Illinois Community Colleges
Liberal Arts Programs
Liberal-arts transfer programs at community colleges in this state. English, history, philosophy, and the social sciences for university transfer.
15 colleges · 738 sections · 143 unique courses · Fall 2026
The liberal-arts associate at Illinois community colleges is the most common transfer degree in the Illinois Community Colleges system. It's designed as a complete 2-year general-education foundation — English composition, history, math, lab science, social science, fine arts — that articulates to any four-year university in the state. Students complete two years at community-college tuition rates and arrive at the bachelor's program as juniors with sophomore standing in their declared major.
This term's 738 sections across 15 Illinois Community Colleges colleges fill those general-education buckets. The right college often comes down to schedule (online availability, evening sections) and proximity rather than program differences — the curriculum is intentionally similar across institutions to keep the transfer guarantee working. Compare colleges below by section count and transfer agreements.
Colleges offering Liberal Arts
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waubonsee Community College | 141 | 19 | 42 | — | — |
| McHenry County College | 123 | 19 | 50 | — | — |
| Morton College | 78 | 15 | — | — | — |
| Parkland College | 70 | 19 | 28 | — | — |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | 56 | 12 | — | — | — |
| Kankakee Community College | 52 | 12 | — | — | — |
| South Suburban College | 45 | 13 | 16 | — | — |
| Danville Area Community College | 41 | 11 | 15 | — | — |
| Oakton College | 33 | 21 | 14 | — | — |
| Shawnee Community College | 33 | 9 | 7 | — | — |
| Lincoln Trail College | 17 | 10 | — | — | — |
| Olney Central College | 16 | 9 | — | — | — |
| Triton College | 15 | 6 | 9 | — | — |
| Wabash Valley College | 11 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Frontier Community College | 7 | 5 | — | — | — |
Liberal Arts Availability Snapshot
How liberal arts sections are being offered across 15 colleges in Illinois this term (738 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person467 (63%)
- online181 (25%)
- hybrid90 (12%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)336
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)135
- Evening (5 PM and after)40
- Asynchronous / TBA227
Start dates
Sections begin on 21 distinct dates. 103 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 200 distinct instructors across 15 colleges.
Common Liberal Arts courses
- ENG 101Rhetoric I(130 sections)
- ENG 102Rhetoric II(63 sections)
- ENG 151COMPOSITION I(45 sections)
- ENGL 131First-Year English I(28 sections)
- ENGL 1613English I(24 sections)
- ENG 152COMPOSITION II(23 sections)
- ENG 099Writing Skills Review II(22 sections)
- ENGL 101Rhetoric and Composition I(18 sections)
- ENG 085Basic Integrated Reading and Writing(15 sections)
- ENG 1111COMPOSITION I(15 sections)
- ENG 0111English Composition I(13 sections)
- ENG 088Basic Composition(10 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- What is a liberal-arts degree good for?
- Almost exclusively transfer. The liberal-arts AA isn't a career-track degree on its own; it's the first two years of a bachelor's, packaged so you can complete it at much lower tuition before moving to a four-year school. The major you eventually declare at the four-year (English, history, sociology, psychology, business, etc.) determines your career path.
- Will all my liberal-arts credits transfer to a Illinois four-year university?
- If you complete the full associate of arts at a Illinois Community Colleges college, yes — under Illinois's statewide articulation agreement, the entire degree transfers as a block to any public four-year, giving you junior standing. Where students lose credits is by taking random courses outside the structured AA pathway. Talk to your transfer advisor early.
- Can I save money by doing my first two years at community college?
- Yes, often substantially. Illinois community college tuition is typically less than half what a state university charges, and the credits transfer 1:1 if you stick to the structured AA. Two years of saved tuition often translates to $20–40k less debt at graduation.
- How long does the liberal-arts associate take?
- Two years full-time (60 credits). Many students complete it in three or more years on a part-time schedule — community colleges build their evening, weekend, and online sections around working students.
Compare Liberal Arts programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Illinois’s liberal arts programs stack up.
Other programs in Illinois
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.