The Associate in Arts in Spanish for Transfer Degree is an excellent way to develop communicative as well as analytical and critical thinking skills.  It can provide a basis for understanding cultural differences thus preparing graduates for a variety of careers in a multicultural world.  The ability to communicate and interact with others is more and more vital with growing global interdependence and technological connectivity.  Students who complete the AA-T can develop careers in number of fields, such as anthropology, business, diplomatic services, economics, education, healthcare, linguistics, literature, political science, and sociology.  While teaching has traditionally been the principal area of employment, other careers including interpreting, translating, publishing, international commerce, tourism, public relations, and research, are just some of the many possible paths graduates can follow.

The department offers courses from the beginning to intermediate levels.  All courses are designed to develop students' proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing, as well as to provide a general overview of the cultures related to the Spanish-speaking world. While the AA-T core specifies four required levels of Spanish, students placing in higher levels are not required to complete the lower-level courses. Rather, they take additional units from a list of approved substitution courses to reach the minimum units in the major.

Students graduating with an AA-T Degree are well-positioned to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a similar major within the California State University system with 60 units of upper-division coursework. Students who complete the AA-T are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, though not to a particular campus or major. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework and a minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major. While a minimum 2.0 is required for CSU admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult a counselor for more information.

Program Outcomes

✓ Recognize and produce the Spanish language in the four primary areas of communication: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

✓ Demonstrate a better understanding and appreciation of the cultures related to the Spanish language by comparing and contrasting them with the student’s own culture(s).

✓ Use current technologies to further develop language and cultural competencies.

✓ Students will be eligible and prepared for admission (SB 1440 and Education Code 66746) to California State University system schools.

The curriculum in the Humanities Associate of Arts degree program is designed to provide the transfer student the opportunity to achieve an Associate degree. While a baccalaureate or higher degree is recommended for those considering majors in the humanities such as English, history, art history, literature or philosophy, earning the Associate degree would demonstrate achievement and may support attempts to gain entry-level employment. While there are few direct pathways for the recipient of a Humanities degree, or any Liberal Arts degree, student who major in the Humanities and other Liberal Arts find employment because of their development of critical skills in writing, collaboration, and communication. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Liberal Arts majors find employment in fields including management, teaching, legal fields, sales, media, and more.

Students graduating with an Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer Degree are well positioned to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a similar major within the California State University system with 60 units of upper-division coursework. Students who complete the Sociology AA-T degree are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework. While a minimum 2.0 is required for CSU admission, some majors may require a higher GPA. Please consult a counselor for more information.

The Sociology program provides students with a core curriculum that instills the knowledge, skills, and practices of sociological content, theory, and methodology. In addition to helping students meet general education and core requirements for transfer to an upper-level Sociology program or to fulfill co-curricular requirements for other disciplines, the courses are also designed to help students understand the structure, processes, and functions of society, the key theoretical approaches and insights that inform sociology, and the role of social theory and research methods in understanding society. Further, the program seeks to foster critical and systemic thinking and increase self-knowledge and awareness of the diversity of the human condition.

Program Outcomes

✓ Use one of the three main sociological perspectives to explain the development of a social inequality.

✓ Describe the advantages and disadvantages of various sociological methods.

✓ Students will be eligible and prepared for admission (SB 1440 and Education Code 66746) to California State University system schools.

The curriculum in the History program is designed to provide the transfer student the opportunity to achieve an Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA‐T) degree in History by providing the necessary breadth in the field, an introduction to the methods used, and the ability to complete both major preparatory coursework along with courses required for general education. Students who complete the Associate in Arts in History for Transfer degree receive priority admission to the California State University system, though admission to a specific campus is not guaranteed. While an associate degree may support attempts to gain entry‐level employment or promotion, a baccalaureate or higher degree is recommended for those considering professional careers, which can be achieved through transfer.

The curriculum in the History program is designed to provide the transfer student with an understanding of the diversity of the human experience and the historical processes that have shaped individuals and communities throughout the world. It fosters critical thinking and the opportunity to achieve an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in History by providing the necessary breadth in the field, an introduction to the methods used in the study of history, and the ability to complete both major preparatory coursework along with courses required for general education. While a baccalaureate or higher degree in History or other social science fields is recommended for those considering this major, earning an Associate degree may support entry-level positions in Museum and Historical Organizations, Cultural Resources Centers, or work as Legislative Support Staff Workers.

Global Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed to enhance student knowledge and understanding of global processes and their implications for societies, markets, governments, cultures, and environments around the world. The program also introduces students to the study of global issues and perspectives while providing the methodological tools and techniques necessary to analyze them at multiple (local, regional, and international) levels. An understanding of the world's social, economic, political, cultural, and natural systems and their growing interdependence will not only enable students to think globally, but prepare them to live, work, and participate in an increasingly globalized world as well. The goal of the Global Studies Program at Saddleback College is to prepare students for further work in international studies and world affairs through the study of other cultures, social, economic, and political systems, world history and geography. The program is designed to encourage students to think beyond local perspectives and to think globally. Students will learn how to relate their knowledge of a particular part of the world to be larger trends and issues that affect the international community as a whole. Students who earn an associate degree this degree transfer as Global Studies majors or into other related majors such as International Relations, Geography, or Political Science. 

The curriculum in the German program is designed to provide the student the opportunity to achieve an Associate of Arts in German degree by providing the necessary breadth in the field. Students who complete the Associate of Arts Degree in German will have more opportunities in government business, medicine, law, technology, industry, marketing and other related fields.

A German degree provides students with more positive attitudes and less prejudice toward people who are different, teaches and encourages respect for other peoples: it fosters an understanding of the interrelation of language and human nature, appreciation of other ways of life, different systems of belief, and different ways of constructing knowledge, and, perhaps most importantly, a better understanding of the world in which they live and leads to an appreciation of cultural diversity. The curriculum in the German program is designed to provide the student the opportunity to achieve an Associate of Arts (AA) in German degree.

The curriculum in the Geography program is designed to provide the transfer student the opportunity to achieve an Associate in Arts in Geography for Transfer by providing the necessary breadth in the field, an introduction to the methods used, and the ability to complete both major preparatory coursework along with courses required for general education. Students who complete the Associate in Arts Degree in Geography for Transfer receive priority admission to the California State University system, though admission to a specific campus or major is not guaranteed. While an associate degree may support attempts to gain entry-level employment or promotion, a baccalaureate or higher degree is recommended for those considering professional careers, which can be achieved through transfer.

The curriculum in the Geography Associate of Arts degree program is designed to provide the transfer student the opportunity to achieve an Associate degree. While a baccalaureate or higher degree is recommended for those considering majors related to this field, earning the Associate degree would demonstrate achievement and may support attempts to gain entry-level employment and promotion while preparing students for transfer to a CSU, UC, or other four-year institution in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree in Geography.

Develop essential skills necessary for advancement or employment within a sales or marketing role in the hospitality, event, or meeting management industries.

Complete the Sales and Marketing Specialist Certificate of Achievement and the Associate in Science graduation requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the catalog.

Program Outcome

✓ The outcome for the certificate of achievement is to prepare students for employment within the hospitality, travel, or tourism industries in a sales or marketing capacity.