Two-Year Academic Programs Designed for Transfer

 · Associate in Arts Degrees are 60 to 64 semester credits in length and may be awarded for successful completion of a liberal arts and sciences curriculum designed to constitute the first two years of a baccalaureate degree.  An AA degree must include the entire Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (40 semester credits) which, pursuant to Minnesota Statute must transfer to any MnSCU university.  Students must, however, be provided proper advising, as they may need to enroll in specific courses to meet general education and program major requirements of a four-year institution.

 · Associate in Science Degrees are 60 to 64 semester credits in length and may be awarded for successful completion of a program designed for transfer to a baccalaureate major in a related scientific or technical field, or may be designed for employment.  An AS degree must have at least one articulation agreement between the college awarding the AS degree and a four-year institution awarding a related baccalaureate degree.  The AS degree must include a minimum of 30 semester credits in general education.  General education must be selected from at least six of the ten goal areas of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.  The AS degree must transfer pursuant to the terms and conditions of the articulation agreement, and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses within the AS degree must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.

 · Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) degrees are 60 to 64 semester credits and may be awarded after the successful completion of a program in a designated discipline in fine arts. The AFA degree is designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree, as specified in an articulation agreement between the partnering institutions. An AFA degree offered by a college must have at least one articulation agreement between the institution awarding the degree and an institution awarding a baccalaureate degree in a related fine arts discipline. An AFA degree shall include a minimum of 24 semester credits in general education, and general education credits shall be selected from at least six of the ten goal areas of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. The AFA degree must transfer pursuant to the terms and conditions of the articulation agreement, and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses with the AFA degree must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.

 

Two-Year Academic Programs Not Designed for Transfer

· Associate in Applied Science Degrees are 60 to 72 semester credits in length and may be awarded for successful completion of a program primarily intended for employment.  Associate in Applied Science Degrees are typically not designed for transfer and need to be identified as such in college information.  Specific exceptions must be noted in college information where formal written transfer agreements, if any, exist. The AAS degree must include a minimum of 25 percent general education credits.  General education classes must be included in the degree from at least three of the ten goal areas of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.  The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses within the AAS degree must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.

 Several AAS degree programs are articulated with Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degrees.  In these cases, the AAS degree must transfer pursuant to the terms and conditions of the articulation agreement, and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses within the A.A.S.  Degree must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.

 · Diplomas are 30 to 72 semester credits in length and may be awarded for successful completion of a program intended to provide students with employment skills.  Diplomas are typically not designed for transfer and need to be identified as such in college information. Specific exceptions must be noted in college publications where formal written transfer agreements, if any, exist.  Any Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses within a Diploma must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.

 · Certificates are 9 to 30 semester credits in length and may be awarded for successful completion of a specialized program of study.  Certificates are typically not designed for transfer and need to be identified as such in college information.  Specific exceptions must be noted in college publications where formal written transfer agreements, if any, exist.  Any Minnesota Transfer Curriculum courses within a Certificate must transfer to any MnSCU college or university.