2023-2024 Catalog 
    
    Dec 03, 2024  
2023-2024 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Colorado Re-Engaged (CORE) Initiative: Associate of General Studies (AGS) Degree


(PENDING HLC REVIEW AND APPROVAL)

The Colorado Re-Engaged (CORE) Initiative (HB 21-1330) enables four-year institutions in Colorado to award an earned associate degree to eligible students who have stopped-out from a baccalaureate program after earning at least 70 credit hours.*

Eligibility
If a student is eligible for the CORE Initiative, UCCS will reach out with instructions on how to participate. Students can also contact UCCS if they feel they meet eligibility criteria.

AGS degree Student eligibility details:

  • Must have earned at least 70 credit hours
  • Cannot have earned a bachelor’s degree
  • Must have been stopped-out (unenrolled) from a bachelor’s program for at least two consecutive semesters and within the last 10 years
  • Cannot be eligible for an associate degree through Colorado’s Reverse Transfer program (i.e. cannot have earned 15 or more credits from a single two-year institution before transferring to the four-year institution)
  • Must have earned at least 18 credit hours in residence from UCCS
  • Must have a University of Colorado undergraduate minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0
  • Must have completed 15-18 credit hours of Compass Curriculum (general education) credit hours as follows:

Associate of General Studies degree: 70 credit hours total

15-18 credit hours (depending on Gateway Program Seminar) for Compass Curriculum general education:

  • Gateway Program Seminar (GPS) (3 credit hours) OR equivalent transferred (0-3 credit hours) OR GPS Exempt/Waived (0 credits)
  • Writing Course (3 credit hours)
  • Second Writing Course OR Quantitative/Qualitative Reasoning/Math Course (3 credit hours)
  • Explore: Physical & Natural World (3 credit hours)
  • Explore: Arts, Culture, Humanities (3 credit hours)
  • Explore: Society, Health & Behavior (3 credit hours)

In addition to this Compass Curriculum core, students will have completed credit hours needed to reach a minimum of 70 total.

*NOTE: Students who have been awarded the AGS degree at UCCS and return to UCCS to earn a bachelor’s degree will be required to complete any remaining Compass Curriculum and bachelor’s degree requirements.