Guidelines for Associates Degrees

Listed below are the guidelines for the Associates degrees that are fully transferable. An additional listing of guidelines is listed for those associates degrees that are based on field of study (major).

Fully transferable

Associate of Arts: The Associate of Arts (AA) degree has been designated as the fully transferable degree under Act 747 of 2011 that must include the 35-hour state minimum general education core that requires courses in English/writing, the humanities and fine arts, history and the social sciences, mathematics, and the natural sciences. The required hours for the degree is 60 semester credit hours, and the degree title does not specify a field of study. Remedial/developmental education courses must be used for placement purposes only and cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Associate of Science. The Associate of Science (AS) degree must include the 35-hour state minimum general education core that requires courses in English/writing, the humanities and fine arts, history and the social sciences, mathematics, and the natural sciences. The required hours for the degree is 60 semester credit hours. The degree title must specify a field of study, and must be designed to be fully transferable to meet the bachelor’s degree program completion requirements at one or more Arkansas college/university. Remedial/developmental education courses must be used for placement purposes only and cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements.

In order to ensure that associate-level transfer degrees meet AHECB curricular and total credit hour criteria, ADHE staff has reviewed all Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. The Associate of Science in Business has been approved by the AHECB for full transfer.

Based on field of study (major) at participating two- and four-year institutions

For Associates degrees based on specific field of study (e.g. Associate of Science in agriculture, chemistry, business, etc.) only AHECB or the ADHE Director can approve them in specific fields of study. Signed agreements between institutions in which the associate and baccalaureate degrees are articulated must be on file with ADHE. Published statements designating institutions where the degree will fully transfer in that field of study must be made available to the students and the general public.