Liberal Studies, A.A.

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Associate’s Degree: The Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies is a program of 64 credit hours. Its principal feature is accessibility to many courses within program guidelines that include a strong core of foundation courses and that allow students to study selected disciplines in-depth. Courses applicable to the General Concentration are available on campus and at off-campus Centers.

Several concentrations are available in addition to the General options. Each concentration is the result of interdisciplinary planning among faculty members. The aim of each is to provide workable guidelines for students interested in Business, Education, Creative Writing, or Social Science.

AALS students wishing to study a discipline in-depth should attend very early to the matter of course prerequisites for upper-level (300 or higher) courses.

AALS students wishing to move at a later date into a four-year Bachelor’s program should arrange with their advisors to take as many courses satisfying the General Education Curriculum as possible during their progress toward the AALS degree. Then, if conditions allow the pursuit of the four-year degree, the transition will be smooth.

Liberal Studies General Requirements - 34-35 Credit Hours

ENG 100 - Introduction to College Reading & Writing 4 credits (with a grade of C- or higher)
OR
ENG 101 - College Composition 3 credits
ENG 121 - College Composition II 3 credits
OR
ENG 151 - Introduction to Literature 3 credits
OR
PHI 151 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 credits

Select 9 credits of Liberal Arts electives from the following:

Art, English, French, Russian, Spanish, or Philosophy

	3
	3
	3

Select 9 credits of Math/Science electives from the following:

Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Ecology, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, Physics, and/or Science

*Sci 100 can be used toward elective credit but cannot be used toward meeting the 9 credit Math/Science elective above.

	3
	3
	3

Select 9 credits of Social Science electives from the following:

Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, and/or Sociology

	3
	3
	3

Select ONE of the following concentrations:

Business Administration Concentration - 30 Credit Hours

BUS 101 - Introduction to Business 3 credits
BUS 150 - Introduction to Financial Accounting 3 credits
BUS 125 - Introduction to Business Computing 3 credits
OR
BUS 200 - Intermediate Business Computing 3 credits
BUS 220 - Managerial Accounting 3 credits
ECO 207 - Macro and Micro Economics 3 credits
PCJ 215 - Business Communication 3 credits

And select 12 credit hours of business electives at the 200 level or above:

	3
	3
	3
	3

Creative Writing Concentration - 30 Credit Hours

Complete the following:

ENG 211 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credits
ENG 259 - Contemporary World Literature 3 credits

And select ONE of the following for a total of 3 credit hours:

ENG 240 - Medieval and Early Modern Literatures and Cultures 3 credits
ENG 241 - Enlightenment and the Rise of Anglo-American Literatures and Cultures 3 credits
ENG 242 - Modern and Contemporary Anglo-American Literatures and Cultures 3 credits

And complete a minimum of 21 credit hours from the following:

** Course may be taken twice for credit

ENG 311 - Poetry Workshop 3 credits **
ENG 312 - Fiction Writing Workshop 3 credits **
ENG 313 - Creative Nonfiction Workshop 3 credits **
ENG 314 - Screenwriting Workshop 3 credits **
PCJ 180 - Introduction to Professional Communication and Journalism 3 credits
PCJ 315 - Professional Communication 3 credits

General Concentration - Select 30 Credit Hours

	3
	3
	3
	3
	3
	3
	3
	3
	3
	3

Science & Mathematics Concentration - 30 Credit Hours

Select no fewer than 8 credit hours from the following Science courses:

BIO 103 - Human Biology 3 credits
BIO 112 - General Biology I 4 credits
BIO 113 - General Biology II 4 credits
BIO 261 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4 credits
BIO 262 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II 4 credits
BIO 350 - Genetics 4 credits
CHY 111 - General Chemistry I 4 credits
CHY 122 - General Chemistry II 4 credits
ENV 110 - Introduction to Environmental Science 3 credits
ENV 125 - Energy 3 credits
ENV 130 - Renewable Energy Resources 3 credits
GEY 112 - Fundamentals of Geology 4 credits
PHY 153 - General Physics I 4 credits
PHY 154 - General Physics II 4 credits

Select no fewer than 8 credit hours from the following Math courses:

MAT 117 - College Algebra 3 credits
MAT 121 - Pre-Calculus 4 credits
MAT 131 - Calculus I 4 credits
MAT 132 - Calculus II 4 credits
MAT 201 - Probability and Statistics I 3 credits
MAT 202 - Probability and Statistics II 3 credits
MAT 231 - Calculus III 4 credits
MAT 233 - Ordinary Differential Equations 4 credits
MAT 251 - Foundations of Mathematics 3 credits
MAT 274 - Linear Algebra 3 credits
MAT 312 - Geometric Structures 4 credits
MAT 321 - Topics in Algebra 3 credits
MAT 335 - Topics in Analysis 3 credits
MAT 435 - Real Analysis 3 credits

Select 14 credit hours or more of additional Science (BIO, CHY, ENV, GEY, PHY, or SCI) or Mathematics courses at the 200 level or above:

Total credits required for degree: 64

Minimum GPA average required for graduation: 2.00.
Cumulative GPA required in courses in the General Requirements area: 2.00.