Board of Governors, A.A.S.

The Associate in Applied Science Board of Governors Degree is designed as a non-traditional, degree completion opportunity specifically devised for adult learners to meet occupational goals, employment requirements, establish professional credentials, or achieve personal goals. This degree program provides the opportunity for adult learners to utilize credit for prior learning experiences via licenses, certificates, military credit, and other non-collegiate sources while assuring maximum credit transferability.

Purpose

The Board of Governors A.A.S. Program is an alternative, non-traditional, degree program designed for adult students seeking a degree completion opportunity. The degree is flexible in its design and responsive to adult students’ diverse needs and interests. Adult students with a broad range of life and educational experiences may combine a core of academic courses with credits earned through prior learning experiences to structure a unique associate degree program. The Board of Governors A.A.S. is designed to graduate students who are prepared to become active, socially responsible members in their communities and places of employment.

The Board of Governors A.A.S. Program requires 60 credit hours which include a general education core of 21 hours and 39 hours of general electives encompassing a broad range of content areas while providing for optimum flexibility. The required general education courses assure the development of essential skills and competencies necessary for an associate degree level graduate. Students are encouraged to explore various options for obtaining credit for prior learning experiences including course articulation, standardized exams, challenge exams, credential validation and portfolio credit. Students who choose to earn credit for college-level learning acquired through professional work experience or other life experiences must complete the portfolio development course and submit a portfolio. The portfolio provides the opportunity for equating documented, college-level, experiential learning to college credit. College courses successfully completed at regionally accredited institutions may be transferred into the program and applied toward the credit hour requirements.

The Board of Governors degree residency requirement is fulfilled by a student who has taken 12 credit hours at a regionally accredited higher education institution followed by 3 credit hours taken at Southern. Students are eligible for admission to the program two years after graduation from high school. In cases of those passing a high school equivalency examination, admission must be two years after their high school class graduated.

Program Level Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively.
2. Identify and apply analytical reasoning across academic disciplines.
3. Demonstrate the specialized training and experience derived from the student’s portfolio.
4. Recognize and relate to literature and the arts, diversity, historical viewpoints, and global perspectives.