By completing the Liberal Arts and Sciences—Emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences Associate in Arts degree, students will be exposed to a wide range of coursework to achieve an understanding of human behavior and human interaction in the social and physical environment. Students will survey, analyze and interpret concepts, theories, and methodologies to cultivate an understanding of human beings and the societies and cultures they create. Common majors within the Social and Behavioral Sciences Emphasis include but are not limited to, Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Geography (Cultural), Global Studies, History, International Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Social Science, and Sociology.

The Associate in Arts degree (AA) in Liberal Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences provides students with a broad perspective on human behavior. It is designed to stimulate appreciation for, and understanding of values, ideas, and artifacts of culture and society. Critical thinking skills and self-understanding through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in liberal arts.

The Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences provides students with a broad perspective on human behavior. It is designed to stimulate appreciation for and understanding of values, ideas, and artifacts of culture and society. Critical thinking skills and self-understanding through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in liberal arts. Successful completion of the curriculum in Social and Behavioral Sciences offers students a breadth of knowledge that could be focused on single discipline degrees and applied to an interdisciplinary degree.

The Associate in Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences degree program provides students with a broad perspective on human behavior. It is designed to stimulate appreciation for, and understanding of, values, ideas, and artifacts of culture and society. Critical thinking skills and self-understanding through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in a variety of disciplines. Successful completion of the curriculum in Social and Behavioral Sciences offers students a breadth of knowledge that could be focused on single discipline degrees as well as applied to an interdisciplinary degree. The degree is intended for those who are considering transfer but have not decided on a major or for those who are required to complete a degree for a job promotion. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor to develop their own program of study.

These courses emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to the understanding and study of human behavior and social organization. Students study and analyze human societies; the institutions, organizations, and groups that comprise them; and the way individuals and groups relate to one another. Students develop an understanding of the various theories and methodologies of the disciplines, as well as skills in applying their knowledge in critical and useful ways as they navigate their own lives within a constantly changing and complex social world. For the Associate of Social Sciences, students must complete the General Education pattern and elective courses for an additional 42 units. Students must complete 18 units in the area of emphasis courses with a grade of “C” or better, 19 units of general education requirements, and an additional 23 units of elective courses for a total of 60 units. As this degree alone may not be complete preparation for transfer, students wishing to continue at the UC or CSU system should meet with a counselor to develop a transfer plan which addresses all general education and lower-division transfer requirements.

The Social Work Associate in Arts curriculum was developed to meet the needs of current and prospective students interested in transferring to a college or university and eventually earning a Bachelor in Social Work degree. The curriculum provides students with introductory-level knowledge in the field of social work study and supports a seamless transfer to the junior-level status at a four-year college or university offering a Council of Social Work Education-Accredited Bachelor in Social Work degree (BSW).

This degree intends to prepare students for careers and/or higher education in the social sciences, generally, or in the specific disciplines within the overall social science designation. This degree emphasizes the nature of individual and collective human behavior; our interactions; the political-economic, social, and psychological structures and institutions of human beings; and the challenges of developing and sustaining interpersonal and intercultural relationships. This degree will enhance their ability to explain how groups and subgroups operate to make responsible political, moral, and social decisions.

The Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer (AA-T in Sociology) is designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU institution for students who plan to transfer and complete a CSU major or baccalaureate degree in Sociology. The Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer (AA-T in Sociology) provides a foundation for understanding many aspects of the social sciences and assists students in comprehending other behavioral sciences. The required courses offer a basic understanding of how people relate to one another, the types of relationships people form, and various aspects and difficulties of such relationships.

The Associate in Arts Degree in Sociology for Transfer Degree is designed for students planning to transfer into a sociology major. A study of sociology allows for the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Students pursuing the AA for transfer into the sociology major will study the role of social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.

The Community Social Services/Substance Abuse Associate in Arts (AA) Degree is designed to prepare students for employment in entry-level paraprofessional positions providing counseling, case management, crisis management, and relapse prevention services to substance abuse clients. The program also offers further training for persons already employed in the field.

The Associate in Arts in Social Work and Human Services for Transfer is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution as Social Work and Human Services majors. In this program, the students gain exposure to the field of social and human service work. Students who successfully complete the AA-T in Social Work and Human Services earn specific guarantees for transfer to the CSU system: admission to a CSU with junior status and priority admission to a local CSU campus and to a program or major in Social Work and Human Service or a similar major.

The Associate in Arts Liberal Arts: Cross-Cultural Studies degree program is designed for students who wish for a broad knowledge of liberal arts and sciences with an area of emphasis in Cross-Cultural Studies. This program is an ideal choice for students planning on transferring to the California State University or the University of California as the student can satisfy their general education requirements, plus focus on transferable course work that relates to majors at CSU or UC.

The Associate in Arts in Sociology for Transfer (AA-T) degree is intended to meet the lower-division requirements for sociology majors or majors that have been deemed similar in the California State University (CSU) system. Sociology is the critical and applied investigation of everyday life. This approach to academic studies provides students with an analysis of social life, social change, and the social factors and consequences of human behavior using the methods of social science research. Sociologists examine the social construction of individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions and how people interact within these contexts.

The following course set fulfills the requirement of the Specialization in Political Science for the Associate of Arts (DTA)Degree and prepares students for transfer as a political science major with junior standing at the University of Washington-Tacoma and the University of Washington-Seattle.

In anthropology, students develop a critical analysis necessary to become world citizens, through studying a multitude of interrelated elements of what makes humans unique among all creatures on Earth. Unlike other social sciences, which often focus narrowly on only a few aspects of humanity, anthropology offers an integrated study of human culture, society, biology, and communication, from the time of our earliest evolution until the present moment.