General Studies, A.A.
Potomac State College
The online Associate of Arts in General Studies from WVU Potomac State College empowers you to earn a degree that can propel your career forward or serve as a stepping stone to higher education. Gain in-demand skills in writing, critical thinking, and communication while tailoring your choice of electives to suit your interests. Stand out to employers with a versatile degree that opens doors to numerous career paths.
Cost:
$268 / Cost per credit hour *
Courses and Credits:
20 courses / 60 credits
Duration:
Two years (full-time) / 8-week terms
Dates:
Next Start: January 12, 2026 Admission Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
Learning Format:
Online asynchronous
Program Overview
The online Associate of Arts in General Studies is an affordable pathway to your first 60 credits – or all your general education (GEF) requirements – and it can lead to any career you want. During this program, you are encouraged to explore, discover, and develop your special aptitudes and interests.
While pursuing this degree, you will acquire essential skills that are valuable for
both immediate educational goals and lifelong learning. These skills are crucial
in a world characterized by rapid change and evolving technology.
- In-Demand Skills: Acquire knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and social skills.
- Professional Advancement: Valuable skills for career growth, whether you're already working or just starting your educational journey.
- Customization: Tailor elective courses to match your personal and professional interests.
Curriculum
This major serves a three-fold function: (1) to provide an opportunity to examine the general areas of higher education and assist in choosing a major field of concentration; (2) to serve as a program that, through appropriate elective courses, can be adapted for the specific requirements of any four-year college to which a student transfers; and (3) to provide a career curriculum for a student who does not plan to continue in a four-year program.
Upon successful completion of the A.A. degree, General Studies majors will have completed all general education program requirements. The GEF works to fulfill the University’s goals of (1) creating well-rounded students with a broad base of skills and knowledge, (2) linking together the courses that students take at WVU, and (3) instilling in students a permanent connection to learning and education, giving them the skills to learn what they need outside a formal educational environment. The GEF strives to help students be thoughtful participants in a democratic society, and to achieve the intellectual integration and awareness they will need to adapt to changes and meet challenges in their personal, social, and professional lives.
General Education Foundations
- F1: Composition & Rhetoric
- ENGL 101 & ENGL 102 / or ENGL 103 Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research / Accelerated Academic Writing, 3-6 credit hours
- F2A/F2B: Science & Technology, 4-6 credit hours
- F3: Math & Quantitative Reasoning, 3-4 credit hours
- F4: Society & Connections, 3 credit hours
- F5: Human Inquiry and the Past, 3 credit hours
- F6: The Arts & Creativity, 3 credit hours
- F7: Global Studies & Diversity, 3 credit hours
- F8: Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree), 9 credit hours
Curriculum Requirements
- GEF Requirements, 28 credit hours
- ENGL 101 & ENGL 102: Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research (GEF 1), 6 credit hours
- WVUE 191: First Year Seminar, 1 credit hour
- Electives, 25 credit hours
General Studies & LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the A.A. degree, General Studies majors will have completed all general education program requirements.
The General Education Foundations (GEF) provides students with academic and intellectual breadth to appreciate the broad context of their actions, their choices, and their world, beyond their major field(s) of study. WVU aims to help students build the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to reason clearly, communicate effectively, think critically, and contribute to society.
The GEF works to fulfill the University’s goals of (1) creating well-rounded students with a broad base of skills and knowledge, (2) linking together the courses that students take at WVU, and (3) instilling in students a permanent connection to learning and education, giving them the skills to learn what they need outside a formal educational environment. The GEF strives to help students be thoughtful participants in a democratic society, and to achieve the intellectual integration and awareness they will need to adapt to changes and meet challenges in their personal, social, and professional lives.
In the interest of giving every WVU student a liberal education as defined by the AACU’s Liberal Education & America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative, WVU will apply the AACU LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes as part of the General Education Foundations (GEF). All GEF courses will incorporate at least one of the AACU LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes.
LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 1: Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World
Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts.
Focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring.
WVU GEF courses incorporating LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 1 tie some aspect of course outcomes to problems and issues that students recognize in today’s world.
LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 2: Intellectual and Practical Skills, Including
- Inquiry and analysis
- Critical and creative thinking
- Written and oral communication
- Quantitative literacy
- Information literacy
- Teamwork and problem solving
Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance.
WVU GEF courses incorporating LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 2 teach at least one intellectual or practical skill relevant for modern life, and explicitly describe to students what it is and where it is applicable.
LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 3: Personal and Social Responsibility, Including
- Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
- Intercultural knowledge and competence
- Ethical reasoning and action
- Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
Anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges.
WVU GEF courses incorporating LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 3 engage the personal or social responsibility of students, and discuss personal, local, national, and/or international situations and problems.
LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 4: Integrative and Applied Learning, Including
- Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies.
Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.
WVU GEF courses incorporating LEAP Essential Learning Outcome 4 allow for the integration and synthesis of knowledge across the disciplines, and explicitly explain the connection of knowledge across the disciplines.
Admissions Process and How to Apply
- Send official transcripts of your previous high school work to Potomac State College. Also send official transcripts of any college work you have completed.
- Send transcripts to: Office of Enrollment Services WVU Potomac State College, 75 Arnold Street Keyser, WV 26726
- OR Email: Go2PSC@mail.wvu.edu OR Order through Parchment
- ACT and SAT scores are used to determine scholarship awards and for placement in math and/or English classes.
- Although they are not required, if you have taken the ACT and/or SAT, you are encouraged to send the scores to Potomac State College. SAT school code: 5539; ACT school code: 4529; TOEFL code: 5539.
- Note: If you do not submit these scores, you may be required to take a math and/or
English placement test.
- Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) - score of 500 on each of the five subtest categories
- General Equivalency Degree (GED) - average standard score of 2250 (450) or above
- HiSET exam - minimum score of 45
Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid
- File the application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the June deadline to determine eligibility for funding and scholarships.
- Inquire with your employer about potential financial support for continuing your education.
Careers and Employment
The Associate of Arts in General Studies equips you with versatile skills applicable to a wide range of careers. You will develop your communication, organizational, and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, this degree serves as a foundation for further education, empowering you to specialize in many other fields. The broad-based curriculum fosters adaptability and prepares your for a continuously evolving job market.
Career Paths
- Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Medical equipment repair
- Various assistant positions (occupational, paralegal, physical, office etc.)