Associate in Arts Degree in University Studies
Description of the Associate in Arts Degree in University Studies
Advising Guide
The Associate in Arts degree in University Studies is a transfer degree program designed for students who plan to transfer to an accredited four-year university. This degree is especially appropriate for students who find their transfer program incompatible with MiraCosta College's traditional degree requirements.
Students bound for University of California and California State University will find this degree program particularly attractive since the requirements are easily met within the transfer institution's lower division requirements.
The goal of this degree program is to prepare students, as completely as possible, to meet the lower division requirements of their transfer institution. Therefore, students must meet with a MiraCosta College counselor and complete a written educational plan. Students are expected to complete, at minimum, the lower division preparation for their major and lower division general education requirements selected from the following:
- The California State University system-wide GE
- IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum)
- The general education requirements specified by an individual transfer institution
Students will have their transfer major or pre-major listed on their diploma.
Requirements for the Associate of Arts in University Studies
A. Choose an accredited transfer institution.
- Declare a major offered by the transfer institution and complete all lower division preparation for the major offered at MiraCosta College. (MiraCosta’s Transfer Center Director may make exceptions.)
- Complete the transfer general education requirements for CSU or IGETC or complete the general education requirements specified by an individual transfer institution which must include, at minimum:
Language and Rationality (6 units)
Natural Science (3 units)
English composition (3 units)
Social & Behavioral Science (3 units)
Communication and Analytical Thinking (3 units)
One additional GE Course (3 units)
- Complete additional lower division requirements (e.g. American Institutions, foreign language, computer competency etc. if required).
- Meet MiraCosta's competency requirements in Reading, Writing and Mathematics (see current MiraCosta College catalog).
- Meet MiraCosta's residency requirements (12 total units and six of the last 12 units must be completed at MCC).
- Complete a minimum of 60 transferable units with a 2.0 GPA.
B. File a petition for graduation during the first 30 percent of the last semester in attendance at MiraCosta College. (Check the class schedule for deadline date.)
IMPORTANT: An original copy of your educational plan must be on file in your counseling folder in the Counseling Office. In addition, all official transcripts from prior colleges/universities must be on file in the Counseling Office at the time you petition for graduation.
Although the awarding of this degree recognizes the completion of lower division course requirements it does not necessarily guarantee admission to a four-year institution, except for some impacted majors at SDSU (see SDSU Transfer Degree Program Impacted Majors Advising Guide). In addition, students will need a higher GPA for admission to a University of California campus than that required for the Associates in Arts degree.
Proper academic preparation for transfer requires careful planning. Students are advised to meet with a MiraCosta counselor early in their educational program for assistance. The University Transfer Center provides advising guides and articulation agreements, which indicate lower division major and general education requirements for colleges and universities frequently attended by transfer students from MiraCosta. Students may also access articulation agreements through the Internet at www.assist.org.
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