Associate Degree in Science: General Science - Track 1 (AS-T)

Program Description

Test, question, discover, and work collaboratively with a group of peers who share your curiosity. By studying the sciences at SPSCC, you will be a part of small lectures led by faculty who are excited about teaching and their area of expertise. Our students use more equipment, perform more dissections, and work with more projects than many classes at 4-year institutions.

The Associate in Science-Transfer is designed for persons interested in transferring to a four-year college or university to study science or engineering. Students who successfully complete degree requirements and elective courses recommended for their specific area of study will transfer to many four-year degree programs with junior standing. Compared to the Associate of Arts Degree, this degree delays some general education distribution credits until the junior or senior year in order to make room in the transfer degree for required freshman and sophomore-level science sequences. AS-T Track 1 focuses on chemistry, biology, environmental and natural resource sciences and geology and earth sciences.

Career Opportunities

  • Chemist

  • Materials Scientist

  • Conservation Scientist

  • Environmental Scientist

Degree Planning

In planning this degree, students need to work closely with their advisor and the transfer institution so that the science credits within the degree create a seamless passage to the transfer institution. Although the Associate in Science-Transfer Degree transfers to four-year colleges and universities in Washington State, it may not meet specific department requirements.
To earn an Associate in Science-Transfer (Track 1) degree all courses taken must be:

  • At college level (numbered 100 or above).
  • A minimum of 85 of the 90 credits required for the degree must be from the General Education Requirements for the Associate in Arts & Science – Direct Transfer Agreement. Copies of the list are available online at https://catalog.spscc.edu/distribution-requirements/aa-as-dt-degrees/
  • A class can only count once toward General Education requirements. For example, CMST& 220 Public Speaking will satisfy either Humanities or Communications course requirements, but not both.
  • A maximum of 5 credits in performance/skills courses may be applied to the humanities distribution requirement.
  • A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above in all college-level courses required.
  • Although this degree is a general transfer degree, South Puget Sound Community College has provided pathways and associated recommended courses for ease of student selection based upon a student’s career interest. Please review the pathway maps for recommended courses and course sequences.

Core Requirements

  • Must satisfy the diversity requirement.
  • CCS 101 Pathways to Success (3 credits)
  • Communication Requirement (5 credits total)
  • Quantitative Requirement (15 credits total)
  • Humanities Requirement (5 credits)
  • Social Science Requirement (5 credits)
  • Humanities or Social Science Requirement (5 credits)
    • Must be in different discipline than those above. Should fulfill diversity requirement.
  • Natural Science Requirements (30 credits total)
  • Additional science (10 credits total)
    • Must be pre-approved by advisor. 10 credits in physics, biology, botany, math, or other science course normally taken for science majors. Including science-related internships (coop 190/290) or individual study.
  • Electives (to get to 90 credits total)
    • 12 credits from the general education (AA) no more than 3 PE activity credits are accepted as transfer
  • **MATH& 141 Precalculus I AND MATH& 142 Precalculus II may be waived based on appropriate placement testing. If waived, an additional 10 credits of general education electives will be required to meet the 90 credit minimum