Students can create their own degree plan and earn an Associate of Technical Studies (ATS) at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) through two different options:

One-Year Option

The One-Year Option is a state program that allows career and technical center graduates and industry professionals to earn college credit toward an ATS.

The state of Ohio has a list of currently approved pathways and the necessary credentials for transferring career center credit to a college degree plan.

For example, students who complete a cosmetology program (900+ hours) and get a cosmetology board license are eligible for 30 college credit hours and have already earned half the credit hours needed to complete an associate degree. Cosmetology students often wish to study business to help manage their booth rental expenses and have aspiration to open their own business one day.

Combine Areas of Study

If COTC doesn’t have a degree that fits your career goals, work with a Gateway academic advisor to identify courses from two or more programs currently offered at COTC to create your own custom degree plan. 

For example, students with an entrepreneurial spirit may want to own a business and study areas within accounting and graphic and web design. A Gateway academic advisor can help students select and map out classes to create a customized ATS degree plan for completion.