Associate in Arts Degree
Philosophy of AA Degree Statement
The general education portion of the AA degree provides a diverse course of study that helps prepare students for participating in society as independent, educated adults. It directs them to compose a program of courses to develop a variety of important skills. These skills encompass knowledge of the diverse elements of their external and internal realities, and some understanding of their own and other cultural heritages.
Essential skills include writing and speaking for self-expression and effective communication, arithmetic skills as needed for solving the problems of everyday living, and critical thinking.
In addition to these skills, students gain knowledge of both the natural and social sciences, and of the methods of inquiry appropriate to each. Included in this knowledge is an understanding of political organization and of historical perspective; a clearer concept of themselves as physical, emotional, and social beings, and an acquaintance with the effects of technology. Also, students learn to form aesthetic judgments about the artistic achievements of civilization.
Graduation from Santa Monica College with the Associate in Arts degree is granted upon successful completion of a program of study of a minimum of 60 semester units with an overall grade average of C or higher. The requirements for the majors are listed on separate sheets available online at www.smc.edu/articulation and in the Transfer/Counseling Center.
In order for a student to receive an Associate in Arts degree, the student must complete at least 60 semester units (unless otherwise noted) that meet requirements for major/area of emphasis and Global Citizenship and either SMC AA, GE, CSU GE, or IGETC.
Please Note: Students may petition using any of the 3 GE Patterns effective with the Summer 2010 AA-degree petitioning period.
Global Citizenship Requirement
To fulfill the Global Citizenship requirement for the AA degree from Santa Monica College, students must complete one of the courses listed below with a passing grade. These courses fall into four categories: American Cultures, Ecological Literacy, Global Studies, and Service Learning. These courses aim to provide an awareness of the diversity of cultures within the United States and/or an appreciation for the interconnectedness of cultural, ecological, economic, political, social, and technological systems of the contemporary world. This prepares students to make a responsible contribution to a rapidly changing global society. The Global Citizenship requirement can also be fulfilled by completing a Santa Monica College Study Abroad experience (if completed Spring 2008 or later).
Please see the current Schedule of Classes for additional courses that may fulfill this requirement.
• ANTHROPOLOGY 2, Cultural Anthropology (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later)
• ANTHROPOLOGY 14, Sex, Gender and Culture (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later)
• ANTHROPOLOGY 21, Peoples and Power in Latin America
• ART HISTORY 11, Introduction to Global Visual Culture (formerly Art 79) (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later)
• ART HISTORY 72, American Art History (formerly Art 72)
• BIOLOGY 9, Environmental Biology
• BUSINESS 51, Intercultural Business Communication (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2007 or later)
• CHILD DEVELOPMENT 18 (See Early Childhood Education 18) (same as Psychology 18)
• CINEMA 7 (see Film Studies)
• *COMMUNICATION 10, Journalism, Gender, and Race
• DANCE 2, Dance in American Culture
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 11, Child, Family & Community (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later)
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 18, Childhood: Culture and Personality (formerly Child Development 18) (same as Psychology 18)
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 19, Teaching in a Diverse Society
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 60, Child Observation on Assessment
• ECONOMICS 5, International Political Economy: Introduction to Global Studies (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Global Studies 5 and Political Science 5)
• ENGLISH 9, Literature of California
• ENGLISH 10, Ethnic Literature of the US
• ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 7, Introduction to Environmental Studies (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2001 or later) (same as Geography 7)
• FILM STUDIES 7, American Cinema: Crossing Cultures (formerly Cinema 7)
• GEOGRAPHY 7, Introduction to Environmental Studies (same as Environmental Studies 7)
• GEOGRAPHY 11, World Geography: Introduction to Global Studies (same as Global Studies 11)
• GEOGRAPHY 14, Geography of California
• GLOBAL STUDIES 5, Political Economics (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Political Science 5)
• GLOBAL STUDIES 10, Global Issues
• GLOBAL STUDIES 11, World Geography: Introduction to Global Studies (same as Geography 11)
• *HISTORY 10, Ethnicity & American Culture
• *MUSIC 33, Jazz in American Culture (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2005 or later)
• MUSIC 36, History of Rock Music (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later)
• MUSIC 37, Music in American Culture
• NURSING 60, Multicultural Health and Healing Practices
• NUTRITION 7, Food and Culture in America
• POLITICAL SCIENCE 5, International Political Economy: Introduction to Global Studies (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Global Studies 5)
• POLITICAL SCIENCE 21, Race, Ethnicity, and the Politics of Difference
• POLITICAL SCIENCE 22, Environmental Politics and Policies
• PSYCHOLOGY 18, Childhood: Culture and Personality (same as Early Childhood Education 18)
• SANTA MONICA COLLEGE STUDY ABROAD (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later); credit awarded through petition
• SOCIOLOGY 1S, Introduction to Sociology—Service Learning
• SOCIOLOGY 2S, Social Problems – Service Learning
• SOCIOLOGY 34, Racial and Ethnic Relations in American Society
• SPEECH 4, Oral Interpretation: Performing Literature Across Cultures
• SPEECH 7, Intercultural Communication
* COMMUNICATION 10, HISTORY 10, and MUSIC 33 meet the UC Berkeley American Cultures graduation requirement.
