Skip to Main Content Skip to bottom Skip to Chat, Email, Text

online associate degree

Associate of Arts - Professional Focus

Start your online associate degree

The Associate of Arts with a Professional Focus provides you with a solid foundation in liberal arts and sciences so you can advance to the next level of your education. Available exclusively to students who have completed training in an approved registered apprenticeship program, this opportunity allows you to transfer in up to 45 credits from your apprenticeship training or previous college experience. Completion of the program puts you on track to advance to a bachelor’s degree at University of Phoenix.

Transfer credits

Your prior eligible credits could help you graduate faster and for less.

Ways to save

Your work, life, and school experiences may give you a head start on your degree.

Apply free

No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required

Ignite Your Passion

Start when you're ready

Courses

Browse courses for your online associate degree

Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.

Skills-aligned program icon

Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.

Requirements: 60 credits

You’ll need 60 credits to complete the Associate of Arts with a Professional Focus degree. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits.

11 Gen Ed Courses

Communication, math and writing skills aren’t just universally applicable in the professional world — they’re useful in daily life.


 

11 Gen Ed Courses

6 Professional Focus/Interdisciplinary Courses

Most students who have completed the educational portion of an approved apprenticeship program will transfer in a majority of credits.

6 Professional Focus/Interdisciplinary Courses

3 Required Elective Courses

Elective courses allow you to learn about topics you’re interested in and have a degree that’s unique to you and your education goals.

 

3 Required Elective Courses

Schedule

Your academic counselor will help you schedule the right courses for your Associate of Arts with a Professional Focus degree.

Skills-aligned program icon

Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.

Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.

We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Tuition

Transfer credits

Your prior eligible college credits can save you time and money, helping you graduate faster. That’s why we’ve accepted credits from 5,000+ institutions. Check to see if you can apply eligible transfer credits from an institutionally accredited university or college toward a degree of your choice.

Affordable, fixed tuition

Lock in the peace of mind that comes with fixed, affordable tuition. You’ll enjoy one flat rate from the moment you enroll until the day you graduate from your program. That’s your Tuition Guarantee.

Tuition Guarantee

Affordable, Fixed Tuition

$398

Cost per credit

$398

The Savings Explorer tool can help you find ways to save on your education

Try our Savings Explorer™ tool

Eligible students saved:

$11,000 & 1 year

Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.

Try our Savings Explorer™ tool

Eligible students saved:

$11,000 & 1 year

Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.

Ready to get started?

Start your application for free or request additional information.

What you’ll learn

When you earn your online degree, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills. Top skills you'll learn in this program:

  • Time management

  • Organization

  • Critical thinking and problem solving

  • Writing skills

  • Interpersonal communication

Admissions

Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.

Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.

  • No SAT/ACT required 
  • No essay required 
  • No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
  • We’ll request transcripts at no cost to you, when possible, and we accept eligible credits from over 5,000 accredited institutions.

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)

Gabriel G., Enrollment Representative

Call or chat with us 7 days a week.

G. Galindo - Enrollment Representative

Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]

[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)

Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.

Student Experience

An education that fits your busy life

Balancing family, work and school

Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.

Online learning

Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.

Around-the-clock support and resources

You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

Computer requirements for courses

Many course assignments will require you to use a computer to complete and submit your assignment. 

Phoenix provides support and resources for busy students

Faculty Spotlight

Professionals dedicated to you

Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 26 years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.

Kathryn Uhles

I’m dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to meet their career goals.

Kathryn Uhles
Dean, College of Business and IT, University of Phoenix

I’m dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to meet their career goals.

Accreditation

Count on the quality of your education

University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org, since 1978.

Associate degree articles

Can I Go to a University Without Taking the SAT or ACT?

Online Degrees

July 21, 2023 • 7 minutes

What Does a Postsecondary Education Entail?

Online Degrees

June 29, 2023 • 9 minutes

What Can You Do With an Associate's Degree?

Online Degrees

October 05, 2022 • 7 Minutes

While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.