Degree Requirements and Courses
Learn more about certificate and degree requirements, course content, recommended sequence, and schedule.
University Studies: Humanities AA Degree
University Studies – 18 Unit Emphasis | SC Program: AA.1513
These courses emphasize the study of cultural, literary, humanistic activities and artistic expression of human beings. With careful planning, the Humanities emphasis will satisfy the lower division major courses to transfer to a university and earn a Bachelor’s degree in the various fields of Humanities.
Choose your path
Map your education by viewing the program map for the degree or certificate you’re interested in earning below. Meet with a counselor to create your official comprehensive education plan.
A program map shows all the required and recommended courses you need to graduate and a suggested order in which you should take them. The suggested sequence of courses is based on enrollment and includes all major and general education courses required for the degree.
Fall Semester, First Year
15 Units TotalENGL 1A
GE
4
College Composition
ENGL 1A
Note: For students who would benefit from further instruction and individual support while taking their first college-transfer level English course, ENGL 1AX is a recommended alternative to ENGL 1A.
This course develops the reading, critical thinking, and writing skills necessary for academic success, emphasizing expository and argumentative writing as well as research and documentation skills. As a transferable course, it presupposes that students already have a substantial grasp of grammar, syntax, and organization, and that their writing is reasonably free from errors. A research paper is required for successful completion of the course. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course develops the reading, critical thinking, and writing skills necessary for academic success, emphasizing expository and argumentative writing as well as research and documentation skills. As a transferable course, it presupposes that students already have a substantial grasp of grammar, syntax, and organization, and that their writing is reasonably free from errors. A research paper is required for successful completion of the course. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
MATH 14
GE
4
Introduction to Statistics
MATH 14
This course is an introductory course in statistics designed to show the role of modern statistical methods in the process of decision making. Concepts are introduced by example rather than by rigorous mathematical theory. The following topics will be covered: measures of central tendency and dispersion, regression and correlation, probability, sampling distributions including the normal, t, and chi-square, statistical inference using confidence intervals and hypotheses testing. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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CMST 60
GE
3
Public Speaking
CMST 60
This course is an introduction to the process of human communication with an emphasis on public speaking. The subjects covered are speech topic selection, audience analysis, information competency (e.g. researching, evaluating, and using supporting materials), presentation outlining, principles of effective speech delivery, critical evaluation of speeches, and presentation of informative and persuasive speeches. Most students will have the opportunity to be recorded and to use presentational technology. College-level writing skills will be expected on all papers, outlines, and short essays. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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HUM 2
GE
M
3
Exploring the Humanities
HUM 2
This course is designed to explore the humanities by examining expression of human values, ideas, concerns, and experience through the arts, literature, media and the social sciences. The reading of important works in the humanities, written analysis, and attendance at selected performances are major requirements of this course. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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STU 90
1
Career Choice
STU 90
This course is designed for students who are undecided about their educational and/or career goals. Through a series of group exercises and career development testing, students learn to identify personal values, interests, skills, aversions, and personality patterns and understand how they relate to choices in the world of work. Students learn to access occupational information, develop decision-making skills and set career goals. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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Spring Semester, First Year
15 Units TotalENGL 1B
GE
M
3
Literature and Composition
ENGL 1B
This course emphasizes the development of critical thinking and writing skills through close study of the major genres of literature: poetry, drama, short story and novel. Students receive further instruction and practice in analytical writing, developing arguments about literary works and the critical reception of those works. In discussion and writing, students will also examine arguments as such, learning to identify sound as well as fallacious reasoning in critical assessments of literature. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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HIST 2
GE
M
3
World Civilization to 1500 C.E.
HIST 2
Advisory: Essay-writing skills and eligibility to enroll in a transfer-level English Composition course, or English Placement Level 6 or higher
This course is a comparative survey of the major ancient world civilizations which developed between 3500 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E. It examines political institutions, religious ideologies, the rise and fall of empires, and the major cultural innovations of each of the major world civilizations. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course is a comparative survey of the major ancient world civilizations which developed between 3500 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E. It examines political institutions, religious ideologies, the rise and fall of empires, and the major cultural innovations of each of the major world civilizations. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
ART 1
GE
M
3
Introduction to Art
ART 1
This course provides a general introduction to art that offers a look at works of art through the study of theory, terminology, themes, design principles, media, and techniques, with an introduction to the visual arts across time and diverse cultures. This course is recommended as a Humanities elective. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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AGNR 60
GE
3
Environmental Science
AGNR 60
Advisory: Students who wish to add a lab component to this class should co-enroll in AGNR 61.
