The Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts teaches effective oral and written communication concepts. Students will gain the ability to identify and define problems and tasks, the ability to think independently and creatively as well as the ability to organize ideas and create solutions. It allows students to use the degree as either a stand-alone or a transfer degree. This AA degree provides students transferring to four-year schools with the curriculum needed for the first two years of baccalaureate study and will offer the skills and attributes essential in a competitive job market. The general education core completed in the process of this degree meets industry standards and is also accepted by all New Mexico state colleges and universities. Courses may only be used once to satisfy any general education core, concentration and approved elective requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their Luna advisor for proper advising and course selection.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Analyze and evaluate oral and written communication in terms of situation, audience, purpose, aesthetics, and diverse points of view.
  • Express a primary purpose in a compelling statement and order supporting points logically and convincingly.
  • Use effective rhetorical strategies to persuade, inform, and engage.
  • Employ writing and/or speaking processes such as planning, collaborating, organizing, composing, revising, and editing to create presentations using correct diction, syntax, grammar, and mechanics.
  • Integrate research correctly and ethically from credible sources to support the primary purpose of a communication.
  • Engage in reasoned civic discourse while recognizing the distinctions among opinions, facts, and inferences.
  • Identify, describe and explain human behaviors and how they are influenced by social structures, institutions, and processes within the contexts of complex and diverse communities.
  • Articulate how beliefs, assumptions, and values are influenced by factors such as politics, geography, economics, culture, biology, history, and social institutions.
  • Describe ongoing reciprocal interactions among self, society, and the environment.
  • Apply the knowledge base of the social and behavioral sciences to identify, describe, explain, and critically evaluate relevant issues, ethical dilemmas, and arguments.
  • Analyze and critically interpret significant primary texts and/or works of art (this includes fine art, literature, music, theatre, & film).
  • Compare art forms, modes of thought and expression, and processes across a range of historical periods and/or structures (such as political, geographic, economic, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual).


Degree Requirements

The following degree requirements are for the 2025-2026 Catalog. For other catalogs, please see Catalogs

Minimum of 61 Credit Hours

General Education Core (35 credit hours)

Area I. Communications (9 credit hours)
COMM1130 Public Speaking 3
COMM2120 Interpersonal Communication 3
ENGL1110 Composition I 3
ENGL1120 Composition II 3
Area II. Mathematics (3 credit hours)
MATH1220 College Algebra 4
MATH1350 Introduction to Statistics 3
Area III. Laboratory Science (4 credit hours)
Area IV. Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credit hours)
Area V. Humanities /FLEX (6 credit hours)
3 credit hours from Humanities AND
BCIS1110 Intro to Information Systems 3
Area VI. Creative and Fine Arts (3 credit hours)
3 credit hours from Creative and Fine Arts
Area VII. Electives (6 credit hours)
Any additional course from areas III or IV 3
Any additional course from any area in the General Education Core 3

Concentration Requirement (3 credit hours)

HD260 Critical Thinking & Prob Solving 3

Approved Electives (23 credit hours)

Must include any 100 or 200 level (3 credit) Literature Course. Note: No more than one credit hour in physical education and no more than one course in Vocational Trades may be used to satisfy the 23-credit hour approved electives requirement. *Additional approved elective courses can be selected from Area I, IV, V and VI of Luna’s General Education Core Curriculum.
ARTS1610 Drawing I 3
ARTS2610 Drawing II 3
BUSA1110 Introduction to Business 3
CJUS1110 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3
COMM2120 Interpersonal Communication 3
CS105 Introduction to Computer Science 3
ENG140 Modern Literature: The AmericanNovel Since 1945 3
ENGL2310 Intro to Creative Writing 3
ENGL2380 Intro to Short Fiction 3
FDMA1110 Film History 3
FDMA1545 Intrdctn to Digital Photography& Digital Imaging 3
HIST2110 Survey of New Mexico History 3
MMC101 Intrdn to Mass Media Cmnctns 3
MUSC1130 Music Appreciation: WesternMusic 3
MUSC1210 Fundamentals of Music forNon-Majors 3
PHIL1115 Introduction to Philosophy 3
PSYC2210 Abnormal Psychology 3
SPAN1110 Spanish I 3
SPAN1120 Spanish II 3
THEA1220 Beginning Acting 3
Liberal Arts AA Curriculum Map