The Associate of Arts (A.A.) Degree is a 90-credit transfer degree that fulfills the general education requirements for most four-year degrees in arts and sciences. To earn the A. A. degree, students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in courses numbered 100 and above, complete at least 15 credits at the Seattle Community College awarding the degree, and meet the requirements outlined below.

Students should contact college advising offices for listings of courses that satisfy degree requirements. Students planning to transfer to a four-year institution should be aware that they must complete all admission requirements for their destination institution. In addition, students are encouraged to give early consideration to possible majors and obtain information about requirements for these majors at their destination college or university.

Previous AA Degree Requirements

Students who started prior to Summer Quarter 2004 may choose to fulfill prior requirements in effect from Fall Quarter 1996 through Spring Quarter 2004. Students who choose this option will have through Spring Quarter 2009 to complete their degree. Here is the list of changes between the prior AA Degree and the current AA Degree

Learning Outcomes

The Seattle Community Colleges A.A. degree is designed to fulfill a set of desired learning outcomes for the general education of a college undergraduate in the United States in the 21st century. Students completing the Associate of Arts degree should:

1. Have college-level knowledge and skills in critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and written composition.
2. Have college-level mastery of information literacy and technology literacy.
3. Have effective skills for in-person and media-based interactions with individuals and within groups.
4. Understand methods and modes of inquiry specific to traditional and contemporary areas of knowledge in the humanities and arts, natural and physical sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences.
5. Understand the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge.
6. Understand the United States as a multicultural society.
7. Understand the global society and processes of globalization from mostly, but not exclusively, non-Western and indigenous perspectives.

College Transfer A.A. Degree Requirements

Special Requirements

Within the 90 credits required for the A.A. degree, students must complete special requirements in Integrated Studies, Communication, U.S. Culture and Global Studies, as listed below. Students should consult their college advising office for a current listing of these courses. Specially designated courses that satisfy these requirements differ by college. Special designation credit for courses taken at one of the Seattle Community Colleges will transfer to other colleges in the district.

• At least 8 credits of Integrated Studies. (This requirement may be met through specially designated individual courses, linked courses, or coordinated studies programs.)
• At least one course in Communication.
• At least one course in U.S. Cultures.
• At least one course in Global Studies.

Basic Requirements - 15 Credits

English&101 and English& 102 (10 credits)

Intermediate Algebra Proficiency

All students must demonstrate proficiency in intermediate algebra. Proficiency may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

• In high school, complete three years of study at the level of algebra, geometry and second-year algebra.
  1. Second-year algebra must be completed with a minimum 2.0 grade.
  2. The first algebra course may be completed in junior high school if the second-year algebra course is completed in secondary school.

  Note: Arithmetic, pre-algebra, business math, and statistics will not count toward the requirement.

• OR complete MATH 098 with a minimum 2.0 grade.
• OR place into and complete MATH& 107 with a minimum 2.0 grade. (Placement is through an approved placement test.)
• OR place into and complete a mathematics course from either of the following lists with any passing grade. (Placement is through an approved placement test.)

  List 1: These courses are recognized by Seattle Community Colleges, the University of Washington, and most Washington baccalaureate institutions as demonstrating intermediate algebra proficiency. Students should check the requirements of their destination institution: MATH 102, 116, 120, &141, &142, &148, &151 - &153, 171, 172, 220, 224, 238.

  List 2: Although recognized by Seattle Community Colleges and some Washington baccalaureate institutions as demonstrating intermediate algebra proficiency, the following courses are not recognized for that purpose by the University of Washington. Students should check requirements of their destination institution: MATH 103, 109 (formerly 240), 170.

Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning (5 credits)

Students completing the QSR requirement will be able to use quantitative or symbolic reasoning to understand, analyze, interpret and solve problems. Successful completion of any of the following classes satisfies the QSR requirement for Seattle Community Colleges. These courses may also satisfy the QSR requirement at baccalaureate institutions. Students should check the requirements of their destination institution.

• MATH 102, 103, &107*, 109 (formerly 240), 116, 120**, &141 - &153, 170 - 172, 220, 224, 238

  (* If using MATH &107 to meet both the IA proficiency requirement and the QSR requirement, students must earn a minimum 2.0 grade in the course.)

  (** MATH 120 does not meet the QSR requirement at University of Washington)

• ASTR& 110
• BUS 210
• EGR 142
• CHEM &139, &161, &162, &163, 191, 192
• CSC 110, 111, 142, 143
• ECON &200, &201
• PHIL& 106
• PHYS &121, &122, &123, &221, &222, &223
• PSYC 217

Electives - 30 Credits

Electives include:

• All college transfer courses numbered 100 or above
• Accounting, business administration and transfer engineering classes
• Physical education activity courses (3 credit maximum)
• A maximum of 15 credits from a combination of the following:
  • Professional-technical courses numbered 100 and above
  • Human Development courses (HDC) numbered 100 and above (6-credit maximum)
  • Library research courses (6-credit maximum)
  • Cooperative Work Experience (CWE) courses numbered 100 and above (5-credit maximum)

Areas of Knowledge Distribution Requirements
45 Credits

Humanities & Arts | Social Sciences | Science & Math

This listing may change. Students should confer with their college advising office for the most current information.

