To earn an Associate Degree from River Valley Community College, a student must:
- successfully complete at least 60 credits in college-level coursework (excluding remedial or developmental coursework/credits – i.e., those identified as being “for institutional credit only”);
- earn at least fifteen 15 credits in coursework offered by and under the direct control of River Valley Community College with at least eight (8) of those credits earned in advanced-level (200-level) courses in the student’s major field;
- achieve a Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken at River Valley Community College (including remedial or developmental coursework/credits);
- meet all course distribution requirements for the specific type of Associate Degree as described in sections below; and
- meet any additional criteria as required by a student's specific program.
COURSE DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
Associate in Science Degree
In addition to meeting the requirements set forth in the associate degree from RVCC requirements above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Science Degree:
- earn at least 30 credits in program-specific courses in a defined major field;
- earn at least 20 credits in general education courses, including one course of three (3) credits or more in:
- English Composition (required);
- Humanities/Fine Arts/World Language (required);
- Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics (required);
- Science (required); and
- Social Sciences (required);
- The remaining general education credits to reach the required total of 20 general education credits may be taken in Humanities/Fine Arts/Foreign Language, Quantitative Reasoning, Science, or Social Sciences; and
- The remaining 10 credits to reach the required minimum total of 60 credits may be assigned in any subject area, as deemed by the faculty to be appropriate to the curriculum.
Associate in Science in General Studies
RVCC also offers an Associate in Science in General Studies degree for students seeking experiential credit, seeking to create a self-designed major to meet personal occupational or career goals, requiring remediation/developmental coursework to meeting admission requirements for a desired program, or wishing to matriculate while awaiting admission to competitive degree programs. Students wishing to earn an Associate in Science in General Studies degree must meet all of the requirements set forth in the associate degree from RVCC requirements above, as well as the general education distribution requirements set forth in Associate in Science Degree requirements above. The 30 credits of major field coursework may be taken in any subject area.
Associate in Science with a Concentration
An Associate in Science Degree program may include the option for a concentration (e.g., the Associate in Science in Business Management with a Concentration in Healthcare Management). A Concentration may be awarded when a minimum of 20 credits of specialized coursework related to the more general major are successfully completed. The 20 credits in the concentration are part of the 30 major field credits required for the major. Students wishing to earn an Associate in Science with a Concentration degree must meet all of the requirements set forth in the Associate degree from RVCC requirements above, as well as the general education distribution requirements set forth in Associate in Science Degree requirements above.
Associate in Arts
Students may earn an Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts or in a specified major field. In addition to meeting the requirements set forth in the associate degree from RVCC requirements above, a student must meet the following course distribution requirements to earn an Associate in Arts degree. Each category below must include at least one course worth at least three (3) credits:
- English Composition 3-4 credits
- English Literature, Composition (requiring English Composition as a prerequisite), or Communications 3 credits
- Quantitative Reasoning/Mathematics 6-8 credits
- Natural or Physical Sciences 7-8 credits (including at least one lab science)
- Social Sciences 9 credits
- Humanities/Fine Arts/World Language 9 credits
AND EITHER
- Electives in Specialized Major Field 20-24 credits
Minimum 60 credits
OR (for generic AA in Liberal Arts)
- Liberal Arts Electives (from above list) AND 12-15 credits
- Open Electives 9 credits
Minimum 60 credits