Associate in Arts Degree

The Associate in Arts degree is designed for transfer towards a variety of bachelor's degrees. This degree fulfills most general education requirements and first two academic years for many (but not all) baccalaureate programs at four-year institutions. Students considering this degree are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor to determine the most appropriate or required course selections for their transfer goals.

Graduates earning this degree meet the requirement for coursework on improving human relations as defined in 110 ILCS 205/9.21 (formerly Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991 Ch. 144 sec. 189.21) or PA-87-581.

Students with previous academic, career and life experiences are encouraged to have a transcript analysis completed and to investigate CLEP and ECC proficiency credit to fulfill prerequisite, course, and/or degree requirements. An academic advisor can help with this process.

Each of the courses listed below has an Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) equivalent number. Refer to the Course Description section in this catalog for course titles, IAI numbers, and specifics.

Degree Requirements

Course Title Credits
General Education Requirement
Communications9
Three courses including a two-course sequence in writing and one course in oral communication. A grade of C or better in ENG 101 and ENG 102 is required.
English Composition I
English Composition II
Fundamentals of Speech
Mathematics3
Select one of the following:
General Education Statistics
General Education Mathematics
Math for Elementary Teaching II (for elementary education majors only)
Statistics I
Finite Math for Business & Managmt
Calculus for Business/Social Science
Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
Calculus with Analytic Geometry III
Physical and Life Sciences7
Two courses with one course selected from the life sciences and one course from the physical sciences, one of these must include a lab. (Note: L=Lab)
Physical Sciences:
Earth Science (L)
Applied Physical Science (L)
Astronomy
Preparatory Chemistry (L)
Elements of Chemistry: General (L)
General Chemistry I (L)
Intro to Physical Geography
Environmental Geology
Physical Geology (L)
General Physics I (L)
Life Sciences:
Survey of Environmental Biology
Biology for Contemporary Society (L)
Principles of Biology (L)
Molecular & Cellular Biology (L)
Organismal Bio, Evolution, Ecology (L)
Environmental Biology (L)
Human Relations
Take one course. The course selected can also satisfy the Humanities & Fine Arts requirement or the Social & Behavioral Sciences requirement and can be applied in both categories to fulfill the degree requirements. (Note: N=human diversity from a non-western perspective; D=human diversity within the United States)
Survey of Non-Western Art (N)
Introduction to Anthropology (N)
Cultural Anthropology (N)
Human Geography (N)
Geography of the Developing World (N)
History of World Civilizations I (N)
History of World Civilizations II (N)
History & Politics of Gender (D)
History of Latin America I (N)
History of Latin America II (N)
History of Asia: Ancient to 1500 (N)
History of Asia: 1500 to Present (N)
History of Native America (D)
History of U.S. Latinas and Latinos (D)
African American History I (D)
African American History II (D)
Intro to Non-Western Humanities (N)
Introduction to Asian Philosophies (N)
African American Lit 1619-1940 (D)
Multicultural American Literature (D)
Intro to Literature by Women (D)
African American Lit (1940-Present) (D)
LGBTQ Literature (D)
International Literature (N)
Musics of the World (N)
Racial and Ethnic Relations (D)
Gender Roles and Social Change (D)
American Drama (D)
Humanities and Fine Arts9
Three courses with at least one course from humanities and at least one course from fine arts. (Note: N=human diversity from a non-western perspective; D=human diversity within the United States)
Humanities:
Intermediate French II
Intermediate German II
Intermediate Spanish II
Spanish for Spanish Speakers I
Latin American Civilization
American Civilization
History of Mexico
Introduction to Philosophy
Ancient & Medieval Western Philosophy
Modern Western Philosophy
Critical Reasoning
Logic
Introduction to Asian Philosophies (N)
Introduction to Religious Studies
Comparative Religions
Philosophy of Religion
Introduction to Mythology
Ethics
Introduction to Literature:Fiction
Introduction to Literature:Drama
Introduction to Literature:Poetry
Introduction to Shakespeare
Latinx Literatures of the US (D)
African American Lit 1619-1940 (D)
Multicultural American Literature (D)
Intro to Literature by Women (D)
African American Lit (1940-Present) (D)
LGBTQ Literature (D)
International Literature (N)
Children's Literature
Masterpieces of World Lit
Bible as Literature
Great Books Seminar I
Great Books Seminar II
Great Books Seminar III
Great Books Seminar IV
Great Books Seminar V
Fine Arts:
Art Appreciation
Art of Film
History of Art, Prehistory to 1300
History of Art, 1300 to the Present
Survey of Non-Western Art (N)
History of Photography
The Story of Film to WWII
The Story of Film After WWII
Musics of the World (N)
Music Appreciation
Music Literature From 1400 to 1750
Music Liter. From 1750 to Present
Hip Hop Music Appreciation
Rock and Roll Music Appreciation
Introduction to Film Appreciation
Theatre Appreciation
Intro-Theatre History & Literature
American Drama
Interdisciplinary Humanities and Fine Arts (May count as either Humanities or Fine Arts):
Ancient & Medieval Western Humanities
Modern Western Humanities
Intro to Non-Western Humanities (N)
Novel and Film
Social & Behavioral Sciences9
Three courses with at least one course from social sciences and at least one course from behavioral sciences. (Note: N=human diversity from a non-western perspective; D=human diversity within the United States)
Social Sciences:
Fundamentals of Economics
Principles of Microeconomics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Human Geography (N)
Geography of the Developing World (N)
History of Western Civilization I
History of Western Civilization II
History of World Civilizations I (N)
History of World Civilizations II (N)
History & Politics of Gender (D)
History of Latin America I (N)
History of Latin America II (N)
History of Asia: Ancient to 1500 (N)
History of Asia: 1500 to Present (N)
History of Native America
U S History to 1870
U S History Since 1865
History of U.S. Latinas and Latinos (D)
African American History I (D)
African American History II (D)
Amer Government - National
Amer Govt State Local
Principles of Political Science
Comparative Political Systems
International Relations
Behavioral Sciences:
Introduction to Anthropology (N)
General Prehistoric Archeology
Cultural Anthropology (N)
Human Evolution
Intro to Psychology
Child Psychology
Adulthood and Aging
Social Psychology
Human Growth and Development
Principles of Sociology
Social Problems
Racial and Ethnic Relations (D)
Marriage and Family
Social Psychology
Gender Roles and Social Change (D)
Major Field and Elective Courses23
Students should choose an intended major at a transfer institution as soon as possible and select courses which are required for their major. After fulfilling required courses for their major, students may complete this area with electives. In general, any course numbered 100 or above with a 1.1 code in the course description may be used. If the student wishes to enroll in a course which does not have a 1.1 code he/she should see an advisor prior to enrolling to discuss the transferability of the course.
Total Credit Hours60

College Requirements

  1. A total of 60 hours or more must be completed as specified. This total cannot include any credits earned in courses numbered below 100 nor any courses with ABE, ASE, AMT, ARW, ECO, or ESL prefixes. The 60 hours total may include up to four hours of credit in physical education courses prefixed by PHC.
  2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for all courses numbered 100 and above.
  3. Meet the college’s Academic Residency Requirement for University Transfer degrees: A minimum of 15 semester hours in courses numbered 100 and above and must have been achieved at ECC, excluding AP, CLEP, and proficiency credits.
  4. Students may apply up to six hours of Independent Study credit toward any associate degree.
  5. Students can earn only one transfer associate degree. Should a student seek to earn more than one transfer degree, a Petition to Earn Multiple Transfer Degrees form must be submitted to the associate dean of advising, transfer, and career development services.