Staff Policy D-105.05
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Scholarship

Associate in General Studies (AGS)

The Associate in General Studies (AGS) is for students whose goal is self-enrichment and is designed to provide a maximum opportunity for students to be exposed to a wide breadth of college curriculum.

  1. Communications: 6-8 semester hours.
    English Composition (ENG 111 and ENG 112 or ENG 220 or BUS 231).
  2. Humanities: 3 semester hours. (Group 1*)
  3. Science: 3-4 semester hours in science/mathematics.
    Must include one lecture/lab science course (Group 1*)
  4. Social Sciences: 3 semester hours. (Group 1*)
  5. Cultural Perspective/Diversity: 3 semester hours.
    Choose one course from a list of qualifying courses.*
    This course may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements.
  6. Math Competency: Fulfilled through competency testing or with a grade of 2.0 or better completion of Math Literacy (MTH 019)
  7. Electives (Group 1* or Group 2*): any additional credit courses in the college curriculum for a combined total of no less than 60 semester hours.

Notes:

  1. Students must complete at least 15 of the 60 semester hours at NMC.
  2. A maximum of two physical education credits and a maximum of two professional development seminar credits, and four academic service learning internship credits may be used toward a degree.
  3. Basic skill courses (numbers under 100) do not count toward graduation, even though they may be needed as a prerequisite to required courses.
  4. A grade of 1.0 or higher is required for course completion. However, students should be aware that simply completing a course is not always sufficient to meet degree requirements or to satisfy prerequisite requirements for other courses or transfer.
  5. Graduation with an Associate in General Studies (AGS) from Northwestern Michigan College requires that a student complete at least 60 earned semester hours with a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.
  6. If obtaining an additional degree, reference Policy D-105.06 Additional Credits for an Additional Associates Degree.

*As designated in the Northwestern Michigan College catalog.

The Vice President for Educational Services, in conjunction with the appropriate faculty and staff, is responsible for the development and publication of any procedures or guidelines that may be necessary to administer this policy effectively.

If any provision(s) of this policy or set of bylaws conflicts with laws applicable to Northwestern Michigan College, including the Community College Act of 1966, the Freedom of Information Act, or the Open Meetings Act, as each may be amended from time to time, such laws shall control and supersede such provision(s).

Initially adopted as D-302.04 April 21, 2006
Revised April 25, 2006
Revised May 12, 2006
Renumbered D-105.05 December 20, 2006
Revised November 24, 2008
Revised May 13, 2011
Revised February 15, 2013
Revised January 10, 2014 
Reviewed without revision April 12, 2019
Revised September 17, 2021