What do I need to know to pursue an associate degree that will transfer to a four-year college or university?

Associate in Arts and Sciences (AAS)

Associate of Science (AS)

v ASSOCIATE IN ARTS AND SCIENCES (AAS) DEGREE

The Associate in Arts and Sciences degree helps OC students transfer to public or private colleges or universities in Washington State.

Foreign Language: Although courses in a foreign language are not required for a degree, some baccalaureate institutions may require two or three quarters of foreign language for admission or graduation.

Grade Point Average: A minimum GPA of 2.0 in applicable course work is required to be awarded the AAS Degree. The University of Washington requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 to be admitted as a junior. Admission to a specific department in the institution is competitive and may require a GPA significantly higher than 2.75. Contact advisors at the baccalaureate institution for details.

Option A - DTA (Intercollege Relations Commission Direct Transfer Agreement)

Students who wish to earn an AAS and plan to transfer to one of the four-year public or private colleges or universities in Washington State should consider Option A. Generally, a student who completes the AAS Degree will have satisfied the lower division general education requirements at the baccalaureate institution. The AAS Degree meets communication and quantitative skills requirements and provides academic breadth through distribution requirements in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition to earning 90 credits numbered 100 or above with a GPA of at least 2.0, the following requirements must be met:

1.   Communication Skills:  Successfully complete English 101, and either English 102 or English 104.

2.   Symbolic Reasoning/Quantitative Skills:  Successfully complete Math 107 or higher, or Philosophy 120. Also, all students must demonstrate mastery of Intermediate Algebra (MATH 099) by (a) satisfactory placement test score or (b) successful completion of a mathematics course for which Intermediate Algebra or higher is a prerequisite, or (c) successful completion of Math 99.

Note: BS-EC 257 and BS-EC 258 can fulfill this requirement for Business Transfer students if so authorized in writing by Business & Economics faculty.

3.   Distribution Requirements: A total of 50 credits in the distribution areas of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences are required for Option A. Students may apply the 50 credits among the three distribution areas as follows:

Ÿ 20 credits in one distribution area from at least three subjects (20/3)

Ÿ 15 credits in a second distribution area from at least three subjects (15/3)

Ÿ 15 credits in the third distribution area from at least two subjects (15/2)

“Distribution Requirements” in this section lists subjects in each distribution area and specific courses available to meet the distribution requirements. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss their course selections with an advisor.

a.     Humanities (15 - 20 credits): No more than 5 credits in the Humanities/Skills Performance area and no more than 5 credits in foreign languages may be used for the Humanities distribution. No more than 10 credits from any one subject may be used.

b.    Social Sciences (15 - 20 credits): No more than 10 credits from any one Social Science subject may be used for the Social Sciences distribution.

c.     Natural Sciences (15 - 20 credits): At least 10 credits must be among physical, biological or earth sciences. At least one laboratory science course must be included. No more than 12 credits from any one natural sciences subject may be used. 

4.   Electives: Courses numbered 100 or higher which are not used in a specific requirement can be counted as elective credits to make up the total of 90 credits needed to complete the degree; typically 25 elective credits are needed. However, no more than 15 credits from the list of “restricted electives” can be applied to the degree.

Students are strongly encouraged to discuss elective course selection with their advisor. Also see the previous note regarding foreign languages.

Option B

Students who wish to follow the requirements for the first two years of study as specified by a four-year college or university of their choice should select this option. In addition to earning 90 credits numbered 100 or above with a GPA of at least 2.0, the student must submit a plan of study, signed by an OC advisor, and the name of the four-year college or university to the Registrar before completing 70 credits of 100 or higher numbered courses at OC. Changes in the plan may not be made without approval of the Registrar. Receiving an AAS Degree – Option B may not necessarily grant junior status at the four-year institution.

v ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE (AS) DEGREE

The Associate of Science (AS) degree prepares students who wish to pursue upper division work in Engineering or Sciences with the lower division science, math, and discipline specific requirements needed for junior-level program entry.  The AS degree meets communication and quantitative skills requirements and provides limited academic breadth through distribution requirements in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences disciplines.  Note that the AAS Degree may be better suited for transfer to certain baccalaureate institutions.

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic faculty advisor early in their matriculation at OC to determine the degree most suitable for them.  The faculty advisor can help the student maintain a checklist of required and completed courses throughout the student’s attendance at OC.  This checklist, signed by the student and the academic faculty advisor, must be submitted together with the graduation application at the appropriate time.

Note 1:  Although courses in a foreign language are not required for a degree, some baccalaureate institutions may require two or three quarters of foreign language for admission or graduation.

Note 2:  All engineering and most scientific disciplines require more than 90 credits to achieve junior standing.

Note 3:  A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in applicable coursework is required to be awarded the AS Degree.  The University of Washington requires a minimum grade point average of 2.75 to be admitted as a junior.  Admission to a specific department in the institution is competitive and may require a grade point average significantly higher than 2.75.  Contact advisors at the baccalaureate institution for details.

Note 4:  Elective courses are to be chosen with the guidance of an OC academic faculty advisor. See the advisors list in this catalog. No more than 5 credits of restricted electives may be applied to the AS Degree.

Transfer Track 1 –

Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Earth Sciences, or Environmental/Resource Sciences

Students planning to transfer to a baccalaureate institution in the disciplines of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Earth Sciences, or Environmental/Resource Sciences, should consider the AS Degree—Transfer Track One.

Transfer Track 2 –

Engineering, Physics, Computer Science and Atmospheric Sciences

Students wishing to transfer to a baccalaureate institution in the disciplines of Atmospheric Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or Physics, should consider the AS Degree—Transfer Track Two.