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Associate of Arts vs. Associate of Science: Choosing Your Path at WECA
Are you trying to decide between an Associate of Arts (A.A.) and an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree at WECA? You're not alone! With just two courses setting them apart, it might seem like a small difference, but those two classes can guide your future career in big ways. Let’s break it down and help you pick the path that’s right for you.
What’s the Difference?
What’s the Difference?
At WECA, the A.A. and A.S. degrees both consist of a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit (SHC) and are designed to help you transfer seamlessly to a four-year college or university. The difference comes down to how you build your schedule:
Associate of Arts (A.A.):
One additional Social Science course
One additional Arts course
Associate of Science (A.S.):
One additional Mathematics course
One additional Science course
That’s it! But these choices hint at your interests, strengths, and, most importantly, your long-term goals.
Who should choose an AA Degree?
Who should choose an AA Degree?
If you enjoy reading, writing, exploring ideas, and connecting with people, the A.A. degree could be your perfect match. This degree lays the foundation for careers in liberal arts and creative fields like:
Psychology
Social Work
English
History
The Arts (visual arts, performing arts, design)
With an A.A., you'll focus more on humanities and social sciences, sharpening your communication skills and creativity. These are vital for roles that require storytelling, problem-solving, and empathy.
Who should choose an AS Degree?
Who should choose an AS Degree?
Are you curious about how the world works and enjoy solving problems using logic, numbers, or experiments? Then the A.S. degree could be your launchpad for success. This path prepares you for careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or business fields like:
Engineering
Mathematics
Biology
Finance
Computer Science
The A.S. emphasizes critical thinking, data analysis, and technical skills, which are essential for innovation and research in these fields.
Other things to consider when choosing your degree pathway
Other things to consider when choosing your degree pathway
You may also want to consider the type of college you plan to apply to in the future. We often times see colleges with more competive applications like students who take higher level courses in Mathematics and Science (NCState and UNC Chapel Hill). This does not mean you can't get into these competitive colleges with an Associate of Arts degree, it is just something extra to consider.
You will also want to see how exactly your courses transfer from WCC (or any community college) into your preferred future college. For example, schools like UNC Chapel Hill want students to complete 3 levels of second language so it is typically easier to get all of those taken care of while you are a WECA student to ensure you do not have long gaps of time between your language studies.
Here is a resource I created broken down by College Major. Each folder holds the degree plans of our 16 UNC System schools so you can see how your Community College courses transfer to different Universities within the same major area of study.
Here is a resource I created broken down by College Major. Each folder holds the degree plans of our 16 UNC System schools so you can see how your Community College courses transfer to different Universities within the same major area of study.
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