Petition for Graduation
Students planning to apply for graduation should first make an appointment with a counselor to verify that they are eligible for graduation. A student may complete EITHER the major requirements in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment if the student has maintained continuous enrollment since then, OR the major requirements in effect at the time the student begins to maintain continuous enrollment, OR the major requirements in effect at the time of the student’s graduation.
CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT is defined as enrollment in each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.
A Petition for Graduation must be submitted to the Admissions Office for approval during the semester in which the student expects to complete the requirements for graduation. DEADLINES FOR FILING PETITIONS FOR GRADUATION (and for Certificates of Achievement) are:
• For Fall: from the start of the Fall semester through December 1;
• For Spring: from the start of the Spring semester through April 30; and
• For Summer: from the start of the Summer session through July 31.
Petitions are available on these dates online at www.smc.edu/admissions/forms.htm and in the Admissions Office. Please note that petitions will be processed ONLY during the designated periods.
A student must file for IGETC or CSU GE-Breadth Certification. DEADLINES FOR FILING PETITIONS FOR CERTIFICATION are October 1 to December 1 for the Fall semester and January 1 to July 31 for Spring. Petitions are available on these dates at www.smc.edu/admissions/forms.htm and in the Admissions Office.
PLEASE NOTE: Students may receive EITHER a Transfer Studies Associate in Arts* degree OR an Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Studies, BUT NOT BOTH. Students may petition to graduate with a maximum of 2 AA degrees as long as they are in different academic areas.
*The Transfer Studies Associate in Arts degree is only available to students who enrolled at Santa Monica College Spring 2008 or before and who have maintained continuous enrollment each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.
Scholarship Requirements
A C grade point average, based on all units attempted, is required for the Associate in Arts degree. Please see the Academic & Progress Renewal policies and the Course Repetition & Re-Enrollment policies for information on possible improvement of grade point average (GPA).
Dean’s Honor List
A student’s transcript will be annotated with the designation “Dean’s Honor List” if the student completes 12 or more graded units in a Fall or Spring semester at SMC with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Honors at Graduation
Students who have consistently demonstrated outstanding academic excellence while attending Santa Monica College will be recognized at graduation and their transcripts annotated with the appropriate honors recognition, provided the students have met the applicable criteria and are in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic or progress probation) at the time of graduation. Students who have been suspended from the College are ineligible to receive honors at graduation, regardless of GPA attained.
A student’s cumulative grade point average must match the narrow range specified below for the student to be awarded one of the following honors with the Associate in Arts degree:
a. Graduation with Highest Honors
i. Attainment of a cumulative GPA of 4.0 (including coursework from other colleges);
ii. Completion of a minimum of 12 units of coursework while attending Santa Monica College;
b. Graduation with High Honors
i. Attainment of a cumulative GPA of 3.70-3.99 (including coursework from other colleges);
ii. Completion of a minimum of 12 units of coursework while attending Santa Monica College;
c. Graduation with Honors
i. Attainment of a cumulative GPA of 3.0-3.69 (including coursework from other colleges);
ii. Completion of a minimum of 12 units of coursework while attending Santa Monica College.
