Summary of Certificate and Associate Degree Requirements
Types of Certificates and Associate Degrees
- Certificate Programs
Certificate programs are for students preparing for entry-level employment or upgrading in a specific occupation. - Associate of Science
The A.S. degree represents the completion of a broad-based course of study with an emphasis in the sciences. This degree may serve as a steppingstone to a science-related baccalaureate program. You may earn only one A.S. degree. - Associate of Arts
The A.A. is a program of study with an interdisciplinary approach useful for transferring to future degree programs or as a starting point for a career. An emphasis created in an A.A. program can fulfill general education requirements or become the basis for a minor in many bachelor’s programs. The A.A. degree is offered at all UAF campuses as well as online. Students may earn only one A.A. - Associate of Applied Science
The A.A.S. is for students preparing for entry-level employment or upgrading in a specific occupation. This degree is not intended for transfer into a four-year degree program. However, some courses within the A.A.S. degree may be accepted in a four-year bachelor’s program. (Each course is considered on an individual basis.)
General Associate Degree Requirements
You must have completed at least 60 semester hours, including transfer credits, to earn a UAF associate degree.
At least 15 credits applicable to any associate degree must be UAF resident credits.
See a list of all Certificate and Associate Degree programs here.
Certificate Requirements
Certificate programs vary in length; however, you can usually complete them in one year. Certificates are awarded in specific occupational fields with emphasis on entering the job market. These certificates can serve as the basis for additional education and are the first step toward an Associate of Applied Science degree. For specific major requirements, refer to the degrees and programs section.
If your degree program is delivered collaboratively within the UA system, credits you earn from each UA institution will be counted toward fulfillment of the degree requirements and fulfillment of the minimum institutional residency requirements.
You may enroll in any course for which you are eligible. To earn a certificate, you must formally be admitted to a certificate program and you must earn at least 30 credits, including transfer credit. Fifteen semester hours must be residence credits.
You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in your major and overall. You must earn a C- grade or higher in all courses required for your degree, unless otherwise specified by your major (major, minor, general education requirements and degree requirements). Some majors require higher GPAs for major course work. Programs of study for which certificates are granted must contain a recognizable body of instruction in the program-related areas of communication, computation and human relations.
Additional appropriate topics may include safety, industrial safety and environmental awareness. Instruction in the related instructional areas may be embedded within the program curriculum or taught in blocks of specialized instruction. Each approach, however, will have clearly identified content that is pertinent to the general program of study.
Note: Students planning to go on to a bachelor’s degree need to work closely with their advisors and are encouraged to select courses meeting general education requirements and courses designated within majors and minors. Only those courses with an X designator count toward the baccalaureate general education requirements.
REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2-3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Business English | ||
| Business Communications | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context | ||
| Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context | ||
| University Communications | ||
| Academic Reading for College | ||
| Writing Across Contexts | ||
| Writing and the Humanities | ||
| Writing and the Professions | ||
| Writing and the Sciences | ||
| Arguing Across Contexts | ||
Other program-approved discipline-based communication course or discipline-based courses with embedded communication content. | ||
| Computation | 2-3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
Any course at the F100-level or above in mathematical sciences (computer science, math or statistics). | ||
| Business Math | ||
| Practical Math Skills | ||
| Mathematics in Health Care | ||
| Practical Math Skills | ||
| Intermediate Algebra | ||
| Mathematics for the Trades | ||
Other program-approved discipline-based computation course or discipline-based courses with embedded computation content. | ||
| Human Relations | 2-3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Human Relations | ||
| Teaching Methods for Alaska Native Languages | ||
| Individual, Society and Culture | ||
| Child Development I: Prenatal, Infants and Toddlers | ||
| Child Development II: The Preschool and Primary Years | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Human Behavior in Health Care | ||
| Cultural Diversity in Human Services | ||
| Cross-cultural Bridging Skills and Issues of Personal Development | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
Other program-approved discipline-based human relations or discipline-based courses with embedded human relations content. | ||
| Major Specialty | ||
| At least 21 hours of major specialty courses | 21 | |
| Electives to Total | 30 | |
Associate of Arts Requirements
The Associate of Arts degree represents the completion of broad-based college study. This degree may serve as a starting point for your career or as a steppingstone to a bachelor’s program. You may earn only one A.A. degree.
Students planning to go on to a bachelor’s degree are advised to select courses meeting remaining general education requirements and courses designated within bachelor’s degree majors and minors.
