DRAFT
CCC-510, DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA NARRATIVE & DOCUMENTATION
ASSOCIATE IN ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY FOR TRANSFER
Criteria A. Appropriateness to Mission
1. Statement of Program Goals and Objectives
By establishing the Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer degree (Sociology AA-T),
Cuesta College complies with SB 1440. The Sociology AA-T degree prepares students
interested in majoring in sociology at a four-year institution and specifically qualifies
them for admission as a transfer student to a CSU campus. The Sociology AA-T fully
aligns with the Sociology TMC.
Program Goals
Students who complete the degree program will develop a sociological understanding of
the community and world in which they live. The Sociology program will provide courses
appropriate for the General Education curriculum. The program will prepare students to
major in sociology at four-year institutions.
Sociology Program Outcomes
1. Prepare students with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the study of
sociology
2. Provide students with the skills for critical thinking and perceptive reading
3. Provide students with the skills for sociological analysis
2. Catalog Description
The Sociology program prepares students for a major in sociology at four-year
institutions. Two tracks are offered: Associate in Arts in Sociology (Sociology AA) and
Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer (Sociology AA-T). The Sociology AA-T
degree guarantees admission with junior status at a campus of the California State
University (CSU) system in a similar major, provided all of the requirements are met.
The Sociology AA-T degree requires a total of 60 transferable semester units, which
include 18 units of coursework specific to the major and 39 units in the CSU General
Education-Breadth pattern. There are no additional graduation requirements. The
minimum grade point average must be 2.0.
Sociology is the study of human social life focusing on the modern world. It places
emphasis on the analyses of culture, social structure, and interaction processes. The
Sociology program provides students with a core curriculum that will prepare them with
the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the study of sociology. Students will
develop skills for critical thinking, perceptive reading, and sociological analysis.
A sociology background is useful for further education in the social sciences, law,
education, medicine, and counseling. Career fields in which a sociology background is
valuable include education (elementary to post-secondary), social services, journalism,
public relations, business, and government.
3. Program Requirements
Completion of the Sociology AA-T requires a total of 60 transferable units, including 39
units to satisfy the CSU GE requirement. To fully comply with the CSU GE pattern,
students must complete 9 units in each area of A, B, C, and D, and 3 units in area E.
The coursework specific to the major requires the completion of a total of 18 units as
described in the table below.
All 13 courses that are required or elective are transferrable to CSU and also fulfill the
CSU GE requirement. Assist.org documentation is attached. There are no additional
graduation requirements. The minimum grade point average must be 2.0.
Remedial, non-collegiate level coursework cannot be counted toward the 60 units
required for the transfer degree.
Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer Requirements
Course Number
Required Courses
SOC 201A
SOC 202
MATH 236
or MATH 247
Course Title
Course Units
Introduction to Sociology
Social Problems
Introduction to Applied Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Group 1 Electives (any two courses from the following)
SOC 204
Introduction to Criminology
SOC 206
Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 208
Introduction to Women’s Studies
PSYC 206
Introduction to Social Psychology
Units toward Degree
9
3
3
3
4
6
3
3
3
3
Group 2 Electives (any one course from the following)
any course not selected above
SOC 201B
Social Institutions
ANTH 203
Cultural Anthropology
GEOG 202
Cultural Geography
PSYC 201
Introductory Psychology
3
3
3
3
3
3
Required Subtotal
18
CSU General Education or IGETC Pattern
39
Transferable Electives (as needed to reach 60 transferable units)
DEGREE TOTAL
60
4. Background and Rationale
Discipline faculty decided to fully align the Sociology AA-T to the Transfer Model
Curriculum because Cuesta currently offers enough of the courses listed on the TMC to
be fully aligned. All the courses in the proposed transfer major are specifically named in
the TMC with the exception of the following: SOC 201B, ANTH 203, GEOG 202, and
PSYC 201. SOC 201B is included because it meets the List C criteria of CSUtransferable sociology course. ANTH 203, GEOG 202, and PSYC 201 are included
because they meet the List C criteria of courses that are articulated as lower-division
major preparation for the sociology major at a CSU.
