Associate in Arts—Social Sciences Emphasis Major (A.A.)
Program Overview
Ohio University's University College stewards the Associate in Arts (A.A.) and Associate in Science (A.S.) degree programs. The A.A. provides students two degree emphasis options to focus their program in fine arts/humanities or social sciences. The A.S. affords students the opportunity to emphasize natural sciences/applied sciences/quantitative skills in their program of study. These associate degree programs are available on all Ohio University campuses.
The A.A. and A.S. curricula integrate the Ohio Department of Higher Education's (ODHE) Ohio Transfer Module (OTM), which allows students' general education coursework to become transferable within the state. See the Admissions section of this catalog for more information.
In their 2016 Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Program Review, ODHE maintains the belief that the A.A. and A.S. degrees "serve as the first two years of a bachelor's degree." Students seeking this degree should work closely with their A.A./A.S. academic advisor to identify Bachelor programs of interest and strategically identify the appropriate general education courses that overlap in both the A.A./A.S. program and desired Bachelor program(s) of interest.
This degree is available on all campuses. The A.A. degree requires a minimum of 60 hours. A maximum of 15 hours earned through the prior learning assessment program may be applied to the A.A. or A.S. degree. At least 18 of the total credits earned toward the A.A. or A.S. must be Ohio University credits. In addition, at least 50 percent of the coursework taken in the area of concentration for the A.A. degree programs must be completed through Ohio University. Technical courses count only as electives for both the A.A. and A.S. degrees. You must earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the area of concentration and overall to earn the degree.
If you plan to earn the A.A. degree, contact the director of degree programs in University College so that the valid major code can be properly recorded.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission
No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy
No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission
No selective or limited admission requirements.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
Many entry positions now require an associate degree. A liberal arts degree, like the Associate in Arts with social science emphasis, can also provide the foundation for a future bachelor's degree.