The Associate in Science degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to a senior institution in order to pursue a course of study in the liberal arts, sciences, or a specialized professional field. The following outline of General Education Core requirements should be completed after consultation with an advisor and with consideration of the academic requirements of the transfer-receiving institution. Departments and programs may suggest, require, or specify appropriate course work not only to complete these requirements but also to facilitate the transfer process.
Students should become familiar with the Statewide Transfer & Articulation Reporting System (STARS) which provides very specific information about the requirements in each subject AREA for a given transfer institution. The STARS website can be accessed at http://stars.troy.edu. From STARS, students can print a transfer guide for his/her major and enter into a binding contract with the transfer institution in his/her program of study. The contract is not binding on the student but is binding on the transfer institution so long as the student does not change majors and takes the courses listed on the transfer guide. STARS is a computerized articulation-and-transfer-planning system designed to inform students about degree requirements, course equivalents, and other transfer information pertaining to specific majors at each state-funded four-year institution. Once a student chooses a major and a place of transfer, an individualized guide and agreement can be created. Students are responsible for knowing the particular requirements of the institution to which they plan to transfer. Faculty advisors and academic success coaches are available to help students develop a career path and a plan for graduation from Central Alabama Community College.
Act 94-202 of the Alabama Legislature created the Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC). This Committee evaluated course offerings at Alabama Community College and determined their transfer equivalency to other state colleges and universities. The AGSC divided the academic transfer courses taught at the community colleges into three separate groups according to transfer status. Courses that are common to all programs of study and to all institutions are designated as Common Core courses and further categorized as Code A courses. The Code A courses specify course requirements by number of semester hours and discipline (also known as AREA). The total number of semester hours of Common Core (Code A) courses required for all university parallel programs of study, except engineering, is 41 semester hours.
The remaining 19-23 hours (designated as Code B, AREA V) consist of courses in the individual student’s major or minor fields of study or are necessary to meet pre-professional requirements as specified by the transfer institution. The remaining potentially transferable courses that do not fall into either Code A or Code B are potential AREA V transfer courses but are subject to the approval of the respective receiving institutions. These courses are designated as Code C.
Students who are pursuing 4-year degrees should follow the career path for their major. Career paths for most majors are found on the next few pages. The transfer institution’s catalog and/or web site provides specific transfer requirements in AREA I through AREA V