ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ Now Offering Associate Degree in Science
August 28, 2025

A brand new degree is debuting this fall at ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ.
The start of the 2025-26 academic year marks the beginning of ISU offering an associate degree in science. The 60-credit degree allows students to choose from a variety of courses across ISU’s College of Science and Engineering to earn a degree tailored to their interests. Students will still be required to complete their general education requirements, but students can choose any lower or upper division classes in the fields of biology, computer science, geology, and more to complete the degree.
“For some students, doing an associate degree along the way makes a lot of sense,” said Shannon Kobs Nawotniak, professor and chair of the geosciences department, who spearheaded the effort to create the degree. “We've had students who benefit from breaking their educational journey into bite-sized pieces, some who want to stay close to home to start their degrees before transferring to other parts of the country, and folks who qualify for raises at their jobs just for completing an associate degree. There are a lot of opportunities in ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ and beyond for people in the sciences, and we want to make that pathway as open as we can for people who want to go into these fields.”
“We often have students who are interested in STEM fields but are undecided on exactly what major to choose,” said Jay Broda, an academic advisor with ISU’s College of Science and Engineering. “Through this associate degree, students can take foundational courses for many different majors and have the opportunity to learn more about the individual majors and speak with faculty in the fields they’re interested in, all while progressing towards a degree.”
Prospective students who would like to learn more about the associate degree in science can reach out to Jay Broda at jaybroda@isu.edu.
Prospective students can book a campus tour at .
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