How many credits do you need to graduate associates degree

Programs of study leading to completion of a certificate, AS degree or AA degree require careful planning with the assistance of a counselor from the beginning. Students interested in a Career & Technical Education program will want to follow the requirements of the specific certificate or AS degree. Students planning to transfer to four-year institutions may be interested in the Associate for Degree Transfer program. The ADT program is designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU major and baccalaureate degree. For more information on the AA-T and AS-T degrees available at Riverside City College, please see Section IV of this catalog. Students are encouraged to meet with a Riverside City College counselor to review their options for transfer and to develop an educational plan that best meets their goals and needs.

Students not interested in earning an AA-T or AS-T degree may earn an AA/AS degree with an emphasis in one of the nine areas of emphasis and enter the workplace or transfer to a four-year institution with enhanced skills in critical thinking and written and oral communication. Students intending to transfer to a bachelor degree granting institution can use one of these eight areas to fulfill many lower division major requirements while taking additional transferable courses in closely related areas of study.

The governing board of Riverside Community College District shall confer the degree of associate in one of the eight areas of emphasis upon the student who has demonstrated competence and who has completed the following requirements:

1. Residence Requirement
   In order to receive an associate degree from Riverside Community College District, a student must complete 12 units in residence at one of the colleges that make up the District.
2. Academic Coursework Taken at Other Colleges and Universities
   Transcripts from other accredited institutions, submitted as official documentation of a student’s record, must be printed no more than 90 days/three months ago, be in a sealed envelope from the institution and be submitted to the Admissions & Records office at the student’s home college. Course credit is accepted from regionally accredited institutions as listed at www.collegesource.org. Credits from institutions, which are in candidacy status, will be accepted after full accreditation is granted. The two years preceding full accreditation will also be applicable towards an associate degree. Students who have been awarded a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution in the United States will be exempt from the general education requirements should they pursue an Associate of Arts or Science degree at one of the District’s colleges.
3. Grade Point Average Requirement
   A student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (“C” average) in coursework taken at Riverside Community College District. If coursework taken at one or more accredited colleges is used to satisfy degree requirements, the overall cumulative grade point average must not be less than 2.0 and will include the combination of grades from all transcripts. If coursework is applied towards degree requirements from an institution using a “+/-” grading scale, the original grade points assigned by that institution as indicated on the transcript will be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. Honors for graduation will be calculated in the same manner.
4. Unit Requirement
   The associate degree requires a minimum of 60 units of college work, of which 18 semester units must be in one of the nine areas of emphasis listed below. Students must also complete one of the three general education plans (see section VI).

   Plan A requires a minimum of 27 units in the following categories: Natural Sciences (3 units), Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 units), Humanities (3 units), Language and Rationality (10 units), and Health Education and Self Development (5 units).

   Plan B requires a minimum of 39 units as specified in the California State University General Education (CSUGE) pattern.

   Plan C requires a minimum of 34-37 units as specified in the  Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern (IGETC for CSU or IGETC for UC). Students who wish to transfer are encouraged to complete an associate degree and see a counselor before selecting a plan.

5. Competency Requirement (0-8 Units)
   1. Students must demonstrate minimum proficiency in mathematics by the successful completion of a Riverside Community College District mathematics course with a “C” or higher selected from Math 1-36 (excluding MAT-32), MAT-53, PSY/SOC-48 or the equivalent [CLEP, AP/IB Exams, Credit by Exam, other pathways such as courses from other colleges/ universities, or Early Assessment Test (EAP for CSU, MCAP)].
   2. Students must demonstrate reading competency by obtaining:
      1. Completion of Academic Literacy & Reading 3 or 83 with a "C" or higher;
         OR
      2. A minimum grade of “C” in each general education course;
      3. Students have completed 60 degree applicable units with a 2.0 or higher GPA;
         OR
      4. Students who have completed an associate’s or higher degree at an accredited institution are exempt from the reading competency requirement. Waivers may also be granted on a case-by-case basis.
   3. Students must demonstrate basic competency in writing by successfully completing the general education requirements of English 1A or 1AH with a “C” grade or better.
6. General Education Requirements
   General education is designed to introduce students to a breadth of study through which people comprehend the modern world. It reflects the conviction of Riverside Community College District that those who receive their degrees must possess in common certain basic principles, concepts and methodologies both unique to and shared by the various disciplines. Special workshop classes (numbered in the 100 series) cannot be used to fulfill general education requirements.

   The following courses are non-degree applicable: All non-credit courses (numbered in the 800 series), Academic Literacy & Reading 83, 86; Communication Studies 51, 85A, 85B; Cosmetology 97A, 97B, 98A, 98B, 99A, 99B; EMS 40, 41; English 80, 85, 91; English as a Second Language 46, 47, 48, 51, 52, 53, 71, 72, 90A-P, 91, 92, 95; Interdisciplinary Studies 3; Mathematics 37, 42, 45, 52, 81, 82, 98, 105, 112, 125, 136; Nursing (Assistant) 80, 80A, 80B, 81, 86; Nursing (Continuing Education) 81; Nursing (Registered) 11B, 11C, 12B, 12C, 18, 21B, 21C, 22B, 22C, 100, 107; Nursing (Vocational) 52A, 52B, 52C, 62A, 62B, 62C.

General education requirements can be met in one of three ways: Plan A, B, or C. Students should see a counselor for advice in selecting the plan that will best match their educational and career goals.

