Graduation Requirements

Requirements for the associate in arts (A.A.) and associate in science (A.S.) degrees include completion of all the following:

•     A minimum of 90 units in a defined set of courses;
•     A minimum of 18 units successfully completed at Foothill College;
•     A grade of C or better in all core and support courses used for the degree;
•     A minimum GPA of 2.0 across all college courses including Foothill courses;
•     A major or area of emphasis of at least 27 units in a curriculum approved by the Foothill College Curriculum Committee;
•     The general education requirements found on the Foothill College General Education & Graduation Requirements page. If you plan to transfer to a four-year college or university, you should also review the specific requirements of those institutions;
•     English Proficiency: ENGL 1A or ENGL 1AH or ESLL 26;
•     Math Proficiency: College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra; and
•     The student may apply only one English or ESLL course below transferable freshman composition toward the associate degree.

Note that completion of the IGETC or CSU GE Breadth pattern may also be used to satisfy the general education requirements for the Foothill A.A./A.S. degree. Because there are significant differences between the three patterns, you are strongly advised to meet early and often with a counselor to determine which pattern will best meet your goals.

General Education Reciprocity

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District has entered into a mutual General Education (GE) Reciprocity Agreement with other community colleges to accept the general education courses of these colleges “as completed.” In addition to Foothill, participating institutions include Chabot, De Anza, Evergreen Valley, Gavilan, Las Positas, Mission, Ohlone, San Jose City and West Valley colleges.

The reciprocity agreement allows students who obtain a certification of completion of associate degree GE requirements at one of the participating colleges to transfer both the GE coursework and graduation proficiencies to any of the other participating colleges.

Additional GE coursework will not be required if the official certification is presented. Students will still be required to complete all courses or prerequisites needed for a major. The agreement also means that the other participating colleges will accept the Foothill GE pattern when presented with official certification.

In addition to the General Education Reciprocity Agreement, Foothill College will exempt students who have already earned an associate degree from another California community college or who submit general education certification from another California community college (other than the nine colleges previously identified) from having to complete any additional general education or additional English/mathematics proficiency coursework to earn the Foothill A.A./A.S. Local general education requirements may also be met by completion of the IGETC or CSU General Education Breadth Requirements. For more information, schedule an appointment with a counselor.

Students seeking an official general education certification for use by a reciprocity institution are encouraged to review their records with a counselor prior to submitting the General Education Certification Request. Students who have completed courses at other colleges and universities must have official transcripts on file prior to submitting the request. Requests for A.A./A.S. general education certification may be submitted to the Evaluations Office in Room 8101.

Petition for Graduation

Upon completion of required coursework, you may request to receive an associate degree (A.A./A.A.-T/A.S./A.S.-T) from Foothill College. You must complete a 30-minute appointment with a Foothill counselor, in person or virtually, in order to verify applicable requirements and complete the graduation petition. Please note that any applicable coursework from other schools, in the form of official transcripts, must be on file at Foothill College at the time of completing the graduation petition. The petition must be filed the quarter during which the degree will be completed, by the applicable deadline for that quarter. For deadline information, visit foothill.edu/counseling/petition.html. Foothill confers degrees every quarter, and the annual commencement ceremony is presented in June. For more information, schedule a consultation with a counselor by visiting foothill.edu/counseling.

Catalog Rights/Requirements for Graduation

The Course Catalog serves as an agreement between the student and the college to identify courses that the student must complete in order to qualify for a degree or certificate. The student has the right to select the course requirements for a degree or certificate from any catalog as long as continuous enrollment has been maintained.

Allied health programs reserve the right to change catalog rights by modifying program requirements based upon state and federal accreditation standards.

Continuous Enrollment

Continuous enrollment is important in deciding which catalog a student may select to determine degree or certificate requirements. A continuously enrolled student is defined as one who attended Foothill or De Anza colleges at least two quarters each academic year, excluding summer session. A single W-mark in a term qualifies as an attended term.

Currency of Major/Certificate Requirements

In certain Foothill College programs, currency of course content is essential. The Foothill College Curriculum Committee reserves the right to determine an acceptable level of currency of any course in any major or certificate. This means that a course may only be used toward fulfilling a certificate or degree for a prescribed number of years. Students should check certificate and major requirements for courses that are noted as having currency levels.

Discontinued Degrees

A discontinued degree is one that was once offered by Foothill College but which is no longer offered. To be considered for an associate degree in a discontinued program, the student who has maintained continuous enrollment may file to graduate from Foothill College within seven years of the time that a program is discontinued.

Non-Transcriptable Certificates

Per Title 5 regulations, certificates of achievement are noted on the student’s transcript. However, certificates of career, competency, completion, proficiency, specialization, and skills are not reflected on the student’s transcript.

Course Numbering System

Most Foothill courses are baccalaureate in level and can be transferred to four-year institutions. For complete course numbering guidelines, visit Course Numbering System.

Certification of General Education for Transfer

Foothill College will certify completion of up to 58 units of the 72-unit general education requirement for graduation from the CSU. See CSU General Education Breadth Requirements for more information.

IGETC Certification for CSU or UC requires full certification of Areas 1 through 5. You may request certification by completing the official certification form or transcript request form available from Admissions & Records or Evaluations. See IGETC page for more information.

We encourage all students to consult with a counselor each quarter for new course requirements, and for help in selecting courses.