University Studies: Emphasis in Social Sciences
Associate in Arts General Education · Palomar College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Associate in Science in University Studies Social Sciences emphasizes the examination of social and political institutions, cultural and social organizations, and the sociocultural, intellectual, and historical experiences that inform the construction of racial, gender, and cultural identities. This degree helps facilitate transfer to the CSU, UC, and independent colleges and universities in majors such as American Studies, American Indian Studies, Africana Studies, Asian Studies, Chicana and Chicano Studies, Ethnic Studies, Gender and Women Studies, Global Health, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies, Social Sciences, and Urban Studies and Planning.
University Studies general education requires full completion of The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
Because admissions and major preparation requirements vary at each transfer institution, courses used to fulfill requirements for an emphasis should be selected with the assistance of a Palomar College counselor.
Learning Outcome(s):
- Design and formulate research methods addressing problems in social and political institutions.
- Evaluate the cultural and social organizations in which they exist.
- Describe the sociocultural, intellectual, and historical experiences that inform the construction of racial, gender, and cultural identities.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| General Education: | ||
| The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) | ||
| Social and Political Institutions. Choose one course. | 3 | |
| AS 101 | African-American History I | 3 |
| AS 102 | African-American History II | 3 |
| AIS 101 | History of American Indian Nations from Creation through the Present | 3 |
| AIS 102 | The American Indian and the U.S. Political System | 3 |
| CS 101 | United States History from a Chicano Perspective I | 3 |
| CS 102 | United States History from a Chicano Perspective II | 3 |
| HIST C1001 | United States History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST C1002 | United States History since 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 140 | History of the Americas Through 1800 | 3 |
| HIST 141 | History of the Americas Since 1800 | 3 |
| POLS C1000 | American Government and Politics | 4 |
| RS 102 | Religion in American History | 3 |
| RS 103 | Religion and American Political Institutions | 3 |
| Ethnic Studies. Choose one course from the following list not already completed from above: | 3 | |
| AIS 100 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AIS 101 | History of American Indian Nations from Creation through the Present | 3 |
| AIS 102 | The American Indian and the U.S. Political System | 3 |
| AIS 125 | American Indians Today | 3 |
| AS 100 | Introduction to African American Studies | 3 |
| AS 101 | African-American History I | 3 |
| AS 102 | African-American History II | 3 |
| CS 100 | Introduction to Chicano Studies | 3 |
| CS 101 | United States History from a Chicano Perspective I | 3 |
| CS 102 | United States History from a Chicano Perspective II | 3 |
| CS 140 | Chicana History and Feminism | 3 |
| CS 160 | US-Mexican International Border | 3 |
| Perspectives on Social Sciences. Choose a minimum of 12 units from the following list or from any courses listed above not already completed. | 12 | |
| AAS 100 | Introduction to Asian American Studies | 3 |
| AIS 110 | History of the Plains Indian | 3 |
| AIS 115 | A History of Southwest Indians | 3 |
| AIS 121 | Pacific Islanders | 3 |
| AIS 130 | Prehistoric Cultures of North America | 3 |
| AIS 140 | The Original Californians | 3 |
| AIS 165 | Native Women in the Americas | 3 |
| AJ 100 | Introduction To Criminal Justice | 3 |
| ANTH 103 | Bones: Human Osteology | 3 |
| ANTH 105 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 107 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| ANTH 110 | Introduction to Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTH 115 | People and Cultures of the World | 3 |
| ANTH 125 | Evolution, Science and Religion | 3 |
| ANTH 126 | Cultures of Africa | 3 |
| ANTH 137 | Medical Anthropology: Culture, Illness and Healing | 3 |
| AS 100 | Introduction to African American Studies | 3 |
| AS 120 | Introduction to Africana Social Institutions and Behavior | 3 |
| ASL 110 | Awareness of Deaf Culture | 3 |
| BUS 204 | Quantitative Business Analysis | 4 |
| CDEV C1000 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| CHDV 110 | Introduction to Children with Disabilities | 3 |
| CHDV 115 | Child, Family, and Community | 3 |
| EDUC 172 | Teaching in a Diverse Society | 3 |
| COMM 100 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| COMM 105 | Race, Gender and Media Effects | 3 |
| ECON 100 | Basic Economics | 3 |
| ECON C2002 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON C2001 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 110 | Comparative Economic Systems | 3 |
| ECON 115 | Economic History of the United States | 3 |
| ECON 120 | Environmental Economics | 3 |
| ECON 125 | Introduction to Labor Studies | 3 |
| ENG 150 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| GBST 101 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 |
| GBST 102 | Global Issues | 3 |
| GEOG 103 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 105 | People and the Environment: Introduction to Human Geography | 3 |
| HIST 105 | History of Europe Through the Reformation | 3 |
| HIST 106 | History of Europe Since the Reformation | 3 |
| HIST 107 | World History To 1650 | 3 |
| HIST 108 | World History Since 1650 | 3 |
| HIST 121 | History of California | 3 |
| HIST 130 | Women in United States History | 3 |
| HIST 150 | History of Latin America to 1824 | 3 |
| HIST 151 | History of Latin America from Independence to the Present | 3 |
| HIST 160 | History of the Middle East from 600 to the Present | 3 |
| MCS 100 | Introduction to Multicultural Studies | 3 |
| POSC 100 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| POSC 103 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POSC 110 | Introduction to World Politics | 3 |
| PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 105 | Marriage, Family and Intimate Relationships | 3 |
| PSYC 110 | Developmental Psychology - Child Through Adult | 3 |
| PSYC 120 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 130 | Psychology of Gender | 3 |
| PSYC 211 | Introduction to Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 225 | Psychology of Abnormal Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 235 | Principles of Learning and Behavior Modification | 3 |
| RS 108 | History of Christianity | 3 |
| SOCI C1000 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 200 | Race, Class, and Ethnic Groups in America | 3 |
| SOC 110 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 115 | Introduction to Women's Studies | 3 |
| SOC 130 | Introduction to Sociology of Health | 3 |
| SOC 135 | Gender and Society | 3 |
| SOC 165 | Self and Society | 3 |
| SOC 205 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 4 |
| SOC 170 | Introduction to Justice Studies | 3 |
| SOC 175 | Introduction to LBGTQI Studies | 3 |
| SOC 180 | Social Justice Statistics | 3 |
| SPCH 120 | Human Communication | 3 |
| SPCH 131 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning Option: Choose one from the following list. Unit limitation: Only one course from this list may apply toward the University Studies Social Science degree. | 3-5 | |
| BUS 204 | Quantitative Business Analysis | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000E | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orMATH C2210 | Calculus I: Early Transcendentals | 5 |
| orMATH C2210E | Calculus I: Early Transcendentals - Embedded Support | 5 |
| orMATH C2220 | Calculus II: Early Transcendentals | 4 |
| orMATH 141E | Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Second Course Enhanced | 4 |
| orMATH 200 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| orMATH 205 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Third Course | 4 |
| orSOC 205 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 4 |
| orSOC 180 | Social Justice Statistics | 3 |
| Total | 18 | |