This two-year, 60-credit (20 courses) undergraduate program is equivalent to the first two years of a four-year degree in the Arts. It prepares students to transfer to research or teaching universities to complete a bachelor’s degree or serves as a credential to enter the labour market. The AA degree is accepted for transfer into bachelor’s degree programs at University Canada West (UCW) and all British Columbia degree-granting institutions, provided other admission requirements are met.

At the end of the AA degree, you may transfer into a bachelor’s degree program at UCW or any British Columbia degree-granting institution. Alternatively, you may continue in the Associate of Arts degree and complete the program with an additional 30-credit hours of study as per provincial Associate of Arts degree guidelines.

Graduates of the AA program will develop these skills:

• Workplace problem solving
• An ability to work in teams
• Leadership in the workplace
• Communications and soft skills for employability

In September 2021, UCW received 5 stars rating from the QS Stars higher education rating system, the world’s most popular source of comparative data on university performance.

As part of the QS Stars audit process, institutions receive an overall rating of between zero and 5+ stars, as well as a rating in at least eight of 13 key areas. We have achieved 5 stars in Teaching, Employability, Online Learning, Academic Development, Social Responsibilities and Inclusiveness and 4 stars for Internationalisation. UCW is the third university in Canada, and the first in British Columbia, to receive a 5 Star rating from QS Stars. There are only a total of seven institutions in the United States and Canada to receive a 5 Star rating.

Program Structure

The Associate of Arts program is an interdisciplinary set of courses designed to provide core skills in writing, communication, and research and team performance. UCW Academic Advisors can help with your course selection to meet your post-secondary education goals.

Tier 1: University Foundation I

Tier 1 courses establish the basic university skills of research and writing while introducing you to a variety of disciplines and topics.

• Two first-year English courses
• One Science course
• One Mathematics or Computing Science course
• Two Humanities courses
• Two Social Science courses
• Two Arts elective courses

Tier 2: University Foundation II

Tier 2 courses build a broader academic exposure and deeper exploration in a variety of subject areas. You have the opportunity to further demonstrate critical thinking, analytical, quantitative and communication skills.

• One (1) Lab Science course
• Six (6) second-year Arts courses
• Three (3) general electives