• VISUAL, LITERARY AND PERFORMING ARTS (Humanities and Arts): (15 CREDITS)

  Choices must include a minimum of two different course prefixes, and no more than 5 credits each of a world language at the 100 level and a studio/ performance class (*asterisked below) may be applied to the distribution requirements.

  Art: ART &100, 101* - 103*, 104, 105, 110* - 123*, 163, 166*, 170, 201* - 223*, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 281* - 285*, 290, 291

  American Sign Language: ASL &121 - &123, 210, &221 - &223

  Chinese: CHIN &121 - &223

  Communication: CMST &101 – 285 295

  Drama: DRMA &101, 103, 108* - 110*, 112, 114 - 123*, 131, 182*, 204* - 206*, 221* - 223*, 284, 285, 286

  English: ENGL 104, 109 - 117, 151 - 153, 201, 204- &228, 231 - 293

  French: FRCH &121 - &123, 204 - 206, 212, &221 - &223, 231 - 233

  German: GERM &121 - &123

  Humanities: HUM 104, 105, 110, 115, &116, &117, &118, 120, 125, 150, 160, 200, 210, 234, 261, 270

  Japanese: JAPN &121 - &223

  Journalism: JRN 101 - 103

  Linguistics: LAN 101, 110

  Literature: LIT 236, 238

  Music: MUSC 100 - 117, 119*, 120*, 125, 126* - 140*, &141 - &143, 144* - 158*, 160 -163, 164* - 182*, 185, 204 - 213, 221* - 223*, &231 - 233

  Russian: RUS &121 - &123

  Spanish: SPAN &121 - &223, 236, 238

  Vietnamese: VIET &121 - &123

• INDIVIDUALS, CULTURES, AND SOCIETIES (Social Sciences): (15 CREDITS)

  Choices must include a minimum of two different course prefixes.

  American Ethnic Studies: AME 150 – 201

  Anthropology: ANTH &100 - &228 (excluding &204, &205)

  American Sign Language: ASL 120, 125

  Economics: ECON 100, 102, &201, &202

  Environmental Science: ENV 150

  Geography: GEG 100, 200, 207, 230, 260

  History: HIST 105 – 273 (excluding 122, 130, 218)

  International Studies: ISP 101, 105, 110, 120, 160, 170, 201, 205, 210, 220, 234, 251, 255, 260, 261, 270

  Philosophy: PHIL &101 – 267 (excluding &106)

  Political Science: POLS &101 – 255 (excluding 217)

  Psychology: PSYC &100 – 294 (excluding 160, 222, 240)

  Religion: REL 150, 151

  Sociology: SOC &101 - 280

  Social Science: SSC 101, 103, 187

  Social Welfare:SWF 200

  Women’s Studies: WMN 140 – 257

• THE NATURAL WORLD (Natural and Physical Sciences, Mathematics): (15 CREDITS)

  Choices must include a minimum of two different prefixes; 5 credits must be in a lab science (*asterisked below). Students may choose up to 5 credits from the following list of courses: Anthropology, Computer Science, Engineering, Geography, Mathematics, Philosophy OR Psychology.

  Astronomy: ASTR &100, &110*, 201

  Biology: BIOL &100*, 102*, 106*, 107*, 120*, 125*, 128*, 130*, &160*, 161*, 195, 196, &211* - &213*, &241*, &242*, &260*, 282* - 287*, 290

  Botany: BOT 110*, 112*, 113*

  Chemistry: CHEM &105*, 106*, &121*, &122*, &123*, &161* - &163*, &139, 191*, 192*, 211*, &241 - &243, &251*, &252*, 255

  Environmental Science: ENV 150 – 221

  Geology: GEOL &101*, &103*, 104, 105*, 106, 108* - &208*

  Health: HEA 125, 150, 160, 225

  Meteorology: MEY 100

  Material Science: MSC 101

  Nanotechnology: NANO 101*

  Nutrition: NTR 105*, 150, 155

  Oceanography: OCE 100

  Physics: PHYS &100, 107*, &121 - &123, &221* - &223*

  Science: SCI SCI 100, 101*, 104, 110* – 121*
  Speech & Hearing Science: SPS 201
  Up to 5 credits total allowed from the following group:

  Anthropology: ANTH &204, &205

  Computer Science: CSC 110, 111, 142, 143

  Engineering: ENGR &111, 140, 142, &214, &215, &224, &225, 271

  Geography: GEG 205

  Math: MATH 102, 103, &107, 109, 116, 120, &141, &142, &148, &151 - &153, 170 – 172, 220, 224, 238

  Philosophy: PHIL &106

  Psychology: PSYC 222