Plan A: the RCCD general education pattern which requires completion of a minimum of 27 units.

Plan B: the California State University General Education (CSUGE) pattern which requires completion of a minimum of 39 units.

Plan C: the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern which requires completion of a minimum of 34 (UC) or 37 (CSU) units.

PLAN A
RCCD General Education

1. Natural Sciences (3 units)
   Any course for which the student is eligible in anatomy and physiology, Anthropology 1 or 1H, astronomy, biology, (except BIO-35), chemistry, Geography 1 or 1H, or 5/Physical Science 5, geology, microbiology, oceanography, physical science, physics and Psychology 2. Waiver for this requirement will be granted for Cosmetology 60C and Electronics 21.
2. Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 units)
   1. American Institutions (3 units)
      Ethnic Studies 2, 15, 28, 29 or History 6 or 6H, 7 or 7H, 15, 26, 28, 29, 31, 34 or Political Science 1 or 1H, 5
      AND
   2. Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units)
      Any course for which the student is eligible in American Sign Language 22, anthropology (except Anthropology 1 or 1H), Communications 9, 9H, 12, 13, 20, Early Childhood Studies 20, economics, Ethnic Studies 14, 21, 23, 27, 44, geography (except Geography 1/1H and 5), history (except as listed in one above), human services, military science, political science (except as listed in one above), psychology (except Psychology 2), and sociology.
3. Humanities (3 units)
   Any course for which the student is eligible in American Sign Language 1, Architecture 36, Art, Art History, Communication Studies 7, 11, Dance 6, 6H, 7, 8, 9, English, Ethnic Studies 13, 18, 20, 24, 25, foreign languages, Game Development 2, History 1, 2, 2H, 4, 5, humanities, music, philosophy (except Philosophy 11 and 32), Photography 8, theater arts, and film, television and video.
4. Language and Rationality (10 units)
   1. English composition (4 units)
      Courses fulfilling the written composition requirement include both expository and argumentative writing. The English composition requirement may be met by English 1A or English 1AH, with a grade of “C” or better.
   2. Communication and analytical thinking (6-8 units)
      Courses fulfilling this requirement include oral communication, mathematics, logic, statistics, computer languages and programming. Students must complete one course from two of the following areas:
      Academic Literacy & Reading 4
      Communication Studies 1, or 1H or 9 or 9H
      Computer Information Systems 1A through 30
      Computer Science 1A through 30
      English 1B or 1BH
      Mathematics 1-36
      Philosophy 11, Philosophy/Math 32
5. Health Education and Self Development (5 units)
   1. Health Education (3 units)
      Biology 35/Health Science 1
      NOTE: Students are exempts from the Health Education requirement when they complete the Dental Hygiene program, the EMS program, or the Registered or Vocational Nursing program.
   2. Self Development (2 or 3 units)
      Option 1- Kinesiology (two activities courses)
      Any course with an A or V, or any Dance class with D is considered an activity class. The following classes have a laboratory component and may be counted as one of the two activity courses required.
      Kinesiology 6, 29, 42, 47, Music 48, 59, 60, 61
      OR
      Option 2 - Fitness and Wellness (3 units)
      Academic Literacy & Reading 3
      Guidance 47, 48
      Kinesiology 4, 30, 35, 36, 38

      NOTE: Students are exempt from the Self Development requirement when they complete the Cosmetology program, the Registered or Vocational Nursing program, the Basic Peace Officer Training Academy, the Firefighter Academy, or the EMS program.

      Five units will be awarded towards fulfillment of RCCD GE area E: Health Education and Self Development upon presentation of a DD214, NOBE, or ID card for active military. JST transcripts, DD214, and Certificates of Completion are used to evaluate additional military credit.

PLAN B
Riverside City College - California State University General Education Pattern. See Section IV of the catalog, “Requirements for College Transfer.”

PLAN C
Riverside City College - Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Pattern. See Section IV of the catalog, “Requirements for College Transfer.

Certificate Program
Students who have satisfied the requirements for a certificate of achievement while completing the requirements for an Associate in Science Degree will be awarded a certificate, and notation of the award will be indicated on the student record. Registered apprentices must complete at least two terms of an approved registered apprenticeship program at Riverside Community College District, with a grade of “C” or better, in order to apply for an apprenticeship certificate. 50% of the coursework for any certificate pattern must be completed at any of the colleges within Riverside Community College District, with 1 course completed from the college awarding the certificate. A grade of "C" or better is required for each course.

Petition for Graduation (degree or certificate)
Students may apply for degrees and certificates during the following application periods:

• Summer: First day of Summer term through July 15 to graduate in Summer
• Fall: First day of Fall term through October 15 to graduate in Fall
• Winter: First day of Winter term through February 1 to graduate in Winter or Spring
• Spring: First day of Spring term through April 1 to graduate in Spring

Students who apply during these periods may participate in the commencement ceremony as long as they are missing no more than nine units to graduate. Students who want to participate in the commencement ceremony must file their application by April. Students may earn more than one degree at the College.

Catalog Rights
Graduation requirements apply to students who are enrolled for any term (summer, fall, winter, spring) indicated by this catalog ~ summer 2021 through spring 2022. Students who enrolled prior to this current year and who have maintained continuous enrollment have the option of meeting the current requirements or those in effect at the time their continuous enrollment began. Continuous enrollment is defined as attendance of one term during each academic year.