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Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE)
Academic Advising & Counseling
Alumni Association
Career Services
Graduation Application
Graduation Honors
Transferring from BC3
Tutoring Services
Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE)
The Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE), located on the first floor of the Student Success Center, is responsible for providing student-centered resources that serve BC3 students from pre-enrollment through graduation. The ACE is home to student support functions including Academic Advising, Career Services, Access and Disability Resources, Placement Testing, Retention, Transfer Services, and Tutoring; and serves as a resource center for students experiencing personal or academic difficulties. The Dean of Student Development’s office, responsible for the resolution of student conduct issues, is also located within the Academic Center for Enrichment.
Academic Advising & Counseling
Academic advisors provide guidance to all students by supporting the exploration of academic and career goals; by helping students understand and navigate program requirements and college policies, and by supporting students in developing and realizing academic, career and transfer plans. Academic counselors are also available to assist students in navigating academic and personal challenges that are interfering with academic success. Advising staff are available through the Academic Center for Enrichment and at each campus location.
Academic Advising - New students are advised by professional academic advisors for the purpose of placement and creation of their first semester schedule of courses. Current students are assigned to departmental faculty advisors or professional academic advisors who can assess academic progress and recommend further course selections.
Advisors serve as a personal guide to support students! All students should make a plan to connect with their academic advisor each semester to discuss their academic and career goals, and to ensure they are on track to successfully reach those goals. Students whose academic program or standing requires advising should plan to meet with their advisor prior to registration each semester. Outside of regular advising and registration activities, the college’s team of professional advisors supports students who are considering a change in major, who are experiencing academic difficulties, or who are close to graduation and wish to verify their completion of all program requirements.
Personal Counseling - Academic counselors are available to support students in dealing with academic and personal problems that may be interfering with their academic success. BC3 does not provide ongoing personal counseling services, and students will be referred to outside agencies if their needs extend beyond the resources of the department.
Alumni Association
The Butler County Community College Alumni Association was created in 1997 to enhance the relationship between the College, former students, and the community. The goals of the Alumni Association are to recognize alumni accomplishments, provide recreational opportunities for alumni and their families, and to support the mission of the College. Membership is open to all individuals who have attended BC3 and to anyone interested in supporting the mission of the Alumni Association and the College. Membership benefits include membership eligibility in the Butler Armco Employees Credit Union, discounts on Succop Theater tickets and the BC3 Bookstore, free admission to athletic events, and special offers to alumni events. For information, contact the Alumni Office at 724-287-8711, ext. 8326, or visit the bc3.edu/alumni.
Career Services
Career Services, located in the Student Success Center, is designed to provide career counseling and planning, resume and cover letter review, portfolio development, job search assistance, and interviewing skills to students and alumni. Students and alumni may post their resumes and search for jobs at www.collegecentral.com/bc3.
Job Search Assistance - Employment opportunities reported to the college are posted on www.collegecentral.com/bc3. Positions for fulltime, part-time and summer employment are available. Students and alumni may utilize the Resume Service by placing their resumes on file for employers to access.
Cooperative Education - Cooperative education (co-op) is an academic experience designed to give students real-world work experience before graduation by integrating classroom study with planned, supervised work experience in which the student is a regular, paid employee. Students with a practicum or internship in their major may have the option of working in a co-op as an alternative.
The co-op experience:
- provides real life experience
- earns academic credit
- increases marketability upon graduation
- provides financial support
- applies classroom theory in a practical setting
To be eligible for a co-op assignment, students must have a minimum of 12 credits completed with a 3.0 GPA in their major and a total of 20 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.75 overall. Students must be approved by the faculty and co-op coordinator, complete the required paperwork, attend co-op seminars, and identify and describe co-op regulations.
Students interested in applying for a co-op position should obtain an application from Student Employment Specialist whose office is located in the Student Success Center.
GENL 111 - Job Readiness - This course helps students identify, communicate and market their qualifications to obtain employment. Students learn strategies for finding employment which include how to write resumes and cover letters, develop job leads, and prepare for job interviews.
GENL 115 - Career Planning - This course assists students in choosing a college major and in developing skills necessary for self-assessment, long-range planning and development, and setting realistic career goals.
Graduation Application
- All students must apply for graduation before the deadline of February 15 for May graduation, June 15 for August graduation, and September 15 for December graduation.
- Students must complete an application for graduation available at the Office of Records & Registration. There is a non-refundable $40 graduation fee for each degree applied for, payable at the time of application. Applications received after the posted deadline will be assessed a $25 late fee.
