Application Procedures
A student's academic progress in their certificate and/or degree program is monitored by the Admissions & Records Office. Students need to submit a petition for graduation to ensure a full evaluation of completed coursework, according to the following schedule:
Application Procedures
| Graduation Period | AA/AS Filing Period | ADT Filing Period |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | July 1 – August 1 | July 1 – August 1 |
| Fall | August 15 – November 15 | August 15 – September 15 |
| Spring | January 15 – April 15 | January 15 – February 15 |
Degrees and certificates are not automatically awarded. A student must submit a petition with intent to graduate at the beginning of the semester in which the student anticipates completing their final program requirements. Forms are available online at https://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/graduation.
Note: The filing period for the Associate Degree for Transfer, ADT is early in the term to allow for appropriate reporting of degree progress to the CSU E-Verify system. If a student is completing an ADT and misses the priority filing deadline, this will impact reporting to the CSU, and may jeopardize CSU admission. Students are encouraged to file the petition to graduate anytime during the AA/AS filing period.
Degrees and certificates are awarded after the semester ends and grades have been posted. The transcript will show the last day of the semester as the graduation date.
Note: if a break in enrollment occurs resulting in the loss of Catalog Rights (see Policies and Regulations section of this catalog) students must comply with the competency, general education and major course requirements in effect at the time the student resumes attendance in order to meet Graduation requirements.
Pre-graduation check: students who have completed 30 units of college course work may request a pre-graduation check.
Other College Coursework
Official transcripts with coursework from all non-Coast Community Colleges must be submitted to the Admissions & Records Office to be considered as part of the petition to graduate for a degree or certificate. Official transcripts must be submitted electronically or in a sealed envelope from the institution. In certain instances, students may personally hand in their official transcripts to the Admissions & Records Office or mail it directly to GWC, Attention: Admissions & Records 15744 Goldenwest St, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. If the other institutions permit, students may have e-transcripts emailed to gwctranscripts@gwc.cccd.edu. Students are exempt from requesting official transcripts for courses taken at Orange Coast College or Coastline Community College because these colleges are part of the Coast District, and staff members have direct access to the academic records.
Course Substitutions
If a student believes a course taken at GWC or at another institution should be included to substitute for a requirement within a major or certificate, a student may file a Course Substitution Form found at: https://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/enrollment/admissions/forms. Please submit this form to the Admissions & Records prior or along with the petition for graduation. Course Substitution Forms must be complete with a signature from the Chair and Dean of the department being petitioned. Please submit any necessary official transcript and/or course descriptions and/or course syllabus with the course substitution. Incomplete forms will not be processed.
Please Note: The Course Substitution Form may not be used for courses being used toward an AD-T. Students attempting to fulfill AD-T requirements with coursework from other colleges or institutions must speak with a Transfer Center counselor for evaluation.