General Education (GE) for AA and AS Degrees
Students completing an AA or AS degree may choose either the VVC GE pattern listed below or the Cal-GETC pattern. This link will take you to a concise pdf version of the 2026-2027 VVC GE pattern, also called the "green sheet."
Select one course from each of the seven categories to complete the general education component for the AA/AS degree at VVC. In addition, students are also required to complete the VVC Kinesiology and American Ideals Competencies. Minimum 21 semester units. Courses used for general education can be double-counted for AA/AS major courses. This pattern is not used for ADTs.
2026-2027 VVC GE Pattern
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| VVC General Education and Competency Requirements | ||
| All courses may be completed with a "D" grade or better, unless otherwise noted. Please note that an overall minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation and that transfer institutions may have different policies regarding D grades. | ||
| Area 1 - English Composition, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking | 6.0-7.0 | |
| (Two courses: One from 1A and one from 1B. 6 semester or 8 quarter units. Courses in Area 1 must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.) | ||
1A: English Composition (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Academic Reading and Writing | ||
| Academic Reading and Writing F28 | ||
1B: Oral Communication and Critical Thinking (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Argumentation and Oral Debate | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Family Communication | ||
| Group Discussion | ||
| Introduction to Public Speaking | ||
| Honors Critical Thinking and Composition F28 | ||
| Critical Thinking and Writing | ||
| Introduction to Logic | ||
| Introduction to Critical Thinking | ||
| Introduction to Critical Thinking | ||
| Area 2 - Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-5.0 | |
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units. Course in Area 2 must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.) | ||
| College Algebra for Allied Health | ||
| Trigonometry | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Mathematical Concepts for Elementary School Teachers | ||
| The Ideas of Math | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | ||
| Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | ||
| Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | ||
| Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculs III | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Differential Equations | ||
| Introduction to Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
A college level Intermediate Algebra course also fulfills Area 2. | ||
| Area 3 - Arts and Humanities | 3.0-5.0 | |
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology | ||
ART 101 | ||
ART 102 | ||
| Film As an Art Form | ||
| Introduction to Art | ||
| Art Concepts | ||
| Art & Life of Greece | ||
| Art and Life of Italy | ||
| Survey of African American Art | ||
| Introduction to the Arts of Africa | ||
| History of Contemporary Art | ||
| Design I | ||
| Design II | ||
| Color Theory | ||
| Acrylic Painting I | ||
| Beginning Figure Drawing | ||
| Drawing I | ||
| Oil Painting I | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| American Sign Language III | ||
| American Sign Language IV | ||
| Digital Imaging | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Creative Writing | ||
| Authors of the Theatre | ||
| Modern Fiction | ||
| Poetry | ||
| Survey of American Literature 1600-1865 | ||
| Survey of American Literature 1865 to Present | ||
| Chicanx and Latinx Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| Children's Literature | ||
| World Literature Ancient-Early Renaissance | ||
| World Literature Renaissance-Modern | ||
| Classic Mythology | ||
| Survey of British Literature Early Medieval-Neoclassics | ||
| Survey of British Literature Romantic Period to 20th Century | ||
| Shakespeare | ||
| Introduction to Literature F28 | ||
| Introduction to Literature - Honors F28 | ||
| Elementary French | ||
| Elementary French | ||
| Western Civilization to 1500 | ||
| Western Civilization from 1500 | ||
| Western Civilization from 1500 | ||
| World History to 1500 | ||
| World History Since 1500 | ||
| History of California | ||
| Latin American History to 1822 | ||
| Latin American History From 1822 | ||
| African American History | ||
| Women in U.S. History | ||
| Native American History | ||
| United States History to 1877 F28 | ||
HIST C1001H | F28 | |
| United States History Since 1865 F28 | ||
| United States History since 1865 - Honors F28 | ||
| History and Appreciation of Dance | ||
| Introduction to Music | ||
| Fundamentals of Music | ||
| Music Theory I | ||
| Music Theory II | ||
| Music in America | ||
| History of Jazz | ||
| Survey of Rock and Roll | ||
| Intermediate Theory-Chromatic Practice I | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Ethics and Contemporary Moral Issues | ||
| Introduction to Political Theory and Thought | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| History of Ancient Philosophy | ||
| History of Modern Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Political Theory and Thought | ||
| Introduction to Religious Studies | ||
| Old Testament, Hebrew Bible, Religions of the Ancient Near East | ||
| Introduction to the New Testament and Early Christian Literature | ||
| World Religions | ||
| Religions of the Middle East and The West | ||
| Religions of South and East Asia | ||
| Religion in America | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Elementary Spanish | ||
| Fundamentals of Spanish 101A | ||
