College Catalog
Associate in Arts
The Associate in Arts degree is designed for students who wish to transfer to a university to earn a Bachelor of Arts (or Bachelor of Science, depending upon the university) degree in one of the following fields of study: anthropology, architecture, business administration (accounting, finance, and marketing), communication, economics, education, English language and literature, foreign languages, geography, linguistics, history, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, journalism, library science, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. Students who are interested in a career in dentistry, law, medicine, theology or ministry, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, or veterinary medicine are usually required or at least strongly encouraged to earn a bachelor's degree before applying to one of these graduate or professional degree programs.
The Associate in Arts degree shall be granted for a planned program of study consisting of a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 61 semester hours of college transfer courses. Within the degree program, the institution shall include opportunities for the achievement of competence in reading, writing, oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills, and the basic computer use. More specifically, students foster a greater understanding of reading comprehension, communication, and critical thinking as student learning outcomes.
Courses are approved for transfer through the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA). To be eligible for the transfer of credits under the CAA, A.A. graduates must obtain a grade of “C” or better in all CAA courses and an overall GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. A.A. graduates who have met these criteria will receive at least 60 semester hours of academic credit upon admission to a university. A.A. transfer students are strongly encouraged to align their course work to the Baccalaureate Degree Plan (BDP) of their intended major at their intended university. Baccalaureate Degree Plans are available at www.northcarolina.edu. Courses may also transfer through bilateral agreements between institutions. Courses offered through bilateral agreements may not transfer to all receiving universities.
Through careful selection of courses with your advisor and/or the University Studies Coordinator, this degree can be completed as an eLearning Online Degree Program. Note that the only Mathematics courses offered online are MAT-143 and MAT-152.
Associate in Arts Degree
Courses Semester Hours
UNIVERSAL GENERAL EDUCATION TRANSFER COMPONENT (31-32 SHC) 31-32
The Universal General Education Component (UGETC) includes study in the areas of humanities, fine arts, communication, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and English composition.
English Composition (6 SHC)................................................................. 6
Two English composition courses are required:
ENG-111 and ENG-112
Humanities/Fine Arts (9 SHC)................................................................ 9
Select three courses. Those courses must be from at least two different disciplines areas:
Art (ART-111, 114, 115)
Communication (COM-120, 231)
Drama (DRA-111)
Literature (ENG-231, 232, 241, 242)
Music (MUS-110, 112)
Philosophy (PHI-215, 240)
Social/Behavioral Sciences (9 SHC)...................................................... 9
Select three courses. Those courses must be from at least two different disciplines areas:
Economics (ECO-251, 252)
History (HIS-111, 112, 131, 132)
Political Science (POL-120)
Psychology (PSY-150)
Sociology (SOC-210)
Mathematics (3-4 SHC)......................................................................... 3-4
Select one course from the following: MAT-143, 152, 171
Natural Sciences (4 SHC)......................................................................... 4
Select 4 SHC from the following:
Astronomy (AST-111 & 111A)
Biology (BIO-110, 111)
Chemistry (CHM-151)
Geology (GEL-111)
Physics (PHY-110 & 110A)
ADDITIONAL GENERAL EDUCATION HOURS (13-14 SHC)*.. 13-14
An additional 13-14 SHC of courses should be selected from the list below. Those courses are classified as general education within the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. Students should select these courses based on their intended major and transfer university. While most of these are not UGETC courses, UGETC courses may also be used in this category, if not used elsewhere.
ANT-210, 220, 221, 240
ASL-111, 112, 211, 212
BIO-112, 120, 130, 140 and 140A
CHM-152
CIS-110, 115
COM-110, 140
DRA-126, 211, 212
ECO-151
ENG-114, 131, 261, 262
FRE-111, 112, 211, 212
HIS-121, 122
HUM-110, 115, 120, 122, 130, 150, 160, 211, 212, 220
MAT-172, 263, 271, 272, 273
MUS-210
PHY-151, 152, 251, 252
POL-110, 210, 220
PSY-237, 239, 241, 281
REL-110, 211, 212, 221
SOC-213, 220, 225, 230, 240
SPA-111, 112, 211, 212
TOTAL GENERAL EDUCATION HOURS REQUIRED (45 SHC).... 45
Note: If students have more than 45 credits in the General Education section, the extra credits can be applied to the Other Required Hours section.
OTHER REQUIRED HOURS (15 SHC)*...................................................... 15
Academic Transition (1 SHC)................................................................. 1
The following course is required:
ACA-122 College Transfer Success
An additional 14 SHC of courses should be selected from the list below. Those courses are classified as pre-major, elective or general education courses within the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. Students should select these courses based on their intended major and transfer university. UGETC courses and Additional General Education Hours courses may also be used in this category, if not used elsewhere.
ACC-120, 121
All ART Prefix Courses
BIO-155, 163, 168, 169, 175, 271, 275
BUS-110, 115, 137
CHM-130 and 130A, 251, 252
CJC-111, 113, 121, 141, 212
COM-150
CSC-134, 139, 151
CTS-115
DFT-170
All DRA Prefix Courses
EDU-131, 144, 145, 216, 221
EGR-120, 150, 220
ENG-125, 126, 273
HEA-112
HIS-151, 221, 236
HUM-170, 180, 230
MAT-285
All MUS Prefix Courses
All PED Prefix Courses
PSY-230, 231, 243, 249, 259, 263, 271, 275
SOC-234, 242
SPA-161
TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS CREDIT (SHC) IN PROGRAM...... 60-61
*Students must meet the receiving university's foreign language and/or health and physical education requirements, if applicable, prior to or after transfer to the senior institution.
Associate in Arts Course Sequence Example
| Course Hours Per Week | Semester Hours | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester (Fall) | Class | Lab | Credit | |
| ACA-122 | College Transfer Success | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| ENG-111 | Writing and Inquiry | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| *** | AST, BIO, CHM, GEL, or PHY UGETC course | 4 | ||
| *** | Hum/FA/Com UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| *** | Soc/Beh Science UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| *** | Soc/Beh Science UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | 2 | 17 | |
| Second Semester (Spring) | Class | Lab | Credit | |
| ENG-112 | Writing/Research in the Disc | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| MAT*** | Math UGETC course | 3-4 | ||
| *** | Hum/FA/Com UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| *** | Hum/FA/Com UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| *** | Soc/Beh Science UGETC course | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | 0 | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester (Fall) | Class | Lab | Credit | |
| *** | Additional Gen Ed courses or Other Required Hours courses | 14 | ||
| Credit Hours | 0 | 0 | 14 | |
| Fourth Semester (Spring) | Class | Lab | Credit | |
| *** | Additional Gen Ed courses or Other Required Hours courses | 14 | ||
| Credit Hours | 0 | 0 | 14 | |
| Total Required Minimum Semester Hours Credit | 60 | |||
Please note: Students are strongly encouraged to complete their UGETC requirements during their first two semesters at Sandhills.
Professor Catherine Skura, University Studies Coordinator
208 Stone Hall
910.695.3750
skurac@sandhills.edu