General Studies/Liberal Arts
General Studies - Associate in Science Degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to a senior institution and pursue a course of study leading to a Baccalaureate Degree. This is comprised of five total areas with the first four (I-IV) intended to provide students with the foundation of general education courses. More specific courses for the pre-professional plans are generally components of Area V. Students are encouraged to obtain specific transfer information from Alabama Transfers during their freshmen and sophomore years in order to become familiar with transfer requirements if they plan to attend an Alabama public college or university as well as meeting with the designated advisor.
Students pursuing the Liberal Arts – Associate in Arts Degree will follow the same pathways for completion as the General Studies – Associate in Science Degree. The AS and AA degrees are available through campus, hybrid, and online offerings. The following outlines for university parallel programs can serve as samples of plans to study that may be followed as students pursue a concentration in a particular transfer field and obtain an Associate’s Degree in General Studies or Liberal Arts. Each concentration provides a map for students to follow to completion; however, students should always meet with advisors to ensure satisfactory completion of requirements and check their DegreeWorks.
Area I: Written Composition I and II (6 Credit Hours)
Area II: Humanities and Fine Arts (12 Credit Hours)
**Must complete 3 semester hours in Literature.
* Must complete 3 semester hours in the Arts.
Remaining semester hours to be selected from Humanities and/or Fine Arts.
Humanities and Arts disciplines include Area/Ethnic Studies, Art Appreciation and Art History, Dance Appreciation, Music Appreciation, Philosophy, Ethics, Religious Studies, and Theater Appreciation.
Area III: Natural Science and Mathematics (11 Credit Hours)
* Must complete 3 semester hours in mathematics at the Precalculus Algebra or Finite Math level. In some instances, Elementary Statistics will be accepted. Please seek advisor approval.
* Must complete 8 semester hours in the Natural Sciences, which must include Laboratory Experiences. In addition to Mathematics, disciplines in the Natural Sciences include Astronomy, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Physical Geography, Earth Science, Physics, and Physical Science.
Area IV: History, Social, and Behavioral Sciences
(12 Credit Hours)
**Must complete 3 or more semester hours in History.
* Must complete 6 or more semester hours from among other disciplines in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Social and Behavioral Sciences include Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
Area I-IV Minimum General Education Requirements
(41 Credit Hours)
Area V: Pre-Professional, Pre-Major, and Elective Courses
**(19-23 Credit Hours)
* Courses appropriate to the degree requirements and major of the individual student and electives.
Students completing courses that have been approved for the General Studies Curriculum or Liberal Arts Curriculum and are appropriate to their major and/or degree program may transfer these courses with credit applicable to their degree program among two-year and four-year colleges and universities
Area I-V: General Studies Curricula **(60-64 Credit Hours)
** ORI 110 is required for graduation.
* NOTE: Must complete a 6-semester-hour sequence either in Literature or in History. The sequence in Area II and IV in Literature or History needs to follow the sequence requirements according to students’ major and transfer plans.
**Respective programs of study for baccalaureate degrees at Alabama public universities range from 120 to 128 semester credit hours in length. Dependent upon the total hours allocated for the bachelor’s degrees, institutions in The Alabama College System will be authorized to provide only 50 percent of that total (60-64).