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Associate of Arts in Personnel Administration 

 Return to APUS Catalog | Associate

The Associates of Arts in Personnel Administration is designed to offer a practical base of knowledge that prepares students to deal with the complexities and challenges of managing today's global workforce.  Topics of study include recruitment, selection, team dynamics, ethics, performance management, compensation, benefits, labor and employee relations, and policy and records management.

Program Objectives:

In addition to the institutional and general education level learning objectives, the Associates Degree in Personnel Administration also seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates. Graduates in this degree program will be able to:

  • Provide human resource competencies (SHRM) and practical applications to ensure that human capital is available, capable, and effective in an ever-changing global environment
  • Prepare students to become strategic partners with top management in assessing, problem solving, and providing recommendations that link to strategic goals
  • Conduct effective human resource planning for technology and innovation in a global environment
  • Evaluate and analyze the challenges that human resources face in modern organizations
  • Demonstrate team-management skills with a focus on the group dynamics and ethics of an increasingly diverse workforce.

Degree Program Requirements
Required Course - 3 semester hours
  • RQ295 / COLL100 - Foundations of Online Learning - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.
General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
  • EN101 / ENGL101 - Proficiency in Writing [Required]
  • EN102 / ENGL102 - Effectiveness in Writing
  • EN202 / ENGL200 - Composition and Literature

Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
  • SS101 / ECON101 - Microeconomics
  • SS102 / ECON102 - Macroeconomics 
  • SS111 / GEOG101 - Introduction to Geography
  • SS133 / SOCI111 - Introduction to Sociology
  • SS134 / PSYC101 - Introduction to Psychology 
  • SS190 / ANTH100 - Introduction to Anthropology
  • SS210 / CHFD220 - Human Sexuality  
  • SO220 / SOCI220 - American Popular Culture

Science - 4 semester hours including the required 1 hour lab
  • SC100 / SCIN100 - Introduction to Biology
  • SC198 / SCIN101 - Introduction to Biology Lab
  • SC101 / SCIN102 - Introduction to Chemistry
  • SC199 / SCIN103 - Introduction to Chemistry Lab   
  • SC102 / SCIN104 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology 
  • SC122 / SCIN105 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
  • SC103 / SCIN106 - Introduction to Physics 
  • SC123 / SCIN107 - Introduction to Physics Lab
  • SC104 / SCIN108 - Introduction to Astronomy
  • SC124 / SCIN109 - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
  • SC106 / SCIN110 - Introduction to Oceanography 
  • SC126 / SCIN111 - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
  • SC107 / SCIN112 - Introduction to Meteorology
  • SC127 / SCIN113 - Introduction to Meteorology Lab
  • SC108 / SCIN114 - Introduction to Physical Geology
  • SC128 / SCIN115 - Introduction to Physical Geology Lab
  • SC105 / SCIN116 - Introduction to Forestry
  • SC125 / SCIN117 - Introduction to Forestry Lab
  • SC110 / SCIN118 - Introduction to Human Ecology
  • SC120 / SCIN119 - Introduction to Human Ecology Lab

Mathematics - 3 semester hours
  • MA112 / MATH110 - College Algebra
  • MA113 / MATH111 - College Trigonometry
  • MA125 / MATH125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors
  • MA225 / MATH225 - Calculus

History - 6 semester hours
  • HS101 / HIST101 - American History to 1877
  • HS102 / HIST102 - American History since 1877
  • HS111 / HIST111 - World Civilization before 1650
  • HS112 / HIST112 - World Civilization since 1650
  • HS121 / HIST121 - Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
  • HS122 / HIST122 - Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
  • HS215 / HIST223 - History of the American Indian
  • HS217 / HIST221 - African-American History before 1877
  • HS218 / HIST222 - African-American History since 1877

Humanities - 3 semester hours
  • HM101 / SPAN100 - Spanish I 
  • HM102 / SPAN101 - Spanish II [Prerequisite: HM101] 
  • HM103 / FREN100 - French I
  • HM104 / FREN101 - French II [Prerequisite: HM103] 
  • HM105 / ARAB100 - Arabic I 
  • HM106 / ARAB101 - Arabic II [Prerequisite: HM105] 
  • HM107 / RUSS100 - Russian I
  • HM108 / RUSS101 - Russian II [Prerequisite: HM107] 
  • HM109 / CHIN100 - Chinese I (Mandarin)
  • HM110 / CHIN101 - Chinese II (Mandarin) [Prerequisite: HM109] 
  • HM111 / GERM100 - German I
  • HM112 / GERM101 - German II [Prerequisite: HM111] 
  • HM200 / MUSI200 - Music Appreciation
  • HM230 / RELS201 - Introduction to World Religions  
  • HM240 / ARTH200 - Art Appreciation  
  • HM277 / PHIL200 - Introduction to Ethics
  • PH101 / PHIL101 - Introduction to Philosophy
  • GM200 / COMM200 - Public Speaking

Literature - 3 semester hours

All literature courses require successful completion of EN101 - Proficiency in Writing or EN102 - Effectiveness in Writing

  • HM201 / LITR220 - American Literature before the Civil War
  • HM202 / LITR221 - American Literature from The Civil War to Present
  • HM221 / LITR210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
  • HM222 / LITR211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
  • HM211 / LITR201 - World Literature through the Renaissance
  • HM212 / LITR202 - World Literature since the Renaissance

Political Science - 3 semester hours
  • SS121 / POLS210 - American Government I
  • SS131 / IRLS210 - International Relations I
Core Requirements (18 semester hours)
  • GM101 / MGMT100 - Human Relations  
  • GM102 / HRMT100 - Introduction to Personnel Management
  • GM103 / MGMT101 - Principles of Supervision
  • GM225 / HRMT201 - Employee Training/Development
  • GM289 / HRMT202 - Interviewing Fundamentals
  • GM310 / MGMT311 - Organizational Behavior 
Elective Requirements (6 semester hours)
Students must complete 6 semester hours comprised of lower (100-200) level courses not taken to fulfill the requirements listed above. Additional general education courses may be taken to fulfill elective requirements.



Total Hours = 61

 Return to APUS Catalog | Associate

American Public University System (APUS) is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association and nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission, Distance Education and Training Council.

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