Program Requirements

The Program Requirements section of this manual outlines the various conditions, reporting requirements, and academic standards that must be met by the program. Here is a brief summary of the key components covered in this section:

1. Conditions for Eligibility: This section specifies the conditions that community colleges must meet to be eligible for participation in the baccalaureate degree program. These conditions may include demonstrating unmet workforce needs, avoiding program duplication with existing universities, and possessing the necessary resources and expertise to offer a quality program.

2. Program Reporting Requirements: Community colleges are required to fulfill reporting obligations. This includes regularly reporting program data, outcomes, and other relevant information to ensure transparency and accountability.

3. General Baccalaureate Degree Standards: The section outlines the general standards the baccalaureate degree program must adhere to. These standards ensure the program's quality and alignment with the expectations of a bachelor's degree. They encompass criteria related to curriculum design, faculty qualifications, student learning outcomes, and program assessment.

4. Lower Division Coursework Requirements: This section provides guidelines for the lower division coursework that students must complete as part of the baccalaureate degree program. It includes general education requirements, prerequisite courses, and foundational coursework that establish a strong academic foundation for upper division studies.

5. Upper Division Coursework Requirements: The section specifies the requirements for the upper division coursework, which constitutes the specialized study within the chosen field of the baccalaureate degree. These requirements include major-specific courses, electives, internships, research projects, and capstone experiences. The coursework is designed to deepen students' knowledge and skills in their chosen field of study.

By outlining these program requirements, the manual ensures that participating community colleges establish and maintain high-quality baccalaureate degree programs that meet the necessary academic standards, provide valuable vigorous education, and address regional workforce needs.

1. Conditions for Eligibility (AB 927)

• District written policy that requires all potential students who wish to apply for a California College Promise Grant (CCPG) Fee Waiver, to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) in lieu of CCPG Fee Waiver Application.

• District shall have additional mission to provide high quality undergraduate education at an affordable price for students and the state.

• Demonstrate the baccalaureate degree program fulfills unmet workforce needs in the subject area of the baccalaureate degree to be offered and offer a baccalaureate degree at a campus in a subject area with unmet workforce needs in the local community or region of the district.

• The CC baccalaureate degree program shall not duplicate a baccalaureate degree program or program curricula already offered by the California State University or the University of California.

• College currently has an associate degree in subject area of proposed degree

• Maintain separate records for students enrolled in upper division and lower division of a Baccalaureate Degree Program.

• Track number of applicants, admissions, enrollments, and degree recipients.

• Report extent to which the Baccalaureate Degree Program fulfilled workforce needs.

• Track place of employment of students and subsequent job placement of graduates.

• Program costs.

• Funding sources used to finance program.

• Calculation of cost/degree awarded.

• Cost of program to students.

• Amount of financial aid offered.

• Student debt level of graduates of program.

• Time to degree rates for the bachelor’s program.

• Completion rates.

• Impact on underserved and underrepresented students

General Requirements:

All baccalaureate degrees offered by a California community college must meet the minimum requirements outlined in this section. These requirements are designed to ensure the baccalaureate degrees are equivalent or superior to other baccalaureate degrees offered by other regionally accredited community colleges or universities throughout the United States. Each degree program must include the following: 

1. A combination of lower division and upper division coursework totaling a minimum of 120 semester or 180 quarter units that are applicable to a baccalaureate degree as defined within these guidelines. A minimum degree requirement of 60 semester credits or 90 quarter units at the associate level.

2. At least 36 semester or 54 quarter units of lower division general education is required

3. Completion of a minimum of 40 semester or 60 quarter units of upper division courses

4. At least nine semester or 14 quarter units of upper division general education coursework is required.

5. The general education requirements are integrated and distributed to both lower and upper division courses.

A. Lower Division Coursework:

Degree Applicable Lower Division Courses Lower division courses are consistent with the requirements for associate degree applicable credit courses outlined in the California Code of Regulations title 5, section 55062. These courses include the following:

1. All lower division courses accepted toward a baccalaureate degree granted by the CSU or UC or designed to be offered for transfer.

2. Credit courses that apply to the major or area of emphasis in career technical fields that would typically be applicable to an associate degree.

3. Title 5, section 55062 permits colleges to designate nontransferable courses in mathematics (elementary and beginning algebra), reading, English, and English as a Second Language as applicable for an associate degree; however, these courses do not transfer to four-year universities and the units are not applicable to baccalaureate degree programs.

B. Lower Division General Education Requirements

All students are expected to complete lower division general education as part of the lower division course requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Currently, the only allowable lower division general education patterns for baccalaureate degrees are CSU General Education Breadth or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum, which consists of two versions, one intended for students transferring to a CSU and one for students planning to transfer to a UC campus. Since it is not the primary intent of the community college baccalaureate degree program to facilitate transfer, either of these three options may be used. Colleges have the option to designate only one option as acceptable for their baccalaureate degree, but such a restriction is not required. Locally defined associate degree general education patterns that are consistent with title 5, section 55063, are not applicable for baccalaureate degree programs.

C. Lower Division Major Requirements

As required for associate degrees in title 5, section 55063, colleges should identify a minimum of 18 semester or 27 quarter units of lower division coursework in the declared major for each baccalaureate degree. A declared major is defined as a single field of study or related fields, as listed in the community colleges Taxonomy of Programs or an area of emphasis involving lower division coursework, which prepares students for the identified field of baccalaureate study.

Upper Division Coursework

A.             Definition of Upper Division

Upper division courses are defined as requiring lower division knowledge and applying that knowledge as demonstrated measures of critical thinking through writing, oral communication or computation. Upper division coursework may also encompass research elements, workforce training, apprenticeships, internships, required practicum or capstone projects. Upper division courses typically will have one or more lower division or upper division prerequisites that have been established using content review of the entry skills necessary to be successful as outlined in title 5, section 55003. Courses that have been designated as upper division are only intended to be applicable to baccalaureate degrees. 

B.              Upper Division Unit and General Education Requirements 

A minimum of nine semester or 14 quarter units of upper division general education courses. Upper division general education courses should come from at least two disciplines outside of the major, one of which must have an emphasis in written communication, oral communication or computation. These upper division general education courses may be developed in any discipline, but the courses should relate to the required coursework for baccalaureate students. Upper division general education courses are intended only for CCC baccalaureate students and should not be open to students who are not enrolled in a CCC baccalaureate program.

C.              Upper Division Major Requirements

A minimum of 40 semester credits or equivalent or total upper division coursework, including the major and general education, is required. The minimum total number of semester credits required is 120.A major is defined as a single field of study from the Classification of Instructional Programs. Colleges may determine that a lower division course meets the requirements for an identified upper division course requirement, but the minimum number of upper division units must still be completed.

All courses designated as an upper division major requirement must be completed with a grade of C or better or P.