Associate of Arts Overview
Designed for those new to higher education, the online Associate of Arts degree provides you with the academic foundation you need to build your knowledge base and advance your career.
A comprehensive curriculum ensures that those just starting their college experience are well prepared to do so. Most students begin the online Associate of Arts program with our Introduction to College Semester. During this time, you’ll build skills crucial to further academic success. Following this, you’ll take classes through a rotation of theme-based semesters, and gain a well-rounded understanding of a wide range of subject areas, including mathematics, history, foreign language, humanities, and more. You will also gain skill mastery in writing, speaking, problem solving, and critical thinking— proficiencies always in high demand. The Associate of Arts can stand alone, or be a step towards earning a bachelor’s degree.
Because the program is offered fully online, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a degree in a format designed to fit around your busy life. Balance your work and life commitments while attending class on a schedule that works for you. The degree can be completed in 20 months.
The Associate of Arts Degree is Designed For…
- Those who want to explore potential academic areas of interest
- Nontraditional students looking to begin their college education
- Individuals seeking to inexpensively earn the general education credits required for a four year degree
Courses and Requirements
For the online Associate of Arts, students must take 12 semester hours in the introduction tier (usually our “Introduction to College Semester”), and 48 semester hours in a rotation of courses grouped by theme. Each of these groups contains three to four courses for a total of 12 semester hours each. These semesters are offered in strict rotation, but incoming students may begin their AA courses in any of the four semesters. Courses indicated with an asterisk (*) must be taken at King.
| Course # | Title | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| KING 1610 | Preparing for College Level Work | This course is designed to improve students’ study skills as well as organizational skills. There will be an emphasis on planning and executing study times, creating communication with the Academic Center for Excellence, as well as setting academic goals while at King | 4 |
| MATH 1000 | Principles of Mathematics | This course is designed to prepare students for college-level mathematics courses. Topics will include basic computation with positive and negative integers, fractions, ratios and proportions, conversions, percentages of increase and decrease, scientific notation, and basic algebra | 4 |
| WRIT 1010 | English Composition: Basic Communication | A review of basic elements of the writer's craft, including grammatical rules, sentence-building skills, paragraph development, logic for exposition/analysis, and the practice of composition and revision | 4 |
| Course # | Title | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| KING 1500 | Introduction to Higher Education* | This course is designed to equip students with strategies and skills to assist them in achieving success academically as well as professionally and personally. The course is intended to challenge students to examine their understanding and assumptions about themselves and their educational journey, particularly in the context of Christian higher education. Students will also learn about distinctive aspects of King while exploring the ideas of service and vocation in relation to the university’s mission. | 4 |
| RELG 1001 | Foundations of Christian Thought and Practice | A general survey of Christian thought and practice utilizing both the biblical text and human witness. | 4 |
| DMAD 2200 | The Arts in Historical Context* | This course will explore important works of visual art/photography, film/theatre, and music and their place in world history. Through a series of reading, lectures, and writings, students will learn to better “read” art and understand its place in society. | 4 |
| Course # | Title | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSCI 2200 | The Future of Citizenship* | Since its first conception, the notion of who can be a citizen and what citizenship entails has changed. In the United States the rights and privileges of citizenship have been won by an increasing proportion of the population since the founding of the nation. Those considered outside the realm of full political equality have organized resources to obtain recognition and rights to participate in governing. By claiming the rights of citizenship, women, minorities, and young people have won the right to vote and equal protections under the Constitution. Outside of the U.S. context, groups have worked to shape their own governments through both political and extrapolitical means. The course surveys the practice of American citizenship and asks what this means in a global age. Students will reflect on their own practice of citizenship, the challenges of being engaged citizens in the federal system of the U.S., and what it means to be citizens in an increasingly diverse nation and interdependent world. | 4 |
| WRIT 1110 | English Composition: Writing and Speech | This course introduces and reinforces the conventions of ethical and excellent citizenship in the academic community. It demonstrates how to use the critical tools of academic exploration: careful reading, thoughtful listening, analytical writing, proper research techniques, and effective speaking. | 4 |