This course is an introduction to the conservation or wise use of natural resources and incorporates discussions about the complex relationships of man to the environment. Students will learn about the diverse agencies that manage our resources along with their history and philosophies. The course will cover each of the major natural resources - such as water, air, energy, forests, wildlife, agriculture, and soils - as well as environmental policy and laws that govern the use of these resources. An emphasis is placed on the practical components of Environmental Science as it relates to social and economic aspects of conservation. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course is an introduction to the conservation or wise use of natural resources and incorporates discussions about the complex relationships of man to the environment. Students will learn about the diverse agencies that manage our resources along with their history and philosophies. The course will cover each of the major natural resources - such as water, air, energy, forests, wildlife, agriculture, and soils - as well as environmental policy and laws that govern the use of these resources. An emphasis is placed on the practical components of Environmental Science as it relates to social and economic aspects of conservation. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
HIST 17A
GE
3
United States History
HIST 17A
Advisory: ENGL 1A with a grade of C or higher
This course is a survey of the history of the United States from Pre-Columbian Peoples to the end of Reconstruction. Topics include contact and settlement of America, the movement toward independence, the formation of a new nation and Constitution, westward expansion and manifest destiny, the causes and consequences of the Civil War, and Reconstruction. This course satisfies the CSU requirement for US History (US-1). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course is a survey of the history of the United States from Pre-Columbian Peoples to the end of Reconstruction. Topics include contact and settlement of America, the movement toward independence, the formation of a new nation and Constitution, westward expansion and manifest destiny, the causes and consequences of the Civil War, and Reconstruction. This course satisfies the CSU requirement for US History (US-1). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Fall Semester, Second Year
16 Units TotalTHTR 1
M
3
Introduction to Theatre Arts
THTR 1
This course is a survey of Theatre Arts, theatre history, playwrights, practitioners, genres, production methods, dramatic structure, performance style, plays, terminology, history, criticism, and stagecraft. Students will develop an appreciation for the theatre arts through lectures, play reading, viewing, critiquing, and participating in college productions. This course fulfills the Arts requirement for General Ed Transfer. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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PHIL 7
3
Ethics: Understanding Right and Wrong
PHIL 7
Advisory: ENGL 1A with a grade of C or higher or English Placement Level 7.
This course critically examines the concept of morality as well as a number of representative ethical theories, such as Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Contractarianism, Divine Command Theory, and Virtue Ethics. It also introduces students to a range of moral and social problems such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, cloning, warfare, gender and sexuality issues, political and economic issues, and the moral status of the natural world. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course critically examines the concept of morality as well as a number of representative ethical theories, such as Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Contractarianism, Divine Command Theory, and Virtue Ethics. It also introduces students to a range of moral and social problems such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, cloning, warfare, gender and sexuality issues, political and economic issues, and the moral status of the natural world. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
ESCI 12
GE
4
General Earth Science
ESCI 12
Note: Required field trips when offered face to face.
This is a survey course designed for non-science majors. It spans the Earth-related sciences, including geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. In general, the course focuses on physical processes and materials as related to each discipline. Topics include the geologic evolution of the Earth, economic resources derived from the Earth, Earth materials, evolution and character of the oceans, ocean-atmosphere interactions, atmospheric processes including weather and climate, the solar system and Earth as part of the universe. Using an Earth systems approach, lecture and laboratory will consider concepts centered on the sustainable use of natural resources. The laboratory portion of this course provides hands-on activities that support and demonstrate lecture concepts. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This is a survey course designed for non-science majors. It spans the Earth-related sciences, including geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. In general, the course focuses on physical processes and materials as related to each discipline. Topics include the geologic evolution of the Earth, economic resources derived from the Earth, Earth materials, evolution and character of the oceans, ocean-atmosphere interactions, atmospheric processes including weather and climate, the solar system and Earth as part of the universe. Using an Earth systems approach, lecture and laboratory will consider concepts centered on the sustainable use of natural resources. The laboratory portion of this course provides hands-on activities that support and demonstrate lecture concepts. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
POLS 2
GE
3
Introduction to American Government
POLS 2
Advisory: ENGL 1A or English Placement Level 7 or higher.
