Associate of Arts Degree

Explore anthropology, criminology, English, First Nations, history, modern languages (Chinese, French and Spanish), North American studies, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology and women’s studies, as well as electives in math and sciences.

Associate degrees are offered at many colleges and universities throughout BC. They recognize successful completion of 60 credits of study, which is approximately 20 courses. With full-time study, you can complete an associate degree within two academic years. Part-time study options are also available.

Associate degrees offer a great deal of flexibility. You can choose your preferred courses from a specific list of eligible courses, making it possible to focus your studies in one specific area or explore a variety of subjects.

Tuition and Costs

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Admission Requirements

There are no formal admission requirements for the Associate of Arts degree. However, courses will have specific entry requirements called prerequisites, which are listed under each course description. To meet prerequisite requirements, submit transcripts or complete English and/or Math assessments.

Course Requirements

The following overview describes the general requirements for an Associate of Arts degree. However, choosing the right combination of courses will depend on a number of factors. Our educational advisors will work with you to personalize these general requirements to meet your goals.

Associate of Arts Degree - General Requirements

Students are responsible for selecting only courses that are eligible for the Associate of Arts degree. See “eligible associate degree courses” below.

6 credits in first year English
9 credits in Science, including:
- 3 credits in mathematics, computer science or statistics
- 3 credits in a laboratory science
- 3 additional credits in Science
36 credits in Arts (which must include a minimum of 18 credits at the second-year level in two or more subject areas) including:
- 6 credits in the Social Sciences
- 6 credit in Humanities (excluding English)
- 24 additional credits in Arts
9 credits in Arts, Science or other areas

Completion Requirements

Students must achieve an overall average grade of C (cumulative GPA of 2.0) calculated on all courses counting toward the associate degree. No course may be used to meet more than one of the specific associate degree requirements.

Eligible Associate Degree Courses

The following university transfer courses in these subject areas are eligible for credit toward completion of the Associate of Arts degree. For a complete list of courses and their details enter the subject area in the Course Descriptions.

Arts (includes both Humanities and Social Sciences):

Aboriginal Leadership (ABG)
Chinese (CHN)
Digital Design & Development (DGL)
Education (EDU)
English (ENG)
Fine Arts (FIN)
First Nations Studies (FNS)
French (FRE)
History (HIS)
Indigenous Language Fluency (ILF)
Interactive Media (IMG)
Liberal Studies (LIB)
Media Communications (MCS)
Philosophy: (PHI)
Spanish (SPN)

Social Sciences

Anthropology (ANT)
Criminology (CRM)
Digital Design & Development (DGL)
Economics (ECO)
Equity and Social Justice (ESJ)
Geography (GEO)
Human Services (HSW)
Interactive Media (IMG)
Political Science (POL)
Psychology (PSY)
Sociology (SOC)
Social Service (SSW)
Women’s Studies (WST)

Sciences

Biology (BIO)
Chemistry (CHE)
Computer Science (CPS)
Digital Design & Development (DGL)
Geography (GEO)
Interactive Media (IMG)
Mathematics (MAT (STA)
Physics (PHY)
Space Science and Astronomy (SSA)

Business

Business (BUS)