Program Details
Program Details

Program Details

Uniform Certificate of General Studies

Certificate
Virginia Western Community College

The Uniform Certificate of General Studies is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college following their studies at Virginia Western. This program provides students with evidence that they have made significant progress toward completing an associate's degree, which gives them a competitive advantage in transferring to a four-year school.


Program Overview & Guidance
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Program Web Page
Click here for details
External Link
Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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Transfer Degree
Program Guidance Element What You Need to Know
Considerations for Selecting Degree The UCGS provides a guarantee that these 30-32 credits will apply to 30-32 credits of general education requirements at most Virginia colleges. See the Resource Center for a list of participating institutions.
Considerations When Selecting Courses

Students must select a course for each block from the official UCGS course list.

  • Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year
  • Connect with an advisor at your community college and Virginia Western Community College within your first year via College Connect
Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Doing More With Your Degree You are encouraged to continue on to the Associate Degree. The more credits you earn prior to transfer, the better your chances of completing a Bachelor's Degree.
Program Successes & Highlights This guarantee applies to all Virginia students completing course work through a 2-year college, including Dual-Enrollment.
Related Programs & Certifications
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Credential That Prepares You For This Program
Credential
Passport
Link
Program Credit Requirements
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The table below provides the requirements to complete this program. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You should consult an advisor or counselor to find courses you can take at your current institution that will transfer to this degree.

Please note that some courses may count towards more than one requirement such as meeting a general education requirement and a major specific requirement. The course will be listed under the first matching requirement. Please contact the institution with questions.

The program map provided below is an estimate based on courses identified as a result of reviewing your portfolio and the requirements for the selected program.

A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
Requirements
Required Credits
Uniform Certificate of General Studies
33
Uniform Certificate of General Studies
33
UNIFORM CERTIFICATE OF GENERAL STUDIES
33
Requirement Notes
Requirement Notes:
Up to 23 credits may be transferred in to this program. A GPA of 2.0 or greater is required for graduation.
SDV 101 - Orientation to Liberal Arts and Social Science Transfer
2
SDV 101 - LASS Trans
2
Earn 2 credits by completing courses from the following Course list:
UCGS
31
Requirement Notes
Requirement Notes:
Students are required to select courses from each block as prescribed below. A grade of C or better is required on all coursework for students to earn a UCGS. All courses must be taken after May 1, 2020.
Plan GPA 695
31
Requirement Notes
Requirement Notes:
Up to 23 credits may be transferred in to this program. A GPA of 2.0 or greater is required for graduation.
This requires a minimum GPA of 2
AND
Transfer credits will be evaluated, and as applicable, up to 22 credits may be applied to this program.
Block I Written Communication
6
Earn 6 credits by completing courses from the following Category:
Block II Arts/Humanities/Literature
6
Requirement Notes
Requirement Notes:
Select two courses chosen from different categories
Earn 6 credits by completing courses from the following Category list:
Block III Social/Behavioral Science
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Category:
Block IV Natural Science
4
Earn 4 credits by completing courses from the following Category:
Block V Mathematics
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Category:
Block VI History
3
Earn 3 credits by completing courses from the following Category:
Block VII Specialized General Education Requirements
6
Requirement Notes
Requirement Notes:
Student may complete courses from Blocks I-VI above or any additional course below. Student should align their Block VII course selection with their intended transfer destination's specific general education or programmatic requirements.
Earn 6 credits by completing courses from the following Category list:
GPA Req Gen ED 695
33
This requires a minimum GPA of 2
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?
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Transfer Guidance Element What You Need to Know
Associate Transfer Degree Completion To discuss how your previous degree can be incorporated into your new long term goals, please meet with an advisor.

Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School To discuss how your previous degree can be incorporated into your new long term goals, please meet with an advisor.
Credit for Prior Learning Yes
Did You Know That...
  • Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor's degree?
  • Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at: Virginia Western Community College
College Level Information
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Transfer Center
Visit our transfer site for more information
External Link
Transfer Admission Application
Transfer Students - Apply Here
External Link
Transfer Student Aid
Financial Aid for Transfer Students
External Link
Number of Transfer Students
519
College Fit Guidance What You Need to Know
Is This College Right For Me? Virginia Western Community College's service region includes the cities of Roanoke and Salem, along with Roanoke County, Craig County, Franklin County, and southern Botetourt County. Virginia Western was the first college established in the Virginia Community College System, in 1966, and has grown from an initial enrollment of 1,352 to its current annual enrollment of more than 8,500 students in credit courses and more than 1,200 enrollments in accelerated career training and continuing education courses.
Transfer Student Catalog Year A student's catalog year is determined by their first semester of attendance in the major.
First Year Student Catalog Year A student's catalog year is determined by their first semester of attendance in the major.
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions https://www.virginiawestern.edu/transfer/transfer-agreements/
Where Can This Degree Transfer
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This program is a smaller package of courses (16 credits for Passport and 31-32 credits for UCGS) that are considered the foundation for Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and other transferable associate degrees. When completed following specific guidelines, both the Passport and UCGS are transferable to all public 4-year and most private 4-year institutions in Virginia and apply towards lower-level general education requirements. Explore Transfer Guides for guidance on which courses to take toward an associate degree that will seamlessly transfer to various bachelor's degree programs.

Careers Where This Degree Applies
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This program's curriculum focuses on broadly-applicable professional skills and knowledge found in a variety of work settings. Explore career options to discover how this program can meet your career goals as you further your education.

Cost To Complete
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This section provides you with a very high-level estimate of your costs and is purely intended as a guide. You should consult the institution via College Connect to get a more detailed estimate based on the totality of your circumstances. The selections below are based on information gathered from your Profile and the estimated costs are calculated based on the 33 credits remaining to be completed

Please select the "Cumulative Months of Service" that determine your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Estimated Cost for the Uniform Certificate of General Studies at Virginia Western Community College
These costs are based on an estimated 2 semesters or 1 years remaining to complete this degree (assuming a full-time load of 16 hours per semester)
Category Cost Basis Cost (To You) Estimated Benefits Net Cost Notes
Tuition $161 Per Credit $5,313 $0 $5,313 Includes Dual Enrollment
Fees
Fees $15 Per Credit $495 0 $495
*Please note that the above estimated costs do not include all Federal, State or other financial aid, grants, scholarships, etc. for which you may qualify. All such aid could substantially reduce these costs.
Other Financial Aid to Pay for College:
  • You may be eligible for additional financial aid from Federal, State, and Local sources. Military education benefits are not considered in determining eligibility for federal financial aid. Everyone is therefore encouraged to apply for federal financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), because many will qualify for additional educational funds like Pell Grants, worth over $5,500/yr.