Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

College majors that offer an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree are also known as “career technical” programs. AAS degree programs prepare students for direct entry into the workforce. An AAS may also help students with career growth, licenses, or further study in a bachelor’s degree program. MHCC has many transfer agreements with universities for students who have completed an AAS degree.

See the MyMHCC portal for printable degree worksheets

Degree Requirements

Mathematics, 1 course4-6
Writing, 1 course3-4
Human Relations, 1 course3-4
Health and Physical Education, 3 credits3
Career-Technical program courses77-91
Total Credits90-108

Mathematics

One course:

MTH058Quantitative Reasoning I6
MTH065Beginning Algebra II (Course offered online) (or higher)4

Some programs require a higher level of math; consult program page and/or faculty adviser for required math level. 

Written Communication

One course:

WR101Workplace Communications I (Course offered online)3
WR121ZComposition I (Course offered online)4

Some programs may require the addition of WR122Z Composition II (Course offered online) or WR227Z Technical Writing (Course offered online). Please see the program page for details.

Human Relations

Three (3) credits:

To fulfill the Human Relations requirement for an AAS degree, students may complete 3 or more credits of the following:

  • One (1) Arts & Letters course, 3-4 credits, if taken summer 2019 or later.
  • One (1) Social Science course, 3-4 credits, if taken summer 2019 or later.
  • A minimum of three (3) credits from the following:
BA285Leadership and Human Relations3
HD110Navigating Career Change (Course offered online) (taken summer 2020 or later)1
HD130ATIntroduction to Careers: Applied Technology (Course offered online) (taken summer 2020 or later)2
HD208Career and Life Planning (Course offered online) (taken summer 2020 or later)3
HPE110Teambuilding and Group Facilitation3

Please note that the Human Relations options above were implemented starting in catalog year 2020-21 and beyond. For courses taken prior to summer term 2019, please see the 2019-20 Human Relations course list.  

Students who take HD130 Today's Careers may not also earn credit for taking one of the industry-specific versions, such as HD130AT Introduction to Careers: Applied Technology (Course offered online) or HD130HC Introduction to Today's Careers: Health Professions (Course offered online), but different industry-specific versions may be combined for credit.

Some programs, especially those in the Health Professions, require a specific Human Relations course; consult program page and/or faculty adviser for more information. 

Health and Physical Education (HPE)

3 credits in Physical Education (PE) and/or in Health Education (HE/HPE):

HE151Drug Education: Stimulants and Performance Enhancing Drugs3
HE152Drug Education: Opioids, Cannabis, Depressants and Hallucinogens3
HE202Adult Development and Aging1
HE204Nutrition for Health3
HE205Diet Appraisal (Course offered online)1
HE207Stress Control Through Activity Intervention1
HE208HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections1
HE225Nutrition (Course offered online) (or FN225, if taken summer 2021 or later)4
HE250Personal Health and Wellness (Course offered online)3
HE251Wilderness First Aid2
HE252First Aid: Responding to Emergencies3
HE255Alcohol and the Family3
HE261CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation1
HE262Basic Life Support (Course offered online)1
HE265Women's Health (Course offered online)3
HE289Wilderness First Responder4
PE185 - activity course1
HPE110Teambuilding and Group Facilitation3
HPE120Introduction to Navigation1
HPE170Structure and Function of the Human Body3
HPE172Exercise Science3
HPE174Fitness Assessment and Programming3
HPE260Prevention and Care of Exercise-Related Injuries3
HPE270Introduction to Sport Psychology3
HPE285OLWilderness Survival3
HPE291Lifeguard Training2
HPE295Health and Fitness for Life (Course offered online) (requirement at OSU and WOU)3

3 credit hours of PE185 may be granted toward an Associate degree at MHCC for completion of military basic training. A copy of the DD214 form or a Joint Services Transcript is required.

Career-Technical Core Requirements

Complete all required core courses in a career-technical curriculum. Some programs require prerequisite coursework or placement test levels before beginning the curriculum. Check individual program pages for information.

To be awarded an AAS degree, students must:

  • Complete all requirements to total 90 applicable degree credits.
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher in: the cumulative MHCC grade point average; all courses being applied toward the degree; and in the candidate’s major classes. Some majors may have additional GPA requirements.
  • Satisfactorily earn 12 credit hours at MHCC. Non-traditional credit (College Level Examination Program, Experience-Based Credit, Challenge, etc.) does not satisfy this requirement.

Please note: Courses may not be repeated for credit unless specified in the course description.

To check your official progress toward graduation, log on to MyMHCC and click “View My Degree Audit.”

Course offered online

Cultural Literacy course