Program Overview

Associate in Science (A10400)

The Associate in Science degree shall be granted for planned programs of study consisting of a minimum of 64 and a maximum of 65 semester hours of approved college transfer courses.  Within the degree program, the college shall include opportunities for the achievement of competence in reading, writing, oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills, and the basic use of computers.

Program Outcomes

Gaston College graduates receiving an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Fine Arts degree will be able to:

• Use computers and other educational technologies to achieve academic and work-related goals.
• Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the role and function of computers and use the computer to solve problems.
• Students should be able to integrate the use of a calculator or Excel to construct, analyze, solve and graph solutions to problems.
• Communicate non-verbally by reading analytically and writing fluently.

• Students should be able to demonstrate the ability to organize, plan and execute the college level expository essay.
• Students should be able to comprehend and analyze college level reading material.
• Analyze problems and make logical decisions.
  Students will meet this outcome by doing at least one of the following:

• Students should be able to synthesize given information and use this knowledge to make rational decisions.
• Students should be able to synthesize mathematical criteria to determine an appropriate solution to satisfy the given conditions of a problem.
• Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the empirical nature of science and the scientific method and use this knowledge to analyze problems and make rational decisions.
• Students should be able to be able to identify and analyze arguments.
• Students should be able to develop a logically structured expository essay for an academic audience.
• Examine the arts/humanities and social behavioral sciences from cultural and historic perspectives.

Students will meet this outcome by doing at least one of the following:

• Students should be able to evaluate and explain patterns in human political, cultural, and economic life and their impact on human societies.
• Students should be able to differentiate and discuss how cultural groups express themselves through the humanities/arts.
• Students should be able to evaluate and explain patterns in various human social groups and their interrelatedness.
• Analyze, manipulate, and interpret quantitative data.

• Students should be able to demonstrate the ability to perform fundamental algebraic concepts and skills to analyze and interpret quantitative data.
• Given relevant information and practicing math skills necessary for the sciences, students should be able to be able to analyze, manipulate, and interpret quantitative data.

Students interested in transferring to a four-year institution can find useful information about North Carolina colleges and universities, the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement governing transfer from community colleges to the University of North Carolina system, and other transfer information at the following websites:

College Foundation of North Carolina

UNC System Transfer Information