Maryland 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.
8 colleges · 993 sections · 136 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
The liberal-arts associate at Maryland community colleges is the most common transfer degree in the Maryland CC 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 993 sections across 8 Maryland CC 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.
Earnings & outcomes for Liberal Arts graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 2401 — Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Liberal Arts
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Community College | 265 | 36 | 99 | 1418 | $51,376 |
| Anne Arundel Community College | 219 | 27 | 99 | 1150 | $47,947 |
| Harford Community College | 120 | 29 | 44 | 701 | $43,965 |
| Hagerstown Community College | 102 | 18 | 34 | 459 | $41,385 |
| Wor-Wic Community College | 87 | 16 | 30 | 194 | $39,878 |
| Carroll Community College | 81 | 19 | 35 | 505 | $49,411 |
| Frederick Community College | 68 | 22 | 18 | 474 | $46,923 |
| Allegany College of Maryland | 51 | 18 | 33 | 243 | $36,105 |
Liberal Arts Availability Snapshot
How liberal arts sections are being offered across 8 colleges in Maryland this term (993 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person525 (53%)
- online390 (39%)
- hybrid76 (8%)
- zoom2 (0%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)379
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)220
- Evening (5 PM and after)49
- Asynchronous / TBA345
Start dates
Sections begin on 19 distinct dates. 989 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 168 distinct instructors across 8 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Anne Arundel Community College1 program
General Education Requirements: 34 credits
34 creditsSee catalog for course list
English Composition: 6 credits
6 creditsArts and Humanities: 6 credits
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Biological and Physical Sciences: 7 credits
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Mathematics: 3 credits
3 credits- MAT 133Finite Mathematics1 section
- ELEC XXXORnot offered
- MAT 135Statistics19 sections
- ELEC XXXORMore advanced level if qualified from the list below:not offered
- MAT 137College Algebra30 sections
- MAT 145Precalculus 18 sections
- MAT 146Precalculus 22 sections
- MAT 151Accelerated Precalculus2 sections
- MAT 191Calculus and Analytic Geometry 15 sections
- MAT 192Calculus and Analytic Geometry 23 sections
- MAT 202Linear Algebra3 sections
- MAT 230Elementary Calculus (For Business and Social Sciences)5 sections
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 credits
6 credits- ELEC XXXStudents must choose one History course from the following:not offered
- HIS 111Ancient and Medieval Western Civilizations2 sections
- HIS 112Early Modern and Modern Western Civilizations1 section
- HIS 113World Civilizations to 15002 sections
- HIS 114World Civilizations Since 15002 sections
- HIS 211United States History through the Civil War5 sections
- HIS 212United States History Since the Civil War5 sections
- HIS 214African American History3 sections
- ELEC XXXStudents planning to transfer to the B.A. in Humanities program at UMUC should take HIS 111 or HIS 112not offered
Additional General Education Requirements: 6 credits
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Area of Concentration: 26 credits
26 creditsSee catalog for course list
World Languages Sequence: 6 credits
6 credits- ARB 111Elementary Arabic 1not offered
- ARB 112Elementary Arabic 2not offered
- ARB 211Intermediate Arabic 1not offered
- ARB 212Intermediate Arabic 2not offered
- CHI 111Elementary Chinese 1not offered
- CHI 112Elementary Chinese 2not offered
- FRE 111Elementary French 11 section
- FRE 112Elementary French 21 section
- FRE 211Intermediate French 11 section
- FRE 212Intermediate French 2not offered
- GER 111Elementary German 1not offered
- GER 112Elementary German 2not offered
- GER 211Intermediate German 1not offered
- GER 212Intermediate German 2not offered
- GRK 111Elementary Greek 1not offered
- GRK 112Elementary Greek 2not offered
- HEB 111Elementary Hebrew 1not offered
- HEB 112Elementary Hebrew 2not offered
- ITA 111Elementary Italian 1not offered
- ITA 112Elementary Italian 2not offered
- ITA 211Intermediate Italian 1not offered
- ITA 212Intermediate Italian 2not offered
- JPN 111Elementary Japanese 12 sections
- JPN 112Elementary Japanese 2not offered
- KOR 111Elementary Korean 11 section
- KOR 112Elementary Korean 21 section
- LAT 111Elementary Latin 1not offered
- LAT 112Elementary Latin 2not offered
- PRT 111Elementary Portuguese 1not offered
- PRT 112Elementary Portuguese 2not offered
- RUS 111Elementary Russian 1not offered
- RUS 112Elementary Russian 2not offered
- RUS 211Intermediate Russian 1not offered
- RUS 212Intermediate Russian 2not offered
- SPA 111Elementary Spanish 16 sections
- SPA 112Elementary Spanish 22 sections
- SPA 140Elementary Spanish for Health Care 11 section
- SPA 141Elementary Spanish for Health Care 21 section
- SPA 211Intermediate Spanish 12 sections
- SPA 212Intermediate Spanish 21 section
- URD 111Elementary Urdu 1not offered
- URD 112Elementary Urdu 2not offered
Art History: 3 credits
3 credits- ART 209Global History of Art: Prehistoric to 14th Century2 sections
Music: 3-4 credits
3 credits- MUS 100Music Appreciation1 section
- MUS 101Music Fundamentals3 sections
- MUS 113Music Theory and Ear Training 11 section
- MUS 114Music Theory and Ear Training 2not offered
- MUS 160History of Popular Music1 section
- MUS 165Highlights of Music History: Jazznot offered
- MUS 169Music, Power and Gender1 section
- MUS 213Music Theory and Ear Training 32 sections
- MUS 214Music Theory and Ear Training 4not offered
- MUS 260History of Music 1not offered
- MUS 261History of Music 2not offered
- MUS 262World Music: Music as Culturenot offered
Philosophy: 3 credits
3 credits- PHL 111Introduction to Philosophy3 sections
Humanities: 3 credits
3 creditsElectives: 7-8 credits
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Carroll Community College1 program
Fall
- ENGL 101College Writing28 sections
- ELEC XXXMathematics General Educationnot offered
- ELEC XXXArts and Humanities General Educationnot offered
- ELEC XXXSocial and Behavioral Sciences General Educationnot offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Refer to ARTSYS and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.not offered
Spring
- ENGL 102Writing About Literature18 sections
- ELEC XXXBiological and Physical Sciences General Educationnot offered
- ELEC XXXSocial and Behavioral Sciences General Educationnot offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Refer to ARTSYS and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.not offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Refer to ARTSYS and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.not offered
Source: College catalog
College of Southern Maryland2 programs
Common Liberal Arts courses
- ENG 101Academic Writing & Research 1(215 sections)
- ENGL 121College Composition(137 sections)
- ENG 102Academic Writing & Research 2(58 sections)
- ENGL 101College Writing (E)(52 sections)
- ENGL 021Aca Reading & Writing(39 sections)
- ENG 101AAcademic Writing & Research 1(30 sections)
- ENGL 102Writing Abt Literature (A,E)(26 sections)
- ENG 099Support Acad Writing/Research(24 sections)
- ENG 151Fund of English II (AH)(18 sections)
- ENG 095PWriting Strat for College Suc(16 sections)
- ENG 101PEnglish Comp for Coll Success(16 sections)
- ENGL 210Creative Writing(15 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 Maryland four-year university?
- If you complete the full associate of arts at a Maryland CC college, yes — under Maryland'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. Maryland 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 Maryland’s liberal arts programs stack up.
Other programs in Maryland
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.