You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in your major and overall. You must earn a C- grade or higher in all courses required for your degree, unless otherwise specified by your major (major, minor, general education requirements and degree requirements). Some majors require higher GPAs for major course work.
The curriculum of the Associate of Arts degree consists of all courses required to meet the UAF baccalaureate general education requirements, with the following exception:
All credits for the A.A. degree must be at the F100 level or above, with 20 credits at the F200 level or above, and be distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General education requirement credits | 35-40 | |
| A.A. degree requirements | 3-4 | |
| General electives | 19-24 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 60 credits
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9 | |
| Complete the following: | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | ||
or COJO F131X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context | |
or COJO F141X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context | |
| Writing Across Contexts | ||
| Writing and the Humanities | ||
or WRTG F212X | Writing and the Professions | |
or WRTG F213X | Writing and the Sciences | |
or WRTG F214X | Arguing Across Contexts | |
| Arts | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Beginning Drawing | ||
| Introduction to Alaska Native Performance | ||
| Aesthetic Appreciation of Alaska Native Performance | ||
| Alaska Native Music | ||
| Explorations in Art | ||
| History of World Art I | ||
| History of World Art II | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| History of the Cinema | ||
| Fundamentals of Acting | ||
| Discovering Stage & Screen | ||
| Dramatic Literature and History | ||
| Unity in the Arts | ||
| Music Fundamentals | ||
| Enjoying Jazz | ||
| Explorations in Music | ||
| Humanities | 3-5 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Introduction to Athabascan Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to Alaska Native Languages | ||
| Media and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Broadcasting | ||
| World Literature | ||
| Texts and Contexts | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Nature of Language | ||
| Languages of the World | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Logic and Reasoning | ||
| Religions of the World | ||
OR take one of the following languages: | ||
| Beginning Dene / Athabascan I | ||
| Beginning Dene / Athabascan II | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| Elementary Chinese I | ||
| Elementary Chinese II | ||
| Elementary French I | ||
| Elementary French II | ||
| Elementary German I | ||
| Elementary German II | ||
| Elementary Inupiaq I | ||
| Elementary Inupiaq II | ||
| Elementary Japanese I | ||
| Elementary Japanese II | ||
| Beginning Latin I | ||
| Beginning Latin II | ||
| Elementary Russian I | ||
| Elementary Russian II | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| Elementary Central Yup'ik I | ||
| Elementary Central Yup'ik II | ||
| Social Sciences | 6 | |
| Complete two courses from the following in two different disciplines: | ||
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ||
| History of Colonization in Alaska: The Indigenous Response | ||
| Indigenous Cultures of Alaska | ||
| Individual, Society and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Ancient Civilizations | ||
| Fundamentals of Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Personal Finance (s) | ||
| Introduction to Sport Management | ||
| Child Development I: Prenatal, Infants and Toddlers | ||
| Child Development II: The Preschool and Primary Years | ||
| Child Guidance | ||
| Introduction to Economic Analysis | ||
| The Economy of Rural Alaska | ||
| Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Natural Resource Economics | ||
| Expedition Earth: Introduction to Geography | ||
| Modern World History | ||
| Western Civilization Since 1500 | ||
| History of Alaska Natives from Contact to the Present | ||
| East Asian Civilization | ||
| History of the U.S. | ||
| Introduction to Addictive Processes | ||
| Introduction to Justice | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| Introduction to American Government and Politics | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| International Politics | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Rural Development in the North | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Social Problems and Solutions | ||
| Introduction to Social Work | ||
| Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Additional Arts/Humanities/Social Science | 3-5 | |
Complete one additional course from the arts, humanities or social science courses listed above. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Numbers and Society | ||
| Patterns and Society | ||
| Essential Precalculus with Applications 2 | ||
| College Algebra for Calculus 2 | ||
| Trigonometry | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Essential Calculus with Applications 3,4 | ||
| Calculus I 3,4 | ||
| Calculus II 4 | ||
| Calculus III 4 | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Natural Sciences | 8 | |
| Complete two from the following: | ||
| Weather and Climate of Alaska | ||
| Human Biology | ||
| Biology and Society | ||
| Natural History of Alaska | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| Fundamentals of Biology I | ||
| Fundamentals of Biology II | ||
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| Chemistry in Complex Systems | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Chemistry of the Arctic | ||
| Earth and Environment: Elements of Physical Geography | ||
| The Dynamic Earth | ||
| Life in the Age of Dinosaurs | ||
| The History of Earth and Life | ||
| Glaciers, Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Past, Present and Future | ||
| The Oceans | ||
| Energy and Society | ||
| Physical Sciences | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| College Physics II | ||
| Introduction to Astronomy | ||
| General Physics I | ||
| General Physics II | ||
| Elementary Modern Physics | ||
| 1 | You may earn credit for MATH F122X or MATH F151X, but not both. |
| 2 | You may earn credit for MATH F230X or MATH F251X, but not both. |
| 3 | Or any math course having one of these as a prerequisite. |
A.A. Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Library and Information Research | ||
| Complete one of the following prior to junior standing: | 0-1 | |
| Library Information and Research | ||
Successful completion of library skills competency test | ||
| Alaska Native-themed Requirement | ||
| During the completion of coursework, 3 credits of Alaska Native-themed course(s) must be completed. See Alaska Native-themed courses chart for available courses. | 3 | |
Associate of Applied Science Requirements
Associate of applied science degrees are awarded in specific occupational fields with emphasis on entering the job market. This degree, usually seen as a terminal degree, can serve as the basis for additional education. For specific major requirements, see the Certificate and Associate Degree Programs section.
