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I could not have completed this journey without the best adviser in the world, Yana Irwin. She listened to me, understood where I was and what I needed, and guided me along the way. 

Valerie Worth
Texas

Industry Highlights

  • employment of administrative services managers projected to grow 12% through 2018
  • employment of teacher assistants expected to grow 10% through 2018

Employment opportunity information from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008–18

Letters, Arts, and Sciences (Associate in Arts)

Be Exceptional

Broaden Your Career Opportunities with an Online Liberal Arts Associate Degree

Build a solid foundation for a future career — Increase your writing and speaking skills by taking courses in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, and quantification. The course work can help you prepare for a future career or you can transfer the credits you’ve earned in the program toward a more advanced degree such as:

Why a Letters, Arts, and Sciences Degree Online at Penn State

Customize your degree — The Associate in Arts in Letters, Arts, and Sciences at Penn State is a multidisciplinary, student-designed major that allows you to use elective courses to enhance your learning experience in business, history, or math.

Immediate results — While earning your associate degree online, you can add credentials to your resume by acquiring a professional certificate. For example, both the Undergraduate Certificate in Organizational Communication and the Undergraduate Certificate in Labor Studies and Employment Relations include many of the courses required for the Associate in Arts in Letters, Arts, and Sciences. You can gain credits toward the associate degree while also achieving these notable milestones along the way.

Who Should Apply

Create opportunity — If you are interested in exploring new job opportunities or if you want to prepare for entry-level positions, a career change, or career advancement without having to set foot in a classroom, the Associate in Arts in Letters, Arts, and Sciences could be for you. With the broad base of knowledge, communication, and critical thinking skills you can acquire in this program, you can immediately apply what you’ve learned in your present job—and add an important credential to your resume.

Career Opportunities for Graduates

A letters, arts, and sciences degree can give you the ability to work in a broad range of positions, including:

  • retail or sales manager
  • purchasing agent
  • teacher’s assistant
  • human resources assistant
  • administrative support specialist

Online Education at Penn State

Penn State has a history of 100+ years of distance education and more than a decade of experience in online learning. We strive to create an online learning environment that brings you as close to the face-to-face experience as possible. Learn more about Penn State World Campus