Credit Normally Allowed
All college-level courses (except some religion courses) taken in US regionally accredited two-year colleges and the lower division of US regionally accredited four-year colleges will be counted toward the Associate in Arts degree. Consult a counselor for information regarding credit for coursework taken after leaving SMC. A maximum of six (6) semester units is granted for Cooperative Work Experience/Internship.
Military Service Credit
A US veteran may request credit for military service. Two units of elective credit may be granted for each of the first two years of military service and four units of elective credit may be granted for basic training. These units may NOT be used to meet GPA or subject requirements.
Additional credit may be allowed for specific programs of military training. For details, please consult with the Veterans’ Counselor.
In-Residence Course Requirements
In addition to other requirements, in order to graduate from Santa Monica College, students who have studied elsewhere must enroll in and successfully complete a minimum of twelve (12) degree-applicable units at SMC, and have official transcripts on file at SMC from all other institutions attended. At least 50% of the area of emphasis (major) units must be completed at Santa Monica College.
Reduction of Credit
Students are cautioned to check transfer school catalogs often, because course changes are frequently made by universities and colleges, and certain combinations of courses can result in a reduction of unit credit upon transfer.
Basic Skills Preparation Courses
Basic Skills courses may NOT be applied toward the AA degree. The following courses are identified as Basic Skills courses:
English 21A, 23, 24, 80, 81A, 81B, (81C), 81S, 82, (83), 83A, 83B, (83C), (84), 84R, 84W; ESL 10, 11A, (12), (13), 14A, 14B, 15, 16A, 16B, 16C, 17, 23; Biology 81; Counseling (formerly Human Development) 21H, 22H, 25H, 41H; Mathematics 31, 31T, 81, 81T, 84; Psychology 81A. No more than eight units in Cooperative Work Experience/Internship may be applied toward the AA degree. Counseling 23 (formerly Human Development 23) cannot be applied toward the Associate in Arts degree.
( ) Courses in parentheses are no longer offered.
Students who have satisfactorily completed courses from a foreign nation’s appropriately accredited university may be able to apply the course credits toward an Associate in Arts degree at SMC. Students should consult a counselor BEFORE requesting to have credits evaluated, because the time it takes to evaluate a large number of units can delay enrollment. Courses must first be evaluated by an approved credential evaluation agency, and then reviewed by the SMC Admissions Office. Some courses may also require approval by the department chair. Once courses are approved, their credit(s) may be transferred to SMC.
To have foreign coursework credits evaluated, students should contact one of the approved credential evaluation agencies listed below and request a detailed equivalency report that indicates—for each course—whether it is an upper- or lower-division course, its US semester equivalency, and the grade the student earned:
• ACEI (Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc.)
(310) 275-3530,
www.acei1.com
• AERC (American Education Research Corporation)
(626) 339-4404,
www.aerc-eval.com
• APIE (Academic & Professional International Evaluations, Inc.)
(562) 594-6498,
www.apie.org
• IERF (International Education Research Foundation)
(310) 258-9451,
www.ierf.org
Please note: Foreign coursework will NOT satisfy general education requirements for Area II, Social Science, Group A (American History/Government) or for Area IV, Language and Rationality, Group A (English Composition).
Associate in Arts Degree
Graduation from Santa Monica College with the Associate in Arts degree is granted upon successful completion of a program of study with a minimum of 60 semester units with an overall average grade of C or higher. A minimum of 12 units of degree applicable coursework must be completed at Santa Monica College. Students wishing to complete an Associate in Arts degree should consider their degree program in three parts:
1. General Education plan,
2. Major or area of emphasis of at least 18 units, and
3. Electives selected by the student as needed to reach 60 total units.
Part 1: General Education Plan
Students pursuing an Associate in Arts degree may choose one of three General Education patterns: (1) the SMC general education pattern (listed below), (2) the CSU general education pattern, or (3) the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). All students, regardless of the GE pattern chosen, must complete one Global Citizenship course. The Global Citizenship courses may count toward both this graduation requirement AND a general education requirement.
