Associate of General Studies, A.G.S.

The Associate of General Studies (A.G.S.) degree includes selected professional courses and serves students who need an individualized or professional degree program toward job requirements, career advancement, and/or personal development. The A.G.S. degree, however, guarantees neither transferability nor employability.

A unique characteristic of the degree is that the field of study is determined by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor. Each student must develop a written statement of goals and objectives and specific courses needed to satisfy those objectives. In addition, a designated curriculum of general education courses must be completed. A degree contract must be signed by the student, faculty advisor and the director of the Student Success Center prior to acceptance into the degree program.

Liberal Arts is the designated major for the Associate of General Studies degree. However, selected A.G.S degrees contain pre-professional areas of study, designed for students who choose an individualized program, but who wish to focus on a particular occupation. The A.G.S. degree may include professional or career and technical courses, which often are not transferable to four-year institutions. Therefore, an A.G.S. student who plans to transfer to a four-year college or university should check carefully the receiving institution’s requirements.

General Requirements for the A.G.S. Degree

Students seeking the Associate of General Studies degree must complete the Associate of General Studies Degree Contract signed by the faculty advisor and the director of the Student Success Center prior to acceptance into the degree program.

The following are general requirements for the A.G.S. degree:

1. Sixty (60) semester credit hours in approved course work are required for graduation. Particular program requirements are outlined in this catalog within the program section.
2. A student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (a ‘C’ average) in the A.G.S. degree program curriculum.
3. Fifteen (15) semester hours of course work applicable to the degree program and completed prior to graduation must be Aims Community College courses.
4. No courses numbered below 100 may be applied toward completion of the A.G.S. degree.
5. Career and technical courses are applicable toward the A.G.S. degree requirements when the courses are appropriate to the student’s educational objectives.
6. The student’s advisor and the director in the Student Success Center, must review and sign the application for graduation and the degree worksheet to verify that the student has met degree requirements.

Students accepted into the degree program must then earn minimum credits in the following subject areas:

General Education Credits

• Communications and Humanities 9
• Mathematics, Science and Computer 7-9
• Behavioral, Social, and Economic Sciences 6
• Professional Courses 10
• Electives 26-28

Total: 60

Total Minimum Requirements