Liberal Studies (A.A.) +

About the Degree
Career Information
Program & General Education Requirements  

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CCV’s associate of arts degree in Liberal Studies will introduce you to a wide range of subjects, providing a foundation for many different careers and for transferring to a four-year college or university. The Liberal Studies program is the most popular program of study among CCV graduates, accounting for nearly half of the degrees awarded each year. It is designed to include breadth and depth of learning, emphasizing exposure to a broad range of subjects and academic disciplines, and providing students with great flexibility in individual course selection.

Although the degree can be an end in itself, the majority of Liberal Studies graduates use it as their foundation for further academic pursuits. If you are uncertain about your long-term educational and career plans, the Liberal Studies program provides a valuable opportunity to explore your interests. The overarching objective of CCV’s Liberal Studies program is to produce graduates who are well-prepared to be active, contributing participants in their communities, their work settings, and their subsequent educational activities.

+This program can be completed fully online.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Liberal Studies program will be able to:

• develop written work with a clear thesis, organize supporting arguments, and employ correct syntax, mechanics, and disciplinary conventions;
• prepare, organize, support, and orally present ideas that engage an audience and employ appropriate tone, language, and delivery style;
• identify the information needed to approach a problem analytically; discover and evaluate academic resources using appropriate search strategies; and responsibly incorporate, represent, and cite source materials in student work;
• use quantitative models, methods, and tools to evaluate information, draw conclusions, and provide supporting evidence for applications across a variety of disciplines;
• identify and use appropriate technologies to locate, manage, and represent information electronically;
• apply an interdisciplinary approach to learning, drawing from various disciplines, such as science, humanities, and social sciences, to cultivate multiple perspectives on problems, issues, and topics;
• articulate a learning rationale for and the outcomes of their individual course choices in the Liberal Studies program;
• demonstrate academic skills required of all CCV graduates in writing, information literacy, oral communication, and quantitative reasoning; and
• explore pathways for educational and career development in the student’s field of study.

The Liberal Studies program is great for you if: 

• you are curious about the world and have a love of learning;
• you want to acquire a solid foundation in general education;
• you are interested in exploring a range of subjects and choose not to specialize at the associate degree level;
• you understand the value of interdisciplinary learning and academic breadth in your education;
• you wish to use previous transfer or APL credits most efficiently to complete an associate degree;
• you plan to transfer to a four year institution, perhaps in a discipline not represented at CCV; and
• you are preparing for a career that demands diverse knowledge and widely transferable skills.

Key information and advice for students in the Liberal Studies program:

• The associate of arts degree in Liberal Studies is CCV’s most popular degree program.
• Students in Liberal Studies can choose from a broad range of courses to fulfill their program requirements according to their particular schedules, interests, and ambitions.
• Courses are widely accessible and the program can be completed with a minimum of travelling.
• The Liberal Studies degree allows students to gain additional competency in areas cited by employers as being particularly desirable, such as writing, communication skills, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and problem-solving, diversity, global competence, and foreign language.
• In an economy where most individuals will change jobs many times during their working lives, Liberal Studies provides a comprehensive and versatile foundation for many careers.
• The associate of arts degree in Liberal Studies can accommodate a rich blend of liberal arts, general education, and professionally focused courses that will allow students to further their education in a four-year program or enter the workforce at an entry level.
• CCV’s numerous transfer agreements make it possible to transfer easily to a number of four-year colleges in Vermont and beyond.
• CCV graduates in Liberal Studies have gone into such fields as advocacy, business, education, health, law, management, social work, and many others.

The Liberal Studies program prepares you for careers such as:

• Administrative Assistant
• Bank Teller
• Human Resources Manager
• Paraprofessional
• Resource Developer

Job outlook in Liberal Studies in the state of Vermont:

Title	Median Salary	Projected Growth (10 Yrs)
Bank Teller	$26,910	0%
Copy Writer	$50,810	2%
Paralegal	$43,170	1%
Court Reporter	$49,250	no trend data

Source: Vermont Department of Labor, http://www.vtlmi.info/oic3.cfm

Transfer Options:

The Vermont State Colleges System’s (VSCS) Direct Admissions program gives CCV students guaranteed transfer admission to Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, or Vermont Tech. Direct Admissions students follow course maps that ensure classes taken apply to both their bachelor and CCV associate degree, saving them time and money.

CCV also has transfer agreements with 4-year colleges and universities throughout Vermont. Visit our transfer page for additional information and to view all of our transfer maps on one Excel spreadsheet.