Associates Degree in General Studies (AGS)
Complete This Program Online!
Starting this fall semester, South Suburban College offers fully online programs with various benefits. Students in this program can take advantage of classes that fit their schedules and study from anywhere with internet access. Taking this program can lead to a new career, advancement within a current field or improved technical skills in a virtual world.
The Associate in General Studies (AGS) Degree is a highly individualized degree that provides students with the opportunity to have a hand in designing their own associate degree program that may include both transfer and occupational courses. This degree has minimal general education requirements thus allowing considerable flexibility in designing and pursuing a course of study that meets individualized learning goals.
All students considering this degree must meet with a faculty counselor to determine suitability. Students are advised that the AGS degree is not considered a transfer degree and may or may not transfer, all or in part, to senior institutions.
Students should note that his degree does not fulfill the requirements of IAI (Illinois Articulation Initiative) General Education Core Curriculum.
All students interested in earning an Associate in General Studies (AGS) degree from South Suburban College must complete the requirements for one of the five application categories listed below:
- For all Associate Degree programs, students who have not attended another Illinois college or university must submit official high school, GED transcripts.
- Students who have attended other colleges or universities will be required to submit an official high school or GED transcript and/or official college or university transcripts. Students who have earned an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at an accredited Illinois college or university are only required to submit official college transcripts.
- Students currently attending South Suburban College who are changing their curriculum to that of an Associate degree must submit official high school/GED transcripts indicating graduation, and college/university transcripts, if they have attended another college or university.
- Students who have previously submitted an admission application and all transcripts, and whose attendance at SSC has been interrupted for a period of one year or more, may be readmitted to the college by completing a new admission application form. Students who are applying and have attended another college since they were last enrolled at SSC must submit official college transcripts.
- Students who were academically dismissed from the college must petition for readmission and see a faculty counselor.
- Official transcripts consist of documents sent directly from the educational institution or agency to SSC, or transcripts hand delivered in an official envelope sealed at the prior institution(s) indicating a graduation date.
- Students applying for admission to a baccalaureate transfer program must meet certain minimum high school course requirements under Illinois Public Act 86-0954.
The Associate in General Studies degree is not considered to be a transferable degree. It is designed for students earning a two-year degree for career advancement and personal growth. The AGS is designed to serve a multitude of student populations, including but not limited to incumbent workers whose employers are requiring a degree for advancement, displaced workers fulfilling additional educational/career goals while seeking a degree for improved employment opportunities, or veterans seeking to return to the workforce by earning an associate degree that allows awarding of credit for military experience. Not all elective courses at South Suburban College are intended for transfer. It is recommended that students considering this degree meet with a faculty counselor to determine suitability.
(Describe the policies for acceptance of credit in transfer and awarding of credit for noncredit or non-collegiate activity.)
- Transfer credit must be from an institution of higher education as recognized by a regional accreditation organization at the time when credit was earned.
- Credit which is applied to SSC’s transcript is subject to all Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) guidelines with the exception of the AGS degree, which is not considered a transfer degree.
- Credit earned through the Educational Competency Evaluation Program (ECEP) may not be applied to the AA, AS, AFA, or AES degree at SSC.
- ECEP credit may be applicable toward the AGS and certain AAS degrees. See the program coordinator for more information regarding credit applicability for the AAS degree.
Faculty counselors meet with all of the new students to review the policy related to acceptance of credit in transfer and awarding of credit for noncredit activity.
Curriculum
The general education requirements for the Associate in General Studies degree consists of a minimum of 21 semester hours of credit. The minimum area requirements for the 21 semester hours are as follows:
| Communications (1) | Semester Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (2) | ||
| Choose one course from each of the following areas in HUMANITIES: | ||
| DRM 152 | Plays and Playwrights | 3 |
| ENG 103 | Introduction to American Literature I, Colonial Period-1860 | 3 |
| ENG 104 | Introduction to American Literature II, 1860 to Present | 3 |
| ENG 111 | Introduction to Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 202 | Introduction to British Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 203 | Introduction to British Literature II | 3 |
| ENG 204 | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG 206 | World Literature I | 3 |
| ENG 208 | Introduction to Women’s Literature | 3 |
| HFA 158 | Drama into Film | 3 |
| HFA 201 | 201—General Humanities I | 3 |
| HFA 202 | General Humanities II | 3 |
| HFA 203 | Humanities of Eastern Asia | 3 |
| HUM 210 | World Mythology | 3 |
| PHL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 102 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHL 103 | World Religions | 3 |
| PHL 105 | Logic | 3 |
| SPN 204 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| Choose one course from each of the following areas in FINE ARTS: | ||
| ART 105 | Art History Survey, Ancient World | 3 |
| ART 106 | Art History Survey,Renaissance Through Modern | 3 |
| ART 107 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| ART 219 | Non-Western Art | 3 |
| DRM 151 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| DRM 155 | Ethnic Traditions in American Theatre | 3 |
| HFA 108 | Introduction to Film Appreciation | 3 |
| HFA 109 | Introduction to Film History | 3 |
| HFA 158 | Drama into Film | 3 |
| HFA 201 | General Humanities I | 3 |
| HFA 202 | General Humanities II | 3 |
| HFA 203 | Humanities of Eastern Asia | 3 |
| MUS 123 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 223 | Introduction to African American Music | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Science (2) | ||
| Choose one course from two of the following disciplines: | ||
| ANT 101 | Anthropology | 3 |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Economics, Macro | 3 |
| ECO 202 | Principles of Economics, Micro | 3 |
| GEO 103 | Geography of the Developed World | 3 |
| GEO 104 | Geography of the Emerging World | 3 |
| HIS 109 | Europe to the 19th Century | 3 |
| HIS 110 | History of Modern Europe (19th and 20th Centuries) | 3 |
| HIS 203 | Early American History | 3 |
| HIS 204 | Later American History | 3 |
| HIS 271 | History of Modern African Civilization | 3 |
| PSC 101 | American National Government | 3 |
| PSC 102 | American State and Local Governments | 3 |
| PSC 210 | Comparative Foreign Governments | 3 |
| PSY 101 | 101—Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 211 | Human Growth and Development (Life-span) | 3 |
| PSY 212 | Human Growth and Development (Lifespan) | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 102 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOC 205 | Marriage and the Family | 6 |
| Mathematics (1) | ||
| Choose one course from the following: | ||
| MTH 115 | General Education Mathematics | 3 |
| MTH 126 | Fundamentals of Statistics | 3 |
| MTH 146 | Math Concepts & Structures II | 4 |
| MTH 161 | Finite Mathematics | 4 |
| MTH 180 | Calculus for Business and Social Science | 4 |
| MTH 190 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
| MTH 203 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | 5 |
| MTH 204 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry III | 5 |
| MTH 211 | Introductory Statistics | 4 |
| Physical and Life Science (1) | ||
| Choose one course from the following PHYSICAL SCIENCES courses: | ||
| AST 101 | Introduction to Astronomy | 3 |
| CHM 101 | Chemistry and Society | 3 |
| CHM 111 | Introductory Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 113 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| GLG 101 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| PHS 101 | Physical Science | 3 |
| PHY 101 | Mechanics and Heat | 4 |
| PHY 210 | University Physics I | 3 |
| Choose one course from the following LIFE SCIENCES courses: | ||
| BIO 101 | Concepts of Biology | 3 |
| BIO 102 | Introductory Biology | 4 |
| BIO 103 | Environmental Biology | 4 |
| BIO 105 | General Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 152 | Man and His Environment | 3 |
College Level Electives (39)
| SPE 108Oral Communication (Highly Recommended)3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minimum for AGS Degree | 60 | |