Degrees and Certificates Awarded
Normandale’s academic awards include certificates (4-30 credits), Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) certification (40 credits), and degrees (60 or more credits).
Except for a few of the technical certificates, all awards require some general education. Minnesota State colleges define general education in terms of Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) goals. All degrees require that some number of MnTC goals be completed. Three MnTC goals must be completed for an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, 6 goals For the Associate of Science (AS), and all 10 goals for the Associate of Arts (AA). General Education credits for the Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) programs vary.
Certificates will always require the completion of a specific set of specialized coursework. Except for the AA, all degrees also have specialized course requirements in the form of a major and/or emphasis.
The AA degree major is always Liberal Education. It allows up to 20 elective credits. However, students are encouraged to complete one of several available emphases consisting of up to 20 credits of specialized coursework.
The AFA, AS, and AAS degrees each have a major that corresponds to the program of study. The number of credits required in the majors is 30 credits for the AS, 40 credits for the AAS and varies for the AFA.
It is often possible to earn one or more certificates on the way to completing degree requirements. It is also common for those who already have earned degrees to continue to earn specialized certificates throughout their careers.