Associate Degree Requirements

Graduation from Skyline College with the Associate in Arts Degree or Associate in Science Degree is based upon the completion of 60 units, including the requirements one through nine listed below. An application for the degree must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records during the last semester of attendance.

ATTENTION: This checklist is a guide to help you in selecting courses and keeping track of your progress. You are strongly encouraged to meet with your counselor to review your selections and to complete a Student Education Plan, which will assist you in keeping track of your progress and in reaching your educational goals.

1. RESIDENCE

Satisfactory completion of at least 12 semester units within the San Mateo County Community College District.

2. GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) REQUIREMENT

a. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required in all degree-applicable coursework.
b. All coursework transferred into SMCCCD, except non-degree applicable and upper division courses, will be evaluated to meet graduation requirements and will become part of the overall GPA.
c. The GPA from courses taken in SMCCCD and those courses from outside SMCCCD will be used in the calculation for graduation. Honors and Phi Theta Kappa are calculated and recorded at each college.

3. BASIC COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

Note: Satisfactory completion is defined as a grade of C or better.
* Equivalent courses taken outside of the SMCCCD must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university within the United States. Students must seek course approval and provide verification of course equivalency using the Skyline College Prerequisite Equivalency Petition or the official Transcript Evaluation Service.

WRITING/READING

a. Satisfactory completion of English 100 or English 105, or equivalent, or higher *; or
b. Score of 3, 4, or 5 on one of the following College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Tests: English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition.

MATHEMATICS/QUANTITATIVE REASONING

a. Successful completion of a math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra with a grade of C or better
(or Pass) or
b. Successful completion of BUS. 113, BUS. 115 (CSM), BUS. 123 (CSM, SKY), PSYC 121 (CSM) or PSYC 171 (SKY) with a grade of C or better (or Pass).

INFORMATION LITERACY

a. Satisfactory completion of a Skyline College English 100 or English 105 course taken Fall 2011 or thereafter; or
b. Satisfactory completion of the Skyline College online “Information Literacy Tutorial” (Consult the Skyline Library website at www.skylinecollege.edu/library for details on completing the online tutorial.); or
c. Satisfactory completion of an equivalent college-level information literacy or information competency course or requirement.

4. MAJOR REQUIREMENT

A minimum of 18 units must be completed in a major. Some majors require the completion of more than 18 semester units. In addition to completing the course and unit requirements for the major, a student must:

  • Complete with a grade of “C” or better (or Pass) all courses used to satisfy both core and elective requirements for the major.
  • Complete 12 units or 50% of the units required for the major, whichever is fewer, at one or more of the San Mateo County Community College District colleges.

Note: Specific requirements for majors may be found in the Skyline College Catalog under “Associate Degree and Certificate Programs.”

5. ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
The Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Requirement changed effective 2021-2022. Please see General Education Area F - Ethnic Studies.
6. AMERICAN HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS

A minimum of 6 units required. Students must complete any combination of courses that meet Areas US-1 (American History), US-2 (The U.S. Constitution), and US-3 (California State & Local Government).

US-1 (American History): HIST 429 effective Fall 2012

US-1 & US-2 (American History & The U.S. Constitution): HIST 108 201 202 235 244 PLSC 210

US-2 (The U.S. Constitution): LEGL 275 effective Fall 2014

US-3 (California State & Local Government): HIST 240 310 PLSC 310

US-2 & US-3 (Constitution & California State & Local Government): PLSC 200

Note: Courses used to meet the American History and Institutions requirement may also be applied to meet General Education requirements.

7. PHYSICAL EDUCATION (KINESIOLOGY)

Two activity courses in PE (Kinesiology) are required. However, this requirement may be waived for students in the following categories:

a. Students who have received an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Please see accepted college/university accreditation: https://smccd.edu/transcript/accepted-accreditation.php
b. Veterans who have completed Basic Training and submitted their Joint Services Transcript (JST).
c. Persons who successfully petition the Dean of Kinesiology, Dance and Athletics for a medical waiver or modification based on being restricted or unable to successfully complete any of the curricular offerings as certified by a licensed physician due to a medical condition.

Note: The following courses offered through the Kinesiology, Dance and Athletics division are not activity based and therefore may not be used to satisfy the Physical Education requirement: DANC 100; KINE 101, 301, 302, 305 and 510; and P.E. 105 and 152.

8. GENERAL ELECTIVES

Additional courses to meet the minimum 60 units degree requirement (non-degree applicable courses do not meet this requirement).

9. GENERAL EDUCATION       19 units required

See General Education (GE) Areas A through F below.
Important: Although a course may be listed in more than one area, a student may use a course to satisfy only one subject area.

A. ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION AND CRITICAL THINKING (6 units required; 3 units from Area A2 and 3 units from Area A1 or A3)

Advising Note: Students who intend to use courses from Areas A1, A2 or A3 to meet CSU and/or UC minimum admissions requirements will need to complete these courses with grades of “C” or better. Students are advised to check with their Skyline College counselor for further information.

A1: Oral Communication COMM 110, 127, 130, 140, 150

A2: Written Communication ENGL 100, 105, 110

A3: Critical Thinking

Note: The Business, Computer Information Science, Mathematics and Psychology courses listed here meet CSU GE area B4.

