Philosophy of General Education (GE)

General Education provides students the means to comprehend the modern world. Toward that end, General Education provides students learning experiences meant to develop such abilities as being able to think critically, communicate clearly, use science and technology, and possess the basic principles, concepts, and methodologies both unique to, and shared by, various disciplines. General Education prepares students from diverse communities to live in and contribute to a complex, changing, multicultural, and diverse world. Most importantly, General Education creates a strong foundation in both breadth and depth upon which students can continue to develop an understanding of their specific interests, environments, and disciplines through productive lifelong learning.

Successful completion of approved programs at San Bernardino Valley College may lead to:

  • Completion of lower division (freshman and sophomore) requirements for transfer to upper division (junior) standing at a four-year college or university;
  • An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree;
  • A Certificate of Completion in a specific occupational field.

Even though these objectives are listed separately, it is possible to achieve all three concurrently during the first two years of college. For example, it is possible to use the coursework completed for a certificate program as a major for an associate degree. Similarly, students completing lower division requirements for transfer to a four-year college or university will find it possible to meet the requirements for an associate degree from San Bernardino Valley College.

Students are encouraged to work with a counselor to develop an educational plan to meet educational goals in a time-effective manner. See Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) for details. 

Graduation Catalog Rights

A student may elect to meet graduation requirements in any one of the following ways:

  1. Catalog Rights at the time the student begins at SBVC without interruption, or
  2. The student who drops out for two or more consecutive semesters is subject to the requirements in the catalog at the time of reentry, or
  3. The catalog in effect at the time the graduation petition is submitted.

Note: Summer session course requirements are included in the catalog of the previous academic year.

Graduation Requirement Exceptions

When a student has a deficiency in one or more of the areas required for graduation, he/she has the option of filing a Petition for Academic Exception, which is available in the Admissions and Records Office (AD/SS 100). The Scholastic Standards Committee will consider each petition based on its overall individual merit.