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Certificate and Degree Requirements
2015-2016 Catalog
The college reserves the right to determine what courses
may be considered as equivalents for the stated degree,
certificate, and general education requirements listed in this
catalog. Please see the appropriate dean or Assistant to the
Chancellor, Enrollment Management, Admissions, Records,
and Information Services for pertinent information.
General Education for the AA/
AS Degree
General Education course work is intended to complement
a concentrated study in a single discipline or “major.” It
should provide a broad base of educational experience about
aspects of the world which a major area of study may not
include. The student who completes the general education
requirements at Reedley College will have made noteworthy
progress towards becoming truly educated and prepared for
a lifetime of learning.
Following are the major areas of General Education:
Natural Sciences
Courses in the natural sciences are those which examine the
physical universe, its life forms and its natural phenomena.
To satisfy the general education requirement in natural
sciences, a course should help the student develop an
appreciation and understanding of the scientific method
through direct experience and encourage an understanding of
the relationships between science and other human activities.
This category would include introductory or integrative
courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, general physical
science, geology, meteorology, oceanography, physics and
other scientific disciplines.
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Courses in the social and behavioral sciences are those which
focus on people as members of society. To satisfy the general
education requirement in social and behavioral sciences, a
course should help the student develop an awareness of the
method of inquiry used by the social and behavioral sciences.
It should stimulate critical thinking about the ways people act
and have acted in response to their societies and how their
actions in turn change their society. It should also promote
appreciation of how societies and social subgroups operate.
This category would include introductory or integrative survey
courses in anthropology, economics, history, political science,
psychology, sociology and related disciplines.
Humanities
Courses in the humanities examine the philosophical,
literary, aesthetic, and cultural expressions of humans. These
courses develop an awareness of the ways in which people
throughout the ages and in different cultures have responded
to themselves and the world around them through artistic and
cultural creation. They develop aesthetic understanding and,
through study of traditional and changing cultural perspectives,
foster better informed value judgments. These courses also
offer students the opportunity to explore their creativity and
imagination and to move consciously towards an awareness
of their capability for artistic self-expression. This category
will include art history, literature and film, philosophy and
morality, comparative religion, the fine and performing arts
and language. When we ask who we are, and what our lives
ought to mean, we are using the humanities.
Language and Rationality
Courses in language and rationality are those which develop for
the student principles and applications of language that lead
to logical thought, clear and precise expression, and critical
evaluation of communication in any endeavor.
1. English Composition: Courses fulfilling
this requirement include both expository
and argumentative writing.
2. Communication and Analytical Thinking:
Courses fulfilling these requirements include
oral communication, mathematics, logic,
statistics, computer language and programming,
and related disciplines.
Multiple Degrees
A student may earn more than one AA and/or AS degree from
Reedley College. Although a course used for a prescribed
graduation requirement or competency or to meet general
education requirements may count toward more than one
degree, no course may count toward the major course
requirements for more than one degree major at any college
in the district.
However, this restriction of the application of
major courses does not apply to Associate Degrees for Transfer.
See
pages 62-76 for Associate Degree for Transfer requirements.
Requirements for AA and AS Degrees
1. Sixty (60) units with at least 2.0 (“C”) grade
point average in all courses applicable to the
associate degree.
2. Residence requirements:
(a) A minimum of twelve (12) degree-applicable
units satisfactorily completed in residence
at district colleges or centers, with
attendance during the last semester prior
to graduation, or
(b) A total of forty-five (45) degree-applicable
units satisfactorily completed in residence
at district colleges or centers if not in
attendance during the last semester
prior to graduation.