BUS. 113, 120, 123 COMM 127 CIS 262 ENGL 110, 165 MATH 130, 150, 200, 201, 211, 222, 225, 241, 242, 243, 251, 252, 253, 270, 275 PHIL 103, 200 PSYC 171

B. SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY (4 units required; one course from Area B1 or B2. Must include one lab course as indicated by *)

B1: Physical Science (see notes under *B3 Lab)

ASTR 100, 101* CHEM 112*, 114*, 192*, 210*, 220*, 234 & 237*, 235 & 238*, 410* ENVS 100 101* GEOG 100, 101*, 106* GEOL 100, 105, 106*, 210*, 220* OCEN 100, 101* PHYS 100, 101*, 114*, 210*, 220*, 250*, 260*, 270*

B2: Life Science (see notes under *B3 Lab)

ANTH 125, 127* BIOL 101*, 110*, 111*, 130, 140, 145, 150, 170, 171*, 215*, 230*, 240*, 250*, 260* BTEC 170, 171* ENVS 100, 101*  PSYC 220

* B3 Lab: Courses identified with an “*”. Note: All one unit lab courses must be successfully completed concurrently or after 3 unit lecture companion courses.

Note: The following are the same courses: BIOL 170 and BTEC 170; BIOL 171 and BTEC 171; GEOG 106 and GEOL 106.

C. ARTS AND HUMANITIES (3 units required; one course from Area C1 or C2.)

Note: The following are the same courses: ART 115 and MUS. 115; ECE. 191 and LIT. 191; HIST 335 and PLSC 335; PHIL 280 and PLSC 280.

C1: Arts ART 101, 102, 105, 107, 115, 120, 130, 171, 175, 221, 350 DANC 100, 102, 103 ETHN 288 FILM 100 MUS. 100, 105, 115, 202, 205, 206, 240, 250, 275, 276, 277

C2: Humanities ARBC 111, 112 ART 117 ASL 100, 110, 111 CHIN 111, 112, 121, 122 DANC 102 ECE. 191 ENGL 110 ESOL 400 ETHN 265 FILI 110, 120 FILM 100 HIST 100, 101, 104, 106, 108, 109, 201, 203, 235, 240, 244, 248, 310, 335, 410, 420, 429, 435 LIT. 101, 154, 155, 201, 202, 221, 231, 232, 251, 265, 266, 267, 370, 432 MUS. 277 PHIL 100, 160, 240, 280, 300, 312, 320 PLSC 280 SPAN 110, 120, 130, 140, 160, 220, 230

D. SOCIAL SCIENCES (3 units required)

Note: The following are the same courses: ECE. 201, ECE. 901, and PSYC 201; ECE. 212 and ECE. 912; HIST 335 and PLSC 335; KINE 330 and PSYC 330; PHIL 280 and PLSC 280; PSYC 110 and SOCI 110.

ADMJ 100 ANTH 110, 150, 155, 165, 170, 180, 360 BUS. 100, 101 COMM 150, 160 ECE. 201, 212, 901, 912 ECON 100, 102, 210 ETHN 101, 103, 107, 108, 109, 120, 130, 140, 142, 265 GEOG 110, 150 HIST 100, 101, 104, 106, 108, 109, 201, 202, 203, 235, 240, 244, 248, 310, 335, 420, 429, 435, 436 JOUR 110 KINE 330, 510 LEGL 275 PHIL 280 PLSC 115, 130, 200, 210, 280, 310, 315, 320 PSYC 100, 105, 110, 200, 201, 220, 230, 268, 300, 310, 330, 410 SJS 110, 130 SOCI 100, 105, 110, 141, 160 SOSC 270

E. LIFELONG LEARNING & SELF DEVELOPMENT (Up to 3 units of course work in Area E may be applied towards completion of General Education Requirements, or students may select an additional 3 units of General Education from Areas A-D above.)

Note: ECE. 201, ECE. 901, and PSYC 201 are the same course

E1: BIOL 310 BUS. 101 COUN 100 CRER 137 ECE. 201, 901 HSCI 100, 130 KINE 101, 305, 330 P.E. 105 PSYC 100, 110, 200, 201, 310, 330 SOCI 110, 160 WELL 716, 718

E2: Physical Education Activity Courses (maximum of 2 units may apply to General Education requirements)

ADAP 358, 359 COMB 105.1-105.3, 301, 302, 401.1-401.4 DANC 117.1-117.2, 121.1-121.4, 125.1-125.4, 130.1-130.4, 140.1-140.4, 150.1-150.2, 151.1-151.4, 152.1-152.4, 157.1-157.4 161, 162, 163, 164, 172.1-172.4, 330.1-330.4, 350.1-350.4, 391, 395.1-395.4, 400.1-400.4, 410.1-410.4, 665 FITN 106, 107, 112.1-112.4, 116.1-116.4, 199.1-199.2, 201.1-201.4, 219.1-219.4, 301.1-301.4, 304.1-304.4, 305.1-305.4, 332.1-332.4, 334.1-334.4, 335.1-335.4, 400.1-400.4 INDV 101.1-101.4, 121.1-121.4, 251.1-251.4, TEAM 105, 111.1-111.4, 112, 116, 132.1-132.4, 141.1-141.4, 148.1-148.4, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 201 VARS 100, 110, 150, 200, 300, 340, 342, 350, 360

F. ETHNIC STUDIES (3 units required)

ETHN 101, 103, 107, 108, 109, 142