Program Overview

The Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts is a two-year program that introduces students to the Western intellectual tradition. Its rigorous, broad, and integrated curriculum is designed to foster a love of learning and the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. This formation in the sciences and humanities prepares students for further study in a wide range of disciplines.

Program Goals

Students completing the program will be able to:

  • Exhibit an appreciation of the unity of truth through serious engagement with the sciences and humanities.
  • Explain and apply the relationship between faith and reason.
  • Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of the Old and New Testaments in light of Catholic teaching and understanding of how these shed light on human nature and experience.
  • Discuss knowledgeably the great sources of the Western intellectual tradition and offer insights into how they are relevant in the world today.

Program Information

  • 60 Credits (distribution detailed below)

Program Time Limit: 4 years

Application Process

  • Submit a free program application and one letter of recommendation from church, employer, teacher, or counselor to registrar@cdu.edu.
  • Submit evidence of high school completion/GED to registrar@cdu.edu.
  • Students who have completed some college should also have official college transcripts submitted directly from those institutions.

Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit: Up to 30 credits (of which a maximum of 6 may be undergraduate theology credits) earned with a minimum grade of 2.0 from an institution(s) accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or whose courses are endorsed by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be transferred, provided that these credits meet the requirements of the program. In exceptional cases, applicants may request special review of additional credits by Academic Leadership. Acceptance of transfer credits is at the discretion of Academic Leadership, who determines if transfer credits align with CDU’s AA curriculum.

A maximum combination of up to 15 credits from CLEP, Advanced Placement, DANTES and/or International Baccalaureate may be accepted. These credits count against the maximum total number of allowable transfer credits. For more information, see the Credit by Exam Policy.

Transfer of Theology Credit: A maximum of six undergraduate theology credits can be transferred in. Transfer credit must have been earned no more than five years prior to transfer and grade must be at least a 2.0 and submitted via an official transcript to be evaluated for transfer. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of Academic Leadership who determines if transfer credits align with the CDU AA curriculum.

Program Costs

  • Tuition: $1,035 x 11 courses = $11,385
  • Technology fee: $165/course x 11 courses = $1,815
  • Books: $100/course (est) x 11 courses = $1,100
  • Total: $14,300, *This total does not include the 9 required General Education courses that may be fulfilled with transfer credit
    • Detailed cost of attendance budgets can be found here.

Course Preview

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Course Lists

  • 60 credits distributed as follows:
    • Mathematics/Computer Science – 3 credits from the following
Course Number Course Title Credits
MATH 105 General Mathematics for Liberal Studies 3
COSCI 101 Computer Essentials 3

 

  • Natural Sciences – 3 credits from the following
Course Number Course Title Credits
BIO 101 General Biology 3
BIO 150 Nutrition 3

 

  • Literature and Composition – 6 credits from the following
Course Number Course Title Credits
ENG 105 Introduction to Composition for Theology 3
ENG 111 Introduction to Literature 3
ENG 310 Literary Apologetics for Theology 3

 

  • Classical or Modern Languages – 6 credits from the following:
Course Number Course Title Credits
GREEK 101 Biblical Greek I 3
GREEK 201 Biblical Greek II 3
GREEK 301 Advanced Biblical Greek 3
LATIN 101 Latin I 3
LATIN 201 Latin II 3
SPAN 101 Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture for Ministry 3
SPAN 201 Conversational Spanish for Ministry II 3

 

  • Humanities/Social Sciences – 12 credits from the following:

 

Course Number Course Title Credits
CHIST 214 Church History I: Early Christians to Middle Ages 3
CHIST 224 Church History II: Renaissance to Modern Church 3
CHIST 244 History of the Catholic Church in America 3
HIST 201 Ancient Civilization 3
HIST 211 Christian Civilization 3
HIST 221 A Global Civilization 3
HUM 228 Introduction to Comparative Religions: Judaism and Islam 3
HUM 260 Theology of Sacred Architecture 3

 

  • Philosophy – 9 credits from the following:
PHIL 205 Introduction to Philosophy with Plato and Aristotle 3
PHIL 235 Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Person 3
PHIL 260/THEO 280 Catholic Bioethics 3
PHIL 311 Ethics 3

 

  • Theology/Scripture – 9 credits from the following:
SCRPT 103 Survey of the Old Testament 3
SCRPT 106 Survey of the New Testament 3
THEO 101 Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I 3
THEO 102 Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part II 3
THEO 103 The Moral Life: Living the Virtues 3

 

  • General Electives – 12 credits

THE CDU ADVANTAGE

In a 2022 survey of CDU graduate students, 100% reported that they had achieved their learning goals.

CDU Offers:

  • Authentic Catholic teaching
  • Flexibility to study where and when you choose
  • The lowest undergraduate tuition of any U.S.-based online university offering Catholic theology
  • A global Catholic community
  • Knowledgeable and accessible faculty
  • Engaging online courses with discussion forums
  • Mobile app for study on the go
  • Online library staffed by a theological librarian
  • 24/7 technical support

Get started today!

The AA program is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized as a national accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The university is certified as a degree-granting institution by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.