2008 Woodie Awards
Associate's degree is helpful for transferring, employment
Kristen Toner
Issue date: 6/19/06 Section: Features
Monday, June 19, 2006
De Anza College students will gather at the outdoor event arena in their maroon caps and gowns to finally hold in their hands the physical proof of their years of hard work and determination at De Anza. They have conquered the not-so-small feat of an Associate's Degree. The graduation ceremony will be held on June 24 at 9 a.m.
To qualify for an A.A. or A.S. degree from De Anza, students are required to complete 90 quarter units of college credit. General education, or core courses, makes up 31 to 42 of those units in the areas of language and rationality, natural sciences, arts and humanities, social behavioral sciences and physical education, development and performance.
Once a student has completed the general education requirements, the remaining units will vary according to the requirements of the student's major.
The main objective to obtaining an A.A. or A.S. degree is for employment, transferring to a four-year university or upgrading one's professional skills.
"Typically students take more than two years to receive their degree," said Herminio Hernando, counselor and Human Development Studies instructor.
Students often have other responsibilities outside of school like jobs and families, Hernando said.
According to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District student demographic fact sheet for fall 2005, 70 percent of students in the Foothill-De Anza District are enrolled part-time, 30 percent full-time.
"I am so proud and happy I finally finished," said Erica Tsuha as she shot her hands in the air and cheered. Tsuha has been working towards her A.A. degree in liberal arts for two and a half years.
She said her next goal will be to get a job. She will return to De Anza over the summer to finish a certificate in accounting to help in her employment search.
"I got my stuff done," said Mike Shackel, another De Anza graduate. "It seems like the degree has left me with a lot of opportunities."
De Anza College students will gather at the outdoor event arena in their maroon caps and gowns to finally hold in their hands the physical proof of their years of hard work and determination at De Anza. They have conquered the not-so-small feat of an Associate's Degree. The graduation ceremony will be held on June 24 at 9 a.m.
To qualify for an A.A. or A.S. degree from De Anza, students are required to complete 90 quarter units of college credit. General education, or core courses, makes up 31 to 42 of those units in the areas of language and rationality, natural sciences, arts and humanities, social behavioral sciences and physical education, development and performance.
Once a student has completed the general education requirements, the remaining units will vary according to the requirements of the student's major.
The main objective to obtaining an A.A. or A.S. degree is for employment, transferring to a four-year university or upgrading one's professional skills.
"Typically students take more than two years to receive their degree," said Herminio Hernando, counselor and Human Development Studies instructor.
Students often have other responsibilities outside of school like jobs and families, Hernando said.
According to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District student demographic fact sheet for fall 2005, 70 percent of students in the Foothill-De Anza District are enrolled part-time, 30 percent full-time.
"I am so proud and happy I finally finished," said Erica Tsuha as she shot her hands in the air and cheered. Tsuha has been working towards her A.A. degree in liberal arts for two and a half years.
She said her next goal will be to get a job. She will return to De Anza over the summer to finish a certificate in accounting to help in her employment search.
"I got my stuff done," said Mike Shackel, another De Anza graduate. "It seems like the degree has left me with a lot of opportunities."
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