Associate of arts (AA) degree

Program overview

Associate of Arts (AA): Transfer-ready, career-focused foundation. 

Stark State’s Associate of Arts (AA) degree provides a comprehensive liberal arts foundation designed for transfer to four‑year institutions or entry into a variety of careers. The program emphasizes broad academic preparation across multiple disciplines. 

Explore areas such as communication, education, business, the arts, and the social and behavioral sciences while building essential workplace skills like critical thinking, effective communication, and problem solving. The degree is ideal if you plan to transfer to a bachelor’s program or want a flexible credential that supports many career paths. 

Program details

You’ll complete a minimum of 60 credit hours through a broad curriculum that includes English composition, social and behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, and sciences and mathematics.  

Flexible and fully online 

The program is designed for transferability, with flexible scheduling options – including fully online courses – allowing you to complete your degree in as little as two years. 

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Careers and outcomes

The Associate of Arts degree is designed to keep your options open while preparing you for what comes next. Most graduates use the AA degree as a transfer pathway to a bachelor’s program, building on a strong liberal arts foundation that applies to a wide range of majors, including communication, education, business, social and behavioral sciences, and the arts.  

If you choose to enter the workforce after graduation, you bring highly transferable skills that employers value in nearly every industry—critical thinking, problem solving, written and oral communication, and the ability to analyze information and work collaboratively. 

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