Baccalaureate Degrees

Definition

Baccalaureate, or bachelor’s, degrees consist of a minimum of 120 credits and comprise three interrelated parts:

  • General Education Requirements, which provide students a broad overview of the liberal arts and sciences and create the foundation for further study in the major or program, lifelong learning and workplace preparedness. GERs are best taken early in a student's academic career.
  • Major Requirements, which afford students intensive study in a specialized subject, program or professional area. The major prepares a student for employment and/or graduate-level course work.
  • Elective Credits, which are the body of work to complete the 120 credits. These credits may be limited, as in the case of many professional programs, or open for the student's choice, allowing for students to investigate other areas of interest. Students may choose to declare a Minor (generally 18-24 credits from within the Elective credits) to pursue an additional area of study or qualification. A well-selected minor can strongly complement a student's major area of study.

Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees generally require additional course work in the liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences and offer greater flexibility in elective credits, with a focus upon broad-based achievement in preparation for graduate school, the corporate or business worlds, or education. 

Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees generally require additional course work in math and the natural sciences (with labs), with a focus upon discipline-specific technical classes pertaining to particular professions or preparation for advanced study. 

UAA also offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), the Bachelor of Human Services (BHS), the Bachelor of Music (BM), and the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW).

BA and BS degrees in the same discipline differ by a minimum of 12 credits.

Minor: A minor is a component of a baccalaureate degree. A minor may only be issued simultaneously with a baccalaureate degree. A minor from UAA consists of a minimum of 18 credits, at least 6 of which must be upper division. Students must earn at least 3 credits in residence in each minor field. They must also earn a UAA cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 (C) in the minor. Students must follow minor requirements from the same catalog used for the baccalaureate program. Refer to each discipline for specific requirements. Students must declare minors no later than the deadline to submit an Application for Graduation.

General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees

At a minimum, in order to earn a Baccalaureate degree:

  1. Be admitted to the program.
  2. Complete a minimum of 120 credits at the 100-level or above for the Baccalaureate degree.
  3. Complete at least 39 upper-division credits.
  4. Complete at least 30 credits in residence, of which 24 must be upper-division.
  5. Complete the General Education Requirements (GERs) for Baccalaureate degrees.
  6. Complete all major requirements.
  7. Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (C) at UAA.
  8. Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (C) in all major and minor requirements.
  9. Complete all degree requirements within seven years of formal admission.
    1. Students may elect to graduate under the requirements of any catalog in effect during their formal admission as a degree-seeking student.

​See the program specific page for all requirements.

Additional Policies for Baccalaureate Degrees

Double Majors

Baccalaureate degree-seeking students may graduate (during the same semester) with two majors, provided that the degree is the same for each major. For example, a student may select two areas from the approved majors within a Bachelor of Arts degree program (such as history and political science). Students must apply for, and be accepted into, each major. Students may add a second major at a later date through the change of major/degree process. Forms are available on the Office of the Registrar's website. Students must satisfy the General University Requirements, the General Education Requirements for the primary program, both sets of school/college requirements, if applicable, and major requirements. Students may elect to graduate under the requirements of any catalog in effect during the seven years after formal acceptance to a baccalaureate degree program.

Multiple Degrees

Baccalaureate degree-seeking students may graduate (during the same semester) with multiple degrees provided they have applied for and been accepted in each degree program. Students must submit a separate Application for Admission and Application for Graduation for each degree they expect to complete. Students can apply for admission online through the Office of Admissions website. Students can apply for graduation through their UAOnline account. Students may elect to graduate under the requirements of any catalog in effect during the seven years after formal acceptance to a baccalaureate degree program. Baccalaureate degree-seeking students must complete the General University Requirements, the General Education Requirements, school/college requirements, if applicable, all major requirements, and at least 24 resident credits beyond each degree completed (i.e., if the first degree requires a total of 120 credits, the second requires at least 144 total credits, and the third requires at least 168 total credits, etc.).

Second Baccalaureate Degree for UAA Students

Students who have received a baccalaureate degree from UAA, who return and want to obtain a different baccalaureate degree must:

  • Meet admission requirements.
  • Complete at least 24 resident credits after the posting of the previous baccalaureate degree(s) awarded.
  • Complete the school/college requirements, if applicable, and the major requirements, including any resident and/or upper-division requirements, for the second degree.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (C) at UAA in order to graduate. Some programs may require a higher GPA in the major.

Second Baccalaureate Degree for Transfer Students

Students who have received a baccalaureate degree from another institutionally accredited college or university and who want to obtain a baccalaureate degree from UAA must:

  • Meet admission requirements.
  • Complete the General University Requirements but not the General Education Requirements.
  • Complete all school/college requirements, if applicable, and the major requirements.