| Fundamentals of Spanish 101B | ||
| Elementary Spanish | ||
| Intermediate Spanish | ||
| Intermediate Spanish | ||
| Spanish for Spanish Speakers | ||
| Spanish for Spanish Speakers | ||
| Oral Interpretation of Literature | ||
| Authors of the Theatre | ||
| Introduction to Theatre | ||
| History of Theatre | ||
| Intermediate Acting | ||
| Principles of Design for Theatre | ||
| Authors of the Theatre | ||
| Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3.0 | |
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Society | ||
| Agriculture Economics | ||
| Introduction to Physical Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology | ||
| North American Prehistory | ||
| Child Growth & Development | ||
| Child, Family, and Community | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| Introduction to Chicana/O Studies | ||
| Introduction to African American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Asian American Studies | ||
| Ethnic and Racial Minorites | ||
| Contemporary Ethnic Woman | ||
| Introduction to Physical Geography | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Geography | ||
| Geography of California | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Global Problems/Issues | ||
| First Year Experience | ||
| Personal & Career Success | ||
| Learning Strategies and Study Skills | ||
| Western Civilization to 1500 | ||
| Western Civilization from 1500 | ||
| World History to 1500 | ||
| World History Since 1500 | ||
| History of California | ||
| Latin American History to 1822 | ||
| Latin American History From 1822 | ||
| African American History | ||
| Women in U.S. History | ||
| Native American History | ||
| United States History to 1877 | ||
| United States History Since 1865 | ||
| United States History since 1865 - Honors F28 | ||
| Health and Social Justice | ||
| Introduction to Political Theory and Thought | ||
| Introduction to Political Science | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics | ||
| Politics of Middle East and North Africa | ||
| Introduction to Political Theory and Thought | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management | ||
| American Government and Politics | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Human Sexuality | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Religion and Society | ||
| Religion in America | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Introduction to Marriage and Family | ||
| Introduction to Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Introduction to Gender | ||
| Sociology of Sport | ||
| Introduction to LGBTQ Studies | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Area 5 - Natural Sciences | 3.0-5.0 | |
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Introduction to Plant Science | ||
| Environmental Science and Sustainability | ||
| Medical Aspects of Drugs and Alcohol | ||
| Introduction to Physical Anthropology | ||
| Descriptive Astronomy | ||
| Introduction to Human Biology | ||
| Principles of Heredity | ||
| Biology of Cells | ||
| Biology of Organisms | ||
| Population and Environmental Biology | ||
| Human Anatomy | ||
| General Microbiology | ||
| Human Physiology | ||
| Introduction to Biology with Lab | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry | ||
| Introductory Chemistry II: Organic Chemistry | ||
| Introductory Chemistry III Biochemistry | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Introduction to Physical Geography | ||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Earth Science With Lab | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Contemporary Problems in Personal and Community Health | ||
| Honors Contemporary Problems in Personal and Community Health | ||
| Women's Health Issues | ||
| Introductory Physics | ||
| Engineering Physics I-Mechanics | ||
| Engineering Physics II - Fluids, Sound, and Thermodynamics | ||
| Engineering Physics III Electricity and Magnetism | ||
| Engineering Physics IV-Optics and Modern Physics | ||
| General Physics I | ||
| General Physics II | ||
| Principles of Physical Science | ||
| Biopsychology | ||
| Area 6 - Ethnic Studies | 3.0 | |
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units) | ||
| Introduction to Chicana/O Studies F27 | ||
| Introduction to African American Studies F27 | ||
| American Institutions Competency | ||
| (One course: 3 semester or 4 quarter units. This competency may double-count with a GE course above.) | ||
| African American History | ||
| Women in U.S. History | ||
| United States History to 1877 | ||
HIST C1001H | ||
| United States History Since 1865 | ||
| United States History since 1865 - Honors | ||
| American Government and Politics | ||
These courses will fulfill VVC's American Institutions competency, but will not satisfy CSU's US History, Constitution, and American Ideals requirement. | ||
| History of California | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Kinesiology Competency | ||
| (One course: 0 units or more. From any prefix listed below or FIRE 140A. This competency may double-count with a GE course above.) | ||
Adapted Physical Education (APE) | ||
Health (HLTH) 1 | ||
Kinesiology (KIN) | ||
Kinesiology Dance (KIND) | ||
Theater Arts (TA) that are cross-listed with KIND | ||
US Military Basic Training | ||
| Total Units | 21-28 | |
- 1
Athletics (ATHL) courses do not fulfill the Kinesiology requirement, except ATHL courses that are cross-listed with Health (HLTH) courses.
- F27
Scheduled to be removed from this GE area beginning Fall 2027. Check with a counselor for proper advising and updates.
- F28
Scheduled to be removed from this GE area beginning Fall 2028. Check with a counselor for proper advising and updates.