Credit for Prior Learning

A pathway to the associate degree for students who have already achieved a bachelor’s degree

Students who wish to pursue an associate degree at College of San Mateo and have already been awarded a bachelor’s degree from an institutionally accredited college or university in the United States shall be exempt from College of San Mateo local associate degree general education requirements. This pathway does not apply to Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA/AS-T).

Students must complete at least 12 semester units in residence within the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD). They must complete 12 units—or 50 percent of the units required for the major, whichever is fewer—at one or more of the SMCCCD colleges.

Students with coursework completed at colleges and universities outside SMCCCD should use Transcript Evaluation Services (TES) to determine how it will be applied toward degrees and certificates. For more information, visit the district Evaluation Service website.