Los Angeles Pierce College General Catalog

Student Catalog Rights

The following are Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees rules that govern what degrees and certificates a student may earn during their educational career at Los Angeles Pierce College.

Generally, the student's curriculum during their educational career is determined by the General Catalog that corresponds to their enrollment year. For example, if a student enrolls for the Fall 2023 semester, they would use the 2023-2024 General Catalog to determine their current curriculum and requirements to graduate and/or transfer.

Catalog Rights and Continuous Attendance

College catalogs cover an academic year that reflects enrollment beginning with the fall term and includes subsequent winter, spring and summer terms. Having “Catalog Rights” means students may choose to be held to the graduation requirements listed in the catalog at the time enrollment begins in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), or for any subsequent catalog year during which they maintain continuous attendance. “Continuous attendance” means attending at least one term (fall, winter, spring, summer) each academic year at any of the LACCD colleges. Courses with a “W” (withdrawal) count towards determining continuous attendance.

Students granted a “MW” (military withdrawal) or an “EW” (excused withdrawal) under the provisions of BP 4230 Grading and Academic Record Symbols, will be considered to be in “continuous attendance” for their required period of military service or excused withdrawal.

Exceptions to the Catalog Rights requirements stated in this procedure may be made at the discretion of the Articulation Officer on a case-by-case basis, in conjunction with discipline faculty as appropriate, provided that exceptions are not more restrictive than what is stated in this procedure.

Retroactive Awards

Students who are no longer enrolled in the LACCD and who have previously met all the requirements for a degree or certificate, but never applied for graduation shall, upon request:

• Be awarded the degree or certificate without the need to re-enroll in the LACCD.
• Be awarded retroactively the degree or certificate in the last term in which the student maintained catalog rights.