Part 2: Major or Area of Emphasis
The requirements for the majors and areas of emphasis are listed in the Majors & Areas of Emphasis section of this catalog and on separate sheets available in the Transfer/Counseling Center, as well as online (see www.smc.edu/articulation for details). Each course in the major or area of emphasis must be completed with a grade of C or higher. A minimum of 50% of the units required in this area must be completed at Santa Monica College.
Part 3: Electives
In order for a student to receive an Associate in Arts degree, the student must complete at least 60 semester units total.
SMC General Education (GE) Requirements for AA Degree
PLEASE NOTE: Courses that fulfill the Global Citizenship requirement are designated by bold underlined text in the lists below.
I. Natural Science – At least 3 semester units selected from:
Anatomy 1, 2, (3A), (3B); Anthropology 1, 5, 8, 9; Astronomy 1, (1A), (1B), 2, 3, 4, 5; Biology 2, 3, 4, (6), (6A), (6B), (7), 9, 15, 15N, 21, 22, 23, (25), (75N); Botany 1, 3; Chemistry (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), 9, 10, 11, 12, (14), (15), (16), 21, 22, (23), 24, 31; Geography 1, 3, 5; Geology 1, 4, 5, (15), (20), 31, 35*, (35S)*, (45), (45A), (45B), (45F); Home Economics (11), (21); Microbiology 1, (6); Nutrition 1, 4; Physics (1), (2), (3), 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24; Physiology 3; Psychology 2; Zoology 5, 17, 20
Please Note: Students may take any courses within a discipline where course numbers are not designated.
( )
Courses in parentheses are no longer offered.
II. Social Science – 6 semester units, with at least 3 units selected from each group:
Group A: (at least 3 semester units)
Economics 15 (same as History 15); History 10, 11, 12, 15 (same as Economics 15), 45, 46; Political Science 1
Group B: (at least 3 semester units)
Anthropology 2 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 3, 4, 7, 14 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 20, 21, 22; Bilingual Studies 1; Business 1; Child Development (1), (18) (same as Psychology 18); Communication 1, 10; Early Childhood Education 11 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later), 18 (same as Psychology 18); Economics 1, 2, 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Global Studies 5 and Political Science 5), 6, 15 (same as History 15); Environmental Studies 7 (same as Geography 7); Geography 2, 7 (same as Environmental Studies 7), 8 (same as Urban Studies 8), 11, 14; Global Studies 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Political Science 5), 10, 11 (same as Geography 11); History 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 (same as Economics 15), 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, (28), 29, 30, 33, 34, (35), (36), (37), 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48 (same as Philosophy 48), 52, 55, 62; Home Economics (6) (same as Psychology 6), (21); Human Development (12); Nutrition 7; Philosophy 48 (same as History 48), 51 (same as Political Science 51), 52 (same as Political Science 52); Political Science 1, 2, 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Global Studies 5), 7, 8, 11, 14, 21, 22, 23, (28), 47, 51 (same as Philosophy 51), 52 (same as Philosophy 52); Psychology 1, 3, 5, 6 (same as Home Economics 6), 11 (same as Early Childhood Education 1), 12, 13, 14, 18 (same as Early Childhood Education 18), 19, 25; Sociology 1, 1S, 2, 2S, 4, 12, (22), 30, 31, 32, 33, 34; Speech 7; Urban Studies 8 (same as Geography 8); Women’s Studies 10, 20, 30
( ) Courses in parentheses are no longer offered.
