Welcome! The College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences offers a general associate-level degree to students. This two-year degree encompasses general education courses, a concentration of the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences, and elective hours.
The Associate of Arts (AA) degree allows students to: a) increase their earning potential or increase their level of responsibility within a current position; b) complete YSU's Ohio transfer module (OTM) which ensures coursework will transfer to another state institution within Ohio; c) serve as a short-term goal on their way to a baccalaureate level degree; and d) earn a degree using courses already completed.
To inquire about earning the Associate of Arts degree, please contact an advisor in the Division of Academic Advising in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences.
Contact Information
Division of Academic Advising
DeBartolo Hall, Room 121
(330) 941-3413
Associate of Arts (AA) Requirements:
All courses completed for the Associate of Arts general education model must be Ohio Transfer Module (OTM) approved.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| MATH 1510 | College Algebra (or other OTM general education math course) | 4 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| LASS 1510 | Exploring Critical Questions in LASS | 3 |
| Knowledge Domains: (all General Education courses must be OTM approved courses - please consult an academic advisor regarding GER coursees) | ||
| 2 Natural Sciences courses + Lab (one must include a lab) | 7 | |
| 2 Humanities Courses | 6 | |
| 2 Social Science Courses | 6 | |
| GER Elective (any one additional course from the above knowledge domains) | 3 | |
| Concentration Area: Students choose one of three concentration areas (see list below) | 21 | |
Courses in the concentration must have grades of "C" or better | ||
| Elective(s): Students must complete electives to total 60sh for the AA degree | min. 1 | |
| Total Semester Hours: | 60 | |
| The last 20 semester hours and at least 16 s.h. of the concentration area must be completed at Youngstown State University. | ||
Concentration Areas:
Students choose one concentration area below.
Humanities
Applicable courses include:
- literature courses in English or Foreign Language departments
- courses in philosophy and religious studies
- survey and/or appreciation courses in the Department of Art, the Department of Communication, the Department of Theatre and Dance, or the Dana School of Music
- AFST 2601 Introduction to Africana Studies 2
Social Studies
Courses must be selected from the following disciplines:
- Africana Studies (AFST 2600 Introduction to Africana Studies 1 only)
- anthropology
- economics
- human and regional geography
- history
- political science
- psychology
- sociology
Natural Sciences
Courses must be selected from the following disciplines:
- astronomy
- biology
- chemistry
- environmental science
- geology
- physics
- physical geography
- A&S/STEM 2600 (no longer offered)
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3 |
| MATH 1510 | College Algebra | 4 |
| Natural Science GER + Lab OTM approved | 4 | |
| Arts & Humanities GER OTM approved | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Social Science GER OTM approved | 3 | |
| Natural Science GER OTM approved | 3 | |
| Arts & Humanities GER OTM approved | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| Social Science GER OTM approved | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| Elective hours additional hours may be needed to total 60sh | 1 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 60 | |
Learning Outcomes
All students will:
- (1) Demonstrate effective written communication.
- (2) Develop skills to enter the work force or build upon a liberal arts foundation to succeed in upper division coursework if pursuing a baccalaureate degree.
Social Studies concentrations:
- (3) Students will demonstrate an understanding of relationships of individuals and groups in their geographical, historical, global, societal, or cultural contexts.
Humanities concentrations:
- (4) Students will demonstrate an understanding of artistic expression in multiple forms and contexts. (GER Learning Outcome 8)
- (5) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the humanistic perspective including philosophy, ethics, critical thinking, religious inquiry, and diversity.
Natural Science concentrations:
- (6) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the natural environment and the processes that shape it. (GER Learning Outcome 13)