The Associate in Arts program of the UP Open University was the first undergraduate program offered by the UPOU when it was institutionalized in 1998.   


The 2018 AA program comprises of 72 units of academic coursework with (8) units of Physical Education and (6) units of NSTP. The third revision in 2018 coincided with intake of the first batch of K-12 graduates and the new General Education program (RGEP) of the whole UP System.  


The program aims to:


  1. Cultivate appreciation of the Arts and Humanities as a field of study and practice;
  2. Hone skills in humanistic inquiry, including critical thinking, scholarship, effective communication, collaboration, and creativity; and
  3. Develop competencies in the study of the Arts and Humanities in a rapidly changing digital world.


You follow the 2018 curriculum if you were admitted into the AA Program from 2018 onwards.  (If you have earned some units in your previous college/university and are considering having them credited towards the AA Program, study the information on this page:  Applying for a Transfer of Credit (TOC))


The 2018 Curriculum is composed of:


15 units of Common Courses:

  • Comp Ed 10: Critical Digital Literacies 
  • Comp Ed 20: Introduction to Analytics
  • Comm 2: Communication Skills 2
  • English 157: English for the Professions 
  • PI 100 (a Rizal course mandated by law)


30 units of General Education (GE) Courses (shared with the rest of the UP System)

  • Wika 1: Wika, Kultura at Lipunan
  • Arts 1: Critical Perspectives in the Arts 
  • Ethics 1: Ethics and Moral Reasoning in Everyday Life 
  • Kas 1: Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas 
  • STS 1: Science, Technology, and Society 
  • Science 11: Living Systems: Concepts and Dynamics 
  • Math 10: Mathematics, Culture and Society 
  • plus 3 GE Electives (consisting of SAS 1, COMM 10, PHILARTS 1, SOC SCI 2, and ENG 11 with recommended elective: ENG or English 11)


27 units of Concentration Courses

  • English 12: World Literatures 
  • CL 50: Philippine Literature in English or Pan Pil 12: Text Mo, Text Ko
  • Film 10: Sining Sine  
  • Theatre 11: Dula at Palabas
  • Arts 10: Understanding Dance
  • Arts 11: World Music Cultures
  • Hum 40: Tools and Methods in Digital Humanities 
  • Art Stud 141: Photography as Art 
  • Art Stud 195: Curatorship 


as well as (14) units of Non-academic courses:

  • PE 1, (2) units
  • 3 PE 2 courses, (2) units each, for a total of (6) units
  • National Service Training Program (NSTP), as mandated by Law, (6) units 


This is what you need to do to get pre-enrollment advising:


Update your plan of study and curriculum checklist (both are combined in the linked Google Sheet) and include the Google Sheet link to these documents to your email request for advising (remember to give editor access to the AA Program Chair Mailer at aa-program-chair@upou.edu.ph). Use the study plan and checklist that were shared with the AA Program Chair or what the AA Program Chair shared with you as a guide during academic advising in the previous term. You will use these documents for the duration of your stay in the program to monitor your progress and plan your academic life in AA. It is best to keep them updated.


If have not filled out a plan of study and curriculum checklist yet, click the links to access the overall template and do the following:

  1. Make a copy of the template. Click the File menu at the upper portion of the Google Sheet, then select Make a copy.
  2. Name the document by indicating your last name at the beginning of the filename. For example, Fama_AA Plan of Study (POS) and Curriculum Checklist.
  3. Accomplish the forms completely and accurately. 
  4. If you are following a previous AA curriculum, you may download the checklist from the AA Freshdesk homepage.

    In filling out the plan of study:
    • Indicate the courses that you have taken in the previous terms. You may refer to the Student Portal for accuracy of information. 
    • Then, indicate the courses that you intend to take in the remainder of the program and the total number of units. You may refer to the course offering cycle of GE+ and Concentration courses to know the courses that are available in each term.

In filling out the curriculum checklist:

  • Indicate the following information obtained from the Student Portal:
    - Grade obtained,
    - Term the course was taken, and
    - Remarks (if applicable; indicate if: Awaiting Final Grade or AFG, Transfer of Credit or TOC, or if received a conditional grade of EXT or 4.0, if it has not yet lapsed)
  • Indicate the courses you plan to take in the succeeding trimesters up until your last trimester in the program.

e. Share these documents with editing access to the AA program at aa-program-chair@upou.edu.ph.


Always link your updated AA Plan of Study and Curriculum Checklist in your email requests (to be sent to aa-program-chair@upou.edu.ph) or in your response to the Google Form for program advising. It is also best to update these on a regular basis, as these files (which you will send in your request for academic advise) will also help the AA Program Chair in providing you with the necessary academic advise.


Lastly, always remember to exhibit proper netiquette in all your communications.


Goodluck!