Degree & Graduation Requirements

Butler Community College offers students a choice of four degrees and multiple certificates, each with a special emphasis to meet individual needs. The requirements for the certificates, degrees, and additional graduation requirements are listed on the following pages. (T► Kansas State Wide Transfer course.)​

General Education at Butler Community College

As a Learning College, Butler prepares students to be principled, productive individuals who are responsible, involved, lifelong learners. To accomplish this goal, Butler has established a General Education program combining knowledge and skills from areas such as the arts, communication, humanities, language, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, behavioral and social sciences and technology. Through the college’s Learning PACT, Butler faculty members intend to impart the knowledge and concepts that they believe every educated person should possess to function successfully in life. The Butler Learning PACT consists of the following:

P = Personal Development Skills

• Personal management
  Make smart personal life choices
• Interpersonal interaction
  Interact with respect for others in a diverse world

A = Analytical Thinking Skills

• Critical thinking
  Make informed decisions for challenging situations
• Problem solving
  Find workable solutions for real life problems

C = Communication Skills

• Creation and delivery of messages
  Write and speak effectively
• Reception and interpretation of messages
  Observe, listen, and read effectively

T = Technology Skills

• General computer use
  Use computers and the internet proficiently
• Discipline-specific technology
  Use specialized technology effectively

The purpose of the General Education curriculum is to enhance the breadth and depth of a Butler student’s specific program of study. By meeting the General Education course requirements, Butler students will have acquired pertinent knowledge and have developed invaluable skills in a broad range of academic areas which enable them to pursue a productive future in an increasingly complex and diverse global community.

Butler General Education Bucket Requirements

Beginning with the Fall 2024 term, all state universities, Washburn University, and all participating community colleges in Kansas use a common systemwide general education (SGE) framework within associate of arts (A.A), associate of science (A.S.) degrees, and all baccalaureate degrees.  The SGE framework includes 34-35 credit hours organized in 7 “buckets” identified by an individual SGE code. 

Any student who has completed the full credit hour requirement in all buckets will be considered to have completed the Kansas SGE framework for A.A. and A.S. degrees. The completion of the 34-35 credit hour general education package will be noted on the student’s transcript.

Course Requirements for A.A. and A.S. degrees and the General Education Buckets:

• All students are required to take EG101 and EG102 from Bucket 1.
• All students are required to take either SP100 or SP102 from Bucket 2.
• All students are required to take one math course from Bucket 3.
• All other buckets where a course is marked as preferred, students can choose any course listed in the state approved bucket if they meet the prerequisite for the course. 
• Courses in any of the buckets 3-7 not marked preferred are mandatory in the pathway unless an alternative is approved by the dean overseeing the pathway.
• Courses listed in the Pathway not identified with a bucket are required for completion of the given degree pathway and are not intended to fulfill the state approved general education bucket package.

Students who are working toward associate of applied science (A.A.S.) or associate of general studies (A.G.S.) are not required to complete the 34-35 credit hour general education bucket system. Students pursuing these degrees will select from the general education bucket list of courses but will only complete 15 credit hours of general education for the A.A.S. or 25 credit hours of general education for the A.G.S.

General degree requirements for all Butler degrees and certificates are listed below. See program of study for specific course and GPA requirements.

• General Education requirements
• Major requirements
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• Minimum Butler credits

The college requires an official transcript be sent from each institution for prior coursework to be used toward a degree program. In addition, certain students (VA, athletes, and select financial aid recipients) are required to provide all official transcripts to the Registrar’s Office. All official transcripts on file will be used in the determination of financial aid eligibility.

Electronic transcripts should be emailed using a secure electronic exchange from your high school, college, or other educational institution to registrar@butlercc.edu. Transcripts emailed from the student are not considered official and will be used for advising purposes only.

