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

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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.

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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.


 

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.

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.

 

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

Paying for school

Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.

Undergrad cost per course

$1,364 / course

Cost per credit 

Credits per course

Resource fee

$398

x3

+ $170

Estimated cost per course

$1,364

An illustration showing a couple pushing a stroller with a dollar sign and clock in the background

What affects the overall cost of my program?

Your full program cost can vary by: 

  • Savings opportunities. Your cost could be reduced with eligible transfer credits, scholarships, employer discounts and more. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11K and 1 year off their undergraduate degree at University of Phoenix.

With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.

Discover ways to save time and money on your degree with our Savings Explorer® tool:

Other ways to save on time and tuition

Because we believe everyone deserves an affordable education, we work hard to help our students achieve one. Here’s a few ways you can save time, save money and avoid starting from scratch. 

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Budget & borrow

How to pay for college

Paying for school can be intimidating, but we’re here to help you make sense of it. Our finance advisors can walk you through your options like federal financial aid and savings opportunities to minimize your debt. Plus, we can help you figure out your financial plan.

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. 

Student completing homework at night while child plays on floor.

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

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.

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