Associate of General Studies (AGS)

The purpose of the Associate of General Studies (AGS) degree is to provide students an opportunity to pursue a broad general education during the two years at a community college. It is intended as a flexible program for the student who is not pursuing a specified curriculum in the lower division transfer or career technical areas. The AGS degree may, in addition to including the number of hours in the divisional areas as listed below, include courses in lower division collegiate transfer and career technical education. Because of the flexibility and broad approach of this degree, a student may find that it may not fulfill all of the requirements of full junior standing when transferred to a four-year institution.

This flexible degree option enables a student to complete an associate’s degree that is tailored to the general education requirements of the transfer school. Students must exercise caution in using the AGS option, as the degree does not guarantee transferability of courses completed. Educational planning for the AGS should be done with the help of an advisor.

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours of specified courses with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. Twenty-four (24) credits must be completed at Southwestern before the degree is awarded. In addition to the General Education Requirements and the Distribution Requirements, students must complete enough elective courses to reach a total of 90 credits for the degree. All courses must be numbered 100 or above to counts toward an AGS degree.

Students must complete the graduation application process one term prior to the term of completion (e.g., spring term graduates must apply during winter term).