Oct 15, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog

Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) Degree


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Schoolcraft program code: #AFA.00402

Schoolcraft’s Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree is designed for students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in any fine arts field. Students establish a strong academic foundation in art and complete courses to fulfill general education requirements before transferring to a Bachelor’s degree program at another college or university. The AFA allows students to focus on a particular discipline within the fine arts, including art, music, creative writing, literature, theater, or humanities.

Not all courses are offered each semester.  Students should work with an academic advisor to develop a schedule. Students planning to transfer should check the transfer institution’s requirements/guides or discuss their options with an academic advisor. Number of credits may vary depending on the course selection.

General Education Requirements


Students who complete the requirements below will have completed all of Schoolcraft College Core Abilities and a minimum of 16 credit hours of associate-level Schoolcraft General Education requirements in English Communication, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. All courses that apply to this degree must be at the 100- through 400 level with an overall minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

Degree Requirements


English Communication (minimum 6 credits)


Complete a minimum of one English composition course from the list below:

Complete a second English composition course or a communication arts course from the list below:

Humanities (minimum 4 credits)


  • Complete a minimum of two Humanities  courses from two different disciplines in Art, Communication Arts, English(Literature), Foreign Language, History, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, or Theatre

Mathematics (minimum 3 credits)


  • Complete a minimum of one Mathematics  course from Schoolcraft’s approved Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) course list.

Natural Science (minimum 7 credits)


  • Complete a minimum of two Natural Science  courses from two different disciplines in Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Geography, Nutrition and Food Science, or Physics. One course must be a lab course.

Social Science (minimum 6 credits)


  • Complete a minimum of two Social Science  courses from two different disciplines in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.

Major Area of Study (18 credit hours)


Minimum 18 credit hours selected from any of the following liberal arts areas: ART, HUM, MUSIC, THEA, and ENG (Creative Writing or Literature only). These courses also may be used to meet the Humanities  requirement of this degree as long as students complete a total of 22 credit hours from two different disciplines.

Schoolcraft College recommends students complete a specific track as specified below while referring to the transfer institution’s requirements:

Art Track:


The following ART courses are recommended in addition to courses in various art media that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

Creative Writing Track:


The following ENG courses are recommended in addition to courses in literature that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

Humanities Track:


The following HUM courses are recommended in addition to courses in the history, appreciation, and culture of music and art that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

Music History/Culture Track:


The following MUSIC courses are recommended in addition to courses in music history and culture that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

Music Performance Track:


The following core MUSIC performance courses are recommended in addition to select applied performance courses in piano, voice, instrumental, and ensemble that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

Theater Track:


The following THEA and ENG courses are recommended in addition to courses in theater and literature that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements:

General Electives (16 Credits)


  • Complete an additional 16 credit hours in courses not previously taken that satisfy transfer and academic goals and requirements.
    • Students may take up to 15 credits of occupational or applied liberal arts courses toward the Associate of Fine Arts degree. Not all occupational courses will transfer to another college or university. Consult transfer and articulation guides.

Total Credits: 60


PLEASE NOTE: Students may not use the same History course to satisfy both the humanities and social sciences requirements. Additionally, students may not use the same Communication Arts course to satisfy both the humanities and English communication requirements. Only certain geography courses can be used for a natural science or social science course.

Three (3) types of courses  may be used toward fulfilling associate degrees at Schoolcraft College: liberal arts, applied liberal arts, and occupational. While applied liberal arts courses provide immediate skill-building opportunities, their transferability should be discussed with an academic advisor. Students can check www.mitransfer.org to verify the transferability of their courses. 

Transfer Opportunities


For those seeking a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, Schoolcraft College is a fantastic starting point. Whether you already have a transfer destination/program in mind or are still figuring out your major, Schoolcraft College can help you explore a range of transfer options at Schoolcraft Transfer to U.

If you complete your associate degree before transferring to a 4-year college or university, you can save a lot of money on tuition. To find out how much you can save, use our tuition comparison calculator. You can also speak with your advisor to learn how to maximize your savings through a transfer or articulation agreement.

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