Butler accepts transfer hours from institutions regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or regional accreditations accepted by the U.S. Department of Education. Butler only reviews and transcripts transfer credit for students enrolled in degree programs. Transcripts for students who are non-degree seeking are not reviewed, but may be used for advising purposes. International transcripts must be evaluated and translated by a member company of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

All accepted transfer hours will be included in the cumulative grade point average, whether or not the classes apply specifically to the degree or certificate being sought. Graduates with a combined (institutional and transfer) grade point averages of 3.75 and above are eligible for membership in Order of the Purple. To further qualify for Order of the Gold, graduates must have a combined (institutional and transfer) 4.0 grade point average. These hours are calculated to include the semester of graduation.

Both honors are based on the student’s qualifying grade point average (see above), and a minimum of 30 resident Butler hours earned in college level coursework at the time of graduation.

If eligibility occurs after final semester grades are included, honors are posted to student’s transcript and the award sent at that time.

Associate in Arts A.A.

Minimum Degree Requirements

General Education courses are part of all degrees at Butler. These courses are required to develop at least 3 Learning PACT Outcomes. For a complete list of courses that meet General Education requirements, consult the catalog section entitled “Courses that Meet General Education Requirements.” In addition, refer to programs of study for other specific course requirements.

Associate in Science A.S.

Minimum Degree Requirements

General Education courses are part of all degrees at Butler. These courses are required to develop at least 3 Learning PACT Outcomes. For a complete list of courses that meet General Education requirements, consult the catalog section entitled “Courses that Meet General Education Requirements.” In addition, refer to programs of study for other specific course requirements.

Associate in Applied Science A.A.S.

Minimum Degree Requirements

General Education courses are part of all degrees at Butler. These courses are required to develop at least 3 Learning PACT Outcomes. For a complete list of courses that meet General Education requirements, consult the catalog section entitled “Courses that Meet General Education Requirements.” In addition, refer to programs of study for other specific course requirements.

Associate in General Studies A.G.S.

Minimum Degree Requirements

General Education courses are part of all degrees at Butler. These courses are required to develop at least 3 Learning PACT Outcomes. For a complete list of courses that meet General Education requirements, consult the catalog section entitled “Courses that Meet General Education Requirements.” In addition, refer to programs of study for other specific course requirements.

Certificate Program

Community colleges offer a variety of certificates based upon the number of credit hours required of the student. A Career and Technical Education Certificate may be granted for programs of instruction that are less than 60 semester hours in length but more than 15 semester hours. Students must meet a minimum overall 2.0 GPA to be awarded a certificate.

Certificates of Completion may be awarded for a course or sequence of courses not exceeding 15 semester hours. These certificates of completion will not appear on the transcript and are not aid eligible. 

Additional Degree Policy

Students may earn more than one degree certificate with Butler when course requirements of both degree programs are met. The additional degree(s) must be earned in a different major (i.e., an Associate in Science in Liberal Arts is awarded, the student may not earn an Associate in Arts or an Associate in General Studies in Liberal Arts). However, a student may earn a certificate and a degree in the same major. Transfer students may earn an additional degree when course requirements and the 15 credit hour residency requirement are met. All accepted transfer hours will be included in the cumulative grade point average, whether or not the classes apply specifically to the degree being sought. Students must complete the graduation application by for the additional degree.

Courses That Meet General Education Requirements

The courses that meet General Education requirements for Butler are categorized according to the Kansas common systemwide general education framework. These are the courses approved for Butler by the Kansas Board of Regents to be used for completion of the required 34-35 credit hours for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. Students pursuing the A.A.S. and A.G.S. will select general education courses from the same list of courses, with the exception of some additional options in English and math in those degree programs as noted. below. Students pursuing an A.A.S. or A.G.S. degree are not required to complete the 34-35 credits in the seven categories  that A.A. and A.S. students are required to complete. Students should review the Pathway requirements for their program of study to identify the required or recommended courses from the list below. Courses in this list, which have been approved by the state to transfer to any university or community college in the state system, are identified by the KRSN number in parenthesis (ex: PSY2020). Contact Academic Advising for additional information. 

English (Bucket 1-SGE010)

     (EG101 with a C or better.)

