Nov 26, 2024

UMM 2018-2020

UMM 2018-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Bachelor of College Studies

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OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 120

Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0

The Bachelor of College Studies (BCS) program meets the individualized needs of students who have a strong desire to finish their Bachelor’s degree, have earned at least 45 hours of college credit, and developed a clear and compelling set of program goals and learning objectives that can be achieved and supported by UMM courses and faculty. The general education and program requirements are broad and flexible enough to give many students the fastest and most affordable route to completing their degree. BCS students may take on-line and/or onsite classes, or a combination of the two.

Working closely with the BCS coordinator and an advisor appropriate to their concentration area, students must develop a Plan of Study that includes overall program objectives, student learning outcomes for the Self-Designed concentration, all course work to be completed in all areas of the program, and the planned capstone experience (i.e. BCS 460 or other equivalent). Once approved, the Plan sets the curriculum for the individualized program.

General Requirements

Students must earn a minimum of 120 credits and achieve a GPA of at least 2.00 to graduate. Forty credits must be at or above the 200 level. While they are not required to meet all University Core requirements, students must take the general education courses listed below. A single course can only be used to fulfill one requirement in general education and self-designed concentration.

General Education Requirements - 44-49 cr

I. Communication Skills - 9 cr

ENG 101 - Composition Credits: 3
SPE 104 - Public Speaking Credits: 3
(or a broad-based communication course)
Additional Writing course Credits: 3

Note: Students must also meet the same Advanced Level Writing requirement as all UMM students. This is typically embedded in Program requirements below.

II. Aesthetic Knowledge & Appreciation - 3 cr

Complete 3 credits from one of the following subject areas:

Art
Creative Writing
Dance
Interdisciplinary Fine Arts
Music
Theatre

III. Cultural Environments - 6 cr

Complete one course from each of two different areas listed below, for a total of 6 credits:

Art
English
Foreign Language
History
Humanities
Music
Philosophy
Speech
Theatre
Writing

IV. History - 6 cr

Complete 6 credits of History. At least 3 credits must be a World or non-Western History.

V. Social Environments - 6 cr

Select one course from each of two different areas listed below, for a total of 6 credits.

Environmental Liberal Arts

ELA 112 - Community & Place Credits: 3

Behavioral Sciences

Any course in:

Psychology (PSY)

Social Sciences

Any UMM course from one of the following areas:

Anthropology (ANT)
Sociology (SOC)
Social Sciences (SSC)
Women’s Studies (WST)

For transfer courses in area or group studies, a syllabus, course description and/or reading list may be requested to show relevance to social sciences.

Political & Economic Studies

Any course from one of the following areas:

Economics (ECO)
Political Science (POS)

Business Studies

Any course from one of the following areas:

Business (BUS)
Management (MAN)
Marketing (MAR)

Ethics & Philosophy

Any course in:

Philosophy (PHI)

VI. Mathematical Literacy - 3-6 cr

Complete any two MAT courses at or above the 100-level. One of these courses may be MAT 102 Intermediate Algebra or its equivalent (see below).

Ways to establish equivalence to MAT 102:

Score at least 530 on the new SAT math exam (MSS) or at least 21 on ACT math exam.
Score 50 or better on CLEP College Mathematics or College Algebra exam taken after 7/1/2001 or 500 or better on same exam taken before that date.
Place beyond Intermediate Algebra on Accuplacer placement exam.

Note: Credit will not be awarded for choices 1 and 3 above.

VII. Natural Environments - 4 cr

ELA 113 - Natural Environments Credits: 4
or any 4-credit lab science

VIII. Global Perspectives - 3 cr

Complete any three-credit course that has a global perspective or focus. At UMM these courses include:

ANT 101 - Cultural Anthropology Credits: 3
ART 201 - Art History I Credits: 3
ART 202 - Art History II Credits: 3
BUS 334 - International Business Credits: 3
CMY 220 - Soliya: Cross-Cultural Communication Credits: 3
ENG 224 - Milestones of World Literature Credits: 3
GEO 101 - Intro to Geography Credits: 3
HTY 115 - World History to 1500 Credits: 3
HTY 116 - World History since 1500 Credits: 3
HTY 321 - World Environmental History Credits: 3
Foreign Language

IX. Personal Wellness - 3 cr

ELA 101 - Recreation & Wellness Seminar Credits: 3

X. Core Capstone - 3 cr

ELA 342 - Humans & Nature Credits: 3

Self-Designed Concentration

Students in consultation with their academic advisor will draw up a plan for a concentration, including the name of the concentration, the goals, the learning outcomes, and the specific courses that the student will use to complete the concentration. The concentration and plan of study will be unique to each student. The concentration must be in an area of study that can be supported by UMM faculty and UMM courses, especially courses at or above the 300-level. The concentration may not duplicate, or be used to circumvent degree requirements of any degree program at UMM. The proposed Plan of Study must be approved by the academic advisor, the BCS Coordinator, the BCS Advisory Committee and the VPAA.

A minimum of 39 credits is required in each self-designed concentration. All course work should focus on the goals and objectives of the proposed concentration. This may include independent studies, CLEP, Portfolio Assessment, etc. A minimum of 12 credit hours in the concentration must be UMM course work. A minimum of 15 hours must be taken at the 300-level or above; of these 15 hours, a minimum of 9 hours must be UMM course work. The concentration must include a culminating integrative experience that clearly demonstrates the linkage between the concentration objectives and the student’s academic work. This may be accomplished through completion of BCS 460 Senior Project/Capstone Experience or another appropriate senior seminar or capstone course. The concentration must also include at least one course which meets the Advanced Level Writing requirement of the University Core. Students must have a 2.0 GPA in the self-designed concentration to qualify for graduation.

All UMM residency requirements apply to BCS students, including a minimum of 30 credits of UMM coursework.

Note: If a student transfers from the Bachelor of College Studies program to any of the other baccalaureate degree programs, University Core requirements and the appropriate program requirements must be completed.