III. Humanities – At least 3 semester units selected from:
American Sign Language 1, 2; Arabic 1; Architecture (50) (same as Art 6), (51) (same as Art 7); Art (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) (same as Architecture 50), (7) (same as Architecture 51), (8), (9), (9A), 10A*, 10B*, 13, 20A*, 20B*, 40A*, 40B, 43A, 43B, (71), (72), (73) (same as Photography 52), (79) (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later); Art History 1, 2, 3, 11 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 52 (same as Photography 52), 71, 72; Chinese 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9; Cinema (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10); Dance 2, 5; English 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (same as Film Studies 11), (12*), 14, 15, 17, 18, (25*), 26 (same as Humanities 26), (27A-Z*), 30A, 30B, (30C), (30D), 31, 32 (same as History 30), 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 45, 50, 51 (same as Religious Studies 51), 52 (same as Religious Studies 52), 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59; Entertainment Technology 61 (same as Graphic Design 74); Film Studies 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (same as English 11); French 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, (12); German 1, 2, 3, 4, 8; Graphic Design 74 (same as Entertainment Technology 61); Hebrew 1, 2, 3, 4, 8; History 30 (same as English 32), 48 (same as Philosophy 48), 53, 55; Humanities 26 (same as English 26); Interior Architectural Design 30, 34, 41, 42, 60, 66; Interior Design (30), (34), (41), (42), (60), (66); Italian 1, 2, 3, (4), 8; Japanese 1, 2, 3, 4, 8; Korean 1, 2, 3, 4; Music 1, 30, 31, 32, 33 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2005 or later), 34, 35, 36 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Global Studies 5), 37, 39, 60A*, 60B*, 66; Persian 1, 2; Philosophy 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 22 (same as Religious Studies 22), 23 (same as Religious Studies 23), 24, 41, 48 (same as History 48), 51 (same as Political Science 51), 52 (same as Political Science 52); Photography 52 (same as AHIS 52 and Art 73); Political Science 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Global Studies 5), 51 (same as Philosophy 51), 52 (same as Philosophy 52); Religious Studies (22) (same as Philosophy 22), (23) (same as Philosophy 23), 51 (same as English 51), 52 ; Russian 1, 2, (3), (4), 8; Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 20; Speech 2, 4; Theatre Arts 2, 5, 7, 41
* May be 1, 1.5, or 2.0 unit courses; additional course may be required to meet 3 unit HUMANITIES requirement.
IV. Language and rationality – 6 semester units, with at least 3 units selected from each group:
Group A:
Choose one option from the following two:
OPTION 1:
1. English 1 (required for students who enroll at Santa Monica College in Fall 2008 and who have maintained continuous enrollment*) or
2. Business 31 with a grade of C or higher* or
OPTION 2:
Students who started Santa Monica College prior to Fall 2008 and who have maintained continuous enrollment* may fulfill this requirement with:
1. English 21B or English 22 with a grade of C or higher or
2. ESL 21B with a grade of C or higher*
Students earning a grade of D in English 21B, 22, or ESL 21B may satisfy this requirement by passing the English Proficiency Exam, a timed expository writing examination, which can be arranged only after the evaluation of the AA Petition for Graduation. Note that this exam may only be taken once. This option is only available to students who started at Santa Monica College prior to Fall 2008 and who have maintained continuous enrollment.*
* Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.
Group B: (at least 3 semester units)
Choose one option from the following three:
OPTION 1:
Computer Science 10 (same as Math 10); Math 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 21, (22), (23), (24), 26, 28, 29, 32 (if completed Fall 2006 or later), 41, (52), 54
( ) Courses in parentheses are no longer offered.
OPTION 2:
Students who enrolled at Santa Monica College in Fall 2007 or later or who have not maintained continuous enrollment* must: Pass Math Proficiency Test** and one of the courses listed at the end of this option or complete the Santa Monica College math assessment and place into Math 18, 20, 32, or higher and take one of the following courses: Accounting 1, 2; Computer Science; Philosophy 7, 9; Sociology 4; Speech 11
OPTION 3:
Students who enrolled at Santa Monica College prior to Fall 2007 and who have maintained continuous enrollment* must: Pass Math Proficiency Test** and one of the courses listed at the end of this option or complete the Santa Monica College math assessment and place into Math 18, 20, 32, or higher and take one of the following courses: Accounting 1, 2, 21; Business 32; Computer Information Systems/Computer Science; English 2, 23, 48; ESL 23; Journalism 1; Philosophy 7, 9; Psychology 5; Sociology 4; Speech 1, 2, 5, 11
* Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.