• EG 101. English Composition 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG1010) 
• EG 102. English Composition 2 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG1020)

Communication (Bucket 2-SGE020) 

• SP 100. Public Speaking (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (COM1010)
• SP 102. Interpersonal Communication (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (COM1020)

The following courses are accepted for the A.A.S. degree only

See specific programs of study.

• EG 112. Technical Writing (O)  Credits: 3
• BE 120. Business English (O)  Credits: 3
• BE 130. Business Communications (O, T►)  Credits: 3

Math and Statistics (Bucket 3-SGE030)

For an A.A. degree: MA 130 -Contemporary Math (T► MAT1040) or above. See specific programs of study.
For an A.S. degree: MA 135 -College Algebra (T► MAT1010) 
For an A.A.S. degree: See specific programs of study
For an A.G.S. degree: MA 125 -Intermediate Algebra or above (MAT0990)

Natural and Physical Science (Bucket 4-SGE040)

• BI 110. General Biology (O, T►)  Credits: 5 (BIO1010)
• BI 215. Majors Biology 1 (Cell) (T►)  Credits: 5 (BIO1020)
• BI 226. Anatomy and Physiology 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 4 (BIO2030)
• BI 227. Anatomy and Physiology 2 (O, T►)  Credits: 4 (BIO2030)
• BI 240. Anatomy and Physiology (T►)  Credits: 5 (BIO2020)
• BI 250. Microbiology (T►)  Credits: 5 (BIO2040)
• CH 106. Introduction to General Chemistry (O, T►)  Credits: 5 (CHM1030)
• CH 110. College Chemistry 1 ( T►)  Credits: 5 (CHM1010)
• PH 103. Descriptive Astronomy (O, T►)  Credits: 4 (PHY1020)
• PH 143. General Physics 1 (T►)  Credits: 5 (PHY1010)
• PH 251. Physics 1 (T►)  Credits: 5 (PHY1030)
• PS 100. General Physical Science (O, T►)  Credits: 5 (PSI1010)
• PS 102. Physical Geology (O, T►)  Credits: 4 (PSI1030)

Social and Behavioral Science (Bucket 5-SGE050)

• AG 120. Agricultural Economics (O)  Credits: 3 (For Agricultural majors only)
• AN 106. Introduction to Anthropology (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ANT1010)
• CJ 102. Introduction to Criminal Justice (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (CRJ1010)
• CJ 204. Criminal Law (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (CRJ2010)
• EC 200. Principles of Microeconomics (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ECO1010)
• EC 201. Principles of Macroeconomics (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ECO1020)
• EC 250. Engineering Economics (O)  Credits: 3 (for Pre-Engineering, Engineering, and Pre-Computer Science AS)
• PO 141. American Federal Government (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (POL1020)
• PO 142. State and Local Government (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (POL2020)
• PO 201. International Relations (T►)  Credits: 3 (POL1030)
• PO 226. Introduction to Comparative Politics (T►)  Credits: 3 (POL2010)
• PY 160. General Psychology (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (PSY1010)
• SC 120. Principles of Geography (O, T►)   Credits: 3 (GEO1010)
• SO 105. Sociology (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (SOC1010) 
• SO 107. Women and Gender Studies (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (GCS1010)
• SO 110. Contemporary Social Problems (T►)  Credits: 3 (SOC2010)
• SO 210. Marriage and Family (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (SOC2020)
• SO 222. Cultural Diversity and Inclusion (T►)  Credits: 3 (SOC2030)
• SW 102. Introduction to Social Work (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (SOC1020)

Arts and Humanities (Bucket 6-SGE060)

