Associate Degree for Transfer Requirements

The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) provides students with a clear pathway to a California State University (CSU) major and baccalaureate degree. Students who wish to earn an Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) or Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) from MiraCosta College must meet the following requirements:

Complete a minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units.
Complete a minimum of 18 units in an approved ADT major.
Complete all courses required in the major with a “C” or "P" or better. Courses completed with a C- at institutions accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education may be used to complete this requirement.
Complete the certified CSU-GE (Plan B) or IGETC (Plan C) general education pattern. (Note: Students completing IGETC may be awarded the degree, but they must complete a course from Area IC: Oral Communication to meet CSU admission requirements.)
Obtain a minimum CSU-transferable grade point average of 2.0.
Complete a minimum of 12 semester units in residence within the MiraCosta Community College District.

Transfer Guarantee

California community college students who are awarded an ADT are guaranteed priority admission with junior status to a participating CSU campus and given priority admission to their local CSU campus. MiraCosta students earning an ADT or completing traditional admission requirements have local priority admission to California State University San Marcos. However, priority admission does not guarantee admission to a specific major.

Participating CSU campuses determine that the degree awarded by MiraCosta is similar to a degree that can be awarded at that campus. This may include an emphasis or option within the degree or another degree program. Once admitted, students are required to complete only 60 additional prescribed units to qualify for a similar baccalaureate degree. Students are encouraged to consult with a MiraCosta counselor to determine which CSU campuses are participating in this program and which degrees are considered similar on those campuses.

The ADT also guarantees students admission as juniors to many other participating colleges and universities, including select Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and three dozen independent, nonprofit universities in California. For a complete list of participating four-year universities, please visit the California Community Colleges Associate Degree for Transfer website.

MiraCosta reviews courses completed at other accredited institutions for placement on an ADT based on existing C-ID numbers and/or course comparability to the transfer model curriculum template developed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.

The ADT may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus, the University of California, or certain private or out-of-state universities. Students are encouraged to consult with a MiraCosta College counselor for further information regarding the most efficient pathway to transfer and to develop an educational plan designed to meet their educational goals.