Degrees Offered and Accreditation
Degree Requirements for Associate of Arts Degree
Requirements for specific areas of emphasis
- Emphasis in Business and Technology
- Emphasis in Art and Humanities
- Emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Degrees Offered and Accreditation
California Indian Nations College offers an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. Within the degree, students can choose to emphasize, Art & Humanities, Business & Technology or Social & Behavioral Sciences. Students create a plan to graduation with the advice of the Registrar.
The degree is designed to prepare students for transfer to a wide range of baccalaureate programs or majors (transfer preparation) while providing a solid, well-rounded general education.
CINC is in the process of pursuing independent accreditation. In the interim, through an agreement allowing offering this degree in conjunction with the College of the Desert, courses taken at CINC will be accepted at most state and private institutions.
Degree Requirements
Students may graduate from California Indian Nations College/College of the Desert with an Associate of Arts degree upon meeting the following College requirements. Requirements for specific emphases follow the degree requirements.
Competency Requirements
Reading Competency: All students earning an Associate Degree must demonstrate a reading proficiency at the collegiate level by passing ENG 001A with a grade of “C” or better, or the equivalent.
Writing Competency: All students earning an Associate Degree must demonstrate a writing proficiency at the collegiate level by passing ENG 001A with a grade of “C” or better, or the equivalent.
Mathematics Competency: All students earning an Associate Degree must demonstrate a mathematics proficiency by passing with a grade of “C” or better, MATH 40, or any college mathematics course determined by the College to be equivalent to, or higher than, MATH 040. All students intending to transfer should complete the UC or CSU Mathematics requirements.
Credit Requirements
A minimum of sixty (60) degree-applicable units with a 2.0 (“C”) Grade Point Average (GPA). Basic skills courses do not apply toward the degree. Grades earned in non-degree credit courses are not included in the calculation of the degree-applicable GPA.
Completion of twelve (12) units in residence at California Indian Nations College and College of the Desert. (Note: During the accreditation process CINC students are dually enrolled at College of the Desert.)
Acceptance of transfer credits policy
Up to 48 credits may be transferred from accredited colleges or universities. For a course to be accepted for transfer, students must have achieved a grade of C- or better.
General Education (GE) Requirements
Arts, Humanities and Culture – 3 units
Natural Science – 3 units
Social Science – 3 units
Language and Rationality – 6 units
Personal Growth and Development – 3 units
An Ethnic Studies course selected from ETHN1, ETHN2, ETHN3, ETHN4 or ETHN 5 – 3 units
A single course, even though listed in more than one area, can only be used to satisfy one GE requirement.
Kinesiology Activity Requirement
Two (2) units are required from kinesiology (KINE), recreation (RE) or varsity sports (VSM, VSO, VSW). Note: If KINE-010 is used to fulfill General Education requirements , it may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
Note: College authorities may approve or require substitutions for discontinued courses or for courses not offered.
Requirements for Areas of Emphasis
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts with Emphasis in Business and Technology
These courses emphasize the integration of theory and practice within the fields of business and technology. Students will develop the ability to effectively manage and lead organizations. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the place of business and technology within both the global economy and tribal communities.. Students will critically apply ethical standards to business practices and decisions.
In addition to the requirements listed above the emphasis in Business and Technology requires a minimum of 18 units from the courses below with at least two or more courses from BUMA.
| COURSE | UNITS |
| BUMA 001 Principles of Management | 3 |
| BUMA 010 Introduction to Business | 3 |
| BUMA 026 Social Media Marketing | 3 |
| BUMA 027 Marketing | 3 |
| BUMA 028 Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| BUMA 032 Human Relations in the Workplace | 3 |
| BUMA 064 Human Resource Management (3) | 3 |
| CIS 010 Computer Literacy (3) | 3 |
| Math 010 College Algebra | 4 |
| PS 004 Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| SOC 003 Fundamentals of Statistics | 3 |
Courses in accounting, business, computer science, computer information systems and economics transferred from other institutions can also be used to fill the minimum 18 units. Examples of such courses include but are not limited to Accounting for Government & Non-Profit, Money Management & Planning for the Future, Hotel & Restaurant Operations, Database Management Systems and Principles of Microeconomics. Questions regarding applicability to the degree program should be referred to the California Indian Nations College Registrar; registrar@cincollege.org .