Students planning to go on to a bachelor’s degree need to work closely with their advisors and are encouraged to select courses meeting general education requirements and courses designated within majors and minors. Only courses with an X designator count towards the baccalaureate general education requirements (GER).
You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in your major and overall. You must earn a C- grade or higher in all courses required for your degree, unless otherwise specified by your major (major, minor, general education requirements and degree requirements). Some majors require higher GPAs for major course work.
All credits for the A.A.S. degree must be at the F100 level or above and be distributed as follows:
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 60 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9 | |
| Complete the following: | ||
| Business Communications | ||
or WRTG F211X | Writing and the Humanities | |
or WRTG F212X | Writing and the Professions | |
or WRTG F213X | Writing and the Sciences | |
or WRTG F214X | Arguing Across Contexts | |
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | ||
or COJO F131X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context | |
or COJO F141X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context | |
| Writing Across Contexts | ||
| Computation | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
Any course at the F100 level or above in mathematical sciences (computer science, math or statistics) | ||
| Business Math | ||
| Practical Math Skills | ||
| Mathematics in Health Care | ||
| Practical Math Skills | ||
| Intermediate Algebra | ||
| Mathematics for the Trades | ||
Other program-approved discipline-based computation course or discipline-based course with embedded computation content | ||
| Human Relations | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Human Relations | ||
| Teaching Methods for Alaska Native Languages | ||
| Individual, Society and Culture | ||
| Child Development I: Prenatal, Infants and Toddlers | ||
| Child Development II: The Preschool and Primary Years | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Human Behavior in Health Care | ||
| Cultural Diversity in Human Services | ||
| Cross-cultural Bridging Skills and Issues of Personal Development | ||
Other program-approved discipline-based human relations course or discipline-based course with embedded human relations content | ||
| Major Specialty | ||
| At least 30 hours of major specialty courses | 30 | |
| Electives to total | 60 | |
Associate of Science Requirements
The Associate of Science degree represents the completion of a broad-based course of study with an emphasis in the sciences. This degree may serve as a steppingstone to a science-related baccalaureate program. You may earn only one A.S. degree.
You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in your major and overall. You must earn a C- grade or higher in all courses required for your degree, unless otherwise specified by your major (major, minor, general education requirements and degree requirements). Some majors require higher GPAs for major course work.
