Professional Licensure Programs:

A Professional Licensure Program (PLP) is a program offered by institutions of higher learning designed, marketed and/or advertised to meet education requirements:

  1. For a specific license or certification; and
  2. Is required for employment in an occupation.

Professional Licensure Programs (PLP) at Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) lead to licensure/certification and are designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements for the state of South Carolina. CCTC makes a good faith effort to determine if programs meet the educational requirements for licensure or certification outside the state of South Carolina, including each state within the United States, the District of Columbia, and the United States Territories*.

Additional employment requirements may include, but are not limited to, professional examinations, background checks, state registration, work experience, etc. Students considering enrolling in a professional licensure program are strongly encouraged to contact the professional licensing board for the state in which they plan to work to learn about specific licensure/certification requirements.

Professional Licensure Disclosure:

Institutions of higher learning are required to communicate publicly and directly to prospective and current students about (1) academic programs that will or will not fulfill educational requirements for a specific professional licensure that is required for employment; and (2) academic programs that meet or do not meet the educational requirements for licensure for each state and U.S. territory.

Student Location Determination

  • Central Carolina Technical College defines student location as the physical location where a student is currently living, by state/territory, when a student completes the requirements for enrollment in a program.  If the student relocates to another state or territory, they must notify the college in writing via records@cctech.edu within 30 days of their change of residency, including the state to which they are relocating.
  • Relocation to another state during enrollment in a professional licensure program may impact whether the student can meet the requirements for that state and/or receive federal financial aid.
  • Students located outside of the state of South Carolina may not enroll in a professional licensure program if that program does not meet the requirements for the state in which the student is located or plans to seek employment upon program completion.

Important Information

  • CCTC cannot guarantee an individual attainment of any professional licensure of certification in any field or state.

*Disclaimer: For the purpose of the professional licensure disclosure, the United State Territories include American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.





Nursing (ADN) (NURS), A.A.S. and Practical Nursing (NDIP)

Central Carolina Technical College’s Associate Degree Nursing and Practical Nursing Diploma programs prepare graduates to take the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams in order to become licensed to practice as a ADN or PN in SC. South Carolina is a member of a multi-state licensure compact (https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm). The states included in the compact are:

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Guam*
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey*
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio**
  • Oklahoma
  • Pennsylvania**
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont**
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

*  Indicates partial implementation
**  Indicates enactment, waiting for implementation
California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island and the Virgin Islands have pending NLC legislation.

In order to apply for a multi-state nursing license, a nursing graduate must meet the following criteria:

  • reside in an NLC state, and you must declare an NLC state as your primary state of residency.
  • be actively licensed as a registered nurse (RN) or licensed professional nurse (LPN)/licensed vocational nurse (LVN).
  • meet any requirements for licensure held by your home state, though when practicing, you will also be held to the standards of the state where the patient or practice is located.

It is not determined if CCTC PN or ADN graduates are prepared to take licensure exams in AK, CA, CT, HI, IL, MI, MN, NV, NJ (partial), NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, VT, & WA. Information on state licensure requirements is available at https://nursinglicensemap.com/states/.

Surgical Technology (SURT), A.A.S.

Surgical Technology A.A.S. and General Technology, Surgical Technology graduates are eligible to take the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam. Upon earning a passing score on this exam, graduates are eligible to work as surgical technologists in all 50 states in the US.

Automotive Technology Certificate (AUTC)

Section 609 EPA Certification is a federal certification available to Automotive Technology students. The certification is recognized in all 50 states.

Basic Air Conditioning and Heating Certificate (BACH)

Section 608 EPA Certification is a federal certification available to HVAC Technology students. The certification is recognized in all 50 states.

Cybersecurity Certificate (CYBR)

Upon successful completion of the Cybersecurity Certificate program, the graduate is eligible after appropriate review and self-study to take the CompTIA Security+ Certification exam.

Inpatient Medical Coding Certificate (AMCO)

Credentials are required for individuals to obtain employment in the medical coding/billing field. Students enrolled in the Inpatient Medical Coding Certificate at CCTC take the Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC) certification exam during their last semester of study. Students, who earn a passing score on the exam, can obtain a license to practice in the coding/billing field. The CIC certification exam is a national exam; students who pass the exam obtain certification as professional medical coders/billers in all states in the U.S.

Massage Therapy Certificate (MTHC)

Upon successful completion of the Massage Therapy Certificate, students are eligible to apply to take the Federation of States Examination (MBLEx) before applying for a South Carolina license. South Carolina licensure eligibility may be denied to applicants with criminal convictions. Graduates are eligible to apply to take the NCBTMB Specialty Certificate for Integrative Healthcare.

Note: Students who are licensed in SC will not be able to apply for licensure in the states of NE, NH, NY, RI and Puerto Rico. These states require additional clock hours.

Medical Assisting (MASG) Diploma

Upon successful completion of the Medical Assisting program, the graduate is eligible to take the Certification exam as a RMA (Registered Medical Assistant-American Medical Technologists) and/or as a CMA (AAMA), (Certified Medical Assistant- American Association of Medical Assistants).Graduates who earn a passing score on the CMA exam may apply for certification as medical assistants in all states in the US.

Note: Certification examination eligibility may be denied to applicants with criminal convictions.

Medical Billing and Reimbursement Certificate (MBRC)

Credentials are required for individuals to obtain employment in the medical coding/billing field. Students enrolled in the Medical Billing and Reimbursement Certificate at CCTC take the Certified Professional Biller (CPB) certification exam during their last semester of study. Students, who earn a passing score on the exam, can obtain a license to practice in the coding/billing field. The CPB certification exam is a national exam; students who pass the exam obtain certification as professional medical coders/billers in all states in the U.S.

Medical Record Coding Certificate (MRCO)

Credentials are required for individuals to obtain employment in the medical coding/billing field. Students enrolled in the Medical Billing and Reimbursement Certificate at CCTC take the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification exam during their last semester of study. Students, who earn a passing score on the exam, can obtain a license to practice in the coding/billing field. The CPC certification exam is a national exam; students who pass the exam obtain certification as professional medical coders/billers in all states in the U.S.

Pharmacy Technician Certificate (PHMT)

Central Carolina Technical College’s Pharmacy Technician program is ASHP-accredited. Pharmacy Technology graduates are eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Graduates who earn passing scores immediately possess the title of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). PTCB certification is recognized in all 50 states.  Some states have additional requirements that must be met to obtain additional credentials.  South Carolina pharmacy technicians can obtain “State-Certified” status. In order to obtain this status, students must graduate from an ASHP-accredited program, obtain PTCB certification, and have 1000 hours of work experience in a pharmacy. The states where passing the PCTB is sufficient for Pharmacy Technician certification are: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, & WI. It is undetermined if passing the PCTB is sufficient for Pharmacy Technician certification in AZ, IL, OR, UT, WA, or WY.

Water Treatment Operator (WTRO) and Wastewater Treatment Operator (WWRO)

These certificates are aligned to Water Professionals International’s (WPI) Need-to-know Criteria for their licensure exams for Water Treatment Operator (Class I and II) and Wastewater Treatment Operator (Class I and II) respectively. Individuals in SC interested in licensure in these fields must still complete an application through the South Carolina Environmental Certification Board  (https://llr.sc.gov/env/) to obtain their Trainee License. Successful completion of these certificates counts as one year of work experience towards advancing license level after the first year of work. 

These certificates will aid in test preparation for any state using the WPI Need-to-know criteria, but students will be required to follow the licensure guidelines of each individual state.