NHTI confers degrees and certificates in accordance with the policies set forth in the current edition of the CCSNH Board of Trustees Manual.
Although degrees and certificates are awarded following each semester (August, December, and May), NHTI only holds one commencement ceremony in May of each year. Potential graduates must file a Petition to Graduate form with the Registrar’s Office according to the following schedule:
- April 1st for students completing in the Summer semester
- October 1st for students completing in the Fall semester
- December 1st for students completing in the Spring semester
Summer completers with 2 courses (or fewer) remaining to complete graduation requirements will be invited to participate in the current May commencement. Degrees/certificates will be awarded at the end of August after degree verification. A $20 fee will be charged for replacement of a diploma/certificate. All financial and other obligations to NHTI must be met for degree, certificates and transcripts to be released.
Graduation from an Associate Degree Program
Students who are matriculated in associate degree programs must complete a Petition to Graduate form to receive their diploma. All forms must be completed and returned to the Registrar’s Office. Students must meet the following requirements to earn an associate degree from NHTI:
- Completion of a minimum of 60 credits and all program requirements
- Achievement of a passing grade for all courses required by the specific program
- Achievement of a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
- At least 15 credits in NHTI courses, with at least 8 of those in advanced-level major field courses
- Meet all course distribution requirements for an Associate in Science degree or Associate in Arts degree as described below:
- Associate in Science: In addition to meeting the requirements listed in above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Science Degree:
- Earn at least 30 credits in program-specific courses in a defined major field
- Earn at least 20 credits in general education courses, including one course of 3 credits or more in each of the following categories: English Composition; Humanities/Fine Arts/Language; Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics; Science; and Social Science. The remaining general education credits to reach the required total of 20 general education credits may be taken in Humanities/Fine Arts/Language, Quantitative Reasoning, Science, or Social Sciences.
- The remaining 10 credits to reach the required total of 60 credits may be assigned in any subject area, as deemed by the faculty to be appropriate to the curriculum.
- Associate in Science in General Studies: Students wishing to earn an Associate in Science in General Studies degree must meet all of the requirements listed above, as well as the general education distribution requirements listed above. The 30 credits of major field coursework may be taken in any subject area.
- Associate in Arts: In addition to meeting the requirements listed above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Arts degree. Each category below must include at least one course worth at least 3 credits:
- Associate in Science: In addition to meeting the requirements listed in above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Science Degree:
Professional Certificate Program Completion
NHTI awards professional certificates in accordance with the policies set forth in the current edition of the CCSNH Board of Trustees Manual. Students who are matriculated in professional certificate programs must complete a Petition to Graduate form to receive their professional certificate. All forms must be completed and returned to the Registrar’s Office. Students must meet the following requirements to earn a professional certificate from NHTI:
- Completion of all program requirements
- Achievement of a passing grade for all courses required by the specific program
- Achievement of a minimum GPA of 2.0 in those courses required for the specific program
- Completion of 8 credits or 25%, whichever is larger, in NHTI-controlled courses
Certificate Program Completion
NHTI awards certificates in accordance with the policies set forth in the current edition of the CCSNH Board of Trustees Manual. Students who are matriculated in a certificate program must complete a Petition to Graduate form to receive their certificate of completion. All forms must be completed and returned to the Registrar’s Office. Students must meet the following requirements to earn a certificate from NHTI:
- Completion of all program requirements
- Achievement of a passing grade for all courses required by the specific program
- Achievement of a minimum GPA of 2.0 in those courses required for the specific program
- Completion of 6 credits or 25%, whichever is larger, in NHTI-controlled courses
Additional Associate Degrees
Students may earn additional associate degrees by concurrent completion of the requirements of several degrees or by subsequent study of the first degree received. The requirements for additional degrees are as follows:
- Complete all requirements of each program of study, including general education requirements.
- Earn a minimum of 15 additional credits, beyond those required for the first and subsequent degrees, excluding Credit by Examination, Credit for Experiential Learning, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Transfer Credit.
Completion/Graduation Rate
As required by the U.S. Department of Education, 34 CFR Part 668, Student Assistance General Provisions, “An institution shall make readily available to all enrolled students and prospective students, through appropriate publications and mailings, the Institution’s completion and graduation rate (or a projected completion or graduation rate) of its full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students who enroll for the first time” at NHTI “and have not previously enrolled at any other institution of higher education.”
Of the 547 full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students entering NHTI in Fall 2018, 146 completed their programs within 150% of the normal time, resulting in a graduation rate of 27%.