There are several benefits to students who meet all of the requirements for the
Sociology AA-T degree. One benefit is that they are guaranteed admission with junior
status to the CSU system. They will also receive priority in admission over all other
community college transfer students. Furthermore, those that receive the Sociology AAT from Cuesta College will have priority admission to our local CSU campus (CSU
Channel Islands) in the sociology major.
Another benefit for students who transfer to a CSU majoring in sociology after
completing the Sociology AA-T (which requires 60 semester units) is that they will only
be required to complete 60 additional units for their baccalaureate degree. Also, the
CSU is prohibited from requiring students with a Sociology AA-T degree from repeating
courses that are similar to those already taken at Cuesta College.
Furthermore, the availability of the Sociology AA-T degree may increase student
interest in the discipline of sociology and may enhance enrollment in sociology courses.
It may also encourage some students to pursue a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
Criteria B. Need
6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs (at your college).
The Sociology program is part of the Social Sciences Division, which includes
Anthropology, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, and
Sociology. Degrees offered by the Social Sciences Division include History,
International Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. A certificate in
Women’s Studies is also offered.
The Sociology program currently offers an AA in Sociology. Addition of the proposed
Sociology AA-T will give students a second option. The proposed Sociology AA-T has
certain advantages already discussed.
The proposed transfer degree program neither duplicates nor competes with any other
program at Cuesta College. No modification of any other program is required if the
proposed program is approved. It is not anticipated that the proposed program will pull
students away other programs.
Criteria C. Curriculum Standards
13. Display of Proposed Sequence
Not applicable
14. Transfer Applicability
Attached is a template comparing the approved TMC requirements to the proposed
program requirements. The following courses match the course outlines of the finalized
C-ID course descriptors: SOC 201A, SOC 202, SOC 204, SOC 206, SOC 208, and
PSYC 201. The remaining courses do not have a C-ID designation: PSYC 206, SOC
201B, ANTH 203, and GEOG 202. Assist.org documentation showing applicability for
the major is attached for these courses.
Below is a supplemental template showing the CSUs to which we are submitting major
articulation documentation for.
Sociology
Documentation for TMC template
Sociology
TMC Template:
C-ID Designation &
Course Title
Transfer
Preparation for
CSU Major
in
CSU
Articulation Agreement
by Major
(documentation
submitted):
SOC 201A
Introduction to
Sociology
Sociology
CSU
Channel Islands
SOCI 202
Social Problems
MATH 236
Introduction to
Applied Statistics
or
MATH 247
Introduction to
Statistics
Sociology
CSU Channel Islands
Sociology
Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
Sociology
Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
List B
(select two):
6 units
SOCI 160
Introduction to
Crime
SOC 204
Introduction to
Criminology
Sociology:
Criminology and
Criminal Justice
CSU
Northridge
SOCI 150
Introduction to Race
and Ethnicity
SOC 206
Race and Ethnic
Relations
documented as
does not transfer as
both
sociology major
transferable and preparation to any CSU
fulfilling the CSU
GE pattern
Required Core :
3 units
SOCI 110
Introduction to
Sociology
List A (all required):
6 units
SOCI 115
Social Problems
SOCI 125 or Math
Stat. or Soc. Sci.
Stat.
Cuesta
Course ID
& Course Title
SOCI 140
Introduction to
Gender
SOC 208
Introduction to
Women’s Studies
PSYC 170
Social Psychology
PSYC 206
Introduction to Social
Psychology
List C
(select one):
3 units
Cultural
Anthropology
PSY 110
Introductory
Psychology
Social Institutions
Cultural Geography
ANTH 203
Cultural Anthropology
PSYC 201
Introductory
Psychology
SOC 201B
Social Institutions
GEOG 202
Cultural Geography
documented as
both
transferable and
fulfilling the CSU
GE pattern
documented as
both
transferable and
fulfilling the CSU
GE pattern
does not transfer as
sociology major
preparation to any CSU
Sociology
Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
Cal Poly Pomona
Sociology
documented as
both
transferable and
fulfilling the CSU
GE pattern
Sociology
does not transfer as
sociology major
preparation to any CSU
does not transfer as
sociology major
preparation to any CSU
Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
Criteria D. Adequate Resources
The proposed transfer degree has no impact on facilities or library resources, and it
does not require additional faculty or equipment. All courses are currently being offered
at Cuesta College.
Criteria E: Compliance
There are no licensing or accrediting standards that apply to this program.