General Studies - Associate of Arts Degree (AA)*

AA - 2 Years (NB)
Explore MoreAbout This Program

Degree Quick Facts

  • Instructional School: Arts and Humanities
  • Department: Integrated Studies
  • Program Code: LIBART.AA
  • Program Type: Academic Transfer
  • Available Fully Online: Yes
  • Eligible for Federal Financial Aid: Yes

NOTE: Courses required for this program may have an additional fee; more information can be found on the Special Course Fees web page.

Degree Requirements 

Course Course Title Min Credits
General Education Requirements 1
CWI 101Connecting With Ideas3
Global Perspectives course3
GEM 1 - Written Communication course3
GEM 1 - Written Communication course3
GEM 2 - Oral Communication course3
GEM 3 - Mathematical Ways of Knowing course3
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course 24
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course 33
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course3
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course 33
GEM 6 - Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing course3
GEM 6 - Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing course 33
Major Requirements
CWI 290General Studies Capstone1
Select a General Studies Research and Writing course from the list below3
Select two 200-level elective courses6
Select additional elective courses to bring the total credits earned to a minimum of 6013
Minimum Credit Hours Required60
1

Students must select an “E” designated course to fulfill one of their general education requirements.

2

Must include a lab component.

3

Course must come from a different discipline.

 *All requirements for this degree or certificate may be completed fully online.

General Studies Research and Writing Courses

The following list notes the courses that will fulfill the Research and Writing requirement for an Associate of Arts in General Studies from CWI. Students should choose at least 3 credits of coursework from the following:

Course Course Title Min Credits
ANTH 220Indigenous Peoples of North America3
COMM 273Media News Writing and Reporting3
CRIJ 190Writing for Criminal Justice3
ENGL 201Persuasive Writing3
ENGL 202Technical Communication3
ENGL 211Literary Analysis3
EXHS 201Cultural, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Physical Activity3
HIST 190Introduction to the Study of History3
HIST 210History Through Biography3
HIST 220Great Ideas in History3
HIST 230Themes in U.S. History3
HIST 239United States Military History3
HIST 240Themes in Western History3
HUMA 207Exploring the Arts and Cultures of the World3
PHIL 211Philosophical Writing3
PHIL 230Political Philosophy3
POLS 230Political Philosophy3
POLS 240American Constitutional Foundations3
PSYC 190Writing for the Social Sciences3
PSYC 201Child and Adolescent Development3
SOC 230Introduction to Ethnic Studies3
SOC 270Social Movements3
SOC 280Sociological Research3

Degree Plan

The course sequence listed below is strongly recommended in order to complete your program requirements. Please register for each semester as shown using the Student Planning tool in myCWI. Plans may be modified to fit the needs of part-time students by adding additional semesters. Consult your advisor for any questions regarding this course sequence plan.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
CWI 101 Connecting With Ideas 3
GEM 1 - Written Communication course 3
GEM 2 - Oral Communication course 3
GEM 3 - Mathematical Ways of Knowing course 3
GEM 6 - Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing course 3
 Total Semester Credit Hours15
Spring
GEM 1 - Written Communication course 3
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course 1 4
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course 3
Global Perspectives course 3
ElectiveSelect an elective course 2,3 3
 Total Semester Credit Hours16
Second Year
Fall
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course 4 3
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course 4 3
GEM 6 - Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing course 4 3
Research and Writing courseSelect one course from the list below 3 3
ElectiveSelect any 200-level elective course 2 3
 Total Semester Credit Hours15
Spring
CWI 290 General Studies Capstone 5 1
ElectiveSelect any 200-level elective course 2 3
ElectiveSelect elective credits to bring the total credits earned to a minimum of 60 2 10
 Total Semester Credit Hours14
 Minimum Credit Hours Required60

*Students must select an "E" designated (Ethical Reasoning) course to fulfill one of their General Education requirements.*

1

Must include a lab component.

2

Select electives based on interest, career goals, transfer institution requirements, and background.

3

General Studies majors are encouraged to select their Research and Writing course early because some of these courses have prerequisites. The needed prerequisites may be taken as GEM courses or as electives. Consult individual course descriptions for a listing of prerequisites to the Research and Writing courses.

4

Course must come from a different discipline.