- Students must re-apply for graduation if they do not qualify the first time of application.
- If a student applies for graduation after leaving the College for two calendar years or longer, the student must fulfill graduation requirements in the program planner and catalog current in the semester the student applies for graduation. Request for exemptions may be made in writing to the Dean responsible for the program.
Students who need to complete six or fewer credits in order to meet the requirements for a degree may participate in the May graduation ceremony if they are registered for, and have paid to take the needed six or fewer credits in the summer. In order to participate, however, students must have at least a 2.0 grade point average at the time of the May graduation ceremony. Students must inform the office at the time they apply if they wish to participate in the ceremony.
Graduation Honors
Students may attain graduation honors by earning the following Grade Point Averages:
- Summa Cum Laude - 3.75-4.0
- Magna Cum Laude - 3.5-3.74
- Cum Laude - 3.25-3.49
Transferring from BC3
Academic advisors assist students who are interested in transferring from BC3 to a senior-level institution. Liberal arts courses leading to an A.S. and A.A. degree are specifically designed to meet and provide the appropriate framework for students planning to transfer to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Please note that the final decision to accept transfer credits rests with the senior-level institution to which a student plans to transfer.
It is important that students establish contact with a BC3 academic advisor and the senior institution as soon as possible in order to ensure that they are following the most appropriate course sequences at BC3. Students should make an appointment during their first semester with an academic advisor to: 1) identify possible senior institutions which meet their criteria; 2) outline a program of courses toward the associate degree which will transfer to that senior institution; 3) learn the procedures involved in the transfer process.
Articulation Agreements
BC3 has many articulation agreements with senior-level institutions, which assures BC3 students the ability to transfer seamlessly when following requirements. For an up-to-date list of senior institutions that fall under the following categories, visit bc3.edu/transfer.
1. Transfer Plus
The senior institution will accept BC3 curriculum/credits beyond the amount required in the associate degree, allowing students to earn additional credits toward their bachelor’s degree at BC3 costs.
- OR -
The senior institution offers a tuition discount on the remaining curriculum/credits to complete a bachelor’s degree through their institution.
2. Transfer Direct
Curriculum requirements of an associate degree program (60-72 credits depending on the program) transfer directly into a bachelor’s degree program.
- PASSHE Transfer Agreements - BC3 has twelve majors that meet the Pennsylvania Statewide Articulation Agreement. This agreement guarantees that if a student graduates in one of these majors, that all of the required courses will transfer to any PASSHE (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education) institution. These majors include Biological Science, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computer Science Transfer, Communication, Criminology, Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-4), English, History, Mathematics, Psychology and Social Work.
- PaCollegeTransfer.net - PaCollegeTransfer.net facilitates exploration of colleges, universities and community colleges that belong to a Statewide Transfer System dedicated to the seamless transfer of courses within a 30-credit framework. Students can explore information about the institutions and obtain information on course and program transfer. Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges are Statewide Transfer System members as are the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s 14 universities. Other institutions that have opted to participate as full members are Carlow University, Geneva College, Lackawanna College, Lincoln University and Saint Francis University.
3. Transfer Specific
Specific curriculum requirements of an associate degree program (60-72 credits depending on the program) transfer into a bachelor’s degree program. Students should seek academic advising to ensure specific courses are completed that lead to a seamless transfer.
Bachelor’s Degree Completion Partners
Unique partnerships with senior-level institutions give BC3 students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree on BC3 main campus or online.
BC3’s onsite and online bachelor’s degree completion partners offer curriculum and instruction in the classroom at BC3 locations, online, or through iTV.
1. Onsite
The senior institution will offer 50% or more of the remaining credits toward a bachelor’s degree at a physical BC3 location through BC3 or through the senior institution.
2. Online
The senior institution will offer 50% or more of the remaining credits toward a bachelor’s degree online through BC3 or through the senior institution.
Tutoring Services
Tutoring is a free resource for students enrolled in BC3 credit courses. Students who are interested in receiving free tutoring must apply for tutoring services. Tutoring applications are available in the Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE) located in the Student Success Center on BC3 main campus or from staff at any BC3 off-campus center. An online tutoring application can also be submitted through a link on the Tutoring Page of the BC3 website at https://itservices.bc3.edu/TutoringApplication.
Although students can apply for tutoring at any time, they are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible to maximize their use of tutoring services during the semester. Tutoring ranges from group sessions to one-on-one meetings. The service is available by appointment on BC3 main campus and at all off-campus centers. Online tutoring is also an option for students. Tutoring is offered for many, but not all credit courses and is not guaranteed.
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