Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 55063 - Minimum Requirements for the Associate Degree

(a) The governing board of a community college district shall confer the associate degree upon a student who has met all requirements of this section.

(b) General unit requirements.

(1) The associate degree requires satisfactory completion of at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable credit course work accepted by the degree-granting college. Courses completed at other institutions that meet or exceed the standards of the California Community Colleges may be counted toward associate degree unit requirements. At least 12 semester or 18 quarter units must be completed in residence at the degree-granting college, unless the governing board excuses this requirement to alleviate injustice or undue hardship.

(2) "Satisfactory completion" means either credit earned on a "pass-no pass" basis, or with a grade point average of 2.0 or better in the associate degree community college credit courses.

(c) Major or area of emphasis requirement.

(1) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units must be taken in a single discipline, or related disciplines, as listed in the community college's "Taxonomy of Programs," or in an area of emphasis involving lower division coursework to prepare students for a field of study or major at the University of California, or the California State University.

(2) For all students admitted to a community college for the Fall 2009 term or any term thereafter, each course counted toward the unit requirement of this subdivision must be completed with a grade of C or better or a "P" if the course is taken on a "pass-no pass" basis.

(d) General Education Requirements. A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units of general education coursework must be completed in the areas described in this subdivision (d), or as otherwise determined by the degree-granting college.

(1) Natural Sciences. Courses in the natural sciences examine the physical universe, its life forms, and its natural phenomena. Such courses help students appreciate and understand the scientific method, and understand the relationships between science and other human activities. This category includes introductory or integrative courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, general physical science, geology, meteorology, oceanography, physical geography, physical anthropology, physics, and other scientific disciplines. A minimum of three semester or four quarter units must be completed in this area.

(2) Social and Behavioral Sciences. Courses in the social and behavioral sciences focus on people as members of society. Such courses develop awareness of the method of inquiry used by the social and behavioral sciences. They stimulate critical thinking about the ways people act and have acted in response to their societies, and promote appreciation of how societies and social subgroups operate. This category includes introductory or integrative survey courses in cultural anthropology, cultural geography, economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology, and related disciplines. A minimum of three semester or four quarter units must be completed in this area.

(3) Humanities. Courses in the humanities study the cultural activities and artistic expressions of human beings. Such courses develop awareness of the ways in which people throughout the ages, and in different cultures, respond to themselves and the world around them in artistic and cultural creation, and develop aesthetic understanding and an ability to make value judgments. Such courses include introductory or integrative courses in the arts, foreign languages, literature, philosophy, and religion. A minimum of three semester or four quarter units must be completed in this area.

(4) Language and Rationality. Courses in language and rationality develop the principles and applications of language toward logical thought, clear and precise expression, and critical evaluation of communication in whatever symbol system the student uses. This includes courses in both English Composition, and Communication and Analytical Thinking as follows:

(A) English Composition. Courses fulfilling the written composition requirement include both expository and argumentative writing, and may be taught in disciplines including, but not limited to, English and English as a Second Language. A minimum of three semester or four quarter units must be completed in this area.

(B) Communication and Analytical Thinking. Courses fulfilling the communication and analytical thinking requirement include, but are not limited to, oral communication, mathematics, and quantitative reasoning courses such as logic, statistics, computer languages, programming, and related disciplines. A minimum of three semester or four quarter units must be completed in this area.

(e) Additional Requirements. The associate degree also requires demonstrated competence in reading, written expression, and mathematics, and satisfactory completion of a course in ethnic studies, as follows:

(1) Satisfactory completion of a course in English at the level of the course typically known as Freshman Composition. This requirement may also be met by satisfactory completion of an English course taught in another department or discipline that requires entrance skills at a level equivalent to those for Freshman Composition, or by demonstrating competency that is comparable to satisfactory completion of a specified English course. The equivalence of English coursework, and the methods of demonstrating comparable competency in written expression and reading is determined by the college/district.

(2) Satisfactory completion of a course in mathematics at or above the level of the course typically known as Intermediate Algebra (either Intermediate Algebra or another mathematics course at or above the same level, with the same rigor, and with Elementary Algebra as a prerequisite, approved locally). This requirement may also be met by satisfactory completion of a mathematics course taught in another department or discipline that requires entrance skills at a level equivalent to Intermediate Algebra, or by demonstrating competency that is comparable to satisfactory completion of a mathematics course at or above the level of the course typically known as Intermediate Algebra. The equivalence of mathematics coursework, and the method of demonstrating comparable competency in mathematics is determined by the college/district.

(3) Satisfactory completion of a transfer-level course (minimum of three semester units or four quarter units) in ethnic studies. This requirement may be satisfied by obtaining a satisfactory grade in a course in ethnic studies taught in or on behalf of other departments and disciplines.

(f) A course may satisfy more than one general education requirement, but course completion may be counted only once toward satisfying the 18 semester unit or 27 quarter unit general education requirement. A course may also satisfy both a general education requirement and a major or area of emphasis requirement, and course completion may be counted toward both requirements, depending upon college/district policy. Students may use the same course to meet a general education requirement for the associate degree, and to satisfy a general education requirement at the California State University or the University of California, if such course is accepted by that system to satisfy a general education requirement.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 55063

1. New section filed 7-17-2007; operative 8-16-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 35).
2. Amendment and redesignation of former subsection (b)(3) as subsection (b)(2) filed 5-16-2008; operative 6-15-2008. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2008, No. 21).
3. Amendment of second, third and fourth paragraphs and subsections (b)(1)(D)(i)-(ii) and (c) filed 7-17-2019; operative 8-16-2019. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2019, No. 30).
4. Repealer and new section filed 9-20-2022; operative 10-20-2022. Submitted to OAL for filing and printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2022, No. 40).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 66700 and 70901, Education Code. Reference: Sections 70901 and 70902, Education Code.

1. New section filed 7-17-2007; operative 8-16-2007. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2007, No. 35).
2. Amendment and redesignation of former subsection (b)(3) as subsection (b)(2) filed 5-16-2008; operative 6-15-2008. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2008, No. 21).
3. Amendment of second, third and fourth paragraphs and subsections (b)(1)(D)(i)-(ii) and (c) filed 7-17-2019; operative 8/16/2019. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2019, No. 30).
4. Repealer and new section filed 9-20-2022; operative 10/20/2022. Submitted to OAL for filing and printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2022, No. 40).