Degrees & Certificates

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Fall Graduates 2024

We are currently evaluating graduation requirements for students that applied. You can monitor your progress through Self-Service. If you have any concerns about your degree requirements, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with your counselor. Once all degree requirements are met, your degree will be awarded at the end of the Fall 2024 semester.  Your degree will be posted to your transcript and the physical degree will be ordered once all fall degrees have been posted (this process can take up to 6-8 weeks with the holiday).

You will be invited to participate in the Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony taking place on June 18th, 2025 at Glen Helen Amphitheater. More information with all the details will be sent to your student email in April.

 

Summer 2024 DIPLOMAS

Are on their way! Please watch your student email for your link to Parchment to receive your digital copy. Printed diplomas will be mailed directly to the graduate. 

Starting with the Fall 2022 diplomas, Victor Valley College has partnered with Parchment to print and mail physical diplomas and high unit certificates to students. In addition to the printed diplomas, you will be able to obtain a digital diploma or certificate. * Low unit certificates will only receive a digital copy. You will receive an email from Parchment to create an account and retrieve your diploma and/or certificate. Diplomas and high unit certificates will be mailed to you within 12-16 weeks after the appropriate filing period. Only one diploma (per major) will be provided to you at no cost. If you graduated with more than one major, you will receive a separate diploma for each major. It will also state if you graduated with honors.

 

DIPLOMAS prior to Fall 2022

Diplomas can be picked up in the Admissions & Records office located in the Student Services (OneStop), building 23. Please be prepared to show a picture ID when you arrive as we cannot release your diploma without it. If you would like to designate someone to pick up your diploma for you, they will need a copy of your photo ID as well as a statement signed by you, permitting them to pick up the diploma. 

 

Hours for pick up: 

Monday -Thursday, 8:00am – 7:00pm

Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm

Friday, closed during the summer

**If you have moved out of the high desert need to have your diploma mailed to you, please confirm your mailing address and submit a photo ID by completing this form.

 

Degrees

Eligibility Requirements

  • Unit Requirements: Associate degrees require a minimum of 60 degree-applicable units, including General Education, major requirements, and electives. Associate Degrees for Transfer also require 60 CSU-applicable units in addition to the General Education, major requirements, and electives. Certificates of Achievement require a minimum of 12 major-applicable units.
  • Units in Residence at VVC: At least 12 units of coursework must be taken at Victor Valley College.
  • GPA Requirements: A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in degree-applicable coursework. All courses in the major must be completed with a "C" or better.

Major Requirements

Transfer Credits & Test Scores

  • Coursework from regionally accredited colleges and universities is accepted by VVC to fulfill degree and certificate requirements.
  • Advanced Placement and CLEP scores can be accepted for credit, with some limitations. Test scores must be submitted directly from the testing center to VVC.
  • Official college transcripts and test scores sent directly by the institution are required. VVC does not accept student-provided documents-unless they are in a sealed Official envelope.

Graduation Steps: 

While you may have completed all the units towards your degree or certificate, you must still formally apply to receive it. The following instructions will walk you through the steps needed to apply for your degree.

  • Ensure you have submitted official transcripts and relevant test scores from all institutions attended to the Admissions and Records Office. Note that all transcripts from other schools must be Official.
  • Make an appointment with a counselor to see if you are eligible to graduate. 
  • Once you determine you are eligible, complete and submit your graduation application as noted below.
  • You may apply for any degree or certificate for which you qualify (no limit).

How to Apply

Students must apply for graduation by the deadline dates to obtain an Associate Degree. DEGREES ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ISSUED.

Deadlines to Apply

The deadline to Apply for Graduation is the last day of the term prior to the term in which you expect to graduate. Examples: Apply by the end of Fall semester to graduate in Spring.  Apply by the end of Spring semester to graduate in Summer.  Apply by the end of the Summer term to graduate in Fall.  There is no graduation in Winter.

The filing periods for graduation are as follows: 

  • Spring 2025 (June) until March 31, 2025
  • Summer 2025 (August) until July 3, 2025

*To participate in the 2024 Commencement your Summer 2025 application must be in by March 14, 2025 otherwise you will be invited to the Spring 2026 Commencement.

Please complete the appropriate application below:

For Spring graduation candidates, please be advised that participation in the ceremony does not guarantee official graduation. Final evaluation for Spring/Summer 2025 candidates are not completed until grades have been verified for the Spring/Summer sessions.

After You Apply

  • You will receive an email on the status of your application during the semester you applied for.
  • If found eligible, your application will be re-evaluated once official/final grades are posted at the end of the term. This process can take up to 5 weeks. 
  • You will be provided with instructions on how to participate in our annual Commencement Ceremony a couple months ahead of the event. In order to participate in the ceremony, you must submit the graduation petition by the petitioning deadline.

Graduating with Honors

Scholastic Honors at Commencement

Honors at the college commencement will be awarded to students with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. Coursework taken during the final spring semester will not be used to calculate honors at commencement. Grade point averages are not rounded up. Students completing associate degree programs with prescribed cumulative grade point averages, listed below, are recognized as honor graduates at the college commencement. These honor graduates are eligible to wear honor cords at graduation.

Academic honors are as follows:

  • Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honors) 3.90 - 4.00 GPA

  • Magna Cum Laude (High Honors) 3.75 - 3.89 GPA

  • Cum Laude (Academic Distinction) 3.50 - 3.74 GPA

These honors are noted on student diplomas.

All lower division, degree-applicable courses, units, and grades earned by students at VVC and other colleges and universities are included in calculating grade point averages for graduation and academic honors. Official transcripts or documents are required before degrees can be awarded. Transcripts submitted become the property of Victor Valley College and cannot be returned to the student nor be forwarded to another institution.

Transcripts & Diplomas

  • Transcripts: Once the Admissions & Records Office has verified you completed all degree/certificate requirements, your official Victor Valley College transcripts will be annotated with the degree and major you completed. This annotation will appear on all transcripts we generate.
  • Diplomas: Starting with the Fall 2021 diplomas, Victor Valley College has partnered with Parchment to print and mail physical diplomas. In addition to the printed diploma you will be able to obtain a digital diploma. You will receive an email from Parchment to create an account and retrieve your diploma. Diplomas will be mailed to you within 12-16 weeks after the appropriate filing period. Only one diploma (per major) will be provided to you at no cost. If you graduated with more than one major, you will receive a separate diploma for each major. It will also state if you graduated with honors.
  • Duplicate Diplomas: Duplicate diplomas may be ordered directly from the Admissions & Records Office by completing the Diploma/Certificate  Replacement Order Form at a cost of $15 each.

Commencement

Who May Participate

  • Students who were granted a degree from Summer and/or Fall preceding the graduation ceremony.
  • Students who have petitioned for the Spring & Summer semester who are designated as eligible or eligible pending.