Associate of Arts in General Education (Self-Paced)

Pending U.S. Department of Education and WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) approval, this program will be offered in Spring 2027.

Self-paced programs measure progress by what students know and can do, not by the amount of time spent in class as in traditional credit hour programs. Students advance by demonstrating mastery of specific learning outcomes through assessments. Skills and knowledge gained through work or life experience can help students move through a self-paced program more quickly than a credit hour program. However, all students, regardless of pace, must demonstrate mastery of every required course to earn the degree.

Graduation Requirements - Associate of Arts

• A minimum of 60 credits is required.

• Completion of degree program requirements.

• 15 credits in residence.

• 2.0 minimum UMass Global cumulative grade point average.

• Degree requirements cannot be waived by the CSU or IGETC certification (CA), Washington and Oregon state-approved Direct Transfer degrees, Associate Degrees for Transfer or other state's equivalent transfer certification.

• LBSC 100 Student Success Strategies and LBSC 105 Academic Foundations cannot be satisfied in transfer.

The Self-Paced Associate of Arts (A.A.) in General Education is designed to familiarize students with a broad range of subjects. Through coursework, students are introduced to diverse cultures, histories, and traditions, and provided with the tools and strategies to communicate effectively, reason critically, and comprehend basic mathematical applications.

The A.A. Degree requires successful completion of 60 credit hours with a minimum UMass Global cumulative 2.0 G.P.A. Successful completion of the A.A. Degree can satisfy the Basic Skills and Breadth requirements in the General Education program for University of Massachusetts Global bachelor’s programs.

Students who are admitted to the program will begin their studies with the following sequence of courses: LBSC 100 Student Success Strategies, ENGC 103 Writing and Rhetoric, ENGC 104 Writing About Literature, LBSC 105 Academic Foundations. LBSC 100 Student Success Strategies and ENGC 103 Writing and Rhetoric may be taken concurrently; and ENGC 104 Writing About Literature and LBSC 105 Academic Foundations may be taken concurrently. ENGU 103 Writing and Rhetoric and ENGC 104 Writing About Literature may be satisfied in transfer.

Mission Statement

The Associate of Arts (AA) degree provides an academic foundation for future student success in baccalaureate studies, career advancement, and informed citizenship.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Written Fluency: Compose written arguments that are coherent, grammatically correct, and rhetorically aware.
• Oral Fluency: Present effective, audience-appropriate oral presentations that develop and support a point.
• Quantitative Fluency: Explain how accurate calculations and symbolic operations are used in interpreting social and economic trends.
• Applied Learning: Evaluate a scenario in which academic knowledge and skills could be applied to a work or community issue.
• Innovation and Creativity: Discuss a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product.
• Global Cultures/Engaging Diverse Perspectives: Explain how knowledge from different cultural perspectives would affect one’s interpretation of prominent problems in politics, society, the arts, and/or global relations.
• Information Literacy: Evaluate and cite various information resources necessary to complete an academic research essay.

Degree Requirements