Associate of Arts
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Associate of Arts (General Studies)
Enrolling in our Associate of Arts program is a flexible choice for those pursuing or still deciding on a specific career path. Our A.A. degree is designed to transfer directly to a bachelor’s degree program.
Associate of Arts (General Studies) Overview
The Associate of Arts degree in General Studies prepares students for further study or for an immediate edge in the job market. The strength of the General Studies program centers on developing knowledge and skills valued by employers and helping students progress toward bachelor’s degrees by fulfilling general education requirements.
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Tuition
Tuition and housing cost for high school students is covered by the Alaska DEED American Rescue Plan Grant.Questions?
For more information about this track and questions regarding registration, you can contact:
Cherise Beatus
pwsc.registration@alaska.edu
(907)834-1645
Degree Requirements
- 60 credit hours
- 2.0 GPA
Requirements for the Associate of Arts degree
A total of 60 credits is required for the Associate of Arts (AA). Students who are interested in the AA alone have a wide range of choices to meet degree requirements. Requirements in basic skills and in disciplinary areas may be met by selecting any course in the appropriate category from the list of General Education courses (GERs). In addition, students complete 20 credits of electives.
AA students who wish to go on to a baccalaureate degree after completing the AA are advised to meet AA requirements with courses that can be applied flexibly either to the AA or to baccalaureate degree requirements. AA students who wish to prepare for a specific baccalaureate major should consult an advisor for recommended courses.
- Complete 3 credits from the GER Oral Communication Skills list.
- Complete 6 credits from the GER Written Communication list.
- Complete 3 credits from the GER Quantitative Skills list.
- Complete 3 credits from the GER Fine Arts list.
- Complete 6 credits from the GER Humanities list.
- Complete 6 credits from the GER Social Sciences list.
- Complete 7 credits including one laboratory course (either combined or separate) from the GER Natural Sciences list.
- Complete 3 credits from the GER Alaska Native-Themed list.
- Complete 3 credits from the GER Diversity & Inclusion list.
- Complete 20 credits of electives
Self Discovery
General Studies curriculum creates opportunities to explore interests and discover abilities to help identify compatible careers or future educational pathways.
Writing
Competent writing skills are essential for most employment opportunities in order to write letters to customers, develop reports, and compose general business communications.
Critical Thinking
The study of arts, humanities, and social sciences requires review, evaluation, and critique of different points of view, all skills that employers value.
Educational Pathway Options:
Our A.A. degree is a flexible choice for those still deciding on a specific career path. This degree can be transferred to a bachelor's degree program. Students intending to transfer to a bachelor's degree program should check the requirements for that program, as some special general education and lower-division courses are required.
Additional educational opportunities include:
- Bachelor's Degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Elementary Education (pathway into UAS program)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS)
- Bachelor of Music (BM)
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
- Bachelor of Science (BS)