Social Science Emphasis Major (A.A.)

Major code AA1098* (Campus code)/AA1095 (OHIO Online code)

University College
Chubb Hall 140
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1935
university.college@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/university-college/associate-social-sciences

Julie Cohara, Director of Degree Programs/contact person
cohara@ohio.edu

Program Overview

Ohio University’s University College stewards the Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degree programs. The A.A. provides students two degree emphasis options to focus their program in fine arts/humanities or social sciences. The A.S. affords students the opportunity to emphasize natural sciences/applied sciences/quantitative skills in their program of study. These associate degree programs are available on all Ohio University campuses.

The A.A. and A.S. curricula integrate the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s (ODHE) Ohio Transfer Module (OTM), which allows students’ general education coursework to become transferable within the state. See the Admissions section of this catalog for more information.

In their 2016 Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Program Review, ODHE maintains the belief that the A.A. and A.S. degrees “serve as the first two years of a bachelor’s degree.” Students seeking this degree should work closely with their A.A./A.S. academic advisor to identify Bachelor programs of interest and strategically identify the appropriate general education courses that overlap in both the A.A./A.S. program and desired Bachelor program(s) of interest.

This degree is available on all campuses. The A.A. degree requires a minimum of 60 hours. A maximum of 15 hours earned through the prior learning assessment program may be applied to the A.A. or A.S. degree. At least 18 of the total credits earned toward the A.A. or A.S. must be Ohio University credits. In addition, at least 50 percent of the coursework taken in the area of concentration for the A.A. degree programs must be completed through Ohio University. Technical courses count only as electives for both the A.A. and A.S. degrees. You must earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the area of concentration and overall to earn the degree.

If you plan to earn the A.A. degree, contact the director of degree programs in University College so that the valid major code can be properly recorded.

*This program was previously AA1110 - Associate in Arts - Social Science Emphasis. As part of a recent degree reconciliation process with the State of Ohio, the program code and name will be changing to AA1098 - Social Science Emphasis effective the 2024-25 catalog year. The degree offered will be the Associate of Arts.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements. This program is not eligible for double-majoring with the following associate program codes: AA1094 , AS1096 , AA1097 , AS1099 , AI5499 , AI5509 . Additionally, this program is not an appropriate degree program for someone who has previously completed a bachelor’s degree.

Change of Program Policy

No selective or limited admission requirements. This program is not eligible for double-majoring with the following associate program codes: AA1094 , AS1096 , AA1097 , AS1099 , AI5499 , AI5509 . Additionally, this program is not an appropriate degree program for someone who has previously completed a bachelor’s degree.

External Transfer Admission

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Many entry positions now require an associate degree. A liberal arts degree, like the Associate of Arts with social science emphasis, can also provide the foundation for a future bachelor’s degree.

Requirements

Associate Degree Information

Second Associate Degree

You cannot earn the same associate degree twice. Furthermore, you are not permitted to earn both the A.A. and A.S. degrees. If you have already earned the A.I.S. degree, you are not permitted to earn either the A.A. or A.S. degree. Although it is possible to complete an A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree with a double major, you can earn the degree only once. If an A.A. or A.S. has been completed previously, you will not be permitted to complete the A.I.S.

Associate Degree After a Baccalaureate Degree

The Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science will not be granted if you have already earned a baccalaureate degree. The associate program requirements are implied in a four-year degree program.

A.A. and A.S. General Education Requirements

Students completing Ohio University’s Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees are required to complete 36 hours of OTM-approved coursework with a minimum of 24 semester hours from the following:

Written Communication (3 hours). Either ENG 1510 or 1610 (for non-native English speakers only) will satisfy the written communication requirement.
Quantitative Reasoning (3 hours). Courses that fulfill Quantitative Reasoning requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (FQR) as the general education code.
Humanities: Arts (3 hours). Courses that fulfill the Humanities: Arts requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PHA) as the general education code.
Humanities: Texts and Contexts (3 hours). Courses that fulfill the Humanities: Texts and Contexts requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PHTC) as the general education code.
Social or Behavioral Science or Connected World (6 hours). Courses that fulfill the Social or Behavioral Science requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PSBS) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Connected World requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (ACNW) as the general education code.
Natural Science or Natural World (6 hours). Courses that fulfill the Natural Science requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (PNS) as the general education code. Courses that fulfill the Natural World requirement are marked in this catalog with the designation (ANW) as the general education code.

NOTE: Common courses used to fulfill BRICKS requirements may also be used to fulfill major requirements. The following courses may also be used towards the 36 hours of General Education coursework: COMS 1030 and ENG 2800 .

Graduation Hours Requirement

The Associate of Arts with social sciences emphasis program requires completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours.

NOTE: Common courses used to fulfill BRICKS requirements may also be used to fulfill major requirements.

Social Science Concentration

Complete at least 15 hours from the following courses:

African American Studies: AAS 1010 , 1900 , 2020 , 2200 , 2250 , 2540 , 3400 , 3410 , 3450 , 3460 , 3650 , 3680 , 3691 , 4400 , 4820
Anthropology: ANTH**** except the following: ANTH 2010 , 3460 , 3550 , 3600 , 4470 , 4480 , 4740 , 3960
Business Law: BUSL 2000 , 2550 , 3400
Classics and Religious Studies: CARS 2010 , 2020 , 2030 , 2040 , 3040 , 3410
College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 1120 , 1415 , 1425 , 1605 , 2300 , 2350 , 2411 , 2600 , 4410
Early Childhood and Elementary Education: ECEE 2400
Economics: ECON**** except ECON 2890
Education - Early Childhood: EDEC 1600
Engineering and Technology: ET 2905
Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO 2170
Environmental Studies: ES 3620 , 4500 , 4610 , 4710 , 4720 , 4730 , 4832 , 4910
Geography: GEOG**** except the following: GEOG 1100 , 2060 , 2680 , 2710 , 3010 , 3020 , 3031 , 3040 , 3050 , 3150 , 3160 , 3580 , 3650 , 3712 , 4035 , 4060 , 4070 , 4080 , 4090 , 4110 , 4130 , 4170 , 4660 , 4670 , 4730 , 4760 , 4770 , 4941 , 4942 , 4943 , 4944
Health: HLTH 2000
History: HIST**** except the following: HIST 1210 , 1220 , 2220 , 2270 , 2300 , 2500 , 2530 , 2540 , 2600 , 2700 , 2950 , 3111J , 3140 , 3141 , 3144 , 3146 , 3147 , 3148 , 3224 , 3290 , 3291 , 3292 , 3293 , 3390 , 3465 , 3520 , 3521 , 3531 , 3532 , 3533 , 3540 , 3541 , 3542 , 3550 , 3560 , 3562 , 3600 , 3792 , 3840 , 3860 , 3861 , 3864 , 3900 , 4536
Interdisciplinary Health Studies: IHS 2190 , 2210
International Literature - Linguistics: ILL 3890
International Studies: INST****
Japanese: JPN 3410
Law, Justice, and Culture: LJC 2000 , 3915 , 4945
Linguistics: LING****
Modern Languages: ML 2400 , 2701
Political Science: POLS****
Psychology: PSY**** except for the following: PSY 1110 , 1110L , 2110 , 2111 , 2112 , 2210 , 3110 , 3230
Social Work: SW****
Sociology: SOC****
University Professor: UP 1901S , 4901S (UP class subjects vary; check Course Offerings for more information)
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: WGSS 1000 , 2300 , 3910