Humanities, Liberal Arts (AA)

Degree: Associate of Arts
Major: Liberal Arts
Emphasis: Humanities
Program Code: 2230

About This Major . . .

The Associate of Arts degree (AA) works in two ways: 1) it can function as a terminal degree; 2) it can function as a pathway into a baccalaureate degree in the humanities. The degree program meets the requirements of the Colorado Statewide Essential Learning Core. A student who is granted this degree can transfer to any institution in Colorado and graduate in a baccalaureate degree program by taking no more than 60 hours from that institution. The same applies for students who decide to move from the AA program into any Colorado Mesa BA program. A number of emphases are available within the AA degree. Students can build a course of study that focuses on their area of interest in the following disciplines: Creative Writing Fine and Performing Arts, Foreign Languages, Literature, Mass Communications, Philosophy and/or Speech. 

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit Career Services’ What to Do with a Major? resource.

All CMU/WCCC associate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy.

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU or WCCC Associate of Arts (AA) degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

  • 60 semester hours total.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 15 of the final 30 semester hours of credit at CMU/WCCC.
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/WCCC coursework.
  • A grade of “C” or higher must be earned in all Essential Learning courses in order to be accepted for transfer under the Colorado Core Transfer Consortium General Education curriculum or gtPathways, Colorado’s guaranteed transfer program.
  • A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
  • No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
  • Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 15 semester credit hours for an AA degree. A maximum of 6 of the 15 credits may be for cooperative education, internships, and practica.
  • Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
  • Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
  • The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
  • See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Essential Learning Requirements

(31 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

English 1
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
ENGL 112English Composition II-GTCO23
Mathematics 1
MATH 110Mathematical Investigations-GTMA13
History
Select one History course3
Humanities
Select one Humanities course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Fine Arts
Select one Fine Arts course3
Natural Sciences 2
Select one Natural Sciences course3
Select one Natural Sciences course with a lab4
Total Semester Credit Hours31
1

Must receive a grade of “C” or better and must be completed by the time the student has 60 semester hours.

2

One course must include a lab.

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Total Semester Credit Hours2

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(27 semester hours, must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in coursework in this area.)

Select 27 credit hours from one or more of the following areas: 127
Art
Dance
English
Graphic Art
Foreign Languages
Literature
Mass Communication
Music
Philosophy
Speech
Theater
Total Semester Credit Hours27
1

No double counting is allowed between Essential Learning and major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
Essential Learning - History 3
Essential Learning - Humanities 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science with lab 4
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
 Semester Credit Hours17
Spring Semester
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
Essential Learning - Fine Arts 3
Essential Learning - Mathematics 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Wellness Requirement - KINA Activities Course 1
 Semester Credit Hours16
Second Year
Fall Semester
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science without lab 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
Humanities Emphasis Requirement 3
 Semester Credit Hours12
 Total Semester Credit Hours60

Students that intend to continue with Colorado Mesa University should take ESSL 290 and ESSL 200 during the final semester of their Associate of Arts work.

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for her/his intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

  • Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
  • Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
  • Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
  • Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be her/his responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.