Degree Credit Changes

Concern for rising education costs has led to the Minnesota legislation requiring that all associate degree programs be capped at 60 credits unless special permission is granted based on industry or professional licensure standards. Some programs offered at Southeast Technical have applied for a waiver. Southeast Technical will implement the new program guidelines fall 2013, a semester before the deadline.

Vice-President of Academic Affairs Ron Sellnau says, “In some cases this does reduce the cost to students by a considerable amount.” At $167.31 per semester credit, a student in a program that goes from 72 to 60 credits stands to save more than $2000 in tuition alone.

Sellnau also mentions time savings, “For our students this means that they can potentially finish within two years and move into the workforce faster, provided they are academically prepared for the rigors of post-secondary technical education, which includes a strong foundation in Liberal Arts and Sciences.”

Individuals who are not sure of their readiness can assess their knowledge and skills with Accuplacer practice tests.

Current students who want to know how these changes will affect them should contact their advisor.