Liberal Arts and Sciences
The Liberal Arts and Sciences Program at Mount Wachusett Community College provides students with the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a baccalaureate degree. During their course of study, students will develop skills to meet the challenges and demands of a rapidly changing society and to think and write critically in order to contribute to their world. Students gain a strong foundation in humanities, social sciences, math, and natural sciences, which enables them to transfer to competitive four-year colleges/universities.
Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
This program is for those who would like a strong educational background to transfer to a four-year institution or immediately enter professional employment by carefully selecting electives. Students may choose to major in virtually any academic discipline, such as biology, English, history, or physical science. Students are encouraged to discuss majoring in any specific area of study with their academic advisor. LAS students can transfer to many four-year colleges or universities and start as a junior.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENG 101 | College Writing I | 3 |
| MAT 143 or 163 | Statistics or Precalculus (or higher) | 3-4 |
| Behavioral Social Science Elective I 1 | 3 | |
| Science Elective 2 | 3-4 | |
| General Elective I 3 | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 102 | College Writing II | 3 |
| SPC 113 | Speech (formerly THE113) | 3 |
| Humanities Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Lab Science Elective 2 | 4 | |
| General Elective II 3 | 3 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Behavioral Social Science Elective II 1 | 3 | |
| Non-behavioral Social Science Elective I 5 | 3 | |
| Literature Elective I 6 | 3 | |
| World Language or Culturally Diverse Elective I (see list below) | 3 | |
| General Elective III 3 | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 290 | Advanced Writing and Research | 3 |
| Non-behavioral Social Science Elective II 6 | 3 | |
| World Language or Culturally Diverse Elective II (see list below) | 3 | |
| Literature Elective II 6 | 3 | |
| General Elective IV 3 | 3 | |
| Total Credits: | 61-63 | |
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Behavioral Social Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 2
Lab Science Electives and Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 3
General Electives: See General Electives exceptions.
- 4
Humanities Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 5
Non-behavioral Social Science Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
- 6
Literature Electives: See Elective Courses by Abbreviation.
World Language Electives or Culturally Diverse Electives
| Credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| ASL - Any American Sign Language course | 3 | |
| ANT 111 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ART 109 | Art History I | 3 |
| ART 110 | Art History II | 3 |
| ART 251 | Two-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| ART 252 | Three-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| ART 259 | Ceramics I | 3 |
| ART 263 | Drawing I | 3 |
| DAN 133 | Hip Hop/Street Dance Foundation | 3 |
| ENG 221 | Women's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 223 | 21st-Century Global Science Fiction | 3 |
| ENG 230 | From P-Town to Great Barrington: A Virtual Journey with Massachusetts Poets | 3 |
| ENG 235 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 236 | Modern Drama | 3 |
| ENG 237 | Queer Voices in Literature | 3 |
| ENG 261 | The Short Story | 3 |
| FRE - Any French course | 3 | |
| GEO 129 | World And Cultural Geography | 3 |
| HIS 105 | History Of World Civilization I | 3 |
| HIS 106 | History Of World Civilization II | 3 |
| HIS 125 | American Ethnic History | 3 |
| HST 150 | Cultural Awareness | 3 |
| HUM 240 | Comparative Religion | 3 |
| HUM 260 | The Art Of Being Human I | 3 |
| HUM 283 | Honors Research Seminar: “An American in Paris": Exploring French Cultural & Literary Hist | 3 |
| HUM 290 | Travel and Study: International Culture, Philosophy, and Arts | 3 |
| MUS 106 | History Of Jazz | 3 |
| MUS 160 | History of Rock and Roll | 3 |
| PHL 180 | World Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 201 | Introduction To Philosophical Issues | 3 |
| PHL 210 | Levels Of Being | 3 |
| PHL 220 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 250 | Moral Philosophy | 3 |
| SOC 103 | Introduction To Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 125 | Gender Development and Cultural Changes | 3 |
| SOC 205 | Social Problems | 3 |
| SPA - Any Spanish course | 3 | |
See Liberal Arts and Sciences program student learning outcomes and technical standards.
Student Success Tips
Eligible LAS students should consider entering MWCC’s Honors Program. Honors Program students benefit from a challenging, highly individualized academic experience, a tuition waiver during their final semester, active recruitment by four-year colleges and universities, and the use of the Honors Center. Also, because of the program’s Commonwealth Honors Program status, all MWCC Honors courses are transferable as Honors courses within the Massachusetts public higher education system; and MWCC graduates are guaranteed acceptance into the Honors Programs of these colleges and universities. See the Honors Program for more information.
Transfer Options
For transfer options, please click here. It is recommended that you also consult with your academic advisor.
MassTransfer
Students who plan to transfer to a Massachusetts state university or a University of Massachusetts campus may be eligible to transfer under the MassTransfer agreement, which provides transfer advantages to those who qualify.
Please click here for MassTransfer information
Special Requirements
Technical standards must be met with or without accommodations.
Program Student Learning Outcomes for LAS
Upon graduation from this program, students shall have the ability to:
- Formulate clear and precise questions about complex problems and ideas relevant to a variety of disciplines—math, science, the humanities, and the social sciences—and gather, assess, and interpret information to arrive at well-reasoned conclusions and solutions.
- Demonstrate an understanding of complex written texts that demand an appreciation of subtext, irony, metaphor, and the subtlety and nuances of language.
- Successfully complete a substantial research paper that demonstrates the ability to formulate a research question, conduct research using the library’s databases, and synthesize information from a variety of sources into a cohesive and in-depth analysis of a topic.
- Demonstrate knowledge of historic, social, and cultural backgrounds necessary for understanding their own and other societies with an emphasis on important ideas and events that have shaped, and continue to shape, their world.
- Demonstrate scientific literacy, which can be defined as the matrix of knowledge needed to understand enough about the universe to deal with issues that come across the horizon of the average citizen, in the news or elsewhere.
- Demonstrate a broad exposure to, and an understanding of, the differences and similarities in the various academic disciplines within their Liberal Arts education.
- Successfully transfer to a baccalaureate degree granting institution if desired, with the proper educational foundation for transition into a chosen field of study.
Capstone Course for LAS
ENG 290 Advanced Writing and Research is the required capstone course for some Liberal Arts & Sciences majors and is to be taken after successfully completing ENG 101 College Writing I, ENG 102 College Writing II and at least 45 college-level credits.
Technical Standards1 for LAS
- 1
For general information about technical standards and accommodation, see Technical Standards.
Students entering these programs must be able to demonstrate the ability to:
- Comprehend textbook material at the 11th grade level.
- Communicate and assimilate information either in spoken, printed, signed, or computer voice format.
- Gather, analyze, and draw conclusions from data.
- Work as a member of a team.