Academic Catalog

STEM

University Studies: Science and Mathematics

The Associate Degree in University Studies with an Area of Emphasis is intended to accommodate the differing requirements of a wide variety of transfer institutions and major options. Because admission and major preparation requirements vary at each four-year transfer institution, courses used to complete this degree should be selected with the assistance of a counselor. The completion of the University Studies Degree does not guarantee acceptance into either a baccalaureate major or a four-year institution.

Requirements

  1. California State University (CSU) General Education Breadth
    1. Complete CSU General Education Breadth (see Degree Requirements and Transfer Information section).
    2. Earn a grade of “C” or better in 30 of the required 39 semester units of general education to include all courses in Area A and the Mathematical/Quantitative Reasoning courses in Area B.
    3. Credit earned through external examinations, i.e., AP, will be applied towards general education in accordance with Cuyamaca College policies. Please note: This may be different than how the external exam is used on a CSU certification.
    4. Complete a minimum of 18 units in an Area of Emphasis (listed below).
    5. Complete a minimum of 60 degree applicable CSU transferable semester units.
    6. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all college course work completed.
    7. Meet Cuyamaca College residence requirements for graduation (see Admission Information).

      or
  2. Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) for CSU or UC
    1. Complete IGETC Certification (see Degree Requirements and Transfer Information section.
    2. Earn a grade of “C” or better in all IGETC courses.
    3. Credit earned through external examinations, i.e., AP, will be applied in accordance with Cuyamaca College policies. Please note: This may be different than how the external exam is used on an IGETC certification.
    4. Complete a minimum of 18 units in an Area of Emphasis (listed below).
    5. Complete a minimum of 60 degree applicable UC transferable semester units for UC University Studies.
    6. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all college course work completed.
    7. Meet Cuyamaca College residence requirements for graduation (see Admission Information).

      and

Choose a minimum of 18 units. Students must complete a minimum of three units in Science and three units in Mathematics (limitation of one statistics course). The remaining twelve units may be taken from either category.

While 18 units are required in a specific area to meet the requirements of the degree, it is strongly recommended that as many lower division preparation for the major courses as possible be completed at the community college prior to transfer. Some baccalaureate majors and four-year institutions require a higher GPA than is necessary for the associate degree. Courses that are not UC-transferable will not be used in the UC University Studies Area of Emphasis Degrees. Completion of the University Studies degree does not guarantee admission to a four-year institution.

Courses for the Associate in Science in University Studies with an Emphasis in Science and Mathematics focus on the study of mathematical and quantitative reasoning skills and the application of facts and principles that form the foundations of living and non-living systems. Students will recognize and utilize the methodologies of science as investigative tools, as well as the limitations of science. Students will use mathematical skills to solve numerical problems encountered in daily life, as well as more advanced skills for applications in the physical and life sciences. Students completing this area may be interested in the following baccalaureate majors: astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geography, geology, mathematics, oceanography, physical science, and physics.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Utilize high level mathematical skills to analyze data and/or solve problems.
  • Analyze concepts of physical and biological science to evaluate scientific information and solve scientific problems.
  • Draw scientific conclusions about simple and complex systems by collecting, assessing, and analyzing information.

Science

ANTH-130Introduction to Biological Anthropology3
ASTR-110Descriptive Astronomy3
ASTR-112General Astronomy Laboratory1
BIO-115Biology of Alcohol and Other Drugs3
BIO-122The Secret Life of Plants4
BIO-130General Biology I3
BIO-131General Biology I Laboratory1
BIO-133Ethnoecology3
BIO-134Ethnobotany3
BIO-135Ethnobotany/Ethnoecology Lab1
BIO-140Human Anatomy4
BIO-141Human Physiology3
BIO-141LLaboratory in Human Physiology1
BIO-152Paramedical Microbiology5
BIO-230Principles of Cellular, Molecular and Evolutionary Biology4
BIO-240Principles of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology5
BIO-251Human Dissection1
CHEM-102Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry5
CHEM-120Preparation for General Chemistry4
CHEM-141General Chemistry I5
CHEM-142General Chemistry II5
CHEM-231Organic Chemistry I5
CHEM-232Organic Chemistry II5
CS-119Program Design and Development3
CS-119LProgram Design and Development Lab1
CS-181Introduction to C++ Programming4
CS-182Introduction to Java Programming4
CS-281Intermediate C++ Programming and Fundamental Data Structures4
CS-282Intermediate Java Programming and Fundamental Data Structures4
GEOG-120Physical Geography: Earth Systems3
GEOG-121Physical Geography: Earth Systems Laboratory1
GEOL-104Earth Science3
GEOL-105Physical Geology: Earth Systems Laboratory1
GEOL-110Planet Earth3
GEOL-111Planet Earth Laboratory1
KUMY-133Ethnoecology3
KUMY-134Ethnobotany3
KUMY-135Ethnobotany/Ethnoecology Lab1
OCEA-112Introduction to Oceanography3
OCEA-113Oceanography Laboratory1
PHYC-110Introductory Physics4
PHYC-130Fundamentals of Physics4
PHYC-131Fundamentals of Physics4
PHYC-201Mechanics and Waves5
PHYC-202Electricity, Magnetism, and Heat5
PHYC-203Light, Optics, and Modern Physics5
1

Course not UC transferable.

Mathematics

MATH-160Elementary Statistics4
MATH-170Analytic Trigonometry 13
MATH-175College Algebra4
MATH-176PreCalculus: Functions and Graphs6
MATH-178Calculus for Business, Social and Behavioral Sciences4
MATH-180Analytic Geometry and Calculus I5
MATH-245Discrete Mathematics3
MATH-280Analytic Geometry and Calculus II4
MATH-281Multivariable Calculus4
MATH-284Linear Algebra3
MATH-285Differential Equations3
PSY-215Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences4
1

Course not UC transferable.