• AR 100. Art Appreciation (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ART1010)
• AR 101. Art History 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ART1020)
• AR 102. Art History 2 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ART1030)
• AR 121. Two-Dimensional Design (T►)  Credits: 3 (ART1050) (for Art majors)
• AR 122. Three-Dimensional Design (T►)  Credits: 3   (ART2010) (for Art majors)
• AR 141. Drawing 1 (T►)  Credits: 3 (ART1040) (for Art majors)
• EG 104. Creative Writing (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG2030)
• FL 107. Beginning Spanish 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 5 (SPA1010) 
• FL 111. Beginning Russian 1 (O)  Credits: 5
• FL 118. Beginning French 1 (T►)  Credits: 5 (FRN1010) 
• FL 127. Beginning Japanese 1  Credits: 5
• HS 131. US History 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (HIS1010) 
• HS 132. US History 2 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (HIS1020)
• HS 201. History of World Civilization 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (HIS1030)
• HS 202. History of World Civilization 2 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (HIS1040)
• LT 201. Introduction to Literature 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG1030) 
• LT 215. American Literature 1: Colonial to 1865 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG2010)
• LT 216. American Literature 2: 1865 to Present (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (ENG2020)
• MC 161. Introduction to Mass Communications (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (COM1030)
• MU 100. Music Appreciation (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (MUS1010) 
• MU 111. Theory of Music 1 (T►)  Credits: 3 (MUS1020) (for Music majors)
• PL 101. Introduction to Logic (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (PHL1030) 
• PL 290. Philosophy 1 (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (PHL1010)
• PL 291. Ethics (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (PHL1020)
• RG 190. New Testament (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (REL1030)
• RG 191. Old Testament (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (REL1020)
• RG 210. Comparative Religions (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (REL1010) 
• TA 110. Acting 1(T►)  Credits: 3 (THT1020) (for Theatre majors)
• TA 206. Theatre Appreciation (O, T►)  Credits: 3 (THT1010) 

FL courses numbered 100 or above
(Vocational Spanish courses will not fulfill this requirement except for the A.A.S. Nursing Degree.)

Institutionally Designated (Bucket 7-SGE070)

(Bucket 7 Complete Listing )

Catalog Compliance

Students will follow the guidelines of the catalog under which they began, provided they remain continuously enrolled from the semester of entry to the semester of graduation if they remain in the same program/major. Students may opt to move forward to another more recent catalog but not backwards. If a more recent catalog is selected, all the catalog requirements must be met, not a mix of the prior and newly selected catalogs. Students that change their program/major will follow the current catalog requirements as of the term the program/major is changed.

Students who are not continuously enrolled from the date of entry to the date of graduation will follow the guidelines of the catalog under which they returned.

Students who begin attendance in the summer semester will follow the catalog of the upcoming academic year.

Minimum Butler Credits

Fifteen semester hours of credit must be earned or passed with Butler in order to graduate. Any exceptions must be approved by the Vice President of Academics.

Application for Graduation

Students planning to graduate should submit an application for graduation online at https://www.butlercc.edu/info/200921/registrar/46/graduation-procedures or in person to the Registrar’s Office. To be included in the commencement program and commencement exercises, it is recommended that students complete the application for graduation by the priority deadlines listed below. Students who do not apply for graduation may still be awarded the sought degree or certificate for which they qualify but may not be included in the commencement program and commencement exercises. Butler Community College will attempt to identify all students who qualify for the degree or certificate sought and award them accordingly.

Commencement Exercises

All students are encouraged to attend commencement exercises held each academic year in May.

Articulation and Transfer

What is an articulation (transfer) agreement?

An articulation agreement is a “contract” drawn up between a community college and either a high school or a college/university involving faculty, counselors/advisors, administrators and appropriate personnel at both schools. This “contract” consists of aligning and transferring equivalent and prescribed courses applicable to a specific program from the high school to the community college or from the community college to the college or university. The student is ensured that all of the named courses will transfer. Often these agreements will be specialized to include a 2 +2 agreement, consisting of two years at Butler and two years at the transfer-college or university to complete the bachelor degree.

A student who completes an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree based on a baccalaureate oriented sequence at a state and regionally accredited Kansas public community college and whose program of studies has met requirements of the Kansas Public Community College-Kansas Regents Transfer Agreement and Articulation Guide, will be accepted with junior standing and will have satisfied the general education requirements of all Regents universities. Students transferring to Regents institutions who have not completed an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree will be given general education credit for any articulation general education course completed at the community college.