Liberal Arts AA Degree with Emphasis in Art and Humanities
These courses emphasize the study of cultural, literary, humanistic activities and artistic expression of human beings. Students will evaluate and interpret the ways in which people through the ages in different cultures, including California Indian nations and other Native Americans and Indigenous people have responded to themselves and the world around them in artistic and cultural creation. Students will also learn to value aesthetic understanding and incorporate these concepts when constructing value judgments.
In addition to the requirements listed above the emphasis in Arts and Humanities requires 18 units from the courses below with at least two or more courses from 1 discipline.
| COURSE | UNITS |
| AIS 166A: Elementary Cahuilla IA | 3 |
| AIS 166A – DISC1A Discussion Elementary Cahuilla 1A | 1 |
| AIS 166B: Elementary Cahuilla IA | 3 |
| AIS 167A: Elementary Cahuilla IB | 3 |
| AIS 167B: Elementary Cahuilla IB | 3 |
| ARTH 002C History of Modern Art | 3 |
| ARTH 012B Arts of Africa, Oceania, & Indigenous North America | 3 |
| ASL 001 American Sign Language I | 5 |
| ASL 001 American Sign Language II | 5 |
| COMM 001 Introduction to Public Speaking | 5 |
| COMM 017 Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| ENG 001A Composition | 4 |
| COMM 021 Introduction to Persuasion | 3 |
| ENG 024 Native American Literature | 3 |
| FILM 001 Intro. to Film | 3 |
| HIST 017 US History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 018 US History 1877 to present | 3 |
| HIST 021 California History | 3 |
| SOC 004 Sociological Analysis/Critical Thinking | 3 |
Courses in art, history, English, communications, foreign and Indigenous languages transferred from other institutions can also be used to fill the minimum 18 units. Examples of such courses include but are not limited to Arts of Latin America, History of Dance, Introduction to Creative Writing, Elementary Spanish, and Introduction to Theater. Questions regarding applicability to the degree program should be referred to the California Indian Nations College Registrar; registrar@cincollege.org .
Liberal Arts AA Degree with Emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences
These courses emphasize the perspective, concepts, theories and methodologies typically found in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Students will study about themselves and others as members of a larger society, including as members of tribal communities. Topics of discussion will stimulate critical thinking about ways people have acted in response to their societies and will allow students to evaluate how societies and social subgroups operate.
In addition to the requirements listed above the emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences requires 18 units from the courses below with at least two or more courses from 1 discipline.
| COURSE | UNITS |
| ANTH 002 Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| COMM 017 Intercultural Communication | 1 |
| HIST 017 US History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 018 US History 1877 to present | 3 |
| HIST 021 California History | 3 |
| MC 001 Introduction to Mass Media | 3 |
| PS 001 Introduction to Government | 3 |
| PS 004 Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| PSY 001 Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 010 Psychological Aspects of Marriage & the Family | 3 |
| SOC 001 Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 003 Fundamentals of Statistics | 3 |
| SOC 004 Sociological Analysis/Critical Thinking | 3 |
Courses in social and behavioral sciences transferred from other institutions can also be used to fill the minimum 18 units. Examples of such courses include but are not limited to Child Growth & Development, Principles of Microeconomics, Cultural Geography and Adolescent Psychology. Questions regarding applicability to the degree program should be referred to the California Indian Nations College Registrar; registrar@cincollege.org .
Transfer Requirements
Students planning to earn an Associate Degree while preparing to transfer to a 4-year college or university must complete the appropriate transfer general education pattern as well as the course requirements specified in the program of study for the declared major. A minimum of 60 transferable units are required for upper division transfer.
Students preparing to transfer to the California State University (CSU) may follow the General Education requirements outlined in the CSU Certification Pattern. This is identified as the CSU General Education Pattern in the list of requirements for Transfer Degree programs.
Student preparing to transfer to the University of California (UC) or the CSU systems may follow the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). This is identified as the IGETC Pattern in the list of requirements for Transfer Degree programs. See the Registrar for exceptions.