90 credits
The AIS degree prepares students to transfer to four-year college and universities with junior standing, having fulfilled all or most general education requirements. This 90-credit degree is most often an appropriate goal for students who intend to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Associate in Integrated Studies degree is also the degree of choice for students who intend to transfer, but who are undecided about which baccalaureate institution they will attend. It is considered a Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) because the AIS degree is designed to satisfy most (if not all) of the general education requirements of most public colleges and universities in Washington State.
By virtue of this agreement, students will generally transfer with junior standing and fulfill all or most general education requirements. It is not necessary to complete a degree at Cascadia to be eligible to transfer to a baccalaureate-granting college or university, but most baccalaureate-granting colleges and universities or programs within those colleges and universities give admission preference to transfer students who have completed the two-year transfer degree. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor about appropriate course options for each of the distribution areas below to meet the requirements of their intended transfer institution.
Upon successful completion of this degree a student will be able to:
- Understand patterns and make connections among different disciplines and between different analytical and methodological frameworks and to integrate studies with personal experiences, local, and global communities
- Learn actively and gain comprehensive understanding; to think critically, creatively, and reflectively in order to solve problems; to communicate with clarity and originality for personal growth and productive work; and to interact in diverse and complex environments and complicated, dynamic, and ambiguous situations
- Access, process, construct, and express knowledge across cultures; to take responsibility for encountering and mastering new knowledge
Completion Requirements
Associate in Integrated Studies degree (AIS) is a direct transfer degree that requires at least 90 credit hours in college level courses (numbered 100 or above), a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average, a minimum of 25 credits in residence at Cascadia, and completion of all of the requirements for this degree. Students must meet with an advisor to complete and submit an application for graduation.
General Education Core Courses
Foundations for College Success
Must be completed within the first 30 credits.
Communication
Quantitative or Symbolic Reasoning
Equity, Diversity, and Power Requirement
Students must complete a 150-series EDP course and at least one more additional EDP-designated course-- totaling ten (10) credits-- to meet the Equity, Diversity, and Power completion requirement. EDP courses in the 150-series ground students in the needed cognitive tools and background to critically analyze their position in our increasingly interconnected, complex, and diverse world so they can pursue further study and seek out their careers more intentionally. EDP designated courses may also apply toward Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, or General Elective distribution requirements as indicated. See the Cascadia catalog for the complete list of EDP-designated courses.
Integrated Learning Requirement
Students must include an Integrated Learning Experience in their course selections. This requirement can be satisfied through the completion of learning communities, linked classes, classes containing formal community-based learning, classes taken as part of an academic study abroad program, or classes with an academic internship. Through learning communities (LC) or other Integrated Learning Experiences (IL), students demonstrate their ability to integrate skills, concepts, information, and analytical and methodological frameworks from two or more areas of inquiry in a purposeful project or experience.
Humanities Distribution Requirement
Students must complete courses from at least two different disciplines. No more than five credits may be included from those courses designated HP as performance/skills, applied theory, or lecture/studio courses. Only 5 credits of a world language or ASL at the 100 level may be included. CMST 150, GS 150, HIST 150, or HUMAN 150 may be used to fulfill 5 credits of the Humanities Distribution requirement.
Social Sciences Distribution Requirement
Students must complete courses from at least two different disciplines. GS 150, HIST 150, or SOC 150 may be used to fulfill 5 credits of the Social Sciences Distribution requirement.
Natural Sciences Distribution Requirement
Students must complete courses from at least two different disciplines and include at least five credits of a lab course (LAB). 10 credits required in physical, earth, and/or biological sciences.
Program Required Elective Credits
Students must complete sufficient elective credits in college level courses (numbered 100 or above) to bring the total credits for the AIS degree to 90. These credits may be selected from any combination of the distribution course lists. No more than 10 credits may be included from Restricted Electives List.