** Students may complete this exam any time within one year of their anticipated graduation date. Note that students may retest only once, after an 8-week wait.
V. GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP – (Students who entered Santa Monica College prior to Fall 1998 are exempt from this requirement only if they have maintained continuous enrollment in each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.)
At least one course selected from the following:
Anthropology 2 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 14 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 21; Art (72), (79) (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later); Art History 11 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later), 72; Biology 9; Business 51 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2007 or later); Child Development (18) (same as Psychology 18); Cinema (7); Communication 10*; Dance 2; Early Childhood Education 11 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later), 18 (same as Psychology 18), 19, 60; Economics 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Global Studies 5 and Political Science 5); English 9, 10; Environmental Studies 7 (same as Geography 7); Film Studies 7; Geography 7 (same as Environmental Studies 7), 11 (same as Global Studies 11), 14; Global Studies 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Political Science 5), 10, 11 (same as Geography 11); History 10*; Music 33* (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2005 or later), 36 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Fall 2009 or later), 37; Nursing 60; Nutrition 7; Political Science 5 (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (same as Economics 5 and Global Studies 5), 21, 22; Psychology 18 (same as Early Childhood Education 18); Santa Monica College Study Abroad (satisfies Global Citizenship requirement if completed Spring 2008 or later) (credit awarded through petition); Sociology 1S, 2S, 34; Speech 4, 7
* Communication 10, History 10, and Music 33 meet the UC Berkeley American Cultures graduation requirement.
(Some of these courses will also satisfy GE areas I, IIA, IIB, and III.) Global Citizenship courses are marked in other parts of the Academics chapter as bold underlined text.
VI. AREA OF EMPHASIS (Major) – Complete a major as required (minimum of 18 semester units)
Students may graduate under the general education and major requirements in effect at the time of their initial enrollment if continuous enrollment is maintained, or at the time their continuous enrollment commences, or under the requirements in effect at the time of graduation. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in each Fall and Spring semester until graduation.
At least 50% of the units required for the Associate in Arts major requirements, Certificates of Achievement (formerly Career Certificates), and Department Certificates must be completed at Santa Monica College.
Course Limitations
Basic Skills courses may not be applied toward the AA degree. See the Basic Skills Preparation Courses section for details.
Students may apply as elective units toward any AA degree or Certificate of Achievement up to six (6) semester units of Independent Study credit.
Students may apply as elective units toward any AA degree or Certificate of Achievement up to eight (8) semester units of Cooperative Work Experience/Internship credit.
Foreign Coursework
Students who have satisfactorily completed courses from a foreign nation’s appropriately accredited universities may apply such credit toward an Associate in Arts degree at SMC. See the Foreign Coursework section for details.
Reminders
1. Courses that are repeated do not count as part of the minimum 60 units UNLESS they are specifically designated as courses students are permitted to take more than once. For example: Dance 31, Ballet I (1, 1).
2. Units from unaccredited educational institutions are not generally accepted.
3. Units earned at another college must be completed before petitioning for graduation.
4. “Course Repetition” and “Academic Renewal” forms must be processed through the Transfer/Counseling Center before applying for graduation.
5. No more than 8 semester units in Cooperative Work Experience/Internship and no more than 6 semester units of Independent Study may be applied toward the AA degree.
6. Veterans may be eligible to receive elective credit for military service. DD214 and verification of service school attendance should be submitted to the Admissions Office.
Additional Dates to Remember
Requests for IGETC and CSU General Education certification may be filed in the Admissions Office from January 1 to July 31 for the Spring semester and October 1 to December 1 for the Fall semester.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Santa Monica College will give CLEP credit in selected areas. Course credit will not be granted, however, when it duplicates previous college work. A student must be actively enrolled at SMC when applying for credit by CLEP exam. CLEP credit may not be used to meet any residency requirement. Official CLEP scores must be sent to the Admissions Office directly from the College Board. Hand-delivered copies will not be accepted.
SMC accepts the CLEP exams and scores listed below.
Chemistry: A score of 50 or higher will award SMC credit for Chemistry 10 (5 units).
