Learn about this academic year’s requirements for an associate degree.
Learn about the eligibility requirements for the Associate of Arts in General Studies at University of Maryland Global Campus. This program is specific to a limited audience, including military servicemembers, veterans, and non-Maryland residents.
These requirements are for students who enroll in the 2025–2026 academic year. For prior year academic requirements, please visit our catalog archive.
Eligibility for the Associate of Arts
The Associate of Arts program at UMGC is available to the following members of the military community:
- Full-time active-duty servicemembers
- Selected reservists
- National Guard members
- Commissioned Corps members of the U.S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Spouses or dependent children of any servicemember noted above
- Veterans and their spouses and dependent children
This program is also available to non-Maryland residents, UMGC employees, spouses and dependent children of UMGC employees, and students who began an associate's degree with UMGC overseas and have now relocated to the United States.
Maryland residents who are not affiliated with the military are not eligible to earn an Associate of Arts at UMGC. We encourage you to explore Maryland community colleges for your associate degree. Earning an associate degree from a Maryland community college allows you to transfer your credits seamlessly toward a bachelor's degree.
Maryland residents who are military-affiliated may be able to earn an associate degree if they meet the other eligibility requirements noted above.
Out-of-state (non-Maryland) residents are eligible to earn an Associate of Arts at UMGC, regardless of their military status or affiliation. However, we encourage you to see if a community college in your area has an alliance with UMGC. You may be able to save additional time and money, and alliance community colleges allow you to transfer your credits to UMGC just as smoothly as Maryland community colleges.
If you have already received an associate degree from an approved institution other than UMGC, you can broaden your education by earning a second associate degree.
The following conditions apply:
- You must have received the first associate degree to be eligible to begin the second.
- For a second associate degree, you must complete at least 15 credits of new coursework with UMGC. The combined credit must add up to at least 75 credits.
- The 15 new credits must be uniquely applicable to the second associate degree.
- Before beginning work toward a second associate degree, you must request an academic advisement report.
- As with other degrees, continuous enrollment at UMGC is required.
- A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses taken through UMGC is required for graduation.
Before beginning work or considering nontraditional options toward a second degree, consult an advisor or success coach. They will be glad to explain the requirements for a second associate degree and clarify its limitations.
About the Associate of Arts in General Studies
- You must be admitted as undergraduate UMGC student.
- Complete a minimum of 60 credits total; 15 must be at UMGC.
- Of these 60 credits, 35 credits must be earned in courses that fulfill the general education requirements.
- You must complete all general education requirements for the associate degree, including taking PACE 111 as your first course.
- For the remaining 25 credits, you will need to take elective courses related to your interests and educational goals. Of these 25 credits, you must take 4 credits of required core courses. The remaining 21 credits may be chosen from any eligible courses of interest, provided you have met the course prerequisites. Be sure to review our focused elective options if you need additional guidance.
- You must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken through UMGC.