General Studies, A.A.

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Associate of Arts | GENL.STUDIES.AA | Transfer Program
www.pgcc.edu/programs_and_courses/program_detail.aspx?programid=6442462413
Visit Marlboro Hall, Room 3077 or call 301-546-0561 for your faculty advisor

Program Description

This program is for students interested in transferring to a four-year institution. The program introduces a broad range of the liberal arts and sciences while providing a thorough preparation in verbal, mathematical, and critical-thinking skills. General studies include courses in humanities, social sciences, English, science, and math, which enable students to sample various subject matters and methodologies so they can make informed education and career choices. This program is designed to transfer to four-year colleges or universities. The various concentrations of the General Studies Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree are listed under the Programs of Study link. Students should consult with an advisor about transfer requirements.

Graduates of the General Studies A.A. will be able to:

Synthesize information and content across multiple disciplines
Apply student core competencies in the development of a culminating project/assignment
Analyze perspectives on key issues within the concentration

General Education Courses

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

Program Requirements

PAS-1000 First Year Experience 1 Credit (Institutional Requirement)

Concentration: Choose 15 credits from one of the concentrations below, at least 9 credits at the 2000 level

Humanities Concentration Courses:

Choose from Arabic, Art, Chinese, English, French, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Public Relations/Journalism, Spanish, Speech, Television/Radio/Film (TRF), Theatre (Note: If you are interested in taking a four-semester sequence of a foreign language, please see an advisor or a foreign language instructor.)

STEM Concentration Courses:

Choose from Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Information Technology, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, or Physics

Social Sciences and Business Concentration Courses:

Choose from Accounting, African American Studies, Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Forensic Science, History, Paralegal, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Teacher Education, Women’s Studies

Health Sciences Concentration Courses:

Choose from Biology, Chemistry, Health Education, Nutrition

Electives:

12-13 credits (see note below)

1-credit course if necessary

NOTE: A total of 18 credits must be taken at the 2000 level. Some 2000-level courses may have prerequisites, so please plan carefully. General education, electives, and program concentration courses must equal a minimum of 60 credits.

Sequence of Study - General Studies A.A.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

1st Semester

PAS-1000 First Year Experience 1 Credit (Institutional Requirement)
EGL-1010 Composition I: Expository Writing 3 Credits (English Composition I) *
General Education Speech course 3 Credits (Humanities) *
INT-1010 Introduction to Information Technology 3 Credits (Computer Literacy) *
MAT-1120 Finite Mathematics 3 Credits (Math) * or higher

Total: 13 Credits

2nd Semester

Choose one of the following:
EGL-1020 Composition II: Writing About Literature 3 Credits (English Composition II) *
EGL-1100 Composition II: Writing About Issues and Ideas 3 Credits (English Composition II) *
EGL-1320 Composition II: Writing For Business 3 Credits (English Composition II) *
EGL-1340 Composition II: Writing About Technical Topics 3 Credits (English Composition II) *
General Education History course 3 Credits (Social Studies) * ¹
General Education Humanities course other than Speech 3 Credits (Humanities) *
General Education Science course 3 Credits (Science with Lab) *
General Education Social Sciences course 3 Credits (Social Science) * ¹

Total: 16 Credits

3rd Semester

Any course 3 Credits (Elective) ²
Any course 3 Credits (Elective) ²
2000-level Concentration course (see explanation above) 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
Concentration course (see explanation above) 3 Credits (Program Requirement) ²
Concentration course (see explanation above) 3 Credits (Program Requirement) ²

Total: 15 Credits

4th Semester

General Education Science course 3 Credits (Science) *
Any course 3 Credits (Elective) ²
Any course 3 Credits (Elective) ²
2000-level Concentration course (see explanation above) 3 Credits (Program Requirement)
2000-level Concentration course (see explanation above) 3 Credits (Program Requirement) ³
1-credit course (if needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits) 1 Credit (Program Requirement) ²

Total: 16 Credits

Program Total: 60 Credits

¹ The two Social Science general education courses must be from different disciplines.

² A total of 18 credits must be taken at the 2000 level. Some 2000-level courses may have prerequisites, so please plan carefully. General education, electives, and program concentration must equal a minimum of 60 credits.

³ In their last semester, students must also take a 2000-level course in their concentration that is designated as a culminating experience.

Asterisk (*) denotes a general education course.

Transferability

Credit earned at any public institution in the state shall be transferable to any other institution if the:

Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.00 or higher; and
Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the same program. Refer to ARTSYS at artweb.usmd.edu and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.