5

In order to register for CWI 290, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in their chosen Research and Writing course (3 credits required). Additionally, it is strongly recommended that students register for this course during their final semester at CWI. 

General Studies Research and Writing Courses

The following list notes the courses that will fulfill the Research and Writing requirement for an Associate of Arts in General Studies from CWI. Students should choose at least 3 credits of coursework from the following:

Course Course Title Min Credits
ANTH 220Indigenous Peoples of North America3
COMM 273Media News Writing and Reporting3
CRIJ 190Writing for Criminal Justice3
ENGL 201Persuasive Writing3
ENGL 202Technical Communication3
ENGL 211Literary Analysis3
EXHS 201Cultural, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Physical Activity3
HIST 190Introduction to the Study of History3
HIST 210History Through Biography3
HIST 220Great Ideas in History3
HIST 230Themes in U.S. History3
HIST 239United States Military History3
HIST 240Themes in Western History3
HUMA 207Exploring the Arts and Cultures of the World3
PHIL 211Philosophical Writing3
PHIL 230Political Philosophy3
POLS 230Political Philosophy3
POLS 240American Constitutional Foundations3
PSYC 190Writing for the Social Sciences3
PSYC 201Child and Adolescent Development3
SOC 230Introduction to Ethnic Studies3
SOC 270Social Movements3
SOC 280Sociological Research3

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Understand the methods of inquiry and research that will prepare them to navigate upper-division coursework.
  • Write effectively in a variety of rhetorical contexts, paying attention to audience, voice, and style appropriate to an academic research setting.
  • Demonstrate higher-order thinking skills including analysis, synthesis, and creativity.
  • Reflect on their learning experiences and create a project that synthesizes and communicates what they have learned over the course of their program of study.
  • Contemplate and communicate diverse perspectives from multiple disciplines within their field of study.

Z-Degree Pathway For General Studies Majors

The courses included in a Z-degree Pathway below offer at least one class section that uses one of the following types of course materials/textbooks:

Classification of Instructional Materials Cost to Student
Open Education Resources (OER) $0
Low-Cost Textbook $30 or less
  • Open Education Resources: According to the Idaho State Board of Education, Open Education Resources (OER) are "teaching, learning, and research materials that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license, such as a Creative Commons license, that permits free use and repurposing by others." OER have no cost to students and are available on the first day of class.
  • Low-Cost Textbooks: Required textbooks and/or other course materials that cost the student a total of $30 or less (excluding special course fees) per class and may be purchased at the CWI Bookstore.

Please note that not all sections of a particular course will utilize OER, as notated in the table below. Students can verify that a specific section uses OER or low-cost textbooks by looking for the following symbol next to the section listing in Student Planning at the time of registration:

     

IMPORTANT: There may be changes to the courses utilizing OER or low-cost textbooks throughout the academic year. Students should always refer to Student Planning in myCWI for the most up-to-date Z-degree class information.

Course Course Title Min Credits
General Education Requirements
CWI 101Connecting With Ideas3
Global Perspectives course3
GEM 1 - Written Communication course3
GEM 1 - Written Communication course3
GEM 2 - Oral Communication course3
GEM 3 - Mathematical Ways of Knowing course3
  • GEM 3 OER Options: MATH 118 (some sections-see Student Planning), MATH 118L, MATH 123 (some sections-see Student Planning), MATH 143 (some sections-see Student Planning), MATH 147 (some sections - see Student Planning), MATH 170 (some sections - see Student Planning) or MATH 175 (some sections - see Student Planning)
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course4
GEM 4 - Scientific Ways of Knowing course3-4
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course3
GEM 5 - Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing course3
GEM 6 - Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing course3
Major Requirements
CWI 290General Studies Capstone1
Select 3 credits from the General Studies Research and Writing course list (see Requirements tab for full list)3
Select 6 credits of 200-level elective credits 26
Select 12-13 additional elective credits to bring the total credits earned to 60 212-13
Minimum Credit Hours Required57
1

This course fulfills the Ethical Reasoning requirement for an associate degree from CWI.

2

Students can select from OER or Low-Cost Textbook options listed above or search Student Planning for additional course options.

IMPORTANT: Unless otherwise noted, all of the courses required for this degree are taught using OER.