General Studies, A.A.

Program Coordinator: Melanie Timmerman, J.D.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Associate of Arts in General Studies (AAGS) degree program is intentionally designed for students who may be just beginning their college journeys. The program is designed to be completed one course at a time in approximately two and a half years, with a fast-track option available for eligible students after completion of the first term. The program includes a variety of courses that help students to build a foundation of knowledge and critical thinking skills, as well as skills in written and interpersonal communication. The Associate of Arts in General Studies program forms the core of a liberal arts education, preparing students for success in an ever-changing professional world. This fully online, 60-credit hour program fulfills all of the requirements of the General Education Core required for a GPS baccalaureate degree, preparing students for a seamless transition into their baccalaureate program of choice after graduation if they choose to continue their educational journey at MVNU.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Associate of Arts in General Studies program encourages the development of the whole person through a comprehensive curriculum that integrates a variety of cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills. Graduates of this program are expected to achieve each of the following learning outcomes:

• communicate effectively in clear and correct prose, and in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience;
• enhance verbal communication and presentation skills, including settings that require effective interpersonal, small group, and public communication skills;
• demonstrate quantitative literacy skills and apply basic mathematical tools when solving real-world problems;
• comprehend, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences as a means of understanding a variety of astronomical, biological, and/or meteorological phenomena;
• increase comprehension of the human condition via its cultures and history, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought;
• engage in critical analysis, form aesthetic judgments, and develop an appreciation of the arts and humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society;
• increase knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students must satisfy each of the following requirements in order to be admitted to the Associate of Arts in General Studies program:

• submission of an official high school transcript or GED (students with previous college experience submit official transcripts of all college or university coursework completed to date instead of a high school transcript or GED);
• an overall GPA of 2.00 in all previous college or university coursework (applicants with a GPA less than 2.00 may apply for probationary admittance);
• completion of an online application and Registration Agreement Form.

Applicants to the Associate of Arts in General Studies program may be enrolled without submission of official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. However, in order for a student to remain enrolled in the program, all official transcripts must be submitted by no later than the end of the student’s second course. A minimum GPA of 2.00 for all prior coursework completed will also not apply to students admitted to the Associate of Arts in General Studies program.

Applicants from foreign countries and U.S. territories must also provide recent evidence of proficiency in English by: 1) scoring 80 or above on the Internet-based TOEFL with subscores in writing, reading, speaking and listening of at least 20; 2) scoring 550 or above on the written TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with subscores in writing and reading of at least 50; or 3) scoring 6.0 or above on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). All tests of English proficiency must have been taken in the last two years to be considered for acceptance.

Enrolled students are required to complete only those courses above that are needed to satisfy the graduation requirements of the Associate of Arts in General Studies program.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The student must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00) including:

1. Successful completion of ITDS2061: Student Success Strategies (1 credit hour)
2. Successful completion of the GPS General Education Core (minimum of 36 credit hours):
   • Arts and Humanities (minimum of 15 credit hours)
     • Minimum of 3 credit hours in an English composition course with a research writing component
     • Minimum of 3 credit hours in Bible/Theology
   • Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Mathematics (minimum of 15 credit hours)
     • Minimum of 3 credit hours in Natural Science with laboratory
     • Minimum of 3 credit hours in Social Science
     • Minimum of 3 credit hours in Mathematics
   • Liberal Arts electives (minimum of 6 credit hours)
3. Successful completion of at least 23 credit hours of general electives.