Discover your passions and set yourself up for academic success by earning an associate degree in Liberal Arts. The Liberal Arts program at Ivy Tech provides a chance to explore.
This program focuses on:
Communication
Critical thinking
Creative expression
Scientific inquiry and reasoning
Ethical decision making
As a Liberal Arts student, you can also select transfer elective courses tailored to your specific interests. Students learn in small groups and discover a variety of subject matter with the guidance of highly trained faculty. Graduates also receive the Indiana College Core Long-Term Certificate (previously known as a technical certificate).
Career Options
Both Liberal Arts program degrees—the Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science in Liberal Arts—are a strong first step towards your career. They are transfer programs, which means that students will graduate ready to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Students may choose to pursue further study in Liberal Arts or to pursue another major of their choosing.
The associate degrees in Liberal Arts provide a solid foundation of general education courses, so students can pursue the academic and professional pathways that most closely match their goals.
As students gain valuable knowledge and skills touching many aspects of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics, they can seamlessly transition into the bachelor’s degree program which most sparks their interest.
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
Transfer Agreements
Both of Ivy Tech's Liberal Arts associate degrees are designed for students who wish to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree. You can save upward of $10,000 by completing your first two years at Ivy Tech and then transferring!
Our Liberal Arts program currently has partnerships with fifteen schools so you can seamlessly transfer without losing your credits or time:
Talk to our transfer advocates for information about continuing your education after completing your associate degree at Ivy Tech. You are also encouraged to contact the university to which you plan to transfer. Note that admission is not guaranteed just by enrolling in the Liberal Arts program. You will need to be admitted to the institution you intend to transfer to.
Students completing their associate degrees through ASAP attend classes Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ASAP classes are held in small groups, allowing for collaboration and discussion. Students graduate from this academically rigorous program fully prepared for a bachelor's degree program.
The Ivy Tech Associate of Arts degree in the Liberal Arts program prepares students for transferring to a four-year university where they can pursue degrees such as:
A completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out by eight-week terms. For students taking fewer classes at a time, the courses are numbered to show the overall number that will be taken.
The Ivy Tech Associate of Science degree in the Liberal Arts program prepares students for transferring to a four-year university where they can pursue degrees such as:
A completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out by eight-week terms. For students taking fewer classes at a time, the courses are numbered to show the overall number that will be taken.
A degree in Liberal Arts can help you build foundational skills you can transfer to a variety of majors and career paths. If you’re considering pursuing an associate degree in Liberal Arts, review the following program attributes.
An associate degree in Liberal Arts can help you:
Strengthen communication skills
Enhance ethical decision making skills
Provide an outlet for creativity
Expose you to new cultures and languages
Develop analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the program outcomes above, Liberal Arts may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
There are no prerequisites that must be taken prior to pursuing the Liberal Arts associate degree programs.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit
Courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Liberal Arts Courses
Descriptions of Liberal Arts courses can be found in our online course catalog:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our class list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the class in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming classes are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Course Formats
Liberal Arts courses are offered both in person and online.
How to Apply
Applying to Ivy Tech is free and easy. Start by completing the online general application. After you're accepted, you’ll receive information about setting up your student account and completing the tasks you need to enroll, including course placement, registering for classes, and paying tuition.
Visit our How to Apply page for complete application and enrollment steps.
Art courses – Art Appreciation (ARTH 110), Survey of Art & Culture I (ARTH 101), Survey of Art & Culture II (ARTH 102), History of Design (ARTH 105)
Humanities courses:
Introduction to Global Studies (HUMA 120), Humanities Prehistory through the Renaissance (HUMA 201), Humanities Renaissance to Present (HUMA 202), Travel Study (HUMA 250)
Music Appreciation (HUMA 118), Introduction to Music Theory (HUMA 117)
Theatre Appreciation (HUMA 100), introduction to Theatrical Production (HUMA 261), Acting (HUMA 262)
Language courses:
French Level I (FREN 101), French Level II (FREN 102)
Spanish Level I(SPAN 101), Spanish Level II (SPAN 102)
Philosophy courses – Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 101), Introduction to Ethics (PHIL 102), Introduction to Logic (HUMA 213 or PHIL 213), Philosophy of Religion (PHIL 220)
Amanda M. Purcell, M.Ed. Associate Professor & Program Chair of Education, Liberal Arts, General Studies, & Student Success Acting Dean, School of Arts, Sciences, & Education (812) 537-4010 apurcell15@ivytech.edu
Walk-In, No Appointment Needed Tuesday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
New Students can visit us during our weekly Tuesday Walk-In hours or make an appointment with their Enrollment Specialist.
Current Students can meet with their academic advisor by logging into MyIvy and clicking the "Schedule an Appointment" button or visiting during weekly Tuesday Walk-In hours.
Advising Team Ginny Leonard, Senior Director for Academic Advising and Student Success Advisor for: Exploratory/Undecided students vleonard5@ivytech.edu
Dee Denton Advisor for: Nursing Interest and Health Science ddenton@ivytech.edu
Jake Brunsman Advisor for: General Studies, Liberal Arts and Education programs jbrunsman2@ivytech.edu
Will Parshley Advisor for: School of Public and Social Services, School of Information Technology and Psychology-AS TSAP wparshley@ivytech.edu
Zech Saenz Advisor for: School of Business, Logistic and Supply Chain Management, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Applied Science zsaenz@ivytech.edu
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-803-1953
Zoom Video Calls Call 812-803-1953 to make an appointment for a meeting via Zoom or join virtual drop-in hours as shown below.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 463-207-5972 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00am-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00pm-5:00pm Zoom Link
Olivia Bruce 463-231-5073 obruce1@ivytech.edu Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Mondays 1:30pm-4:30pm & Tuesdays 8:30am-11:30am Zoom Link
Monday Virtual Office Hours Mondays 5:00pm-6:00pm Zoom Link
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Indiana. (2025). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2024-2025
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
