Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degree Programs
Associate degrees are offered for students whose needs are best met by this degree or for students who may seek to further their education at a later time with a baccalaureate degree. The Associate degree programs fall in two general categories: Associate of Arts (AA) in General Studies degree, with specialties in 19 different fields, and career-based Associate of Science (AS) degrees in one field. In addition to the specialty courses, each program has its foundation within a liberal arts base.
Associate of Arts Degree—General Studies Program
All Associate of Arts degrees are offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. The candidate for the AA degree in General Studies must complete 60 credits, which include the AA Core Curriculum as well as an emphasis of not less than 15 credit hours and elective courses chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor. A minimum of 30 of these credits must be taken at Sacred Heart University, and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required.
Core Curriculum
The Core Curriculum for the AA degree provides the student with the opportunity to experience other disciplines, obtain a background for further study, and become a knowledgeable and educated human being.
Foundational Core
- FYS 125* First Year Seminar (3 credits)
- FLO 125 The Art of Thinking (3 credits)
- Arts/Design/Communications
- History
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Natural/Physical
- Philosophy
- Social or Behavioral Sciences
- Theology/Religious Studies
*A grade of C or better is required.
Common Core: The Human Journey Seminars: Great Books in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition
Sacred Heart University’s academic signature centerpiece, The Human Journey Seminars, is a coherent, integrated, and interdisciplinary study of the liberal arts and sciences and the Catholic intellectual tradition.
See description of the Common Core: The Human Journey Seminars: Great Books in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition courses listed previously in this chapter.
Thematic Liberal Arts Core
See description of the Thematic Liberal Arts Core listed previously in this chapter.
Emphasis
Credits range from 15–32, depending on the emphasis.
Note: The required courses for each emphasis are listed under each college and department section.
A grade of C or better is required in all emphasis courses. Area discipline courses cannot be used in above core areas. Areas of emphasis with required courses are:
Associate of Arts Degree
College of Arts and Sciences
- Art & Design
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Communication Studies
- English
- French
- History
- Italian
- Mathematics
- Media Arts
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Theology & Religious Studies
Associate of Science Degree
College of Arts and Sciences