Natural Science: A score of 50 or higher will satisfy the AA GE Area I, Natural Science and the Liberal Arts AA Group A, Mathematics-Science requirements. PLEASE NOTE: Only 6 units in total will be granted toward the AA degree.
Humanities: A score of 50 or higher will satisfy the AA GE Area III, Humanities, and the Liberal Arts AA Group B, Humanities requirements. PLEASE NOTE: Only 6 units in total will be granted toward the AA degree.
Social Science and History: A score of 50 or higher will satisfy the AA GE Area II, Social Science, Group B, and the Liberal Arts AA Group C, Social Science requirements. PLEASE NOTE: Only 6 units in total will be granted toward the AA degree.
Math: A score of 50 or higher in Calculus, College Algebra, College Algebra-Trigonometry, or Trigonometry will satisfy the math requirement for AA GE Area IV, Language and Rationality, Group B; and will satisfy one course for the General Science AA Group A, Mathematics, and one course for the Liberal Arts AA Group A, Mathematics-Science requirements. However, students who have not taken a math course at Santa Monica College, but wish to enroll in one, must complete the SMC math assessment to determine which course best serves their needs. PLEASE NOTE: Only 5 units in total will be granted toward the AA degree, even though the exam will clear more than one area.
English: A score of 50 or higher in either English Composition or English Composition with Essay will satisfy the English composition requirement for AA GE Area IV, Language and Rationality, Group A; however, course credit will not be granted if student completes SMC English 1 or a comparable course at another institution. A score of 50 or higher in English Literature will satisfy one course for AA GE Area III, Humanities, and satisfy one course in the Liberal Arts AA Group B, Humanities requirements; however, course credit will not be granted if student completes SMC English 5 or 6 or a comparable course at another institution. PLEASE NOTE: Only 3 units in total will be granted toward the AA degree, even though the exam will clear two areas.
Principles of Accounting: A score of 70 or higher will substitute for Accounting 1 (5 units)
Principles of Marketing: A score of 70 or higher will substitute for Business 20, Marketing (3 units)
Principles of Management: A score of 70 or higher will substitute for Business 65, Management Principles (3 units)
Please note: CLEP exams cannot be used to meet the IGETC requirements. UC does not accept CLEP exams. CSU accepts CLEP for CSU GE [see the “College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) for CSU GE Pattern” chart (Figure 2-1)]. Check with prospective transfer institutions regarding acceptance of CLEP scores.
College Credit for Advanced Placement (AP) Tests
Students are granted units and subject credit for the Santa Monica College Associate in Arts degree for College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Tests with scores of 3, 4, or 5. [see the “Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit for SMC AA” chart (Figure 2-2) at the end of this chapter for details on the credit SMC allows for AP tests]. Students must have the College Board send AP exam results to the SMC Admissions Office (hand carried copies will not be accepted).
AP credit can also be used to meet IGETC and CSU requirements [see the “Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit for SMC AA” chart (Figure 2-2) at the end of this chapter for details on the credit SMC allows for AP tests, or see for use of AP on CSU GE and for use of AP on the IGETC]. Units granted at SMC do NOT reflect units granted by a transfer institution. The IGETC and CSU GE sheets are available in the Transfer/Counseling Center, as well as online at www.smc.edu/articulation.
Students interested in petitioning for Advanced Placement credit should meet with a counselor. Students should be aware that AP test credit is evaluated by corresponding it to an equivalent SMC course, e.g., History 11. A student who receives AP credit and then takes the equivalent SMC course will have the unit credit for the duplication deducted prior to graduation. Credit by Advanced Placement exam is noted and listed first on a student’s transcript.
Units and subject credit granted at Santa Monica College do NOT reflect units or subject credit granted by a transfer institution.
Use of AP credit varies at each transfer institution. Please check the transfer institution’s catalog for details.
Warning: UCLA will not grant credit for Advanced Placement if the AP exam is taken after the student has completed 24 semester units of college coursework.
International baccalaureate (IB) for AA degree
Students may earn credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) exams with scores of 5, 6, or 7, or Higher Level (HL) exams. IB credit can be used to meet the SMC AA GE pattern. An acceptable IB score is equivalent to 3 semester units.
