Home » Programs of Study » Degree Requirements » Associate of General Studies

Associate of General Studies Degree

Special Studies Programs

The purpose of the Degree in General Studies is to provide the student an opportunity to pursue a broad general education during the two years at a community college. It is intended as a flexible program for the student who is not pursuing a specified curriculum in the lower division transfer or professional-technical area. The general studies degree may, in addition to including the number of hours in the divisional areas as listed below, include courses in lower division collegiate transfer, occupational education, professional-technical education and general education. Because of the flexibility and broad approach of this degree, a student may find that it may not fulfill all of the requirements of full junior standing when transferred to a four-year institution. The transferable credits generally include only those courses numbered 100 or above. Please refer to pages 217-218, “Courses Numbered 100- 299”, for more information.

The Associate of General Studies Degree will be awarded to students who satisfy the following requirements:

1. Complete a minimum of 90 applicable credit hours.

2. Successfully complete all required courses in the general studies curriculum as follows. Progression of classes must be vertical. That is, once a course has been successfully completed, a lower level course may not be taken for credit.
   Repeated courses may be counted only once toward graduation unless specified in the course description or unless specifically required in a program curriculum.
   Courses (except for electives) must be selected from a list of approved general education courses (see page 9). The list is available in the Admissions and Records Office, the Academic Advising and Transfer Center or from the program adviser.
   

   1. Health and Physical Education
      A minimum of three credit hours which must include one class in Physical Education (PE) and one class in Health Education (HE). Other options: HPE295 Health and Fitness for Life, or HPE285OL (3 credits) satisfies the total HPE requirement. A student successfully completing PE285OL Wilderness Survival for 2 credits may satisfy the HPE requirement by completing one additional credit in either health or physical education.
      Two (2) credit hours of PE185 credit may be granted toward an Associate degree at Mt. Hood for completion of military basic training. A copy of the DD214 form is required.

   2. Communications
      Six quarter credit hours at a level equivalent to WR101 and WR102; or WR121 and WR122; or three credits in writing and three credits in speech; or three credits in writing and RD117; or three credits in writing and BA205.

   3. Mathematics
      Three quarter-credit hours at a level equivalent to MTH65 or higher (except MTH211).

   4. Human Relations
      Three quarter credit hours; refer to the general education course list on page 9.

   5. Humanities (Arts and Letters)
      12 credit hours in humanities (arts and letters) (maximum of six credit hours in skill oriented classes).

   6. Social Sciences
      12 credit hours in social science.

   7. Science/Mathematics/Computer Science
      9 credit hours in science or mathematics or computer science. (MTH20 and MTH40 are excluded and will not meet this requirement.)

   8. Complete the above requirements plus elective courses (no more than 25 credits of one discipline may apply as electives, with the exception of Special Studies curricula) to total 90 applicable credit hours. Elective courses may be any course number 10 or higher, not including those listed as Developmental Education courses, see page 217-218.
      A maximum of 25 credits of ENL courses, numbered 100 and above, may be applied toward the AGS degree. (ENL94R, ENL94S, and ENL94W are not to be included. See Developmental Education Courses.

3. Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher.

4. Maintain a 2.00 GPA for all courses being applied toward the degree and maintain a 2.00 GPA in the core requirements (an average; not a “C” in every class).

5. Satisfactorily earn a minimum of 24 hours of credit at Mt. Hood Community College and be in attendance at MHCC the term in which the degree is completed. Non-traditional credit (College Level Examination Program, Advanced Placement Program, Challenge, Experience-Based Credit, International Baccalaureate) does not satisfy this requirement.
   If extenuating circumstances prevent a student from being in attendance the last term, the student may petition to take the remaining credits (maximum of nine) at a regionally accredited college or university within one year from the date of last attendance at MHCC.
   
   This request must be in writing and indicate the school at which the courses will be completed. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain written approval from MHCC of course acceptance prior to enrollment and to send an official transcript to MHCC upon completion of the course work.

6. Complete the application process and pay a non-refundable application fee two quarters prior to the quarter of completion (i.e., spring term graduates must apply during fall term).