General Studies, A.S.

Program Description

The AS in General Studies (AGS) program provides a significant pathway for students seeking to earn an Associate degree and enhance their academic credentials. This program is structured to help you either achieve an amazing college education or complete the critical general education courses necessary for pursuing a bachelor’s degree. The program offers a very customizable and flexible curriculum of courses that fulfill requirements at a four-year college or university.

Prepare to engage in a beneficial educational experience that can significantly enhance your academic and professional prospects.

To be considered for admission, the applicant must meet the admission criteria outlined below.

When to Apply
Qualified applicants may apply to the program as early as one semester prior to their intended enrollment date. Before applying, foreign applicants should refer to the admission policy of AHU for international students. All applicants should refer to the application deadlines and corresponding enrollment dates cited below.

Fall Trimester: July 1
Spring Trimester: November 1
Summer Trimester: March 1

Admission

To be accepted into the AGS degree program, a student must meet the general requirements for admission into AdventHealth University (see General Studies Admission in the Admission Information section), and:

Submit the AS in General Studies Program Application once admitted to the University. The application can be accessed at http://my.ahu.edu.
Have a minimum admissions cumulative GPA or AHU GPA of 2.5 college credits. GPAs presented to the Admissions Committee for each applicant will be a cumulative record of college-level work.
Competitive applicants will be invited to attend an interview. Meeting minimum admissions requirements does not guarantee an invitation for an interview. Every applicant who wishes to be accepted to the program must complete the interview process.

Reapplication Process

Applicants who are not admitted to the AS in General Studies program during a specific admission cycle may reapply to the program for the next admission cycle if they have successfully met the minimum admission requirements. Reapplicants are expected to meet the published admission deadlines by submitting the following additional information to the Office of Admission:

Application online.
Updated official transcripts from any accredited institutions attended since the original application was submitted.

Progression

Students may progress toward the AS in General Studies (AGS) when they:

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
Successfully complete each course with a minimum of 2.00 (“C”).

Failure to comply with the progression policy may result in dismissal from the program. Please, see the dismissal policy.

Academic Warning

At the end of an academic trimester, an academic warning will be given to a student when:

Experiencing poor academic performance.
Fail one course.
Withdraw more than one course within the trimester.
Trimester & Cumulative GPA drops below 2.5.
A single academic warning will be given throughout the program. Student will be dismissed from the program if our policies are repeatedly violated.

Throughout the trimester, an academic warning in the form or Early Alert will be sent to provide follow-up for students identified by faculty as having academic difficulties or other problems that may impact student success. The main objective of this alert is to assist students with issues early in the trimester to increase the chance of success and retention by providing proactive interventions as part of a university-wide effort. An early alert referral will be made by any faculty throughout the semester. Here is a checklist of some warning signs that may prompt an Early Alert referral:

Class attendance: the student has too many absences or the student stopped going to class
Problems in academic performance
Exam score of 77% or below
Failed assignments, quizzes, and tests
The student is not passing the course
Lack of writing and/or grammar skills
Lack of reading comprehension skills
Lack of engagement/easily distracted
Lack of course preparation/participation
Not meeting assignment deadlines
Lack of organization
Time management
Lack of student response
Changes in behavior, attitude, interest, motivation or appearance
Work quality has declined
Student lacks the study skills to be successful in college
Student is having difficulty adjusting to college life
Student is experiencing personal problems.

Academic Performance Plan

Depending on the needs of the student, faculty will refer the students to a particular staff member or service area that can include:

Meeting with Chaplains
Meeting with Behavioral Health Counselor
Meeting with relevant tutors
Meeting with Academic Advisor
Meeting with Department or Institution administration.

Dismissal

Students will be dismissed from the AS in General Studies program if the student fails (receives a grade lower than C):

In four or more AGS courses at AHU.
In the same course twice.
Students will be dismissed from the program if our policies are repeatedly violated.

Consequences of dismissal. When dismissed, a student is no longer enrolled in the AGS program. Students dismissed from the program will be under the General education and University guidelines, which means the student will only be allowed to take 100-200 level courses at the University. 300-400 level courses will only be available to students within the AGS program. Students have the right to appeal dismissal decisions following the University Academic Appeal policy.

Readmission

Students are considered for readmission to the AS in General Studies program when they meet admission requirements and:

Readmission is not automatic and is contingent on available class space and the discretion of the Department Chair.

Students will be readmitted under new academic catalog program policies. Eligible students will be considered for readmission to the program when they complete the following:

Submit a Readmission Form to the Biomedical Sciences and Technology Department Chair at least eight weeks before the trimester in which seeking admission.
Undergo a faculty review of prior academic performance, including reason(s) for withdrawal or dismissal, along with evidence of the applicant’s efforts to strengthen areas of weakness.

Completion

AdventHealth University will consider students for graduation and conferral of a Associate of General Studies degree when they have met the University requirements for graduation (see Graduation in the Academic Catalog for further information) and have:

Completed a minimum of 60 trimester hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
Achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’ or above in all required courses and electives for the degree.
Completed a minimum of 30 trimester hours in residence at AdventHealth University.
Completed the prescribed course of study (minimum of 60 credits) as follows. Some course requirements may be fulfilled via certificate validation as outlined in the Nontraditional Learning Policy.

English and Composition (minimum 6 credits)
- To fulfill the requirements for English and Composition, students must complete the designated courses listed below, or any courses classified under the codes ENGL or SPCH, or those specifically designed to enhance proficiency in English language and communication skills.
   ENGL 101 - 3 credits
  
   ENGL 102 - 3 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences (minimum 3 credits)
- To fulfill the requirements for Social and Behavioral Science, students must complete the designated courses listed below, or any courses classified under the codes SOCI, PYSC, or those specifically designed to enhance proficiency in social and psychological skills.
   PSYC 124 - 3 credits
  
   SOCI 125 - 3 credits
Mathematics (minimum 3 credits)
- To fulfill the requirements for Mathematics, students must complete the designated courses listed below, or any courses classified under the codes MATH, STAT, or those specifically designed to enhance proficiency in mathematics and quantitative skills.
   MATH 103 - 3 credits
Science (minimum 3 credits)
- To fulfill the requirements for Science, students must complete the designated courses listed below, or any courses classified under the codes BIOL, CHEM, NUTR, HPER, PHYS, HTSC, or those specifically designed to enhance proficiency in biological, physical, environmental, and health sciences skills.
   Any science course coded BIOL, CHEM, NUTR, HPER, PHYS, HTSC - 3 credits
Humanities and Religion (minimum 6 credits)
- To fulfill the requirements for Humanities and Religion the students must complete the courses that have the main purpose of achieving proficiency in the Humanities and Religion, given the following considerations:
  
   RELP 103 - 3 credits (Required)
  
   Religion (REL__) or Humanities* - 3 credits
  - ^*For students who attended or are enrolled in an Adventist college three course credits of religion are required per year of residency or full-time equivalent of study attended. See religion requirement policy for more information.
  - ^*Students coming from other institutions can transfer courses that have achieved the objectives and skills related to the study of human culture including language, literature, philosophy, or history, in place of the religion credits required for the full-time equivalent. See religion requirement policy for more information.
Electives (minimum 39 credits)
- To fulfill the elective requirements, students must complete a minimum of 39 credits through transfer and/or courses in residence.