Soar Ahead: Done in One
Accelerated Associate of Arts Degree Program
Soar Ahead is an accelerated Associate of Arts degree program designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year Bachelor’s degree program. Through Soar Ahead, students can earn their AA degree in just one year, which traditionally takes two years.
Students selected for the inaugural cohort will begin in Fall 2022. Following the graduation plan and course schedule, these students will graduate at the end of the Summer 2023 semester.
How does it work?
Soar Ahead features condensed course timelines of just eight weeks each, which means a student can complete up to 24 credit hours of coursework in a traditional 16-week semester. It is important to note that while the timeline is condensed, the amount of coursework and learning outcomes are the same as in traditional 16-week courses.
Your AA degree consists of a total of 60 credit hours which includes 36 credit hours of General Education courses and 24 credit hours of electives. The table below shows how you can get all of your credit hours completed in just three semesters.
Fall 2022 (August – December) |
Spring 2023 (January – May) |
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|
A Term (8 Weeks) |
B Term (8 Weeks) |
A Term (8 Weeks) |
B Term (8 Weeks) |
|
12 Credits |
12 Credits |
12 Credits |
12 Credits |
Summer 2023 (12 Weeks) |
|
|
A Term (6 Weeks) |
B Term (6 Weeks) |
|
6 Credits |
6 Credits |
|
|
|
Sample Schedule
(Please note: Elective courses are chosen based on your intended area of study at the four-year institution).
Fall Semester
FALL SEMESTER |
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|
AUGUST EXPRESS |
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|
Area |
Course ID |
Credit Hours |
|
Communications State Core |
ENC 1101 |
3 |
|
Mathematics State Core |
MAC 1105/MAC 1105C/MGF1106 |
3 |
|
Social Science TCC Core - Group 2 |
SLS 1510 |
3 |
|
Social Science State Core - Group 1 |
PSY 2012 |
3 |
|
Total Term Hours |
|
12 |
|
OCTOBER EXPRESS |
||
|
Area |
Course ID |
Credit Hours |
|
Communications TCC Core |
ENC 1102 |
3 |
|
Mathematics TCC Core |
STA 2023 / MGF 1107 |
3 |
|
Elective |
SPC 2608 |
3 |
|
Social Science TCC Core - Group 1 |
HSC 1100 |
3 |
|
Total Term Hours |
|
12 |
Spring Semester
SPRING SEMESTER |
||
|
JANUARY EXPRESS |
||
|
Area |
Course ID |
Credit Hours |
|
Social Science State Core - Group 2 |
AMH 2020 |
3 |
|
Humanities State Core |
PHI 2010 |
3 |
|
Natural Science TCC Core |
OCE 1001 |
3 |
|
Elective |
Elective |
3 |
|
Total Term Hours |
|
12 |
|
MARCH EXPRESS |
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|
Area |
Course ID |
Credit Hours |
|
Humanities TCC Core |
HUM 2230 |
3 |
|
Natural Science State Core |
BSC 1005 |
3 |
|
Elective |
CGS 1060 |
3 |
|
Elective |
Elective Choice |
3 |
|
Total Term Hours |
|
12 |
Summer Semester
SUMMER SEMESTER |
||
|
MAIN SEMESTER |
||
|
Area |
Course ID |
Credit Hours |
|
Elective |
Elective Choice |
3 |
|
Elective |
Elective Choice |
3 |
|
Elective |
Elective Choice |
3 |
|
Elective |
Elective Choice |
3 |
|
Optional |
BSC 1005L |
1 |
|
Total Term Hours |
|
12 |
|
|
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS |
60 |
Is Soar Ahead right for you?
Here are a few things for students to consider:
High School GPA
While it is not required, due to the accelerated and rigorous nature of this program, it is recommended that you enter the program with at least a 3.0 unweighted high school grade point average.
Dual Enrollment and AP Credits
If you have college credits from dual enrollment and Advanced Placement programs, your fast track just got faster. TCC accepts as many as 45 credits through dual enrollment and AP, which means you can earn your AA degree even more easily.
Fast Pace
The pace of the accelerated courses is intense. You may need to sacrifice time with family and friends, many social activities, and time spent on hobbies to prioritize your coursework.
Procrastinators Beware
Soar Ahead was designed for students who thrive on staying current and organized with their courses. This means attending each class ready to learn, keeping up with course readings, assignments, and projects, and creating a disciplined time management plan. Procrastination makes this program extremely challenging, so you must come to this program with good study habits.