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[tenured_cat]

In our department, we are currently kicking around the idea of developing an Associate Degree in General Studies (long story short - we just destroyed an utterly risible General Studies atrocity degree and replaced it with a much more rigorous Bachelor of General Studies (BGS); now it's on to the short version. Both are meant to provide additional options for students who would otherwise never consider our cute little university). Most other such degrees I can find are offered solely at Community Colleges (of course), but I'd like some more university examples. Our intent is to make the degree into the first two years of the BGS to encourage continued enrollment for the initially faint-hearted (and the BGS is designed to encourage consideration to switch to a "real" major).

Does anybody know of any examples of universities (or just four-year colleges) that offer the Associate in something like General Studies or Liberal Arts? I'm especially interested in programs that require the first two years of general undergraduate requirements to help students to consider moving up; therefore, I'm not really interested in programs that have vocational or professional components.

[sirkdn]

Pace University in New York has an Associates in General Arts and Sciences:

http://www.pace.edu/pace/academic-programs/view-programs/index.cfm?School=A%26S&Cred=AA&Maj=GLA&Location=nyc&details

[tenured_cat]

Thank you, Sirkdn!

Unfortunately, the page doesn't want to come up, not even from the school's site. But I'll keep trying!

[sirkdn]

try this link instead:

http://www.pace.edu/pace/dyson/prospective-undergraduate-students/exploring-degree-programs/associate-degree-programs/

[tenured_cat]

Thanks, but it still returns "500 - Internal server error." I've taken the ones I've found in the meantime (and the one PM-ed to me - thanks!) and put together my suggested requirements. The consensus at universities seems to be to require the core curriculum (general education requirements) of the first two years. A good way to encourage students to consider staying for more.

[der_gadfly]

I have seen a few 'general' associates programs at community colleges: aimed at students who are not ready to declare a major but will go on for a four year degree. Take a look at Nassau Community College (NY).

[wareagle]

Cat_on_track, how does this differ from an associate in arts?

We're a small regional baccalaureate campus, but we still offer the AA, the AS, and an AAS in some fields.  Our AA is the general eds plus a few other courses.  Sounds a lot like what you're describing.

We also have a four-year general studies degree, but it's mostly for students who transfer in technical credits.

[tenured_cat]

Wareagle, both our AGS and the BGS (Bachelor of General Studies) are designed to entice students to come here with another option than the BS (which is the only undergraduate degree we offer - we're funny that way). But since we want this to be more of a "oh do come and try this - you may like it and switch" carrot and we have comparatively few humanities, just a couple of social sciences (and I'm two of them), and no fine arts outside of "for entertainment purposes only" courses, our AGS and BGS need to echo the BS core curriculum sufficiently to make it attractive for good students to come here even if they are not (yet?) interested in a BS.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I've put together a proposal for the AGS and the department can now sink its teeth into it (and other, much less savory topics).