Associate Degree Satisfaction of UW-Madison Gen Ed Requirements

This section explains what requirements are fulfilled with a liberal arts associate degree earned by students transferring with a UW Institution Associate Degree and by students transferring from the Wisconsin Technical College System.

Will I be able to satisfy my University General Education Requirements (UGER) with my liberal arts associate degree?

Effective summer/fall 2012, all new transfer students with an associate's degree from either a UW System (UWS) institution or one of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) schools that award a liberal arts associate's degree (i.e., Madison College, MATC-Milwaukee, Nicolet, Chippewa Valley, Western) will have their University General Education Requirements (UGER) breadth requirements satisfied in all undergraduate schools/colleges on the UW-Madison campus.  

WTCS transfer students should be aware that only liberal arts associate's degrees that are approved by both WTCS and UW System Administration are eligible for this provision. Students with associate degrees in technical fields will not have their UGER breadth requirements satisfied.  See Transfer Agreements for more detailed information about transferring to UW-Madison.

UWS and WTCS transfer students with a qualifying liberal arts associate's degree are EXEMPT from meeting the following University General Education Breadth requirements:
  • Natural Science - two (2) courses for a total of 6 credits
  • Humanities/Literature/Arts - 6 credits
  • Social Studies - 3 credits
Students will still be required to meet other University General Education Requirements.

Please note:  
  • Students in the College of Letters & Science must meet the L&S breadth requirements with specific transfer courses or courses taken in residence.  Thus, students who have satisfied their UGER with an approved liberal arts associate degree will still need to meet the L&S breadth requirements if they have not taken the appropriate coursework prior to transferring to UW-Madison.
For L&S related questions, feel free to reach out to L&S Student Academic Affairs at (608) 262-0617 and lsdeans@saa.ls.wisc.edu