Associate Degree of Occupational Studies (AOS)

General requirements

Applicants admitted to the school’s associate degree programs must have earned a high school diploma or recognized equivalency certificate prior to starting class.

Students awarded an associate degree of occupational studies must successfully complete a minimum of 90 quarter-credits of which a minimum of 67.5 must be in the core occupational subjects and a minimum of 13.5 quarter credit hours must be in general education or applied general education courses.

Applied general education is defined as courses directly applicable to a specific occupational cluster in related natural and physical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; technology; and humanities and fine arts. Examples of the school’s applied general education courses are drafting and lofting.

General education is defined as courses which are designed to develop essential basic academic skills. General education courses are not offered at the boat school. Students without the required general education credits may elect to take evening courses at Peninsula College in Port Townsend or Washington State University Learning Center in Port Hadlock.

Credit transfers

Students wishing to acquire the associate degree award must transfer their general education quarter-credits from other approved post-secondary institutions, and may transfer applied general education courses and/or up to 75% of core subject courses from approved schools.

Accumulative Credit Programs

Students who find it more convenient to spread their boatbuilding education over a period of years may attend school for a minimum of three months (one quarter) at a time over a period of up to five years, accumulating the required credits and courses to graduate with either a diploma or degree.

Students typically enroll in the Fall Quarter courses the first year, Winter Quarter courses the second year and Spring and/or Summer Quarter courses in subsequent years but other enrollment patterns may be possible. Students in the accumulative credit program may enroll for one or more quarters per year, which need not be consecutive.

Additional Courses and Upgrades

Graduates of any of the school’s six-month or nine-month diploma programs may acquire a degree by adding required courses at a later date.

Information on enrollment, policies and other details on the AOS degree program can be found under Frequently Asked Questions.