WHY UM-HELENA?
The General Education and Transfer programs at UM-Helena offer an excellent and affordable approach to preparing to enter a four-year program. Not only can students obtain two-year degrees in a small, friendly, yet rigorous setting, they can explore many of the general disciplines in liberal arts, science and mathematics. The program continues to grow and to expand both transferable and preparatory courses in Helena.
“The Associate of Science Degree at UM-Helena provided me with the background I needed to transfer to a competitive four-year school.”—Bonnie Schoenborne, Helena
WHAT CAN I LEARN?
The Associate of Arts program is essentially a liberal arts program where students can explore English, Math, Physical Science, Life Science, History, Fine Arts, and Social Science. The Associate of Science program offers opportunities to focus on Environmental Studies, Business, Computer Technology, and Accounting Technology.
WHERE CAN THIS TAKE ME?
To your future. With or without an associate degree, the transfer program prepares students to feed into four-year institutions taking with them the fundamentals needed to perform well in upper-division courses and majors. In addition, employers are recognizing the value of associate degrees, which can lead students directly to the workplace and to higher paying, more satisfying employment.
HOW CAN I EARN MY DEGREE?
Both the Associate of Arts (AA) and the Associate of Science (AS) are general transfer degrees. Completion of these degrees indicates that the student has completed a course of study equivalent to the first two years of a Bachelor degree. These degrees do not officially include a major or minor course of study; nevertheless, students do complete an area of specialization.
Associate of Arts (AA) Students complete a 22-credit program of study option, while Associate of Science (AS) students complete technical competency courses which offer specialization in accounting, business, computers, or environmental studies.
Students planning to transfer are advised to work closely with the receiving four-year institution to ensure the applicability of UM-Helena courses to the intended program of study.
Minimum Requirements
· Completion of 60 semester credit hours, 15 of which are at the 200 level
· Completion of 31+ credits in General Education, 22 credits in a program of study, and 2 credits in a Capstone Course
· An overall GPA of 2.25 upon completion of the degree
· A grade of “C” or better in each of course in the program of study or technical core
General Education Core (31+ credits)
· Natural Science/Mathematics (10+ credits)
· Written Communication (6 credits)
· Oral Communication (3 credits)
· Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 credits)
· Humanities/Fine Arts (6 credits)
· Diversity Requirement: Within the core of 31+ credits, students must take at least 3 credits in courses that explore cultural diversity
Capstone Course (2+ credits)
Both AA and AS students must complete the Capstone course during the final semester of coursework. The student works with an assigned advisor on a project, applying general competencies and perspectives to an issue in the student’s program of study area.
Additional AA Requirements
Students seeking an AA degree must complete an additional 5+ credits in humanities/social science. These additional credits must include one foreign language course.
AA Students must also complete 22 credits in no more than two of the following areas:
· Accounting or Business Technology
· English/Communication
· Fine Arts
· History
· Social Science
Additional AS Requirements
Students seeking an AS degree must also complete an additional 5+ credits in Sciences/Mathematics by completing the second half of one of the science sequences.
AS students must also complete a predefined 22 credit option in one of the following areas:
· Accounting Technology
· Business Technology
· Computer Technology, Network Administration and Network Architecture
· Computer Technology, Programming and Webmaster
· Environmental Studies