Applied Arts and Sciences A.A.
The Department of Applied Arts and Sciences offers the Associate of Arts degree. The Associate of Arts degree is considered a general education transfer degree and does not include a major or minor course of study. To receive an Associate of Arts degree, students must:
• successfully complete all lower-division general education requirements with a letter grade of C- or better;
• earn a minimum of 60 credits, at least 30 of which must be from UM;
• and maintain an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.00 for all UM courses taken for a traditional letter grade (A-F).
Matriculating students may begin coursework in the autumn, spring or summer. Courses numbered below 100 do not count toward the 60 credit requirement or general education course requirements, but do fulfill financial aid credit load requirements. Up to 15 technical credits (courses with a “T” suffix) may be counted toward the total 60 required for the AA degree. For students who have earned an AAS degree, however, up to 20 credits of courses with a “T” suffix may apply toward the requirements for an AA degree.
Students planning on completing a baccalaureate degree are encouraged to select specific general education courses and electives that meet the requirements for that future major. Students work with their advisor to develop an AA degree plan to best prepare them to transition to a four-year degree.
Pathways within the Associate of Arts Degree
Although the AA does not include a major or minor course of study, students may elect to choose classes in a specific area of interest. Recognized pathways within the Associate of Arts degree include:
• Chemical and Addiction Studies
• Business
• Communication Studies
• Health IT
• Professional Communication
• Sociology
• For individuals attending the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, a specialized Associate of Arts degree is offered through a collaboration among Missoula College UM, the University of Montana Department Of Sociology, and the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena, MT.
Concentrations within the Associate of Arts Degree
Similar to pathways or areas of emphasis within the AA degree concentrations are meant to help students focus on communication studies, an area of increasing demand to employers. Unlike areas of emphasis, these concentrations are recorded on the student’s transcript a concentration of the AA degree itself.
Courses
An “R” after the course title indicates students may earn credit for each successful completion to the maximum number indicated after the “R.” Credits earned beyond this maximum will not count towards the total required for the AA degree.
Associate of Arts - General AA
Missoula College
Catalog Year: 2016-2017
Degree Specific Credits: 60
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Note: The AA degree has three requirements: completion of UM's lower-division General Education Requirements (GERs), a minimum of 60 total earned credits, and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. At least 30 of the total 60 degree credits must be earned from Missoula College or UM-Missoula. Missoula College students are limited to enrolling in lower-division coursework (course level 100 or 200).
Up to 15 technical credits may be counted towards the total 60 required for the AA. If the student has previously earned an AAS degree, the student may use up to 20 technical credits.
Perspectives
Rule: A minimum of 3 credits towards each Perspective Category is required.
Note: Some courses satisfy multiple Perspectives or GER Categories; visit with your advisor for more information. Students who take the maximum number of Perspective "double-dippers" possible will be able to complete the Perspectives with a total of 21 credits.
Expressive Arts (A)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Literary & Artistic Studies (L)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Historical & Cultural Studies (H)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Social Sciences (S)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Ethical & Human Values (E)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
American & European Perspectives (Y)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Indigenous & Global Perspectives (X)
Rule: A minimum of three credits is required.
Natural Sciences (N)
Rule: A minimum of six credits is required. At least one course must have a laboratory component.
Mathematics
Rule: Any Mathematics course level 104 or higher (excluding M 111 Technical Mathematics).
Note: Appropriate placement into mathematics courses required. Prerequisites may apply. If a student successfully places into and completes a mathematics (either "M" or "STAT") course that is also considered a Symbolic System, that course may be used to count towards both the Mathematics and Symbolic Systems General Education Requirements.
Writing Skills
Rule: Both WRIT 101 AND an Approved Writing Course are required.
Note: NOTE: Students who place into and successfully complete WRIT 201 are considered to have satisfied both the WRIT 101 and the Lower-Division Approved Writing Course General Education Requirements.
WRIT 101
Rule: Take 1 of the courses below.
