Associate of Arts
The Associate of Arts program provides you with a broad academic education to prepare you for upper-level university study and the workforce.
What Can You Do With This Credential?
Use the credits you gain in this program toward your completion of a degree, increase your employability, or simply enjoy the experience of university.
Program Requirements
Some program requirements may be met with credits earned through prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR).
Admission Requirements
Please include the Program Admission Form with your application.
Residency Requirements
A minimum of 9 TRU credits (distance or on-campus)
Degree Requirements
60 credits total of first- and second-year (lower-level) courses and some upper-level courses, with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher over all courses required for this credential, as follows:
6 credits in English (university-level composition and literature), excluding technical- and business-writing courses
18 credits in first-year arts other than English, including 6 credits in social sciences and 6 credits in humanities (including creative and performing arts but not studio courses)
18 credits of second-year arts in two or more subject areas
9 credits in natural science (physical anthropology, astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, physical geography), including 3 credits in a first-year hands-on laboratory science, such as BIOL 1113 (3) and BIOL 1115 (0), and 3 credits in mathematics, statistics or computer science
9 credits of first- or second-year courses
Certain interdisciplinary areas of studies may be allocated to more than one subject area, depending on the content of the course.
The first-year science requirement includes a hands-on laboratory course that accompanies the 3-credit course; for example, BIOL 1115, BIOL 1215, GEOG 1221, GEOL 1111, PHYS 1105, PHYS 1205. Any credits earned in first-year hands-on lab courses do not count toward the 60 credits required for program completion.
No course may be used to meet more than one of the specific requirements.
Transfer and Credit Options
Courses used to complete the Associate of Arts program must have transfer credit to one other BC university, including Simon Fraser University (SFU), University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), and University of Victoria (UVic).
Student Responsibility
Consult with your Program Advisor to ensure that the courses you select can be applied toward the program requirements of your chosen credential.
Before you register in a course not listed on the OL website, you must apply for a letter of permission. Otherwise, you may find that either course credits cannot be applied to your program or you must pay a transcript reassessment fee.
Fees
Please see Tuition and Fees for estimated costs.
Contact Us
Please contact us with your questions about the Associate of Arts program.