Counseling

Associate Degrees and Certificates

 

​List of Degrees & Certificates

Associate Degrees

Associate degrees are ideal if you want a community college degree to help you at work, to put on your resume, or to m​ark a sense of accomplishment before you transfer to a university. The AS-T degree may help with your transfer goals.

AA degrees are a minimum of 60 units in length, and require three types of courses:

  • Major classes: 18 to 40 units of courses in your major

  • General Education: Approximately 18 units in areas such as Science, American History/Government, Social Science, Humanities, English, Math, and American Cultures. The AS-T will require that you complete IGETC or the CSU GE pattern.

  • Electives: Additional units from almost any SMC subject area to reach a minimum of 60 units.

Certificates

If you need short-term education and training in preparation for work, Certificates of Achievement and/or Department Certificates may be for you. Certificates of Achievement and Department Certificates are made up of courses that focus specifically in one career area, and do not include General Education classes (such as American History, English, and Math). 

Certificates of Achievement usually vary in length from 18 to 40 units and are posted on the SMC transcript. Department Certificates have fewer than 18 units, are granted by the academic department and do not appear on the SMC transcript. The Following is a list of the Certificates of Achievement and Department Certificates available at SMC.

For more detailed AA and certificate information, visit Areas of Study/Articulation. 

For help in planning your certificate classes, contact an SMC counselor.