This course is an introduction to United States and California government and politics, including their constitutions, political institutions and processes, and political actors. An examination of political behavior, political issues, and public policy, this course satisfies the CSU requirement in U.S. Constitution and California State and local government (US-2 and US-3). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course is an introduction to United States and California government and politics, including their constitutions, political institutions and processes, and political actors. An examination of political behavior, political issues, and public policy, this course satisfies the CSU requirement in U.S. Constitution and California State and local government (US-2 and US-3). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
HUM 4
3
Humanities Through the Film
HUM 4
This course is an examination of the motion picture as an art form. This course offers a concise introduction to the history of film against the broader changes in popular culture since the late nineteenth century. Students will see how elements of film can provide valuable insights into how movies communicate and convey meaning to their audiences using a unique network of techniques. Students will see how film, film genres, and developments within the film industry offer a first-hand look at how specific films illuminate important aspects of philosophical, historical, aesthetic, and social life and analyze how film connects with the larger world. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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Spring Semester, Second Year
14 Units TotalMUS 15
M
3
History of Rock
MUS 15
This is a survey course that covers the characteristics of Rock forms and important musicians: 1950s (Rockabilly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Doo-Wop, and various Rhythm & Blues musicians); 1960s (Folk-Rock, Surf-Rock, Motown, Twist, The Beatles, British Invasion, Electric Folk-Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic, and Jazz-Rock); 1970s (Heavy Metal, Art Rock, Funk, Glitter, Disco, and Punk); 1980s (New Wave, Hair Metal, Synthpop, and Rap); and 1990s (Grunge, Alternative, and Rap/Hip Hop). The course gives the student the opportunity to become familiar with all the various styles of Rock and provides an understanding of the social and technical influences that cause stylistic change. This course is designed to create an interest in music for the non-music major. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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ECE 1
GE
3
Human Development
ECE 1
This course involves a study of development and behavior throughout the human life span. Classic and up-to-date research on the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains will be presented. Theories will be integrated with practical application concepts throughout the course, underscoring the importance of life-long learning and adaptation. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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SPAN 1
5
Spanish 1
SPAN 1
Advisory: English Placement Level 6
This introductory course is designed to give the student thorough and intensive practice in speaking and listening to Spanish and reading and writing in Spanish, with special emphasis on grammar and pronunciation. The course will focus on communicative competence in situations relating to daily routines, home life, college life, and everyday activities such as meeting and describing people; finding out about schedules, directions, and locations; discussing weather, eating, and holidays. Students are introduced to the culture of Spanish-speaking people in general and to specific customs and cultural characteristics of various Spanish-speaking countries. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This introductory course is designed to give the student thorough and intensive practice in speaking and listening to Spanish and reading and writing in Spanish, with special emphasis on grammar and pronunciation. The course will focus on communicative competence in situations relating to daily routines, home life, college life, and everyday activities such as meeting and describing people; finding out about schedules, directions, and locations; discussing weather, eating, and holidays. Students are introduced to the culture of Spanish-speaking people in general and to specific customs and cultural characteristics of various Spanish-speaking countries. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
ETHS 1
GE
3
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
ETHS 1
Advisory: Essay-writing skills and eligibility to enroll in a transfer-level English Composition course
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of race and ethnicity in the United States. It examines social justice movements in relation to ethnic and racial groups in the United States to provide a basis for a better understanding of the socioeconomic, cultural, and political conditions among key social groups including, but not limited to, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o Americans. This course examines the systemic nature of racial/ethnic oppression through an examination of key concepts including racialization and ethnocentrism, with a specific focus on the persistence of white supremacy. Using an anti-racist framework, the course will examine historical and contemporary social movements dedicated to the decolonization of social institutions, resistance, and social justice. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
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This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of race and ethnicity in the United States. It examines social justice movements in relation to ethnic and racial groups in the United States to provide a basis for a better understanding of the socioeconomic, cultural, and political conditions among key social groups including, but not limited to, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o Americans. This course examines the systemic nature of racial/ethnic oppression through an examination of key concepts including racialization and ethnocentrism, with a specific focus on the persistence of white supremacy. Using an anti-racist framework, the course will examine historical and contemporary social movements dedicated to the decolonization of social institutions, resistance, and social justice. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Please see a counselor to discuss options for meeting general education requirements for transfer to California State Universities (CSU) and/or University of California (UC) campuses, as well as any specific additional courses that may be required by your chosen institution of transfer.
*Alternative Courses: Please see a Shasta College counselor for alternative course options. You can also view the following to find other courses to meet degree/certificate requirements:
- California State Universities – General Education
- IGETC – Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum
Need a print out? Feel free to download and/or print out a copy of the sample program map(s).
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