Columbia College Associate in General Studies
Customize your learning experience with a general studies degree.
Residential classes
Jan
08
next start date
16
week semester
5
year locked-in tuition
Online & night classes
Oct
23
next start date
8
week sessions
$375
undergraduate tuition
Available program formats: Online: AGS In class: AGS
Expand your horizons with a two-year adventure in gathering knowledge
To plan this two-year degree, students and their advisors collaborate to choose courses. Students choose six courses from across the nine goal areas (ethical reasoning, civic engagement, creative thinking and experience, global awareness, environmental stewardship, human experience, communications competence, reasoning in natural science and reasoning in mathematical science). Then, working with an advisor, students select additional courses from across the College based on their interest.
Upon graduation, students will have demonstrated that they have the skills and knowledge needed for employment in industries ranging from education to hospitality to business.
Choose courses from these goal areas:
- Effective communication strategies
- Ethical decision making
- Environmental Stewardship
- Mathematical and scientific thinking
Keep your long-term goals in mind when planning this degree
An Associate in General Studies degree demonstrates that you have the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the 21st century – and that you have the self-discipline and organizational abilities to succeed in the workplace. Because you have determined the focus of your studies, you can tailor your education to your long-term career goals.
Having a two-year college degree is beneficial to employment in many industries. It also prepares you for continued education, such as a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor's vs. Associate: What's the difference?
Associate degree programs focus primarily on general education and can typically be completed in two years. Graduates are prepared to either enter the workforce or transition into a bachelor's program. Bachelor's degree programs provide advanced study in a specific subject area and can increase career opportunities.
Columbia College Global offers traditional classroom instruction for many courses at nationwide locations. Students at nationwide locations are expected to engage with multiple learning methods, including online and virtual while completing their degree. Columbia College offers on-campus programs with traditional classroom instruction at the Residential Campus in Columbia, Missouri.
Dr. Ann Schlemper
" Many [students] come into a lot of our developmental math courses ... thinking 'I hate math' or 'I've never been good at math. I'm never going to understand math' and then for them all of a sudden a light comes on and they are able to say 'oh, I can do this' and that's what keeps me teaching. "
Read about AnnView more faculty profiles
Find your path
Submit this form to get information about applying to Columbia College.
Questions about admissions? Call the main line.
Main line: (573) 875-8700
Want to know more about our programs? Contact the department.
Department phone: 573-875-7625
Office: STC 207
Email: HASS@CCIS.edu
Your degree starts here Take these courses
Available program formats
- Core requirements 27-31 credit hours
- Total degree requirements 60 credit hours
Some courses you may take
This course will develop students' understanding of the skills and knowledge they have learned throughout completing their degree with a focus on how those skills can be applied to achieve their professional goals. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, ENGL 133W.
The First-year Writing Seminar provides an intensive introduction to college-level writing. Although topics differ among sections, the course is designed to teach all students the process required for producing polished, argumentative, researched essays. Students will engage with complex texts and diverse viewpoints while articulating their own positions and identities. Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in ENGL 107 or EAPP 107 or placement by ACT English Score or by SAT Writing Score. Online or nationwide students may take the Columbia College English placement exam. Students whose ACT English Score is from 18 to 29 or whose SAT Writing and Language Score is from 25 to 40 (430 to 800 for Writing Section prior to spring 2016) will be placed in the FWS. Online or nationwide students who score 75% or higher on the English placement exam will be placed in the FWS.
The Foundations Seminar provides an intensive academic experience designed to help new students learn the strategies necessary for success in college. Through exposure to a variety of broad topics, students will develop skills ranging from critical thinking and inquiry to maintaining one's personal wellbeing. Students will also be introduced to digital literacy, and to the expectations of Columbia College and its faculty, including becoming familiar with the general education curriculum, degree requirements, and college catalog. All students with fewer than 24 credit hours post-high school are required to take this course in their first semester.
Examination of the significant role of gender in human communication behaviors as enacted in social spaces of daily life. Cross-listed as WMST 343W. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and ENGL 133W.