| WRIT 2010 | English Composition: Research and Writing* | This course reinforces the conventions of ethical and excellent citizenship in the academic community: appropriate research methodologies, presentation formats both written and oral, and documentation. Students will study and practice writing and research within their major disciplines (or intended major disciplines in the AA Program). The course is a bridge to major area and career preparation. Students will join their disciplinary discourse communities through reading, research, conversation, and writing. Prerequisite: ENGC 1110 or 1180 | 2 |
| EXSC 1110 | Wellness for Life | This course provides each student an opportunity to assess his/her wellbeing through a battery of physical fitness tests. Class content includes basic principles that support a physically active lifestyle. Each student is challenged to consider the personal, spiritual, and social responsibilities of maintaining an implementation of physical activity. | 2 |
| Course # | Title | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH 1560 | Introduction to Statistics | A study of the fundamentals of probability and statistics, including regression analysis and correlation. Particular focus is placed on probability distributions and their application to confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for data samples. | 4 |
| BIOL 1110 | Principles of Biology and Lab | Introductory biology for non-majors. This course is not appropriate for students who wish to pursue a career in the health or natural sciences. This course does not count toward major requirements in Biology, and Biology majors who receive credit for Biology 2110 cannot receive credit for this course. Topics include the hierarchical organization of life, cell structure and function, cellular metabolism, cell reproduction, transmission and molecular genetics, and diversity of organisms. Four hours of lecture, two hours of laboratory per week. | 4 |
| SPAN 1010 | Spanish Language and Culture | Students will learn Spanish for use in a variety of situations in everyday life and work to acquire the global skills necessary for communication. In order to learn the basics of Spanish, students will be given many opportunities for self-expression and interaction in class. Additionally, this course will examine the diverse culture of the Spanish-speaking world. Coursework encourages students to view and understand the world from additional cultural perspectives. Through these studies, participants will be better able to compete effectively in the global economy of the future. | 4 |
| Course # | Title | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIST 2110 | 20th Century Global History | This course covers a broad overview of world history in the twentieth century and examines topics such as the following: World War I and II, the Russian Revolutions, Stalinist Soviet Union, Decolonization in Africa, China’s Cultural Transformation, the Cold War and its proxy conflicts, the end of communism in the USSR and eastern Europe, the foundation of Israel and the Arab-Israeli wars of the latter 20th century, modern terrorist organizations, and globalization. | 4 |
| ENGL 2110 | 20th and 21st Century World Literature | This course examines a global array of literature from the 20th and 21st centuries, addressing the most pressing issues of the last century: violent cultural shifts and their effects on the margins of society, the clash of cultures in the developing world, and the challenge to authority. All of these issues define and refine the notion of citizenship: Who is my neighbor? What are my obligations to society? To what sort of nation or leader do I owe my allegiance? | 4 |
| WRIT 1020 | Speech Communication | The goal of this course is to help students become better public communicators. Students learn how to speak effectively in public, why some people are more effective than others, how to speak ethically, and how to listen and critique others. This course enables students to be effective communicators in public, organizational, and interpersonal settings. | 4 |
Admission Requirements
Students applying for the online associate degree program must meet the following requirements:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale
- Students with less than a 2.6 high school GPA may be considered and accepted on a conditional basis provided they are able to demonstrate their plans to succeed in the program.
General Admission Requirements
General requirements for admission to King University include graduation from an accredited or recognized high school, GED, or secondary institution with a minimum of 16 academic units, distributed as follows:
- Four units of English
- Two units of algebra (Algebra I and II)
- One unit of geometry
- Two units of foreign language
- Two units from history and social studies
- One unit of natural science
- Four units of other academic electives
Students educated at home should follow the same procedures as any other candidate for the freshman class.
Students should present a high school transcript and documentation, and a high school diploma or its equivalency.
How to Apply
Students applying for the online AA degree program must submit the following materials:
- A completed online application
- An official transcript request form. A scanned copy may be emailed to your Enrollment Counselor.
Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Request information and get connected to one of our knowledgeable enrollment counselors.
Career Outcomes
Those with an Associate of Arts degree can use it to continue their studies. They may also find careers in any number of fields, such as:
- Healthcare
- Information technology
- Sales & marketing
- Administrative services
Studying online prepares you for a successful future. Discover a learning format that offers:
- Flexibility and Convenience
- Personalized Academics
- Equal Excellence
- Opportunity for Self Insight