Dec 13, 2024  
2024-2025 Academic Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Baccalaureate Degree Requirements Advising Sheet

Baccalaureate Degree Requirements



To Qualify for a Baccalaureate Degree

A student must comply with all University regulations and satisfy specific requirements in the below areas in addition to completing a major.

  1. Units and Residency
  2. Grade Point Average
  3. General Education
  4. Upper Division Writing Proficiency (WP)
  5. United States Constitution and California State and Local Government
  6. Multicultural Requirement
  7. Graduation Application
  8. Graduation Approval

The University’s Baccalaureate Degree Requirements are listed below.  Click on the titles below for more information about the catalog requirements for graduation and the baccalaureate student learning goals.

  

  

1. Units and Residency


a. Units

A student must complete a minimum of 120 semester units is required. At least 40 units must be in courses recognized for upper-division credit.

b. Residency

A student must complete a minimum of 30 semester units at Stanislaus State. At least 24 of these 30 units must be earned in upper-division courses, at least 12 must be in the major, and at least 9 must be applicable to General Education-Breadth requirements (Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Sections 40403 and 40405). Credit in summer terms or special sessions may be counted as residence credit on a unit-for-unit basis. Extension course credit or credit by examination or evaluation will not be counted as residence credit.

2. Grade Point Average


Each student must complete with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better:

  1. all acceptable college units attempted,
  2. all units attempted in the major field of study (see the major for criteria),
  3. all units required for the academic minor, and
  4. all residence credit units attempted at the University.

3. General Education


(49 units minimum)

Complete the General Education Program  requirements. Major courses that are approved for GE credit shall also fulfill (double count for) the GE requirement.

4. Upper-Division Writing Proficiency (WP)


In addition to satisfactory completion of all General Education Communication Skills requirements, all students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation.

  • Pass, with a minimum grade of C- or better, one course designated as an Upper-Division Writing Proficiency (WP) course.

  

A course taken prior to the first semester in which WP status takes effect for that course may not be used to satisfy the writing competency requirement. Writing proficiency courses are designated in the Schedule of Classes with (WP).

5. United States Constitution and California State and Local Government


(3 units minimum)

Students may satisfy subject requirements in United States History, Constitution, and California State and Local Government by passing departmental examinations in these fields. The Department of Public Administration and Political Science offers the California State and Local Government Challenge Exam. The linked website provides more information about the exam and why students opt to complete the exam.

The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 40404, requires “…comprehensive study of American history and American government including the historical development of American institutions and ideals, the Constitution of the United States and the operation of representative democratic government under that Constitution, and the processes of state and local government…”

Complete the following requirement.

6. Multicultural Requirement


(3 units minimum)

Students must complete at least 3 units of the following coursework that addresses multicultural, ethnic studies, gender, or nonwestern cultures issues. Courses that fulfill both the multicultural and a General Education area requirement are indicated within the course description. Not all Multicultural courses satisfy General Education area requirements. Courses may fulfill major or minor requirements.

  

7. Graduation Application


A candidate for a bachelor’s degree should submit an Application for Graduation accompanied by the $60 application fee when two semesters remain to complete requirements for the degree and when 90 units have been completed so that a graduation evaluation of credit can be provided prior to registration for the student’s final term.

A student who applies for graduation but does not meet all degree requirements for the term requested, will be required to reapply for graduation for the term in which all requirements will be satisfied and pay a reapplication fee in order to be eligible for continued enrollment. 

Filing Deadlines are available online.

Graduation Honors


Graduation honors are awarded to students earning baccalaureate degrees at commencement on the basis of both their overall and Stanislaus State grade point averages achieved in their undergraduate work. Projected or estimated grade averages for degree candidates are excluded from grade point average calculations. Honors designation for Spring and Summer candidates in the Commencement program is based on grades earned by the end of Winter Term. To receive an honor, both averages must meet the standards as follows:

Cum Laude                         3.40-3.59
Magna Cum Laude            3.60-3.79
Summa Cum Laude           3.80-4.00

These are minimum grade point average requirements. Calculations are not rounded upward to qualify a student. When there is a difference between the averages, the lower of the two will be used in determining the level of honors. (See Grading and Academic Standing section.)

Multiple Majors and/or Minors


Second majors, minors, and/or concentrations may not be comprised essentially of courses from the same discipline or requirements of the first major, minor, or concentration. In order to earn a second major, minor, or concentration a student must complete additional units greater than one-half of the upper-division unit requirement, in the second major, minor, or concentration.

To qualify for the academic minor, students must complete the required number of units in the academic minor with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (C).

Requirements for an Additional Baccalaureate Degree


A student may earn one degree and two majors with the second major posted to the student’s academic record as an additional major.

To qualify for an additional baccalaureate degree, students must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 30 semester units in residence at Stanislaus State after requirements for the last degree have been met. Specific requirements include completing: at least 24 upper-division units, and at least 12 units in the new major.
  2. Comply with all Stanislaus State graduation requirements, including: the General Education requirements of the student’s current catalog year, satisfaction of the graduation mathematics and writing competency requirements, and other institutional and system requirements in effect at the time of acceptance for the second degree or at the date of completion.
  3. Obtain approval of the major department chair.
  4. Maintain at least a 2.0 (C) grade point average for all Stanislaus State residence coursework taken while pursuing the additional degree.
  5. Complete a major in a discipline other than that in which a previous degree was earned.

Rather than complete requirements for an additional degree, a postbaccalaureate student may complete only requirements for an additional major. This program must be completed under the supervision of an academic department.

8. Graduation Approval


Approval of the major adviser, the concentration and/or minor adviser (if applicable) and department chair are required before the University may award a degree.