Petitions for degrees and certificates should be filed with the LMC Admissions Office early in the semester in which the requirements will be completed so students can be notified of evaluation results. The deadline for petitioning for graduation is posted in the Spring Course Schedule and at the LMC Admissions Office. Credit from other institutions may be used to satisfy graduation requirements. See Credit Accepted at Los Medanos College in the Standards of Scholarship section of the catalog.

The graduation ceremony is held once a year at the end of the spring semester for those students who complete the requirements for graduation during the academic year. Diplomas and certificates are available to graduates in the weeks following the graduation ceremony.

Catalog Rights

LMC publishes a new catalog every year, and the requirements for the degree/certificate programs may change from one catalog to the next. Students have the right to graduate under the terms of any of the catalogs that are published while in continuous enrollment, prior to eligibility for graduation.

Continuous enrollment is defined as the period of time in which a student's record reflects completion of at least one course, for one semester or term, during a given catalog (academic) year, from the time of original enrollment. A student who has a break in attendance must use the catalog that is in effect at the time of readmission, or a subsequent catalog for the period of continuing enrollment. In the event of discontinued courses, substitutions may be required.

College Skills Certificates

Other certificate options are available through various occupational programs. These college skills certificates generally require less than 18 units of course work within the following major programs of study: Administration of Justice, Appliance Service Technology, Business, Child Development, Computer Science, Emergency Medical Services, English/ESL, Fire Science, Foreign Language (Sign Language, Spanish), Management and Supervision and Travel Marketing. For information, contact a department chair or the Counseling Center.

Basic Skills/Competency Requirements

In order to receive an associate degree or a certificate of achievement from Los Medanos College, a student must meet college standards in mathematics, reading and interpreting material, writing expository essays, and computer literacy. The college has an open admissions policy; the competency requirements are designed to ensure that every student has reached the standards of mathematics, reading, writing, and computer literacy expected of a Los Medanos College graduate. Competency requirements can be found in the course catalog.