Associate of Arts

  • The UAA sign from the entrance to campus

    Associate of Arts

    Don’t wait for your next adventure to come to you. Make it happen with an Associate of Arts degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage, one of the most popular degree programs on campus.

Explore the Associate of Arts degree program at the University of Alaska Anchorage

Prepare for specialized undergraduate degree programs, entry-level jobs and career advancement, and community engagement in diverse populations and environments in Alaska and beyond.

What is an associate degree?

A general studies major, UAA’s Associate of Arts degree program helps you build a foundation for academic and career success. Whatever your ambitions, UAA can help you reach new heights in your personal and professional endeavors.

A diverse community

Join general studies majors at UAA who come from different backgrounds and experiences. Some just graduated from high school, others are returning to college after starting a family, some are first-generation college students, others are active or veteran military members. Wherever you come from, wherever you’re going, there’s a place for you at UAA.

Academic advisors

Work with an advisor who is dedicated to helping general studies majors in UAA’s Associate of Arts degree program. Academic advisors help you develop a plan that fits your goals and interests. You can build a schedule that balances personal responsibilities with degree program requirements while getting guidance on how to seamlessly transition into a bachelor’s degree program.

Course credits

Earn credit for previous academic experiences to help you save money and graduate faster. Contact an academic advisor to learn more about credit exams, credit transfers, placement tests such as AP and CLEP, ACE military credit and other possibilities.

Online classes and satellite campuses

Earn your entire degree online, enroll in online courses, or receive face-to-face classroom instruction to earn your degree at other UAA campuses throughout the region, including Kenai Peninsula College, Kodiak College, Mat-Su College and Prince William Sound College. Regardless of where you attend classes, your associate degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage offers a high-value return on investment for your education and your future.

Associate of Arts

Degree Type:

  • Associate

Program Length: Two years

Availability:Anchorage campus, Kenai Peninsula College, Mat-Su College, Kodiak College, Prince William Sound College

Did you know..

General studies majors in UAA’s Associate of Arts degree program complete all general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree except for the integrative, upper-division capstone course.

What can you do with an Associate of Arts degree from UAA?

In the University of Alaska Anchorage’s A.A. degree program, you can pursue general studies that cover a variety of interests and prepare you for a smooth transition into a bachelor’s degree program. The associate degree is also great if you’re a working professional who wants to develop job skills and earn a degree that will help you advance in your career.

Bachelor’s degree programs

After completing the A.A. degree program, you can continue your education to earn a bachelor’s degree from UAA. These are some of the most popular undergraduate programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage:
  • B.S. in biological sciences
  • B.A. in history
  • B.B.A. in accounting
  • B.F.A. in art
  • B.A. in elementary education
  • B.S. in nursing science
Associate of Arts careers
UAA alumni with an associate degree work in a wide variety of professions and industries, including:
  • Healthcare
  • Marketing and management
  • Sales
  • Education
  • Technical writing
  • Criminal justice

By the numbers..

68
UAA alumni who earn an Associate of Arts degree then enroll in a bachelor’s degree program at UAA.
UAA Office of Institutional Research

Associate of Arts degree program highlights

From practical jobs skills to academic resources, discover what makes an associate degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage a valuable choice for your future.
  • Develop foundational, high-demand job skills, such as a strong work ethic and other personal attributes that will help you achieve success in any job. The associate degree program at UAA focuses on developing skills to help you communicate effectively, think critically, reason empirically and evaluate analytically.
  • Receive high-quality instruction from nationally renowned faculty, including Ph.D.-level instructors. In fact, several professors are UAA alumni who got their start in the Associate of Arts degree program.
  • Graduate with program honors. As a general studies major, you can take classes that align with UAA’s Honors College, fulfilling associate degree program requirements to graduate with honors.
  • Get additional help and guidance from campus resources to help you succeed. Learn more about UAA’s speech lab, supplemental instruction, writing center and peer tutors, just to name a few.

Amazing stories from general studies majors

I received my Associate of Arts degree from UA Kodiak College (now part of the UAA system) in 1990. The outstanding education, the engaging research and field experiences and the supportive environment that I received there gave me a solid foundation in liberal arts. This gave me the confidence to pursue and obtain a Bachelor of Science and then a doctoral degree in biological sciences at the University of South Florida. I am proud to be back at the University of Alaska, this time in Anchorage.

Cheryl Wilga
A.A. ’90 B.S. ’92, Ph.D. ’97 in biological sciences, University of South Florida Professor and Director, UAA Department of Biological Sciences
Students studying in the Learning Commons

Housed in the Community and Technical College (CTC), UAA’s Learning Commons offers a wide variety of academic services and resources to help you succeed.

UAA Learning Commons
Students walking through on of the campuses science buildings

In the largest academic unit on campus, you will have access to the College of Arts and Sciences’ program-specific academic advisors, highly accomplished yet student-centered faculty, state-of-the-art facilities and labs and experiential learning opportunities bolstered by community partnerships.

UAA College of Arts and Sciences
The entrance to the University Center

Learn more about program, department and university-wide scholarships from UAA’s Office of Financial Aid.

UAA scholarships and financial aid

Associate of Arts degree program curriculum

Get the full college experience with high-quality classroom instruction and flexible course offerings — and earn credit toward a bachelor’s degree. UAA’s general studies associate degree program enables you to strengthen your knowledge and skills in traditional academic disciplines while completing prerequisites for bachelor’s degree programs and upper-division courses.

Choose from a growing selection of academic opportunities, from undergraduate research and education abroad to civic engagement and service learning. The Associate of Arts degree at UAA is intentionally and cooperatively aligned with general education requirements, including art, business and English courses, so you can explore your interests and still graduate on time.

Top classes for general studies majors

  • Survey the diverse cultural worlds of Alaska Native peoples in Alaska Native Perspectives.
  • Apply biological sciences theory and practice in the classroom and the lab with Principles and Methods in Biology.
  • Explore the core practices of working with children in Intro to the Field of Early Childhood Education.