Associate Degree Requirements (A.A. and A.S)

Consistent with its mission as a Catholic, Marianist institution, Chaminade University assists students to prepare themselves for life, service, and successful careers. The Chaminade experience assists each student to develop fully through a course of study grounded in the liberal arts. Chaminade students are prepared for a lifetime of learning about themselves, each other, and the world they live in through challenging discourse and exercise in diverse methods of inquiry, moral guidance and spiritual exploration and participation in the University’s multicultural community. Undergraduate study at Chaminade University is structured in two parts:

1. A general education core of basic skills development and liberal arts inquiry foundational skills, values, and a capstone; and

2. Intensive study in a chosen field of concentration (the major).

All baccalaureate degrees require a minimum of 120 credits hours of course work with a minimum of 45 hours in upper division courses. Within these basic guidelines, the individual student, with the help of an advisor, selects a program of study appropriate to personal aspirations and interests. Chaminade University is committed to a broad liberal education for its students because such an education provides the foundation for lifelong personal growth, a foundation for a career which may include many job changes as the workplace changes, and the background which will allow students to rise to leadership positions in their chosen professional fields and in their communities. Outstanding professional training at Chaminade is complemented by continued reflection on questions of meaning, purpose, and value.

Core Curriculum Requirements

Basic Skill Requisite for University Dialogue
Certain fundamental skills deserve particular attention in the first year and throughout the curriculum. Entering students may be required to take placement tests to determine their competency in reading, composition, and mathematics. According to placement test scores SAT/ACT and high school grades, students are guided to the appropriate level in a sequence of English composition courses or to required developmental courses in reading and mathematics. All students are required to enroll in composition and speech courses until they have completed English 102 and Communication 101 with a grade of “C” or better. EN 102 and COM 101 are prerequisites for all upper division courses. The University-wide writing standards assure that students learn to write for a variety of disciplines and practice and refine their writing skills throughout their years at Chaminade. The exercise of critical thought, practice in oral and written expression, as well as exploration of moral and spiritual issues is integrated into all programs of study.

Writing Proficiency
Writing is an integral part of academic life at Chaminade. Students are expected to write prose that is correct and appropriate to their purpose and audience. Furthermore, by the time of graduation, students are expected to be able to demonstrate competency in communicating in writing to both specialists in their field and to the general public. To this end, all appropriate courses at Chaminade have writing requirements. The sequence of writing courses is designed to assure that all Chaminade students meet these degree requirements.

The University requires all students to do the following:
• Complete EN 102, Expository Writing, with a grade of “C” or better.
• Complete additional writing requirements specified by faculty in their major discipline.

All students entering Chaminade are placed in the appropriate level of the composition sequence. Students then progress through the composition series until they have completed EN 102.

Exemption from EN 102 may be granted to those who have completed a college-level English composition course at a previous college with a “C” or better, and the course has clearly included, as evidenced by catalog description, research techniques and the completion of a research paper. Either the catalog description or copy of an acceptable graded research paper must be presented for evaluation within the first semester at Chaminade. If this requirement has not been met, EN 102 must be taken within the first two semesters at Chaminade.

General Education
The General Education program at Chaminade University has been thoughtfully crafted to enhance foundational skills and values so that students leave Chaminade ready for successful lives, service, and careers. The program gives students the foundational skills needed to be competitive in an everchanging world while also developing the whole person who is grounded in values that prepare them for life, service, and successful careers. These skills and values will allow students to discern essential problems through a variety of disciplinary lenses, develop core educational competencies, and values that engender productive and collaborative exchanges with a diverse body of actors.

There are three main elements of the Chaminade General Education requirements, including Foundational Skills, Values, and the Capstone course. General Education requirement courses must be taken for a letter grade and a minimum of 3 credits each, with the exception of lab courses which are one credit courses (but must be taken alongside the 3 credit course). The total credit units required for the Chaminade General Education is 44-45 credits.

Students who entered Chaminade prior to the Fall 2020 term are subject to the general education requirements outlined in prior catalog years. Transfer students who come to Chaminade with an associate or bachelor degree OR who have otherwise completed general education requirements from an accredited institution will receive a waiver of Chaminade General Education requirements. Note that all students must still meet a minimum of 120 credits in order to satisfy bachelor’s degree requirements (some programs require more than 120 credits) or 60 credits to satisfy associate’s degree requirements. Courses taken for fulfillment of the General Education may also count towards major requirements.

The Undergraduate Major
Chaminade students choose a major program of study from 24 different fields. All majors require a minimum of 24 credit hours in upper division courses. Some degrees require considerably more. Such in-depth study prepares students for meaningful careers and graduate work in the field. At least half of the courses required in the major must be completed in residence at Chaminade University. Major courses may be used to satisfy minor requirements.

Electives
A student’s liberal education continues through the undergraduate program by elective courses outside the major discipline. These elective courses may be as varied as students’ interests or may be concentrated into a second major or a minor program.

Minor
A minor may be earned in a variety of disciplines. To earn a minor, at least half of the requirements for the minor must be earned in residence at Chaminade University.

General Education Requirements for Associate Degrees

Associate of Arts (A.A.)
The Associate of Arts degree requires the completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit with a GPA of at least 2.0 (C) for all work completed at Chaminade. The degree also requires completion of the general education core for Associate’s degrees. At least 15 semester hours of course work must be completed at Chaminade; if there is a concentration then at least half of the courses in the concentration must be taken at Chaminade. Students who intend to go on to the baccalaureate degree should select electives which fulfill pre-major and general education requirements which prepare the student to satisfy the additional requirements for the higher degree. Areas of emphasis are offered in Business Administration, Environmental + Interior Design, and Liberal Arts.

Associate of Science (A.S.)
The Associate of Science degree requires the completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit with a GPA of at least 2.0 (C) for all work completed at Chaminade. The degree also requires completion of the general education core for all Associate degrees. At least 15 semester hours of course work must be completed at Chaminade; if there is a concentration then at least half of the courses in the concentration must be taken at Chaminade. At least 50 percent of the science concentration credits must be taken at Chaminade. Students who intend to go on to the baccalaureate degree should select electives which fulfill pre-major and general education requirements which prepare the student to satisfy the additional requirements for the higher degree. Areas of emphasis are offered in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, and Natural Sciences.