General Studies Associate of Arts

Achieve your career goals with a solid academic foundation in arts and humanities.

A two-year associate's degree in general studies provides a fast and flexible path toward a degree, especially for transfer students who have earned college credits elsewhere, military personnel with prior learning and experience, and students seeking to build a strong foundation they can use toward any future baccalaureate degrees.

Apply for On-Campus Admission

View Degree Requirements in Catalog

Learn your way.

Shawnee State offers the Associate of Arts in General Studies in both on-campus and online formats, allowing you to complete your degree your way.

Learn more at SSU Online

Highlights

SSU graduate receiving diploma at commencement ceremony

Shawnee State University ranked among US News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges

Shawnee State University (SSU) ranked among the best colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the sixth year in a row.

Shawnee State University inaugurates eighth President Eric Andrew Braun

In a celebration held on campus in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, President Braun was sworn in by university Board of Trustees Chairperson Scott Evans.

Shawnee State University’s C.H. Lute School of Business receives IACBE Accreditation

The C.H. Lute School of Business at Shawnee State University has received accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), school officials announced.

Freshman Joshua Cummins found relief through SSU’s Free Tuition Program

A Piketon, Ohio native, freshman Joshua Cummins found out he qualified for Shawnee State University’s Free Tuition program when applying to college.

New MBA Focused on Entrepreneurship, Economic Development & Leadership in Appalachia

Shawnee State University announced it will begin enrolling students into a new Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program this fall. Classes start August 21, 2023!

Shawnee State University Ranked Among Top Game Design Programs in the U.S. and Canada for 13th Year in a Row

Shawnee State University has been ranked among the top game design programs in the nation, ranking in the Top 15 on the Top 50 Game Design Undergraduate list published by The Princeton Review.

Get Started

Schedule an appointment with an advisor to get started or just talk over your options. Your advisor can help develop a plan for your academic success.

Jennifer Pauley
Associate Provost
jpauley@shawnee.edu
(740) 351-3299

A Flexible Degree Option

General Studies students don't focus on one particular major. You have the freedom to take courses from a variety of fields while still receiving a strong foundation in the Liberal Arts and Sciences including mathematics, natural sciences, history, writing, social sciences, philosophy, literature, art and oral communication.

A Step Toward Your Goals

If you are still considering the right career path for you, the two-year general studies degree may be a step in the right direction. Many students choose to major in the two-year general studies degree, completing many of the core courses required for a four-year degree, while deciding their options. Of course, the Associate of Arts in General Studies doesn't have to be a stepping-stone to a bachelor's degree. It can offer you a variety of employment opportunities by itself.

Use your Military Credit or Prior Learning

Veterans, active duty military personnel and others who have significant experience in the workforce often come to Shawnee State with knowledge, skills and training that is not captured as college credit. The Associate of Arts in General Studies is flexible enough to make sure you get the credit you are due.

Free Tuition Program

Shawnee State University has announced a Free Tuition Initiative for qualifying students from Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

Learn more

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