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2024-2025 Catalog
General Studies, AA
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 Return to: Degrees and Certificates
Behavioral and Social Sciences Division
www.elcamino.edu/academics/behavioralsocial
The Associate Degree in General Studies provides students with the opportunity to explore diverse methods of inquiry by selecting courses from a cross section of disciplines in an “area of emphasis.” Students will develop critical thinking skills, learn to communicate effectively in writing, acquire an understanding of major concepts to solve problems, and employ methods of scientific inquiry to understand the world around them. Completion of the degree requirements will provide students with the skills and resources needed to make informed academic and career-related decisions.
Completion of the General Studies degree does not guarantee acceptance into a four-year university. Students planning to transfer to a CSU or UC should follow the CSU GE Breadth or IGETC pattern and complete transferable coursework that relates to the major at the CSU or UC campus. For further information and course selection, please consult with an academic counselor.
El Camino College Major Requirements
General Education:
Choose one of the following patterns:
- Associate Degree General Education Requirements (minimum of 24 units and the math competency requirement).
- CSU General Education Breadth (39 units) - This general education pattern will fulfill lower-division general education requirements at the CSU campuses.
- Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) (34 units) - This general education pattern will fulfill lower-division requirements at the CSU, UC and some private colleges and universities.
Area of Emphasis:
- A minimum of 18 units are required in one Area of Emphasis listed below.
- A minimum of one course from two different disciplines is required in the emphasis.
- The courses selected in the emphasis may also be used to fulfill general education areas on the Associate Degree, CSU General Education Breadth, or IGETC.
Electives:
Elective units may be necessary to obtain the 60 degree applicable units that are required for the Associate Degree.
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1. Area of Emphasis in Arts and Humanities:
These courses emphasize the appreciation of arts and humanities through cultural activities and artistic expression of human beings. Students will evaluate and interpret the ways in which people through the ages in different cultures have responded to themselves and the world around them in artistic and cultural creation. Students interested in transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in areas such as arts, communications, English, foreign language, film studies, literature, history, journalism, or philosophy. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in fine arts, education, administration, or public service.
Select 18 units with at least one course in Arts and one course in Humanities.
2. Area of Emphasis in Fine and Applied Arts:
These courses will emphasize the nature of artistic activities and expression of art through analysis, examination, performance, and technical development. Students will incorporate techniques, engage in performance, and learn to value aesthetic understanding and integrate these concepts when constructing value judgments. Students transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in areas such as architecture, art, digital media, creative writing, dance, film, music, performing arts, photography, studio art, or theatre arts. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in design, graphic arts, visual arts, photography, stage technician, musician, education, television, journalism, or acting.
Select 18 units from at least two disciplines.
3. Area of Emphasis in Culture and Communication:
These courses will emphasize the study of communication, culture, and the skills needed to communicate effectively in oral, written, or visual forms. Students transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in communication studies, media studies, journalism, English, or modern languages. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in broadcasting, public relations, advertising, journalism, interpreter, photography, technical writing, or radio and television.
Select 18 units from at least two disciplines.
4. Area of Emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences:
These courses emphasize an appreciation and understanding of how members of diverse societies operate or have operated as individuals and social groups. Courses in the social and behavioral sciences will help students to develop an awareness of methods of inquiry and stimulate critical thinking about the ways in which people act and interact within social and cultural contexts. Students will study the perspectives, concepts, principles, theories, and methodologies of disciplines within social and behavioral sciences. Students transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in areas such as American studies, anthropology, criminal justice, child development, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, or sociology. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in education, history, social work, public administration, public service agencies, library science, economics, or social policy.
Select 18 units from at least two disciplines.
5. Area of Emphasis in Biological and Physical Sciences:
These courses emphasize the physical universe, its life forms, and its natural phenomena. Courses in the sciences will help students develop an understanding of the scientific method and the relationship between science and other human activities. Students transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in areas such as biology (biochemistry, biophysics, molecular and cell biology, marine biology, microbiology), chemistry, physical and earth sciences (astronomy, geology, physical geography, oceanography), or physics. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in life sciences, physiology, exercise science, physical sciences, or earth sciences.
Select 18 units with at least one course in Biological Sciences and one course in Physical Sciences.
6. Area of Emphasis in Kinesiology and Wellness:
These courses emphasize lifelong understanding and the development of a student’s physiological, psychological, and social well-being. Students transferring to a four-year university will have a basic foundation for further studies in areas such as physical education, recreation, nutrition, or allied health fields. This emphasis may be useful for students interested in possible career paths in athletic training, personal training, management, exercise science, sports nutrition, and education.
Select a total of 18 units from the following disciplines:
Physical Education: minimum 6 units
Science and Nutrition: minimum 3 units
Social Sciences and Development: minimum 3 units
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