Associate Degree General Education Requirements (AA-GE) Pattern

The Chancellor’s Office for the California Community Colleges deems that the governing board of community colleges shall establish a general education program which symbolizes a successful attempt on the part of the college to lead students through patterns of learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities and insights. Among these are the ability to think and to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing; to use mathematics; to understand the modes of inquiry of the major disciplines; to be aware of other cultures and times; to achieve insight gained through experience in thinking about ethical problems; and to develop the capacity for self-understanding. In addition to these accomplishments, the student shall possess sufficient depth in one field of knowledge to contribute to lifetime interest.

General education is designed to introduce students to the variety of means through which people comprehend the modern world. It reflects the conviction of colleges 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. College educated persons must be able to use this knowledge when evaluating and appreciating the physical environment, the culture and the society in which they live.

Each candidate for the San Joaquin Delta College Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree shall:

• Complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester units of general education coursework as indicated in categories I through VI below with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
• Complete courses in satisfaction of Area I, Language and Rationality, with a grade of “C” or better in each course.
• Complete a minimum of eighteen (18) semester units in a major or area of emphasis with a grade of “C” or better in each course.
• Complete a minimum of sixty (60) degree applicable units with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

A course may be used to satisfy both a general education requirement and a major or area of emphasis requirement. Click here to access a PDF of the Associate Degree general education pattern. Students planning to transfer should see a counselor for assistance in determining if the CSU-GE or IGETC general education pattern is more appropriate for their selected major.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Language and Rationality
   1. English Composition
      Students will demonstrate clear and precise written expression and critical evaluation of communication in the English language.
   2. Mathematics
      Students will demonstrate the ability to use mathematical concepts and principles in real-world contexts.
   3. Oral Communication
      Students will demonstrate clear and precise oral expression and critical evaluation of communication in the English language.
2. Natural Sciences
   Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and the relationship between science and human activities.
3. Humanities
   Students will recognize the ways in which people throughout the ages and in different cultures have responded to themselves and the world around them in artistic and cultural forms.
4. American Institutions
   Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development of American institutions and ideals, the Constitution, and the representative forms of government that exist at the national, state and local level.
5. Social and Behavioral Science
   Students will demonstrate knowledge of the modes of inquiry and theories that are used to think critically about the ways people act and have acted in response to their societies.
6. Awareness of Self and Society
   Students will demonstrate individual competencies and personal responsibility through exploration and analysis of their role in society.