Humanities & Social Sciences AA
Explore your interests and chart your future
Discover personal and career interests as you prepare to transfer to a four-year college or university. Complete core requirements in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and the natural sciences balanced with elective classes of your choice. Prepare for a career in teaching, government, law, the arts, and countless other fields with a general liberal arts emphasis.
This program offers:
- Strong foundation for further study and career
- Broad-based perspective on the world and its people
- Fundamental skill development for success and lifelong learning
- Optional concentrations in areas you choose and design
Build flexible skills for life
Most of us will change jobs or even entire careers throughout our working lives. Jefferson’s Humanities and Social Sciences A.A. degree recognizes this reality and helps you build essential skills that will serve you well in any field.
Employers want to hire people who communicate ideas, solve problems, and lead teams. A foundation in the liberal arts delivers all this plus an understanding of all the qualities that make us human.
Jefferson liberal arts graduates go on to become teachers, attorneys, artists, journalists, managers, and more. They start businesses and enter public service. They’re ready to go wherever life takes them.
Learn to communicate, evaluate, and persuade
When you complete the Humanities and Social Sciences A.A. degree you will be able to:
- Communicate effectively for diverse purposes and audiences
- Find, evaluate, and accurately credit authoritative sources of information
- Understand the conventions and methods of at least two disciplines in the humanities (for example, language, literature, arts, or philosophy)
- Understand the theories and methods of at least two disciplines in the social sciences (for example, psychology, history, sociology, or anthropology)
- Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments in their own work and others’ work
- Complete classes in seven of the 10 SUNY General Education Requirement areas, fulfilling recommendations for transfer to a SUNY bachelor’s degree program
Contact Enrollment Services for Application and Admissions Information
admissions@sunyjefferson.edu
(315) 786-2437, fax (315) 786-2471 or toll free (888) 435-6522
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Friday
Transfer to the bachelor’s program of your choice
Complete a Jefferson Humanities and Social Sciences A.A. and choose from a wide range
of transfer options, including SUNY universities and private colleges.
Suggested 4-Semester Pathway
The four-semester pathway is intended for the typical college-ready student. Always look at placement scores, AP, and previous college credits to ensure proper placement in the first and subsequent semesters.
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG 101: Research and Composition | 3 |
| INT 111: College Foundations | 1 |
| MTH 144: Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Social Science (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE) Arts or World Language Elective | 3 |
| History (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG 102: Literature and Composition | 3 |
| History (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Social Science (GE) Elective | 3 |
| MTH or SCI Elective | 3 |
| ART or Lang Elective | 3 |
| PED Elective | 1 |
| Semester 3 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| English Lit (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Social Science (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Lab Science (GE) Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE) Elective (Not ENG) | 3 |
| PE Elective | 1 |
| Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Lib Arts Elective | 3 |
| Lib Arts Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 |
Lookup Course Description
Degree requirements for Humanities and Social Sciences A.A.
| Humanities Requirements (19 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| INT 111: College Foundations | 1 |
| ENG 101: Research and Compositon | 3 |
| ENG 102: Literature and Composition | 3 |
| Literature Elective | 3 |
| (3) Courses meeting the following: at least two areas (ART, JOU, Language, MUS, PHI, STA) at least one from the Arts or Language SUNY Gen Ed at least one more Humanities Elective from any SUNY Gen Ed (Not ENG) |
9 |
| Social Sciences Requirements (15 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Restricted HIS Elective – HIS 111, 112, 150, 151 | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 |
| 3 Courses from at least 2 disciplines: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political
Science, Psychology, Sociology (2) SUNY Gen Ed Social Sciences (not HIS) Social Science Elective |
9 |
| Math and Science Requirements (10 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| MTH 144 or Higher | 3 |
| SUNY Gen Ed Lab Science | 4 |
| Math or Science Elective | 3 |
| Liberal Arts Electives (6 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Chosen from Humanities, English, Social Science, History, Natural Sciences, or Mathematics | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVES (9 credits): No more than 3 credits may be from Physical Education activity courses | 9 |
| Physical Education Requirements (2 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PED | 1 |
| PED | 1 |
Total Credit Hours 61
| Advising Notes: | |
|---|---|
| The student and their academic advisor may design other concentrations of study within the general Liberal Arts degree requirements that are of particular interest. The following list represents some possible emphases you may want to develop in consultation with your advisor: Adolescent Education, Art, Music, Communication, Humanities, Public Relations, Regional Studies, Social Sciences, or Physical Education. | |
| Students should look over Bachelors-level program requirements at their transfer school and choose electives accordingly. | |
| Two 200-level courses are required, and many have a 100-level pre-requisite. Plan to ensure this requirement can be completed. | |
| Students should keep major assignments and syllabi in case their transfer schools need to check those to verify rigor or transfer credit. | |
| Students intending to be middle or high school teachers should check with their transfer school to take care of any world languages, psychology (133, 220), math, or EDU 210 electives to avoid hold-ups when they transfer. Some schools also either require or don't allow the HIS 150/151 or the HIS 111/112 sequence. |
|
College Foundations |
Credit Hours |
|---|---|
|
INT 111: College Foundations |
1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements (33 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG 101: Research and Composition | 3 |
| ENG 102: Literature and Composition | 3 |
| History Electives1 | 6 |
| Humanities Electives2 | 9 |
| Literature Elective3 | 3 |
| Social Science Electives4 | 9 |
| Liberal Arts Requirements (16 credit hours) | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| MTH 144: Elementary Statistics or higher5 | 3 |
| Electives chosen from Humanities, English, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, or Mathematics | 6 |
| Laboratory Science Elective3 | 4 |
| Mathematics or Science Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective Requirements | 9 Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Choose Approximately Four Free Electives6 | 9 |
| Physical Education Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 2 |
Total Credit Hours 61
| Advising Notes: | |
|---|---|
| 1History Electives: Two courses with at least one course from the SUNY General Education list for US History & Civic Engagement or World History & Global Awareness |
|
| 2Humanities Electives (at least 3 courses): Select courses from at least two different disciplines. Course 1: Select one course from the Areas of Arts or World Languages from the SUNY General Education course list. Course 2: Select one humanities course from the SUNY General Education course list. Course 3: Select one course from Art, American Sign Language, Journalism, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, or Speech/Theater Arts. |
|
| 3Choose from the applicable Area of the SUNY General Education course list. | |
| 4Social Science Electives (non-history): Select three courses from at least two of the following areas: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology. |
|
| 5Select one course from the Mathematics Area from the SUNY General Education course list. MTH 144: Elementary Statistics or MTH 174: Mathematical Probability and Statistics 1 is strongly recommended. |
|
| 6No more than 3 credit hours may be from physical education activity classes. | |
| Other: Please note, you must complete at least two courses at the 200 level and one course from the SUNY General Education list for Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. Emphases: You and your academic advisor may design other concentrations of study within the general Liberal Arts degree requirements that are of particular interest to you. The following list represents some possible emphases you may want to develop in consultation with your advisor: American Studies, Art, Communication, Humanities, Public Relations, Regional Studies, Social Sciences, or Physical Education. |
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