Associate in Arts – Philosophy
The Associate in Arts (AA) degree is designed for students who want to pursue a four-year degree in one of the liberal arts disciplines or training at a professional school that requires a strong liberal arts background. Upon transfer, students who earn the Associate in Arts degree generally major in fields such as anthropology, business, communication, economics, English, foreign language, geography, history, humanities, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology.
Philosophy is a unified but amazingly broad discipline that both informs and is informed by the natural sciences and liberal arts. Philosophical study gives you the opportunity to improve the kind of skills industry and business leaders demand, most notably a capacity to think strategically, creatively, and abstractly. Philosophy equips you to use logic and reasoned argumentation to approach complex problems, introduces you to challenging theoretical and practical issues, and helps you to develop an appreciation for the pursuit of truth and goodness.
On standardized tests that graduate schools use to assess applicants, philosophy students score higher than most majors on many exams, and on some exams score higher than all other majors. There are many famous philosophy majors, including the venture capitalist Peter Thiel (founder of PayPal), hedge fund manager George Soros, actor Stephen Colbert, social activist and professor Angela Davis, and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Stephen Breyer.
Credentialing Options
Frequently Asked Questions
You will need to follow the general enrollment process for GTCC. During the advising process you will have the opportunity to indicate your desire to study within this curriculum. Your advisor will help you sign up for the specific courses you need.
Christina Hare, Assistant Professor
(336) 334-4822, ext. 50512
cahare@gtcc.edu
Nick Zavediuk, Instructor
(336) 334-4822, ext. 53082
ndzavediuk@gtcc.edu
The division of Humanities and Social Sciences offers classes in three formats: face-to-face, hybrid, and online. Face-to-face classes meet in a physical classroom, typically two or three times a week. Hybrid classes use a mixture of online and face-to-face formats. While part of the class meets in a physical classroom, the rest of the class meets online. Online classes meet completely online. In most cases, there are no class periods in a physical classroom.
Contact: (336) 334-4822 Ext. 50342; globalscholars@gtcc.edu
The North Carolina Global Scholars of Distinction Program is a global honors program open to all Guilford Technical Community College curriculum students, regardless of your program of study. Upon completion of the requirements, you will graduate as a global scholar of distinction with the designation on your transcript and diploma.
As a partnership between GTCC and the World View Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the NC Global Scholars of Distinction program enables you to develop the global competencies and skills needed for the 21st-century workforce.
A “global scholar of distinction” on your diploma will show employers and transfer institutions that you have an understanding of global cultural, political, and historical information uncommon in the general student population.
While all colleges and universities in the United States recognize most classes taken at GTCC, there are specific agreements between North Carolina community colleges and the University of North Carolina system which allow you to transfer more easily to the state university of your choice. While GTCC students have transferred many places, the majority of our students transfer to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, Appalachian State University, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Your advisor and The Student Success Center will help you at every step to insure your successful and easy transfer.
The cost of classes at a college or university is called tuition. Colleges and universities typically define tuition by credit hour, and tuition is, generally, significantly cheaper at a community college than a university. For example, the cost of a credit hour at GTCC is $76 for in-state students and $268 for out-of-state students; the cost of a credit hour at a regional university is $552 for in-state students and $1814 for out-of-state students. For a full-time student taking 15 hours at GTCC, the cost for tuition for an in-state student will be $1140* for a semester; the cost for tuition for this same student at a regional university would be $8280 for a semester. For most students, attending a community college is a cheaper alternative to higher education than a state university.
*Please note that these figures do not include relevant fees or available financial aid.
Philosophy classes are available on the Jamestown campus and online.