About the Associate in Arts (AA) Degree in General Studies Pattern II

Pattern II is intended for students who are planning to transfer to a four-year university in high-unit majors or when completion of the CSU GE-Breadth or IGETC pattern is not appropriate or advisable. (See www.assist.org or a college counselor for guidance.) Independent or out-of-state universities may also fall in this category.

About the Associate in Arts (AA) Degree in General Studies Pattern III

Pattern III is intended for students who are planning to transfer to a California public four-year university (UC or CSU) and wish to use the CSU GE-Breadth or IGETC to fulfill their lower-division general education (GE) requirement. 

Note: 
A single course may be used to fulfill a general education requirement, a graduation or competency requirement, and a requirement in an area of emphasis, but the units may only count once toward the 60 units required for the Associate Degree and for transfer. 

The Associate in Arts Degree in General Studies in Social and Behavioral Sciences emphasis offers a broad interdisciplinary curriculum designed for both general and area of emphasis students who are interested in pursuing an associate degree and transferring to a further study program at a baccalaureate institution. The curriculum encourages students to explore and discover the nature and common themes of the disciplines represented by an area of emphasis.

The courses that fulfill the Social and Behavioral Sciences area of emphasis will examine people as members of society. The courses are designed to develop students' awareness of the method of inquiry used by the social and behavioral sciences; to stimulate critical thinking about the ways people respond to their societies, and to promote appreciation of how societies and social subgroups operate. This emphasis enables the student to take courses that will satisfy lower-division major preparation requirements for areas within the fields of Anthropology, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

To obtain an AA in General Studies: Social and Behavioral Sciences Patterns II and III, students must

1. Area of Emphasis - Complete the coursework from the Social and Behavioral Sciences area of emphasis listed below, including:

• A minimum of 18 units with a grade of “C” or better (or a “P”) in each of the courses selected within the chosen area. 
• At least 6 of the 18 units required for the area of emphasis must be completed within a single discipline.

2. General Education (GE) - Complete either Option A or B

     A. General Studies Pattern II - Select and complete courses from the general education pattern of a transfer institution to include, at a minimum, the following Title 5 requirements:

• Natural Sciences (3 units),
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units),
• Arts and Humanities (3 units),
• Language and Rationality–English Composition (3 units),
• Communication and Analytical Thinking (3 units), and
• 3 additional units from any of the above areas.

     B. General Studies Pattern III - Complete the CSU GE-Breadth or IGETC pattern. Students who complete CSU GE-Breadth or IGETC need to apply for GE certification in the Counseling Office and may also be able to apply for a Certificate of Achievement.

3. Local graduation requirements - Complete the local graduation requirements to include:

• Health Education (one course/no unit minimum) CD M23; HED M01, M03, M05, M07; NS M35, NTS M01, M07.
• Kinesiology (one course/no unit minimum): CJ M09A, M09B; Any Dance activity course except DANC M01, M24, M26, M31, M53, M56; ICA/KIN activity course except KIN M01, M13, M13L, M16, M17, M18, M20, M21, M22, M25, M26.
• Ethnic/Gender Studies - (a minimum of 3 units, can be a course already used in another area). ANTH M02, M07, M09, M13; ARTH M130; CD M05; COMM M12, M13; DANC M31; ENGL M30A, M30B, ETHS M01, M10, M40; FTMA M108; GEOG M02, M03/H; HIST M131, M133, M135, M137/H, M141, M145, M164; PSY M14; SJS M110, M120, M130, M140, M150.

4. Units - Satisfactorily complete at least 60 semester units of degree-applicable college coursework (General Studies Patterns II and III degrees require all 60 units to be CSU transferable units).

5. GPA - Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better in degree-applicable college credit coursework.

6. Competency - Demonstrate competency in reading, in written expression, and in mathematics. 

7. Residency - For students in the Ventura County Community College District, a minimum of 12 semester units must be completed in residence within the district.  

Social and Behavioral Sciences Area of Emphasis

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• 1. Communication Competency
  a. Attend to and clearly express ideas in written, spoken, numerical, and artistic forms.
  b. Communicate effectively and logically.
  
• 2. Information Competency
  a. Evaluate multiple sources of information to apply it critically and appropriately
  b. Gather, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information.
  
• 3. Quantitative Competence
  a. Implement quantitative and qualitative models to make predictions, draw conclusions, and make decisions that are logical and feasible.
  b. Collect, organize, analyze, and process research data in a clear, synthesized format.
  
• 4. Analytic Inquiry Skills
  a. Distinguish the modes of inquiry and critique used in the natural, social, and behavioral sciences and the humanities.
  b. Explain the connections among the various disciplines.
  
• 5. Ethical Reasoning
  a. Apply ethical principles to personal, academic, professional and/or community issues.
  b. Work ethically and effectively with others.
  
• 6. Ability to Engage Diverse Perspectives
  a. Recognize the multitude of diversities in the physical and human environments and how these diversities impact the individual and society.
  b. Recognize the diversity of human experience, the role of the natural environment, and the relationship between the two.
  c. Describe and appreciate the role of culture and the arts in society and in one’s personal life
  
• 7. Ability to Create
  a. Act purposefully in combining awareness, critical thinking, and communication skills with personal responsibility in order to originate, innovate, or build upon ideas.
  
• 8. Growth Orientation
  a. Apply the skills necessary for successful living in an ever-changing and global environment.
  b. Identify and adopt the concepts of personal health and fitness to enhance the quality of life.