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 60 credits
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9 | |
| Complete the following: | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | ||
or COJO F131X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context | |
or COJO F141X | Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context | |
| Writing Across Contexts | ||
| Writing and the Humanities | ||
or WRTG F212X | Writing and the Professions | |
or WRTG F213X | Writing and the Sciences | |
or WRTG F214X | Arguing Across Contexts | |
| Arts | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Beginning Drawing | ||
| Introduction to Alaska Native Performance | ||
| Aesthetic Appreciation of Alaska Native Performance | ||
| Alaska Native Music | ||
| Explorations in Art | ||
| History of World Art I | ||
| History of World Art II | ||
| Introduction to the Study of Film | ||
| History of the Cinema | ||
| Fundamentals of Acting | ||
| Discovering Stage & Screen | ||
| Dramatic Literature and History | ||
| Unity in the Arts | ||
| Music Fundamentals | ||
| Enjoying Jazz | ||
| Explorations in Music | ||
| Humanities | 3-5 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Introduction to Athabascan Linguistics | ||
| Introduction to Alaska Native Languages | ||
| Media and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Broadcasting | ||
| World Literature | ||
| Texts and Contexts | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Nature of Language | ||
| Languages of the World | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Logic and Reasoning | ||
| Religions of the World | ||
OR complete one of the following languages: | ||
| Beginning Dene / Athabascan I | ||
| Beginning Dene / Athabascan II | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| Elementary Chinese I | ||
| Elementary Chinese II | ||
| Elementary French I | ||
| Elementary French II | ||
| Elementary German I | ||
| Elementary German II | ||
| Elementary Inupiaq I | ||
| Elementary Inupiaq II | ||
| Elementary Japanese I | ||
| Elementary Japanese II | ||
| Beginning Latin I | ||
| Beginning Latin II | ||
| Elementary Russian I | ||
| Elementary Russian II | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| Elementary Central Yup'ik I | ||
| Elementary Central Yup'ik II | ||
| Social Sciences | 6 | |
| Complete two courses from the following in two different disciplines: | ||
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ||
| History of Colonization in Alaska: The Indigenous Response | ||
| Indigenous Cultures of Alaska | ||
| Individual, Society and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Ancient Civilizations | ||
| Fundamentals of Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Personal Finance (s) | ||
| Introduction to Sport Management | ||
| Child Development I: Prenatal, Infants and Toddlers | ||
| Child Development II: The Preschool and Primary Years | ||
| Child Guidance | ||
| Introduction to Economic Analysis | ||
| The Economy of Rural Alaska | ||
| Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Natural Resource Economics | ||
| Expedition Earth: Introduction to Geography | ||
| Modern World History | ||
| Western Civilization Since 1500 | ||
| History of Alaska Natives from Contact to the Present | ||
| East Asian Civilization | ||
| History of the U.S. | ||
| Introduction to Addictive Processes | ||
| Introduction to Justice | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| Introduction to American Government and Politics | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| International Politics | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Rural Development in the North | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Social Problems and Solutions | ||
| Introduction to Social Work | ||
| Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Additional Arts/Humanities/Social Science | 3-5 | |
| Complete one additional course from the arts, humanities or social science courses listed above. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Numbers and Society | ||
| Patterns and Society | ||
| Essential Precalculus with Applications 1 | ||
| College Algebra for Calculus 1 | ||
| Trigonometry | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Essential Calculus with Applications 2,3 | ||
| Calculus I 2,3 | ||
| Calculus II 3 | ||
| Calculus III 3 | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Natural Sciences | 16 | |
| Complete four from the following: 4 | ||
| Weather and Climate of Alaska | ||
| Human Biology | ||
| Biology and Society | ||
| Natural History of Alaska | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| Fundamentals of Biology I | ||
| Fundamentals of Biology II | ||
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| Chemistry in Complex Systems | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Chemistry of the Arctic | ||
| Earth and Environment: Elements of Physical Geography | ||
| The Dynamic Earth | ||
| Life in the Age of Dinosaurs | ||
| The History of Earth and Life | ||
| Glaciers, Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Past, Present and Future | ||
| The Oceans | ||
| Energy and Society | ||
| Physical Sciences | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| College Physics II | ||
| Introduction to Astronomy | ||
| General Physics I | ||
| General Physics II | ||
| Elementary Modern Physics | ||
| Concentration Specialty | 15 | |
| Complete 15 credits of concentration specialty courses as approved by the department | ||
| 1 | You may earn credit for MATH F122X or MATH F151X, but not both. |
| 2 | You may earn credit for MATH F230X or MATH F251X, but not both. |
| 3 | Or any math course having one of these as a prerequisite. |
| 4 | Complete a one-year sequence in one natural science beyond the baccalaureate general education requirements. The total courses used to satisfy this requirement shall represent at least two different natural sciences. |
A.S. Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Library and Information Research | ||
| Complete one of the following prior to junior standing: | 0-1 | |
| Library Information and Research | ||
Successful completion of library skills competency test | ||
| Alaska Native-themed Requirement | ||
| During the completion of coursework, 3 credits of Alaska Native-themed course(s) must be completed. See Alaska Native-themed courses chart for available courses. | 3 | |
