2018-2019 Catalog

Liberal Arts (A.A.)

Associate in Arts

Program Advisor: Matthew Müller

413-236-4584 • mmuller@berkshirecc.edu

The Liberal Arts program closely parallels freshmen and sophomores studies at colleges offering liberal arts baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of this program regularly transfer with junior status and have gone to some of the most prestigious colleges in the country.

This program is suited to students who are not yet certain of their future majors, as it allows them to make academic and career decisions after taking a wide sampling of courses. The program’s flexibility also permits students who have already chosen a transfer college to select courses which fit the transfer requirements of their future institutions.

Through BCC’s system of academic advising, “pre-majors” such as education, history and psychology may be pursued by careful course selection. Related majors at the baccalaureate level include anthropology, area studies, behavioral and social sciences, communications, economics, education, English, foreign languages, general studies, liberal arts, geography, geology, history, linguistics, mathematics, media, music, nursing, peace studies, philosophy, physical education, physics, psychology, radio and television, science and theatre arts.

This is a MassTransfer eligible program.

Expected Outcomes

Graduates of this program should be able to demonstrate competency as measured by the BCC general education core competencies.

Graduation Requirements

To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program and general education credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.

Program Courses

ENG-
Literature

6

-
Free Electives

21

Total Credit Hours:27

General Education Courses

COM-
Communication

3

ENG-
English Composition/Writing

6

-
 

HIS-113Western Civ to 1500

3

-
Or

HIS-121World History to 1500

3

-
 

HIS-114Western Civilization Since 1500

3

-
Or

HIS-122World History Since 1500

3

-
 

MAT-
Mathematics

3

-
Behavioral & Social Science

6

-
Environmental Studies

1

-
Humanities & Fine Arts

3

-
Natural or Physical Science

7

Total Credit Hours:35

Environmental Studies: See Footnote 1
Natural or Physical Science: See Footnote 1

Additional Requirements

Core Competencies Portfolio 4 items
FORUM 4 units
Health/Fitness 30 hours
Minimum Cumulative Average Overall 2.000

Suggested Pathway to Graduation

The following is a suggestion for completing this program in two years. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.

First Semester

-
Free Elective

3

ENG-
English Composition/Writing

3

-
 

HIS-113Western Civ to 1500

3

-
Or

HIS-121World History to 1500

3

-
 

MAT-
Mathematics

3

-
Natural or Physical Science

4

Total Credit Hours:16

Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 1

Second Semester

-
Free Electives

6

ENG-
English Composition/Writing

3

-
 

HIS-114Western Civilization Since 1500

3

-
Or

HIS-122World History Since 1500

3

-
 

-
Environmental Studies

1

-
Natural or Physical Science

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Environmental Studies: See Footnote 1
Natural or Physical Science: See Footnote 1

Third Semester

ENG-
Literature

3

-
Free Elective

3

COM-
Communication

3

-
Behavioral & Social Science

3

-
Humanities & Fine Arts

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Fourth Semester

ENG-
Literature

3

-
Free Electives

9

-
Behavioral & Social Science

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Footnote

  1. The Natural or Physical Science requirement must be fulfilled by one 4-credit laboratory science and one 3-credit non-laboratory science or by two 4-credit laboratory sciences. Completion of an environmentally focused laboratory science, such as BIO-109, BIO-110, ENV-101, or ENV-102, fulfills both the Natural or Physical Science and the Environmental Studies requirements.