Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Associate in Arts, AA - College Transfer - General Studies - CIP Code: 24.0101


A 10 10 0

Contact: (336) 334-4822, ext. 50096

The Associate in Arts (AA) degree is designed for students who want to pursue a four-year degree in one of the liberal arts disciplines or training at a professional school that requires a strong liberal arts background. Upon transfer, students who earn the Associate in Arts degree generally major in fields such as anthropology, business, communication, economics, English, foreign language, geography, history, humanities, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology.

Upon successful completion of this degree, graduates will be able to:

  • Use strategies to acquire new information in a variety of academic disciplines.
  • Analyze relevant issues presented in a variety of academic disciplines.
  • Apply critical thinking in a variety of academic disciplines.

Advising Checklist for Transfer Students

1. Choose a major/program of study for your bachelor’s degree based on career goals and interests.

2. Choose a transfer institution and identify a back-up school in case you are not admitted to your first choice.  Align your GTCC program of study with your future major (usually, a BA requires an AA and a BS requires an AS, etc.). 

3. Check the transfer guides for your chosen institutions.  Pay special attention to math requirements and foreign language requirements.

  • GTCC will award an AA with only MAT 143, but most BA and BS degrees require MAT 171 in the first two years for completion.
  • GTCC will award an AA and an AS with no foreign language, but many BA and BS degrees require between 2 and 4 semesters of foreign language in the first two years for completion.

4. Plan GTCC courses based on both GTCC requirements and university baccalaureate degree plans.  If you have questions about unique circumstances, contact university admissions offices.

  • ACA 122 is required for all transfer programs and must be taken during your first semester at GTCC to help in the transfer planning process.  
  • If you need to take pre-curriculum math (DMA/DMS) or reading/English (DRE), start on those classes right away.

5. Meet with your GTCC advisor/coach to review your course selection, talk about success strategies, and have your advising hold removed, as applicable. 

6. Register as soon as your registration window opens for the best selection of available classes.

Comprehensive Articulation Agreement and Transfer Information

If you plan to transfer community college credits to a university, you must identify a program of study and destination institution as soon as possible to ensure you complete appropriate coursework at GTCC.  

University Requirements

You must complete an AA or AS with a 2.0 GPA or higher and no grade lower than a C for the CAA* to apply.  Certain university requirements are waived for students who earn transfer degrees at community colleges.  If you do not finish your AA, AS, AE, or AFA before you transfer you will need to meet these university requirements and some of your completed courses may not apply to your major.

*Transfer Terms

CAA: Comprehensive Articulation Agreement:

A statewide agreement governing the transfer of credits between NC community colleges and NC public universities. Students who graduate from GTCC with an AA or AS will be admitted to the university with junior status. Private institutions might abide by the CAA, but they can establish their own requirements and procedures.

  • AA: Associate in Arts
  • AS: Associate in Science 
  • AE: Associate in Engineering
  • AFA: Associate in Fine Arts                            
  • AAS: Associate in Applied Science (non-transfer credits from AAS programs will likely not transfer)                                 
There are three types of courses in AA and AS programs:

1. Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC)

Guaranteed to transfer to the university for general education credit.

UGETC Courses
English

Communication/

Humanities/Fine Arts

Sociology/

Behavioral Science

Natural Science Math
ENG 111 ART 111 ECO 251 AST 111/111A MAT 143 (AA)
ENG 112 ART 114 ECO 252 AST 151/151A MAT 152 (AA)
  ART 115 HIS 111 BIO 110 MAT 171
  COM 120 HIS 112 BIO 111 MAT 172 (AS)
  COM 231 HIS 131 BIO 112 MAT 263 (AS)
  DRA 111 HIS 132 CHM 151 MAT 271 (AS)
  ENG 231 POL 120 CHM 152 MAT 272 (AS)
  ENG 232 PSY 150 GEL 111  
  ENG 241 SOC 210 PHY 110/110A  
  ENG 242   PHY 152 (AS)  
  MUS 110   PHY 251 (AS)  
  MUS 112   PHY 252 (AS)  
  PHI 215      
  PHI 240      


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. General Education

3. Pre-Major/Elective

Transfer Course Listings

You will find a complete list of college transfer courses and the requirement they meet (UGETC, general education, pre-major/elective) on the NC Community College System website.  Review the GTCC catalog and WebAdvisor to identify which courses are offered by GTCC.  UGETC courses also meet general education and elective requirements, and general education courses also meet elective requirements.

Transfer Guidelines

UGETC, general education, and elective courses should be chosen based on BOTH GTCC degree requirements and transfer guidelines from the university.  University transfer guides created for community college students, or baccalaureate degree plans, can be found on the UNC system website and are different for each institution and each major.  Taking the right classes at GTCC and completing the AA or AS degree will ensure you transfer to the university with junior standing in your major. 

Course Requirements for Associate in Arts (60-61 Credits)


General Education (45 Credits)


The general education common course pathway includes study in the areas of English, communication; humanities and fine arts; social and behavioral sciences; natural sciences and mathematics.

Universal General Education Transfer Courses (31-32 Credits)


All Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) courses will transfer for equivalency credit.

Credit Hour Requirements* | Courses Fulfilling Requirements


All courses below are considered UGETC courses

English Composition (6 credits)

The following two English compositions courses are required:

Communication/Humanities/Fine Arts (9 credits)

Select three courses from the following from at least two different disciplines:

Social/Behavioral Sciences (9 credits)

Select three courses from the following from at least two different disciplines:

Mathematics (3-4 credits)

Select one course from the following:

Natural Sciences (4 credits)

Select four credits from the following course(s):

Additional General Education Hours (13-14 Credits)


An additional 13-14 credits should be should be selected from courses classified as general education within the CAA. Students should select these courses based on their intended major and transfer university. General education courses are listed below:

General Education Electives:


Note:

(plus all UGETC courses listed above).

Other Required Hours (15 Credits)


An additional 14 credits of courses should be selected from courses classified as pre-major, elective, or general education courses within the CAA. Students should select these courses based on their intended major and transfer university.

Academic Transition (1 credit)


The following course is required:

Pre-Major/Electives:


Note:

(plus all UGETC and General Education elective courses listed above).

Note:


* Individual program may provide specific course requirements

Fall Semester I


Total Credits: 17


Spring Semester I


  • Credits: 3
  • Mathematics Requirement Credits: 3-4
  • Humanities/Fine Arts Requirement Credits: 3
  • Humanities/Fine Arts Requirement Credits: 3
  • Social/Behavioral Science Requirement Credits: 3

Total Credits: 15-16


Fall Semester II


  • General Education Credits: 3
  • General Education Credits: 3
  • General Education Credits: 3
  • General Education Credits: 3
  • General Education Credits: 3

Total Credits: 15


Spring Semester II


  • Pre-major, Elective, or General Education Credits: 3
  • Pre-major, Elective, or General Education Credits: 3
  • Pre-major, Elective, or General Education Credits: 3
  • Pre-major, Elective, or General Education Credits: 4

Total Credits: 13


Total credit hours required for degree: 60