portable Gen Ed Foundation which will satisfy the general education/distribution/core requirements across institutions.
Listed on this page are all of the courses that meet MassTransfer requirements. In addition, there is a listing of courses that meet BCC’s Literature requirement (see below).
Please refer to the explanation of course codes in the table before reading the course descriptions.