Students at California community colleges have to show that they are competent at written English in order to qualify for an associate degree. To show their competence, they will have to earn a satisfactory grade in either an English composition course at the level of difficulty of a typical freshman composition course, or a similar course at a comparable level of difficulty. They may also complete an assessment and earn a satisfactory score to meet this writing competency requirement.
In order to demonstrate a level of competency in the area of mathematics, California regulations require community college students to earn a satisfactory grade in a math course that has the same level of difficulty as the typical intermediate algebra course, or another math course at the same level. Alternatively, a student could complete and obtain a satisfactory score on an assessment. A satisfactory score is one that the state deems to be the equivalent of completing the specified math course in a satisfactory way.
The governing board of a community college district in California could also accept satisfactory grades in English and math from courses taught in, or on behalf of, other departments if the governing board considers that these courses require entrance skills at a level that is the equivalent of obtaining satisfactory grades in freshman composition and intermediate algebra. As for reading competencies, each local board has to set its own requirements, according to the California regulations.
In order to earn an associate degree, a California community college student should also put in 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of course work. This should include a minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units of general education, as well as an equivalent number of units in the student's area of emphasis. And a student should finish at least 12 semester units or 18 quarter units in residence at the college from which she is obtaining the associate degree.