AA Degree Planner
- The Associate in Arts Degree (AA) is intended primarily for students who plan to transfer to another college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree. It can be considered the first two years of a four-year degree program. The AA Degree is a general liberal arts degree and no specific major is listed in conjunction with the degree. However, many students choose to concentrate in a particular field of study as preparation for a planned major at a four-year college or university.
- At least 40 credits of the 64 credit AA Degree must be taken within the Minnesota General Education Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) outlined in the AA Degree program planner.
- An agreement with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) provides that the Central Lakes College Associate in Arts Degree or MnTC will satisfy all of the lower-division general education requirements at any of the state universities.
- An agreement with the University of Minnesota, provides that an Associate in Arts Degree or MnTC will satisfy the Liberal Education requirements.
- Central Lakes College also has agreements with private and out-of-state institutions including Augsburg College, Bethany Lutheran College, College of St. Scholastica, Concordia University-St. Paul, St. Mary’s University, Mayville State University, North Dakota State University, University of North Dakota, Northland College, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, University of Wisconsin-Stout, and University of Wisconsin-Superior that allow easy transfer of the AA Degree.
- Any student who anticipates transferring to a four-year college or university should plan an appropriate program (both general education and major requirements) with one of the counselor’s prior to, and during, enrollment at Central Lakes College.
Associate in Arts Degree - Four-Year College Transfer
An Associate in Arts Degree earned at Central Lakes College is recommended as the transfer degree that enables a student to transfer to a Minnesota four-year public college or university. Through special agreements, the A.A. Degree, in most cases, allows a student to continue with a "junior status" at the selected state university.
The following additional schools accept the AA Degree as satisfying their general education requirements.
Minnesota: Argosy University, Augsburg College, Bethany Lutheran College, Capella University, College of St. Scholastica, Concordia University-St. Paul, and St. Mary's University.
North Dakota: Mayville State University, North Dakota State University, and the University of North Dakota.
Wisconsin: Northland College, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and UW-Superior.
Download Associate in Arts Degree Planner (pdf)
Minnesota General Education Transfer Curriculum
The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum is the result of a collaborative effort by all of the two-and four-year public colleges and universities in Minnesota to define a common philosophy toward general education. The goal of this effort is to help students transfer their work in general education. Completion of a defined transfer curriculum at one institution enables a student to receive credit for all lower-division general education upon admission to any other MnSCU institution. The University of Minnesota also recognizes the MnTC as fulfilling the lower division general education component of its degree programs; in addition, students in all degree programs must complete a writing intensive set of requirements.
Students who complete the transfer curriculum are certified in ten goal areas by faculty at the sending institution. The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum provides details about goal competencies.
Download Minnesota Transfer Curriculum