DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA NARRATIVE & DOCUMENTATION
Criteria A. Appropriateness to Mission
1. Statement of Program and Goals: The Associate of Arts in History supports the mission of Hartnell
College to provide a quality education that will increase the students’ awareness and interest in the study
of history and help them to achieve their educational and professional goals. The program supports the
Hartnell College mission: to provide the leadership and resources to ensure that all students shall have
equal access to a quality education.
The program goal of the AA-T History degree is to prepare students to transfer to a California State
University campus for advanced study in History and related fields. The History AA-T degree curriculum
consists of courses that meet lower division major and general education (CSU-GE Breadth or IGETC
pattern) requirements in History.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
2.

demonstrate an understanding of the processes, peoples and events in the
multicultural histories of the United States.

apply critical thinking skills in reading, comprehending, and interpreting historical
scholarship.

employ historical research methods to address historical questions using primary and
secondary sources.
Catalog Description History, in the broad sense, is the study of all human experience. It examines
people, institutions, ideas, and events through past and into the future. The study of history develops
cultural literacy, critical thinking, and other skills while helping to understand today and plan for
tomorrow. The discipline provides us with a better understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a
society. In the study of history it is more important to learn the skills of finding, interpreting, and relating
historical information than it is to simply to memorize historical data. Through the study of history, a
student can acquire the techniques of gathering and applying information to gain a perspective on the
human condition. Fields for which BA graduates in history are qualified are law, journalism, writing, the
foreign service, consulting, teaching, archiving, researching, and museum curating.
The Associate of Arts degree in History for Transfer provides a clearly articulated curricular track for
students who wish to transfer to baccalaureate degree programs at a California State University (CSU)
campus. For detailed requirements for individual four-year institutions, students should contact the
transfer institution and meet with a counselor for specific transfer course requirements in their major.
California Community Colleges are now offering associate degrees for transfer to the CSU. These may
include Associate in Arts (AA-T) or Associate in Science (AS-T) degrees. These degrees are designed to
provide a clear pathway to a CSU major and baccalaureate degree. California Community College
students who are awarded an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission with junior standing
somewhere in the CSU system and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU campus or to
a program that is deemed similar to their community college major. This priority does not guarantee
admission to specific majors or campuses.
Students who have been awarded an AA-T or AS-T are able to complete their remaining requirements for
the 120-unit baccalaureate degree within 60 semester or 90 quarter units.
In order to earn this degree, students must complete:

60 CSU-transferable semester units.

Minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework. While a
minimum of 2.0 is required for admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult
with a counselor for more information.

Completion of a minimum of 18 semester units in an “AA-T” or “AS-T” major as detailed in the
degree section of the catalog. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of “C” or
better or a “P” if the course is taken on a “pass-no pass” basis (title 5 § 55063).

Certified completion of the California State University General Education-Breadth pattern (CSU GE
Breadth) OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern (see pages
41-47 of the Hartnell College Catalog for more information).
No additional local Associate Degree requirements are applied.
3. Program Requirements:



REQUIRED MAJOR COURSES
Required Major Course
Required Major Course
LIST A- RESTRICTED MAJOR ELECTIVES- (Select a minimum of 6 units from the
following:)
Restricted Major Elective
Or
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Or
Restricted Major Elective
LIST B- RESTRICTED MAJOR ELECTIVES- (Select a minimum of 6 units from the
following :)
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Restricted Major Elective
Course No.
HIS 17A
HIS 17B
Course Title
United States History A
United States History B
Units
3.0
3.0
Course No.
Course Title
Units
HIS 5A
Or
HIS 4A
HIS 5B
Or
HIS 4B
World History A
Or
Western Civilization A
World History B
Or
Western Civilization B
Course No.
Course Title
HIS 5A
Or
HIS 5B
HIS 6
HIS 8A
HIS 8B
HIS 10
HIS 46A
HIS 46B
HIS 47
HIS 49A
HIS 49B
HIS 50
HIS 51
HIS 55
World History A (if not used in List A)
Or
World History B (if not used in List A)
History of Mexico
Colonial History of Lain America
Modern Latin American History
History of California
Race and Ethnicity in American History A
Race and Ethnicity in American History B
Religions of the World
Chicano History A
Chicano History B
Women in History
History of Women in the United States
U.S. History through Film
3.0
Or
3.0
3.0
Or
3.0
Units
3.0
Or
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
SUBTOTAL UNITS ( 18.0)

