Associate of Arts Degree Framework
Description
The Associate Degree is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students for work, citizenship and an enriched life as an educated person, and to lay a solid foundation for further study.
The associate degree curriculum comprises two years of post-secondary level study in a variety of academic areas. Students are required to complete a broad range of course offerings balanced with in-depth study in specific disciplines. Since many students will continue their studies, the requirements are sufficiently flexible to enable students to plan their educational program carefully and to complete the required prerequisites for upper-level course work at KPU or another university in British Columbia. Students will be exposed to concepts, theories and modes of inquiry in the humanities, the social sciences and the sciences to develop:
- an interest in, and curiosity about the world around them
- an understanding of the global context in which they live and work
- an appreciation of intellectual thought and human creativity
- an openness to a variety of viewpoints
- a capacity for and interest in self-directed, life-long learning
- acceptance of the social responsibilities that come with the benefits of advanced learning
In addition, the program of study should develop and improve those skills and abilities essential for academic success at an advanced intellectual level. These may be taught in some courses, embedded in the curriculum of others, or achieved through class participation and the learning process. These include but are not limited to:
- advanced reading comprehension
- effective written and oral communications
- mathematical and scientific reasoning
- computer and technological literacy
- research and evaluative skills
- analysis, synthesis and integration of knowledge
- critical thinking and problem solving
- application of theoretical understanding to practice
- working collaboratively
The various subjects for Associate of Arts degrees at KPU are listed in the Program Index.
Completing a Bachelor of Arts at KPU
Students who wish to complete one of KPU's Bachelor of Arts degree programs are encouraged to declare into the program of their choice as soon as they meet the declaration requirements to do so. Students who wish to move from an Associate of Arts (AA) program to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) program should consult an Arts Degree Advisor to properly plan their degree progression.
Transfer to Another Institution
Students who graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in order to transfer to a BC institution to complete their degree studies are awarded 60 transfer credits at the receiving institution. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain program information from the appropriate transfer institution to ensure all first- and second-year program requirements are met within their Associate of Arts program. Completion of an Associate of Arts degree does not guarantee admission.
Students are responsible for ensuring their courses are transferable to other receiving institutions by checking the online transfer guide from the BC Council on Admission and Transfer at www.bccat.ca.
Faculty's website: kpu.ca/arts
Admission Requirements
Students pursuing a Associate of Arts Degree must be admitted to the Faculty of Arts.
Curricular Requirements
Students are required to complete 60 semester credit hours of first-year and second-year courses with a minimum grade of 'C' in all courses. These must include a minimum of 21 credits in Arts at the second-year level taken in two or more subject areas.
The Associate of Arts Degree (AA) follows the standards published by the British Columbia Council on Admissions & Transfer (BCCAT) www.bctransferguide.ca/learn-more-about/associate-degrees/. Accordingly, all courses used as part of an AA degree must be transferrable to one of the following BC universities:
- Simon Fraser University (SFU)
- University of British Columbia (Vancouver or Okanagan Campuses) (UBC)
- University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)
- University of Victoria (UVic)
Specific Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. English | ||
| Select six credits in first-year English | 6 | |
| B. Science | ||
| Select nine credits in Science which shall include at least: | 9 | |
| Mathematics, Computing Science, or Statistics | ||
Select one of the following: | ||
| Business Statistics | ||
A course in CPSC numbered 1100 or higher | ||
| Quantitative Data Analysis I | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Geography | ||
A course in MATH numbered 1112 or higher | ||
| Applied Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Social Research Statistics | ||
| Laboratory Science | ||
Select one of the following: | ||
| Forensic Anthropology 1 | ||
| Introduction to Astronomy | ||
| Introductory Biology I | ||
| Biology Today | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| Introductory Biology II | ||
A course in BIOL numbered 1260 or higher | ||
| CSI: Chemical Sciences Investigation | ||
| Physical Geography | ||
| Climatology | ||
A course in PHYS numbered 1100 or higher | ||
| Select one additional course chosen from Mathematics, Computing Science, Statistics or Lab Science | ||
| C. Arts 2 | ||
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select six credits in Social Sciences (ANTH, CRIM, ECON, GEOG, POLI, POST, PSYC, or SOCI, or any course cross-listed with these) | 6 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select six credits in Humanities (ARTH, ASIA, CRWR, FINA, FREN, HIST, HUMN, JAPN, LING, MAND, MODL, MUSI, PHIL, PUNJ, or SPAN, or any course cross-listed with these) | 6 | |
| Select 24 additional credits in Arts 2 | 24 | |
| D. Arts, Science, or other areas | ||
| Select nine additional credits in Arts, Science, or other areas | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
Does not fulfill the science requirement for Science majors.
- 2
Arts courses include all courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and all ECON courses. Areas designated as Social Sciences and Humanities are for the purposes of this Framework only.
Students intending to transfer elsewhere should check whether courses designated as Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences at KPU fulfill the same area criteria at their destination institution.
Course Numbering
Courses numbered 1100–1999 are primarily first-year undergraduate courses. Courses numbered 2000–2999 are primarily second-year undergraduate courses. Students may follow this as a guideline when choosing their courses for the Associate of Arts degree. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Below is a list of 1100-level courses that may be used for second-year undergraduate credit.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 1100 | Social & Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 1200 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 1217 | Forensic Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 1300 | Archaeology | 3 |
| CRIM 1101 | Introduction to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| CRIM 1207 | Introduction to Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRIM 1208 | Methods of Research in Criminology | 3 |
| CRWR 1100 | Introduction to Creative Writing I | 3 |
| CRWR 1110 | Introduction to Creative Writing II | 3 |
| FINA 1100 | Introduction to Drawing | 3 |
| FINA 1110 | Introduction to Painting | 3 |
| FINA 1170 | Introduction to Film Photography | 3 |
| FINA 1175 | Form, Structure and Materials | 3 |
| FINA 1200 | Drawing II | 3 |
| FINA 1230 | Ceramics II | 3 |
| FINA 1231 | Sculpture II | 3 |
| FINA 1242 | Print Media II | 3 |
| GEOG 1160 | Geography of British Columbia | 3 |
| HIST 1113 | Cultures in Collision: Canada to 1867 | 3 |
| HIST 1114 | Forged in Fire: Canada since 1867 | 3 |
| HIST 1145 | Expansion, Revolution, & Civil War: American History 1607-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1146 | World Wars, Reform, & Cold War: American History 1865-1960 | 3 |
| HIST 1150 | Beyond the Middle Kingdom: Introduction to East Asian History | 3 |
| JAPN 1200 | Introduction to Contemporary Japanese Society and Culture | 3 |
| PHIL 1110 | Introduction to Moral Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 1112 | Introduction to Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 1145 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHIL 1150 | Introduction to Formal Logic | 3 |
| POLI 1110 | Ideology and Politics | 3 |
| POLI 1120 | Canadian Government and Politics | 3 |
| POLI 1123 | Politics in the City | 3 |
| POLI 1125 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| POLI 1145 | Comparing Countries: Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLI 1150 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
Credential Awarded
Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to receive an Associate of Arts degree in their chosen subject area.
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