Kansas Board of Regents Transfer and Articulation

The Kansas Board of Regents maintains a Kansas common course portal on its website for all courses that transfer as equivalent across all public colleges and universities within the state. From the main webpage at www.kansasregents.org, you can find common course information using the Transfer Kansas Portal link. In this catalog, approved courses are identified with the KRSN in parentheses at the end of the course description.

Butler’s Current Career Pathways Articulation Agreements

Butler is pleased to partner with the Kansas State Department of Education in support of the Career Pathways initiative. Program articulation agreements have been established to provide high school students with a sequence of coursework leading to a college degree or certificate.

For students to receive credit through these agreements, the following is required: 1) the student’s high school must have a signed, current articulation agreement on file with Butler in the subject area, 2) the student must complete an articulation application form, 3) the student must maintain a C or better in the specified high school course and 4) the student must complete 12 credit hours with Butler before applying for articulated credit. Articulation credit will be posted as “CR” credit.

For additional information, please see http://www.butlercc.edu or contact Loni Jensen, ljensen3@butlercc.edu.

Early College Academy Programs

Agriculture: Prepare directly for a career in the thriving agriculture industry or continue studying after Butler in a wide variety of agricultural sciences at 4-year institutions.   Students will have opportunities to do location learning on active farms and ranches, learn crop and livestock management, and gain experience on the business and accounting side.  

Business: Learn the mechanics of owning your own business or helping someone run theirs.  Develop a business plan, understand how marketing works, and study the true meaning of leadership.  

Construction: Prepare for a career in construction, learning HVAC, masonry, electrical, cabinet making, building systems, flooring, carpentry, and general craft skills.  This program is ideal for those looking to begin their construction career, those wanting to explore a broad range of construction trades, or those hoping to pursue further study in a specified construction process. 

Culinary Arts: Bring out your creativity while you learn to prepare exquisite meals at Butler’s nationally-known program. Learn how to take your cuisine to new heights and hone classical techniques as experienced professionals guide you in the culinary program’s industrial kitchen. Take your knowledge and head straight into the workforce…anywhere in the world. 

Cyber Security: Study the science of digital forensics and learn to protect and defend digital assets in Cyber Security. Earn TESTOUT PCPRO, NETWORK PRO, SECURITY PRO, CLIENT PRO, SERVER PRO, and other certifications to start work immediately at a higher paying job.

Education: Transfer to a four-year education program, including Butler and Emporia State’s BEST program – where you earn your teaching degree while taking classes on Butler’s campus.  Observe classes at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.

Engineering Studies: Prepare for multiple different engineering disciplines by laying a strong foundation through this pathway.  Learn the industry standards of engineering graphics, while simultaneously taking basic and advanced math courses and use state-of-the-art equipment to learn applicable skills, getting you ahead in your college and career goals. 

Game and Simulation Design: Prepare for an immediate career in the field of Game and Simulation Design. Working with the latest technologies you will learn the art and technical skills of game design, simulation design, stop-motion animation, motion capture, and video editing as you prepare for entry into this expanding and exciting field. Classes will help prepare you for a career in game design, film, 3D animation and design, simulation design for training and education, augmented and virtual reality design and many others.

Health Sciences: Transfer to a nursing program or major in the sciences at a four-year university for a career in health care.  While at Butler, you can obtain your CNA credentials and start work immediately at a higher paying job while you attend school.  Apply for the KU nursing program and stay on Butler’s campus while you earn your four-year nursing degree. 

Humanities: Earn a comprehensive associate degree.  Take a broad range of transferable classes and then enter a four-year university.  Students choose their emphasis by selecting career-specific electives and completing related job shadows and internships.

Humanities (Online): Similar in scope to our Humanities Pathway, this option is for students who cannot attend courses in person.  Rather than coming to our campus we offer a degree pathway within the Academy entirely online.  Take a wide variety of classes and electives on your schedule. 

