Transfer Degrees In, Local Associate Degrees…Out?

ASCCC Fall 2011 Plenary Session

Stephanie Dumont, Golden West CollegeCarolyn Holcroft, Foothill College

Craig Rutan, Santiago Canyon College

Overview

• Local Associate Degrees

• Associate in Arts/Science Degrees for Transfer

• Differences

• Out with the old, in with the new?

• Questions

Minimum Requirements for Associate Degrees*

• Minimum of 18 semester (27 quarter) units in a major or area of emphasis

• Minimum of 18 semester (27 quarter) units of General Education

• Completion of 60 semester (90 quarter) units

• Mathematics course ≥ Intermediate Algebra

• ≥ Freshman Composition course

*Title 5 §55063

“Local” Associate Degrees

• GE:• CSU GE Breadth or IGETC, or• Local general education pattern

• A single course:• can satisfy a GE area and a major

requirement• cannot satisfy two different GE areas

*Title 5 §55063

Game-changer?

• SB1440 (Padilla) created Associate in Arts (Science) for Transfer

• Colleges encouraged to create AA-T/AS-T degrees that align with a Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC)

• Currently TMCs approved in 16 different majors

• TMCs for the top 25 CSU transfer majors expected by the end of 2011-2012

• All approved and draft TMCs can be found at: http://www.c-id.net/degreereview.html

So how are these new degrees different?

• All courses for AA-T/AS-T must be CSU transferable• Easier approval for degrees that integrate C-

ID approved courses, but not required

• CSU GE Breadth or IGETC only

• No additional local requirements allowed for transfer degrees

• Must be able to complete a transfer degree in 60 units

Transfer Degree Benefits

• Guaranteed admission to CSU system with junior standing• does not guarantee admission in a

specific major or to a specific campus

• Priority admission to local CSU campus and to a program or major that is similar to student’s CC major or area of emphasis, as determined by the admitting CSU campus

What do we do now?

• Not necessarily the end of local degrees

• Many colleges have 1+ degree in a major or area of emphasis not offered/aligned at CSU

• Local degree may be better transfer prep for UC

Can we have both?

• YES! With Caution.

• No requirement to delete existing Associate Degree when Transfer Degree created

• Important that local Curriculum Committee/Academic Senate consider local student need when deliberating whether to offer transfer degree

One major consideration…

• How does transfer degree differ from existing degree? • If only differ by one course (or not at all), might replace existing local degree• If very different, might make sense to offer both

Local Student Need

• Student Goals?• Majority transfer to CSU? Might only

need to offer AA-T/AS-T• Do TMC major requirements align with

lower division major prep at local CSU?• Many complete program and leave

college? Might not need transfer degree• Majority transfer to UC? Review UC

major requirements…

What if there is something missing from

TMC?• Common concern: TMC doesn’t

include a class that our students “must” take

• Does it make sense to offer two separate degrees for a single course?

Local GE Patterns

• Another common concern: can’t add local GE requirements to AA-T/AS-T• May offer both types of degrees to keep

requirements that are part of local GE pattern• Reality check?

• Does your college allow CSU GE Breadth/IGETC to satisfy GE requirements for local degrees?

Are students earning local degrees?

• Many students complete some/all of their GE and/or major prep but never earn associate degree

• If students usually transfer without earning local degree, AA-T/AS-T might make more sense

Additional Issues with Two Degrees

• Does your college require a separate program review for each degree that you offer?

• Each needs program-level student learning outcomes• Is this an appropriate reason to

offer/not offer a degree?

• Potentially confusing for students

Next Steps?• Most important: discussion at your campus

• No universal answer will work for all colleges or all disciplines at a college

• Try to avoid duplicate degrees unless there is a compelling reason

• If in doubt, take the pragmatic approach and keep local degree until you have more information

• Use program review/program-level SLOs to evaluate current degree!

Questions?

• Do you have any questions for us?