IB exams may also be used on the CSU GE pattern and the IGETC. See page 39 for use of IB on CSU GE and page 42 for use of IB on the IGETC. Units granted at SMC do NOT reflect units granted by a transfer institution.
See the “International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations for SMC AA GE Pattern” chart (Figure 2-3) below for details on the credit SMC allows.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit for SMC AA
|
AP EXAMINATION |
SMC COURSE EQUIVALENT FOR SMC AA |
UNITS FOR SMC AA |
|
Art (Studio) |
No course equivalency (credit for AA major may be granted upon petition to Art Dept. and portfolio review) – Elective |
3 semester units |
|
Art History |
AHIS 1 |
3 semester units |
|
Biology |
BIOL 3 |
4 semester units |
|
Calculus AB (score of 3) |
MATH 2 |
5 semester units |
|
Calculus AB (score of 4 or 5) |
MATH 7 |
5 semester units |
|
Calculus BC (score of 3) |
MATH 7 |
5 semester units |
|
Calculus BC (score of 4 or 5) |
MATH 8 |
5 semester units |
|
Chemistry |
CHEM 10 |
5 semester units |
|
Computer Science A (score of 3) |
CS 3 |
5 semester units |
|
Computer Science A (score of 4 or 5) |
CS 3 and CS 55 |
3 semester units* |
|
Computer Science AB (score of 3) |
CS 3 and CS 55 |
6 semester units* |
|
Computer Science AB (score of 4 or 5) |
CS 55 and CS 56 |
6 semester units* |
|
Economics: Microeconomics |
ECON 1 |
3 semester units |
|
Economics: Macroeconomics |
ECON 2 |
3 semester units |
|
English – Language and Composition |
ENGL 1 |
3 semester units |
|
English – Literature and Composition |
ENGL 1 or GE Humanities |
3 semester units |
|
Environmental Science |
No course equivalency – GE Natural Science |
3 semester units |
|
Foreign Language:
|
Modern Language:
|
5 semester units
|
|
French Literature |
No course equivalency – GE Humanities |
5 semester units |
|
Government and Politics – Comparative |
POL SC 2 |
3 semester units |
|
Government and Politics – U.S. |
POL SC 1 |
3 semester units |
|
History – European |
HIST 2 |
3 semester units |
|
History – U.S. |
HIST 11 |
3 semester units |
|
History – World |
HIST 34 |
3 semester units |
|
Human Geography |
GEOG 2 |
3 semester units |
|
Latin – Literature |
No course equivalency – GE Humanities |
5 semester units |
|
Latin – Vergil |
No course equivalency – GE Humanities |
3 semester units |
|
Music Theory (score of 3) |
No course equivalency – Elective |
3 semester units |
|
Music Theory (score of 4 or 5) |
MUSIC 2 and MUSIC 6 |
6 semester units |
|
Physics B |
PHYSCS 12 |
3 semester units |
|
Physics C – Magnetism |
PHYSCS 7 |
4 semester units |
|
Physics C – Mechanics |
PHYSCS 6 |
4 semester units |
|
Psychology |
PSYCH 1 |
3 semester units |
|
Spanish Literature |
No course equivalency – GE Humanities |
5 semester units |
|
Statistics |
MATH 54 |
3 semester units |
Figure 2-2, Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit for SMC AA
International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations for SMC AA GE Pattern
|
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) EXAM |
SMC AA GE AREA |
|
IB Biology HL |
I (without lab) |
|
IB Chemistry HL |
I (without lab) |
|
IB Economics HL |
II B |
|
IB Geography HL |
II B |
|
IB History (any region) HL |
II B |
|
IB History (U.S.) HL |
II A or II B |
|
IB Language A1 (any language) HL |
III |
|
IB Language A2 (any language) HL |
III |
|
IB Language B (any language) HL |
III |
|
IB Mathematics HL |
IV B |
|
IB Physics HL |
I (without lab) |
Figure 2-3, International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations for SMC AA GE Pattern