Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

Bachelor’s Degrees

The University confers the baccalaureate degree upon students who meet the specified requirements of any of the eight resident colleges.

Graduates of the Colleges of Engineering and Natural Resources are eligible to receive the Bachelor of Science degree. The Bachelor of Arts degree is not offered in these colleges.

Graduates of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Science may be awarded the Bachelor of Science degree or the Bachelor of Arts degree as recommended by the student’s individual department and approved by the dean of the college.

Graduates of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences may be awarded the Bachelor of Science degree, the Bachelor of Arts degree, or the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree as recommended by the student’s individual department and approved by the dean of the college.

Graduates of the Caine College of the Arts may be awarded the Bachelor of Science Degree, the Bachelor of Arts degree, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Interior Design degree, or the Bachelor of Music degree as  recommended by the student’s individual department and approved by the dean of the college.

All graduates, regardless of the type of degree, must satisfy University Studies general education and depth education requirements.

Students who simultaneously complete all of the requirements for more than one bachelor’s degree program shall be awarded a separate diploma for each degree.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree signifies proficiency in one or more foreign languages. Specifically, the BA requirement may be completed in one of the following ways:

1. Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language by successful completion of one course at the 2020-level or higher (or its equivalent).
   Or
2. Demonstration of proficiency in American Sign Language by successful completion of American Sign Language IV (COMD 4920) and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness (COMD 4780), and by passing an exit interview.
   Or
3. Demonstration of proficiency in two foreign languages by successful completion of the 1020 course level in one language and the 2010 course level in the second language (or its equivalent).
   Or
4. Completion of an upper-division (3000-level or higher) foreign language grammar or literature course requiring the 2020 course level (or its equivalent) as a prerequisite. Conversation courses cannot be considered for satisfying this requirement.

For nonnative English-speaking students only, the following options are available:

1. Successful completion of the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) program for international students.
   Or
2. TOEFL, Michigan, or IELI placement scores high enough to meet the University admission criteria.

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

Academic Program Requirement

All graduates are required to complete an approved academic program in one of the seven resident colleges.

American Institutions

All graduates are required to have an understanding of the fundamentals of the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States. Students may meet this requirement in any one of the following ways: (a) receiving a passing grade on a special examination; (b) receiving a grade of three or better on the Advanced Placement Examination in American History; (c) satisfactory completion of: USU 1300 or HONR 1300; ECN 1500; HIST 1700, HIST 2700, or HIST 2710; or POLS 1100; or (d) satisfactory completion of a transfer course equivalent to one of the courses in (c).

University Studies

Completion of the University Studies general education and depth education requirements.

Upper-Division Credits

Completion of a minimum of 40 credits numbered 3000 or above.

Total Credits

A minimum of 120 credits of acceptable collegiate work and a minimum of 100 credits with a grade of C- or better.

GPA

In order to graduate, students must meet all GPA requirements for their major. These requirements can be found in the Academic Programs section of this catalog. USU credits only are used in computing the GPA. The University requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be considered for good standing and for graduation, although the majority of degree programs require a higher GPA.

Major

Each student must complete all requirements for an approved program of study. This program is comprised of up to 80 credits, which include the major, licensure requirements, and all other required major coursework. The program of study for each major is described in the appropriate departmental section of this catalog.

Students should select a major subject upon entering the University or early the first year, but not later than entrance into the upper division. As soon as the major subject has been selected, the student should contact the department in which he or she has decided to major. A Change of Matriculation form must be filed with the University Registrar. The head of the department will assign an advisor. Registration in succeeding semesters should be carefully checked and approved by the advisor to assure proper selection of courses for satisfying institutional and departmental requirements. If more than one major is being pursued concurrently, departmental and college authorization must be obtained.

Students who have completed at least 60 credits (not including AP, CLEP, and concurrent enrollment) and one USU semester must be accepted into a department or be admitted to Provisional Admission Warning before they are allowed to register for additional work. To enforce this policy, a hold will be placed on the student’s registration.

The selection of a major(s), the fulfillment of requirements, and a choice of a career or vocation are the responsibility of the student. The University does not assume responsibility for these choices nor for successful employment upon completion of University programs. However, to aid in these choices, the University provides advising, counseling, and testing services for self-evaluation and information about careers and employment opportunities. Career Services assists students in all aspects of their career search.

Students are encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor to establish a plan of study and confirm a graduation date as early as possible.

Changing a Program

When a change of degree, catalog year, major, minor, and/or emphasis is desired, a student must go to the department office in which he or she is presently enrolled to initiate the proper paperwork. If he or she is changing to a program within the same department, the department office may complete the required form, have it signed, and have it received by the Registar’s Office. When a student is changing departments, signatures of both departments are required on the form. After the form is received by the Registrar’s Office, the program is changed and the information becomes part of the student’s file.

Minor

USU does not require that all students complete a minor. However, some departments and/or programs do require completion of a minor, which is described in the catalog statement of the department or program.

Credits in Residency (USU Credits)

Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must complete at least 30 credits at USU’s Logan campus, USU Eastern, or through classes offered offered by USU Regional Campuses and Distance Education. A minimum of 20 of these credits must be completed in upper-division courses, of which at least 10 credits must be completed in courses required by the student’s major.

Candidates for an associate degree must complete at least 20 credits at USU’s Logan campus, USU Eastern, or through classes offered by USU Regional Campuses and Distance Education.

Credit by Examination

Some noncollegiate experiences may permit credit through challenge and foreign language examinations. For further information, see the Placement Tests and Credit by Examination section of this catlog.

Credit for Intensive English Study

Classes in IELI carry academic credit. Full-time students at each level take 18 credits per semester. A student who begins IELI at level 1 and progresses to level 4 may earn a total of 72 undergraduate elective credits. While all the credits will appear on a student’s transcript, a maximum of 18 can be counted toward graduation. Application of the 18 credits will be determined by the student’s college and major department. Students must, therefore, meet with their departmental advisors to determine the role of IELI credits in their graduation requirements. IELI 2470 and IELI 2475 count toward the General Education Breadth Social Science (BSS) requirement.

Remedial Courses

Remedial courses (numbered below 1000), cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. These credits do not count toward GPA or Earned Hours.

Honors at Graduation

Honors at commencement are determined after Fall Semester grades are in and do not reflect Spring Semester grades. Final honors designations will not be posted on the official transcript until all grades are received for the degree.

The USU grade point average is used in determining these distinctions. Transfer credits are not considered. Exception: All coursework completed at USU Eastern through Summer 2011 will be posted as transfer work. USU Eastern students who began working on an associate degree or certificate of completion prior to Fall 2011 will use a combination of their College of Eastern Utah transfer GPA and their USU GPA to determine eligibility for honors at commencement.

Latin Scholastic Distinctions (Bachelor’s Degrees and Second Bachelor’s Degrees)

To qualify for Latin Scholastic Distinctions at graduation, a student must have completed a minimum of 40 semester credits in residency (USU credits) at USU’s Logan, USU-Eastern, or through classes offered by USU Regional Campuses and Distance Education. USU designated Latin Scholastic Distinctions at graduation are:

These distinctions will appear on the diploma and on the official transcript.

Honors Degrees

In addition to Latin Scholastic Distinctions at graduation, USU offers honors degrees designed to fill a variety of student needs. Honors Program members may work toward one of three degree options: (1) Departmental Honors, (2) Departmental Honors with Honors in University Studies, or (3) University Honors. For further information, see the University Honors Program section of this catalog.

Honors for Associate Degrees and Certificates

Students will be recognized as follows:

Associate degree and certification distinctions will appear only on the official transcript.