Welding: Get a jump on a career that is red hot with opportunities. Learn from experienced faculty, all the major welding and cutting processes, as well as Blueprint reading and Metallurgy, while earning an industry recognized certification from the American Welding Society (AWS). You will train on state-of-the-art industry equipment and develop skill sets that can serve you for a lifetime.

Requirements

Early College Academy requirements can be found under the Admissions section.

Entrance interview with Academy staff.

Developmental Education Program

Vision

Butler Community College considers developmental education an integral part of the college and developmental students as important contributors to college life. At Butler, developmental students will gain knowledge and learn skills that further their success in education, the workplace, and lifelong learning.

Mission

The mission of the Developmental Education Program at Butler Community College is to prepare students for future success in college, the workplace, and lifelong learning through highly coordinated and relevant instruction, services, and support.

College Goals and Objectives

In order to fulfill Butler’s Developmental Education Program Vision and Mission, faculty and staff members will

• Honor diversity and practice inclusion.
• Use the results of placement testing and multiple measures to appropriately advise and enroll students.
• Study and use best practices, pedagogies, and techniques to engage students inside and outside the classroom.
• Support the development of independence, inquiry, and problem solving in students through instruction, success coaching, and multiple forms of tutoring.
• Systematically collect, study, and use demographic, enrollment, assessment, and completion data to refine the developmental education curriculum.
• Regularly convene to coordinate and evaluate their work.
• Regularly share data and evaluations of the program.
• Participate in appropriate professional development and technical training.

Student Goals and Objectives

To prepare for future success in college, the workplace, and lifelong learning, Butler Developmental Education students will

• Make a successful transition to college.
• Become engaged in academic and student life.
• Use multiple resources and supports.
• Practice effective time, task, and relationship management.
• Develop proficiency in skills that support academic achievement.
• Demonstrate ongoing academic achievement.
• Make academic progress toward degrees and certificates.

Students may be required to take developmental courses as the result of placement testing. The following developmental courses count as prerequisites for other courses, not toward fulfilling degree requirements, total credit hours earned, honors, or grade point average calculations:

Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) Courses

Most students who place in developmental English are required to enroll in the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). ALP students enroll in EG 060  Fundamentals of English, and with conventional students, EG 101  English Composition 1, as co-requisites in the same term. ALP classes are taught by instructors who are trained in strategies to help students succeed in composition and in college. ALP students who pass both classes earn 6 hours credit (3 from EG 060  and 3 for EG 101 ) faster than students outside the program.

Developmental Courses

EG 010 . ESL Pronunciation of English Fundamentals
EG 013 . ESL Pronunciation of English Applied 
EG 053 . ESL Sentence to Paragraph
EG 063 . ESL Fundamentals of English
EG 060 . Fundamentals of English 
MA 051 . Pre-Algebra 1 (Algebra Module 1)
MA 052 . Pre-Algebra 2 (Algebra Module 2)
MA 053 . Pre-Algebra 3 (Algebra Module 3)
MA 060 . Fundamentals of Algebra
MA 064 . Fundamentals of Algebra 1 (Algebra Module 4)
MA 065 . Fundamentals of Algebra 2 (Algebra Module 5)
MA 066 . Fundamentals of Algebra 3 (Algebra Module 6)
RD 011 . College Reading 1
RD 014 . ELL College Reading 1
RD 015 . ELL College Reading 2
RD 012 . College Reading 2

Developmental Coursework Policy (rev. 3/31/21)

The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) policy and procedure manual states the following regarding HS concurrent enrollment: “Remedial/developmental course work or course work that does not apply to a Regents’ approved degree program at the post secondary partner institution in a CEP agreement is not considered appropriate for college-level credit or eligible for financial reimbursement” (Ch IV, 8 (3) v). Based on this policy, high school students may take developmental courses online or on a Butler campus, but dual credit will not be awarded. High school students include those enrolled in public and private institutions and those in home school.