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. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all major courses. 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

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.

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:

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Requirements for Degree: 60 credits

General Education Requirements 

A.A. Degree Requirements

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 core.

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

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.

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Requirements for Degree: 60 credits

General Education Requirements

A.S. Degree Requirements