Associate of Arts Degree Framework
Description
The Associate Degree is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students for work, citizenship and an enriched life as an educated person, and to lay a solid foundation for further study.
The associate degree curriculum comprises two years of post-secondary level study in a variety of academic areas. Students are required to complete a broad range of course offerings balanced with in-depth study in specific disciplines. Since many students will continue their studies, the requirements are sufficiently flexible to enable students to plan their educational program carefully and to complete the required prerequisites for third year course work at KPU or another BC university. Students will be exposed to concepts, theories and modes of inquiry in the humanities, the social sciences and the sciences to develop:
- an interest in, and curiosity about the world around them
- an understanding of the global context in which they live and work
- an appreciation of intellectual thought and human creativity
- an openness to a variety of viewpoints
- a capacity for and interest in self directed life-long learning
- acceptance of the social responsibilities that come with the benefits of advanced learning
In addition, the program of study should develop and improve those skills and abilities essential for academic success at an advanced intellectual level. These may be taught in some courses, embedded in the curriculum of others, or achieved through class participation and the learning process. These include but are not limited to:
- advanced reading comprehension
- effective written and oral communications
- mathematical and scientific reasoning
- computer and technological literacy
- research and evaluative skills
- analysis, synthesis and integration of knowledge
- critical thinking and problem solving
- application of theoretical understanding to practice
- working collaboratively
KPU offers Associate of Arts degrees in the following concentrations:
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Transfer to a Bachelor of Arts Program
Students can apply to KPU's Bachelor of Arts degree programs with a complete Associate of Arts degree. Students are encouraged to complete key degree requirements to be awarded priority access to 3000 and 4000 level courses in their area of specialization. Completion of an Associate of Arts degree does not guarantee admission. See Program Admission Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts for more information.
Students who graduate with an Associate of Art degree in order to transfer to a BC institution to complete their degree studies are awarded 60 transfer credits at the receiving institution. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain program information from the appropriate transfer institution to ensure all first and second year program requirements are met within their Associate of Arts program. Completion of an Associate of Art degree does not guarantee admission.
Students are responsible for ensuring their courses are transferable to other receiving institutions by checking the online transfer guide from the BC Council on Admission and Transfer at www.bccat.ca.
Program Admission Requirements
General university admission requirements apply to this program including the undergraduate-level English Proficiency Requirement.
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete 60 semester credit hours of first and second year courses with a minimum grade of 'C' in all courses. These must include a minimum of 21 credits in Arts at the second-year level taken in two or more subject areas.
Specific Requirements
- Six credits in first-year English
- Nine credits in Science which shall include at least:
- A – One course chosen from the following:
- B – One course chosen from the following lab sciences:
- One additional course chosen from either A or B.
- Thirty-six credits in Arts†, which shall include:
- Six credits in Social Sciences (ANTH, CRIM, ECON, GEOG, POLI, POST, PSYC, or SOCI, or any course cross-listed with these)
- Six credits in Humanities (ARTH, ASIA, CRWR, FINA, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUMN, JAPN, LING, MAND, MODL, MUSI, PHIL, PUNJ, or SPAN, or any course cross-listed with these)
- Twenty-four additional credits in Arts†
- Nine credits in Arts, Science, or other areas
Notes:
* Does not fulfill the science requirement at KPU or elsewhere for Science majors.
† Arts courses include all courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and all ECON courses. Areas designated as Social Sciences and Humanities are for the purposes of this Framework only.
Students intending to transfer elsewhere should check whether courses designated as Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences at KPU fulfill the same area criteria at their destination institution.
Course Numbering
With the exception of all Adult Basic Education (ABE), Post-Secondary Program Readiness (PSP) courses, and ENGQ 1099, MATQ 1092, MATQ 1093, CHEQ 1094, courses numbered 1000–1999 are primarily first year undergraduate courses. Courses numbered 2000–2999 are primarily second year. Students may follow this as a guideline when choosing their courses for the Associate of Arts degree. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Below is a list of 1000 level courses that may be used for second year credit.
- ANTH 1100, 1200, 1217, 1220 (discontinued), 1260 (discontinued), 1290 (discontinued), 1291 (discontinued), 1300
- CRIM 1101, 1203 (discontinued), 1207, 1208
- CRWR 1100, 1110
- FINA 1100, 1110, 1111 (discontinued), 1170, 1175, 1200, 1230, 1231, 1242, 1244 (discontinued), 1247 (discontinued), 1270
- FREN 1210
- GEOG 1110, 1120, 1160, 1211 (discontinued), 1212 (discontinued)
- HIST 1113, 1114, 1145, 1146, 1150, 1151, 1170
- JAPN 1200
- MUSI 1013 (discontinued), 1023 (discontinued)
- PHIL 1110, 1112, 1145, 1150
- POLI 1110, 1120, 1123, 1125, 1145, 1150, 1240 (discontinued)
- SOCI any 1200 level course or higher
Credential Awarded
Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to receive an Associate of Arts degree in their chosen subject area.
