Pennsylvania 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.
10 colleges · 1984 sections · 216 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
The liberal-arts associate at Pennsylvania community colleges is the most common transfer degree in the PA CCs 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 1984 sections across 10 PA CCs 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community College of Philadelphia | 580 | 51 | 129 | 468 | $44,136 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | 239 | 31 | 94 | 373 | $39,566 |
| Northampton Community College | 227 | 30 | 95 | 257 | $36,328 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | 225 | 30 | 88 | 1281 | $40,767 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | 216 | 30 | 82 | 287 | $38,484 |
| Montgomery County Community College | 206 | 30 | 99 | 557 | $43,660 |
| Delaware County Community College | 158 | 19 | 61 | 401 | $43,375 |
| Luzerne County Community College | 92 | 20 | 21 | 149 | $35,106 |
| Reading Area Community College | 22 | 7 | 12 | 153 | $42,359 |
| Westmoreland County Community College | 19 | 11 | 19 | 129 | — |
Liberal Arts Availability Snapshot
How liberal arts sections are being offered across 10 colleges in Pennsylvania this term (1984 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person1188 (60%)
- online638 (32%)
- hybrid96 (5%)
- zoom62 (3%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)776
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)486
- Evening (5 PM and after)179
- Asynchronous / TBA543
Start dates
Sections begin on 26 distinct dates. 935 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 464 distinct instructors across 10 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Community College of Allegheny County2 programs
Reading Area Community College1 program
Detailed course requirements are not yet available for this program. View in college catalog
Source: College catalog
Common Liberal Arts courses
- ENGL 101English Composition I(377 sections)
- ENG 101English Comp 1(194 sections)
- ENG 102Eng Cmp 2 Resch Wr(95 sections)
- ENG 105Creative Writing(92 sections)
- ENG 100English Composition I(88 sections)
- ENGL 098English Accel Learning Program(85 sections)
- ENGL 102The Research Paper(81 sections)
- ENGL 190Introduction to Literature(58 sections)
- ENGL 097English Coreq Seminar Program(40 sections)
- ENGL 151LEnglish II(36 sections)
- ENG 112English Composition II: Writing About Literature(30 sections)
- ENG 106Introduction to Literature(25 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 Pennsylvania four-year university?
- If you complete the full associate of arts at a PA CCs college, yes — under Pennsylvania'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. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania’s liberal arts programs stack up.
Other programs in Pennsylvania
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.