Virginia 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.
23 colleges · 2561 sections · 60 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
The liberal-arts associate at Virginia community colleges is the most common transfer degree in the VCCS 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 2561 sections across 23 VCCS 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
Liberal Arts Availability Snapshot
How liberal arts sections are being offered across 23 colleges in Virginia this term (2561 sections total).
Delivery format
- online1152 (45%)
- in person1008 (39%)
- hybrid357 (14%)
- zoom44 (2%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)773
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)486
- Evening (5 PM and after)187
- Asynchronous / TBA1115
Start dates
Sections begin on 32 distinct dates. 725 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Blue Ridge Community College2 programs
Brightpoint Community College3 programs
Camp Community College4 programs
Central Virginia Community College9 programs
Danville Community College2 programs
Eastern Shore Community College3 programs
Germanna Community College6 programs
Laurel Ridge Community College4 programs
Mountain Empire Community College3 programs
Mountain Gateway Community College3 programs
New River Community College5 programs
Northern Virginia Community College8 programs
Patrick & Henry Community College2 programs
Piedmont Virginia Community College3 programs
Rappahannock Community College2 programs
Reynolds Community College4 programs
Southside Virginia Community College2 programs
Southwest Virginia Community College6 programs
Tidewater Community College1 program
Virginia Highlands Community College5 programs
Virginia Peninsula Community College2 programs
Virginia Western Community College4 programs
Wytheville Community College1 program
Detailed course requirements are not yet available for this program. View in college catalog
Source: College catalog
Common Liberal Arts courses
- ENG 111College Composition I(1037 sections)
- ENG 112College Composition II(322 sections)
- HIS 121United States History to 1877(219 sections)
- PHI 220Ethics and Society(162 sections)
- HIS 101Western Civilizations Pre-1600 CE(119 sections)
- HIS 122United States History Since 1865(105 sections)
- HIS 111World Civilizations Pre-1500 CE(73 sections)
- PHI 100Introduction to Philosophy(62 sections)
- HIS 112World Civilizations Post-1500 CE(56 sections)
- ENG 246American Literature(53 sections)
- HIS 102Western Civilizations Post-1600 CE(39 sections)
- ENG 245British Literature(35 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 Virginia four-year university?
- If you complete the full associate of arts at a VCCS college, yes — under Virginia'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. Virginia 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 Virginia’s liberal arts programs stack up.
Other programs in Virginia
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.