REQUIRED GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES (Students can double count
General Education courses with major courses.)
Choose either A. CSU-GE or B. IGETC for the General Education pattern related to your educational goal:
A. Minimum units to meet CSU-GE breadth certification requirements (39 units); OR
B. Minimum units to meet IGETC (34-37.00 units) certification requirements
AA-T History Required Major and Restricted Electives
Electives(Courses numbered 1-99) required when
degree units plus GE units total fewer than 60.0
TOTAL
4. Background and Rationale:
Units
39.0
34.0
18.0
3.0
60.0
History is an important field among students wishing to major in the Social Sciences and related fields
and students have demonstrated their interest in identifying with this major while they prepare for
transfer to four-year institutions. The Associate of Arts degree in History for Transfer provides a
clearly articulated curricular track for students who wish to transfer to baccalaureate History degree
programs at a California State University (CSU) campus.
Utilizing existing course offerings, Hartnell College can easily offer a History AA-T degree for our
students interested in CSU transfer. No additional new courses or course revisions are necessary to
align with the TMC. History courses required for this major were reviewed by discipline faculty and
have been submitted for C-ID approval.
Criteria B. Need
5. Enrollment and Completer Projections:
(Not required for AA-T Degree)
6. Place of Program in Curriculum/Similar Programs:
The AA-T degree in History supplements existing AS degrees in the social sciences. Many of the core
courses for the AA-T degree have been part of the existing college curriculum for several years.
Current discipline faculty are pleased to be able to offer Hartnell students the opportunity to transfer
more smoothly to a CSU campus with junior standing. The History AA-T degree is placed within the
social and behavioral sciences area of Hartnell College. Within this area, authority flows to the Dean
Social and Behavioral Sciences and then to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Accreditation.
7. Discussion of impact on other colleges in region: Not required
8. Analysis of labor market need or job availability (for CTE only): Not required.
9. Employer Survey (for CTE only): Not required.
10. Explanation of Employer Relationship (CTE only): Not required.
11. List of Members of Advisory Committee (CTE only): Not required.
12. Recommendation of Advisory Committee (CTE only): Not required
Criteria C. Curriculum Standards
The local program approval process requires faculty to first obtain discipline approval and then submit
program description, outcomes, and program requirements to the Hartnell College Curriculum Committee.
The program requires two readings and must be passed by majority vote at the second reading.
Programs approved by the Curriculum Committee are ratified by the College Board of Trustees.
13. Display of Proposed Sequence:
Proposed sequencing for AA-T degree is not required; course outlines for required courses are attached.
14. Transfer Applicability
Completed TMC template and ASSIST documents are attached.
Criteria D. Adequate Resources
15. Library and Learning Resources Plan
16. Facilities and Equipment Plan
17. Financial Support Plan
18. Faculty Qualifications and Availability
15-18: No additional library and learning resources will be required beyond the college’s current
resources. This includes library and learning resources, facilities and equipment, and financial support.
All of the faculty that will teach in this program meet the state minimum qualifications and possess
knowledge and experience in this program area.
Criteria E. Compliance
19. Based on Model Curriculum
20. Licensing or Accreditation Standards
21. Student Selection and Fees
19-21: The Associate of Arts in History for Transfer degree is based on the approved Transfer Model
Curriculum provided by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges in accordance to SB1440
and the California Education Code sections 66746-66749.
There are no licensing or accrediting standards that apply to this degree. No additional student selection
criteria are in place; this degree complies with California Code of Regulations, Title 5, sections 55201 and
58106. Additionally, there are no additional fees required beyond those identified in California education
Code section 76300.