The Department of Applied Arts and Sciences offers the Associate of Arts degree. The Associate of Arts degree is considered a general education transfer degree and does not include a major or minor course of study. To receive an Associate of Arts degree, students must:

• successfully complete all lower-division general education requirements with the exception of the language requirement with a letter grade of C- or better;
• earn a minimum of 60 credits, at least 30 of which must be from the University of Montana-Missoula;
• and maintain an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.00.

Students may begin coursework in the autumn, spring, or summer semesters. Courses numbered below 100 do not count toward the 60 credit requirement or general education course requirements, but do fulfill financial aid credit load requirements.

Students planning on completing a baccalaureate degree are encouraged to select specific general education courses and electives that meet the requirements for that future major. Students work with their advisor to develop an AA degree plan to best prepare them to transition to a four-year degree.

Baccalaureate Tracks and Emphasis Areas within the Associate of Arts Degree

Although the AA degree does not include a major or minor courses of study, students may elect to choose coursework that is part of a specific area of interest. Baccalaureate tracks are specific plans of study designed to help students earn an AA degree while simultaneously working towards baccalaureate degree requirements. Missoula College has worked with individual UM departments to forge agreements to ensure that students completing baccalaureate tracks will enter into the major with numerous major requirements already fulfilled.

Baccalaureate tracks within the Associate of Arts degree include:

• Business
• Chemical and Addiction Studies 
• Communication Science and Disorders
• Early Childhood Education
• Elementary Education
• Environmental Studies
• Integrative Physiology
• Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management
• Sociology and Criminology (for individuals attending the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, a specialized Associate of Arts degree is offered through a collaboration among Missoula College UM, the University of Montana Department Of Sociology, and the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena, MT.)
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Concentrations within the Associate of Arts Degree

Similar to pathways or areas of emphasis within the AA degree, concentrations are meant to help students focus on a specific area of interest. Unlike areas of emphasis, these concentrations are recorded on the student's transcript as a concentration of the AA degree itself. Concentrations of the Associate of Arts degree include:

• Behavioral & Social Sciences
• Communication Studies
• Professional Communication
• Psychology
• Speech Language Pathology Assistant

The goal of these concentrations is to provide students with an opportunity to receive an AA degree with a focus on an area that is of increasing demand to employers.

Two Year Plan

Last updated Fall 2025