Note: Appropriate placement into WRIT 101/201 required. Prerequisites may apply.
| Show All Course Descriptions | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Show Description |
WRIT 101 - College Writing I
UM: Offered every term. Prereq., WRIT 095 or proof of passing score on writing diagnostic examination, referral by WRIT 095 instructor-SAT writing score at or above 440, MUSWA at or above 3.5, SAT/ACT essay score at or above 7, or ACT Combined English/Writing score at or above 18. Expository prose and research paper; emphasis on structure, argument, development of ideas, clarity, style, and diction. Students expected to write without major faults in grammar or usage. Credit not allowed for both WRIT 101 and COM 101. Grading A-F, or NC (no credit).
MC: Offered every term. Prereq., WRIT 095 or proof of appropriate SAT/ACT essay, English/Writing, writing section scores, appropriate MUSWA scores, or proof of passing scores on Writing Placement Exam). Expository prose and research paper; emphasis on structure, argument, development of ideas, clarity, style, and diction. Students expected to write without major faults in grammar or usage. Grading A-F, or NC (no credit).
|
3 Credits |
| Show Description |
WRIT 201 - College Writing II
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., placement or C or better in WRIT 101. MUSWA at or above 5.5, SAT/ACT essay at or above 11, a SAT writing section score at or above 700 or a Combined English/Writing portion of the ACT at or above 32. Designed for first year students with advanced writing ability and students who seek a lower-division writing course. Offers instruction in rhetorical reading and writing, particularly the study and practice of written argumentation in different academic and civic contexts.
|
3 Credits |
| Minimum Required Grade: C- | 3 Total Credits Required | |
Lower-Division Approved Writing Course
Rule: Any course designated as an Approved Writing Course during semester it's taken.
Symbolic System/Foreign Language
Rule: Students must complete either a Symbolic System OR a Foreign Language.
Symbolic Systems
Rule: Successful completion of 1 course from the list below.
Note: Prerequisites apply for all courses listed above; some courses from this list are major-restricted. Other baccalaureate major-specific Symbolic Systems may be used in lieu of course list above; speak with your advisor for more information.
| Show All Course Descriptions | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Show Description |
M 136 - Math for K-8 Teachers II
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 135. Topics include introductory geometry, geometric constructions, congruence, similarity, measurement, coordinate geometry and an introduction to computer geometry.
|
4 Credits |
| Show Description |
M 162 - Applied Calculus
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., ALEKS placement >= 5 or one of M 121, 122 or 151. Introductory course surveying the principal ideas of differential and integral calculus with emphasis on applications and computer software. Mathematical modeling in discrete and continuous settings. Intended primarily for students who do not plan to take higher calculus.
|
4 Credits |
| Show Description |
M 171 - Calculus I
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 122 or 151 or ALEKS placement >= 5. Differential calculus, including limits, continuous functions, Intermediate Value Theorem, tangents, linear approximation, inverse functions, implicit differentiation, extreme values and the Mean Value Theorem. Integral Calculus including antiderivatives, definite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
|
4 Credits |
| Show Description |
PSYX 222 - Psychological Statistics
Offered every term. Prereq., PSYX 120; M 115, M 162 or 171. Application of statistical techniques to psychological data. Credit not allowed for both PSYX 222 and SOCI 202.
|
3 Credits |
| Show Description |
SOCI 202 - Social Statistics
Offered every term. Prereq., M 115, Sociology majors only, or consent of instr. Application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to sociological data. Required of all majors.
|
3 Credits |
| Show Description |
STAT 216 - Introduction to Statistics
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., M 115 (preferred), or one of M 121, 132, 151, 162 or 171, or ALEKS placement >= 4. Introduction to major ideas of statistical inference. Emphasis is on statistical reasoning and uses of statistics.
|
4 Credits |
| Minimum Required Grade: C- | 3-4 Total Credits Required | |
Foreign Language
Rule: Successful completion of first-year sequence of a Modern and Classical Language (MCLL).
Note: A first-year sequence consists of 101 & 102 courses (5 credits each) for all MCLL majors except Irish; 101, 102, & 103 courses of Irish (3 credits each) must be completed. Students may take placement test to demonstrate proficiency to receive non-credit exemption from this requirement. Speak with your advisor for more information.
AA Degree Electives
Rule: Number of elective credits required varies; student needs to ensure s/he earns at least 60 total credits for the AA degree.
Note: Transfer students may count up to 30 transfer credits towards the total 60 necessary for degree. A maximum of 15 technical credits may be counted towards the total 60. (A student may use 20 technical credits towards the 60 if s/he has earned an AAS degree.)