You may encounter the phrase “common core” while you’re going to school. Common core in college refers to a general education core of classes—the building blocks, the foundation of general education from which a more specialized degree program of study can be built upon.
In Arizona common core classes are called the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC). The AGEC consists of a series of lower-division general education courses. Degrees that are designed for university transfer are made up of the AGEC, required courses, and possibly general electives. This block of college credits can be transferred to Arizona public colleges and universities; if the AGEC is completed with a 2.5. GPA or better, admission is guaranteed to students wanting to attend ASU, NAU, or U of A. However, it should be noted that completing the AGEC does not guarantee admission to any specific university program. Lower-division programs may have additional requirements and prerequisites that need to be met in order to enroll in that particular program.
In the current “Classic” AGEC curriculum, you had to complete 35 to 52 credit hours to complete the block. You also had to pick one of three distinct sets of classes (A- Arts, B- Business, S- Science) to work through. Students beginning in Fall 2026 (2026-2027 catalog year) and later will be required to take classes under a new “Reimagined” AGEC. This streamlined revision of the AGEC curriculum can be completed in 35 credit hours.
For continuing students who’ve already taken classes under the Classic AGEC rubric may choose to either remain on the Classic track or transition to the Reimagined AGEC. Academic advisors can help you weigh your options to determine the best path forward.
The Reimagined AGEC covers these subjects:
- Written communication (WCM) - 6 credits
- Oral communication (OCM) - 3 credits
- Arts and humanities (AHM)- 6 credits
- Quantitative reasoning (QNR) - 3 credits
- Natural sciences (NSI) - 8 credits
- Social and behavioral sciences (SCB) - 6 credits
- Institutions of the Americas (IAM) - 3 credits
When you search for classes using the Rio class schedule, you can use the AGEC general education designations to find classes. Individual class descriptions in the schedule will show both Classic and Reimagined course descriptions (Classic AGEC uses a different series of designations).
Talk to your advisor to make sure the courses you’re selecting while at Rio Salado satisfy your major requirements. It’s important to keep in mind that the AGEC is the general education portion of a degree that will have additional degree requirements.
It’s also important to remember that while completing the AGEC can provide you access to “the Big Three” in-state Arizona universities, other universities may have different articulation agreements in place that dictate what kinds of transfer credits will be accepted and may have different general education curriculum requirements.
Article by Austin Brietta