Associate in Arts Degree Requirements

1. Unit Requirement

   Completion of not less than sixty (60) associate degree applicable semester units of course work with not less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.

2. General Education

   Students must complete one of the following General Education patterns:

   • San Joaquin Delta College Associate Degree General Education pattern with a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester units.

     OR

   • California State University General Education pattern.

     OR

   • Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC/CSU) General Education pattern.

   NOTE: The Higher Education Consortium of Central California (HECCC) is a partnership of two universities and four community colleges committed to the advancement of academic excellence in a distinctly diverse region. Through dynamic and evolving collaborations member institutions combine resources, share intellectual capital, facilitate innovative projects, promote professional development, and increase equitable access to higher education. HECCC partners include San Joaquin Delta College, Columbia College, Merced College, Modesto Junior College, California State University Stanislaus, and the University of Merced.

   General Education (GE) Breadth courses that have been used to satisfy a GE Area at another HECCC institution for an AA or AS degree will be accepted at San Joaquin Delta College in lieu of San Joaquin Delta College General Education Breadth course in the satisfied area. This is known as the HECCC Reciprocity Agreement. Consult a counselor for further information.

3. An Approved Major, Area of Emphasis, or Area of Concentration
   • Completion of the requirements of an approved Major;

     OR

   • Completion of a minimum of eighteen (18) semester units taken in a specific discipline as identified under "Area of Emphasis" or "Areas of Concentration";

     OR

   • An approved program of study within an "Area of Concentration" with 9 to 15 units of course work in the specific discipline and 3 to 9 units of course work in a related discipline within the same area of concentration for a total of not less than 18 units;

     OR

   • Lower-division requirements for an accredited baccalaureate institution of their choice (transfer major);

     *In discipline areas where there is a unit restriction, the student MUST use the 18-unit pattern.

4. Competency Requirement

   A minimum competency must be demonstrated by a grade of "C" or better in courses offered in satisfaction of written communication, oral communication, and quantitative reasoning (IV Learning Skills).

5. Residence Requirement

   Of the minimum required sixty (60) semester units, the student must complete:

   • The last twelve (12) semester units and attend during the semester of qualification for graduation at San Joaquin Delta College.

     OR

   • A total of at least twenty-four (24) units at San Joaquin Delta College.

     Units earned through Credit by Examination do not apply to the residency requirement.

Students planning to transfer should see a counselor to choose the appropriate courses to complete the entire CSU or IGETC General Education pattern.