San Bernardino Valley College offers certificates of occupational proficiency in many fields. Certificates enable the student to gain marketable skills relatively quickly and at less expense than would be required for an associate degree. Students working toward a certificate are not typically required to take advanced academic courses in such fields as philosophy, foreign languages or history. Nonetheless, they must have a sufficient background in mathematics, reading and writing in order to complete their coursework and to succeed in the occupations they select. Students must also complete all requirements for a certificate with a grade of C or higher.

Refer to Degree and Certificate Program Index page for a complete list of certificates. The length of the certificate program may vary. Students interested in enrolling in certificate programs should speak with a counselor and talk with representatives of the departments that offer the desired program. In some instances, courses completed in high school may be used to satisfy some of the requirements for a certificate. In addition, training programs such as military courses, apprenticeships or other training may be credited toward a certificate program. San Bernardino Valley College offers four types of certificates:

  1. Certificates of Achievement (state-approved) - Certificate programs consisting of 12 or more units of degree-applicable coursework. These certificates appear by name on student’s transcripts.
  2. Certificates of Career Preparation (locally-approved) - Certificate programs consisting of fewer than 18 units of degree-applicable coursework. These certificates do not appear on student’s transcripts.
  3. Certificates of Competency (noncredit, state-approved) - Certificates with a sequence of noncredit courses in a recognized career field articulated with degree-applicable coursework, completion of an associate degree, or transfer to a baccalaureate institution.
  4. Certificates of Completion (noncredit, state-approved) - Certificates with a sequence of noncredit courses that culminate in a Certificate of Completion or a certificate leading to improved employability or job opportunities.

For Locally approved certificate programs consisting of fewer than 16 units of degree-applicable coursework. At the beginning of the student's final semester, they should obtain a Graduation and/or Certificate Application either from the Counseling Office, Records Office or the division office of the certificate program being completed. The student will then submit the application to the Records Office for a final check by the deadline date for the semester in question. Those dates are as follows:

Fall - October 1
Spring - March 1
Summer - July 1

When printed deadlines fall either Saturday or Sunday, the filing period will be extended to the Monday following the deadline date. Twelve units, or 50 percent of the coursework required for a certificate, whichever is the lesser, must be completed at San Bernardino Valley College. This residency requirement may be waived in the case of extenuating circumstances with the permission of the program coordinator or Faculty Chair.

The certificate will be prepared by the Admissions and Records Office and will be available to the student by the start of each new semester following the semester of submission.