Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) Associate Degrees Advisors Next Steps University Application Process and Transcripts Financial Aid/Scholarships Housing

This section of aztransfer.com provides some basic steps that will help you make the fastest progress toward obtaining your bachelor’s degree from one of Arizona’s public universities.

If you’re starting at a community college, the basic building blocks include completing your Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) and obtaining your associate’s degree.

Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC)

The AGEC is the foundation of your community college education. It consists of 35-37 credits which include:

• Freshman Composition
• Mathematics
• Arts & Humanities
• Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Physical and Biological Sciences
• Options (these will vary by community college and AGEC completed)
• Special Requirements (upon completion of your AGEC, you will have taken courses that meet the following requirements):
• Intensive writing and critical inquiry
• Ethnic/Race/Gender Awareness
• Global/International or Historical Awareness

Associate Degrees

Building on that foundation, the next step is to take additional transferable courses, preferably in your major. If you know your major and the university you want to attend, complete the courses listed in the appropriate Transfer Guide. If you are not sure which university you will attend, then complete the courses in the Major Guide. You may then take additional, transferable [elective] courses to total 60-64 credits (64 is the maximum allowed).

Depending on the bachelor's degree you plan to pursue, these building blocks will allow you to complete your choice of these degrees:

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Associate of Business (A Bus)
• Associate of Science (AS)
• Associate of Arts in Elementary Education (AAEE)

Completing the appropriate associate's degree provides a solid educational foundation, and you should only need an additional 56-60 university credits to complete your bachelor’s degree, with a total of 120 credits.

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degrees.

The AAS degree is also being used in transfer in some career and technical areas. The most recent policy regarding the AAS to BAS (Bachelor of Applied Science) is found here: AAS-BAS

Note that some universities and community colleges have also developed pathways of three years plus one year, or 90 community college credits and 30 university credits. Please check with academic advising about the availability of these pathways and the areas in which they are offered.

Advisors

All of the community colleges and universities have academic advisors who can be a great help in your progress toward a degree. For a list of academic advisors at each of the Arizona public community colleges, tribal colleges and universities, click on Find an Advisor. They can help you with the questions you may have as you use aztransfer.com.

Next Steps

1. Identify your academic goals and interests! When gathering the information necessary to make those decisions, consult a variety of sources - including printed resources, web sites, college representatives, and other students.
2. Select a major. Helpful information is available on the Career Tools page. Consult faculty as well as advising, counseling, and career center personnel/resources for assistance in choosing your major.
3. Investigate possible transfer institutions that offer your intended program(s) and review other desired features (i.e., cost, location, size, services, distance learning).
4. Completed all the pre-requisites for your university program.
5. Establish whether or not your major has a Second Language Proficiency requirement.
6. Pay attention to required course sequencing and cumulative grade point average requirements for the program you want.
7. Learn about admission requirements, and investigate program-specific priority deadlines, selection criteria and requirements such as auditions or portfolios. This information can be found in catalogs, advising/counseling manuals, and on university websites: ASU, NAU, UA.
8. Investigate tuition and fees at your chosen university. (Note: Some programs may require a special program fee, which is in addition to tuition.)

University Application Process and Transcripts

• Get to know your chosen transfer institution's academic calendar, admission priority dates, deadlines and degree requirements.
• Visit the university prior to applying.
• Submit your application(s) for admission and all of your official transcripts (including AP and CLEP test scores if you have any) by the deadlines specified at each university.
• Check to see if high school transcripts and test scores are required.
• Send final official transcripts after the term is completed and the grades, AGEC and degree are posted.
• Obtain a Health Form and proof of immunization.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority date of your transfer institution(s). You can find this form at fafsa.ed.gov

Research scholarship and work-study opportunities.

Housing

Decide whether you will live on or off campus. If you plan to live on campus, you will need to submit a Housing Application. (Note: Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.)