Program Description

The Liberal Arts and Sciences A.A. degree at Northland serves three key purposes:

1. Transfer Preparation: Provides the coursework needed to transfer to four-year institutions nationwide.
2. Foundational Learning: Emphasizes the universal principle that liberal arts teach people how to think and, consequently, how to learn.
3. Critical Thinking Development: Helps students build skills to formulate ideas and actively engage in the learning process.

This degree offers the first two years of most bachelor’s programs and is designed for seamless transfer. Students who complete the Associate of Arts degree at Northland—including the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum—are assured transfer into Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Minnesota system, and are typically accepted at most out-of-state colleges, including the University of North Dakota.

Program Learner Outcomes

1. Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate appropriate use of communication
2. Critical Thinking: Students will gather information, develop solutions, and apply a viable plan of action.
3. Social Engagement: Students will be prepared to practice social engagement that addresses environmental responsibility, civic engagement, and global diversity.
4. Application of Resources: Students will utilize appropriate information or technical resources.
5. Personal Development: Students will demonstrate professional and personal growth behaviors.