Undergraduate Baccalaureate Degree Completion Policy
In accordance with the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Policy on Degree and Curricular Requirements (III-7.00) and the USM Policy on Standard Credit Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree Programs (III-8.02) and The College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 (Senate Bill 740), UMBC has established a Baccalaureate Degree Completion Policy (UMBC Policy #III-8.02.01) to articulate the requirements and standards for the completion of an undergraduate baccalaureate degree.
Excerpts from the full Undergraduate Baccalaureate Degree Completion Policy (UMBC Policy #III-8.02.01) are outlined below:
Standards for Completion of an Undergraduate Baccalaureate Degree within Four Years
- Students will be expected to make consistent academic progress and complete the requirements of a baccalaureate degree in a timely fashion. To this end, full-time degree seeking undergraduate students will be expected to complete all degree requirements in four years.
- While the university will take every reasonable effort to ensure student success within four years, it is ultimately the responsibility of the student to satisfactorily complete the requirements for a baccalaureate degree.
- To satisfy the requirements of a major program, students are expected to follow the four-year degree pathways and meet designated benchmarks as established by each academic department.
- In consultation with an academic advisor, and in accordance with the four-year academic pathways, students shall develop and file an individualized degree plan by completion of 45 credit hours of coursework. Transfer students must develop an individualized degree plan in consultation with an academic advisor during the student’s first semester at UMBC.
- Students not meeting designated benchmarks will be required to meet with an academic advisor to revise their individualized degree plans.
- Timely completion of undergraduate degrees is fostered through effective and meaningful partnerships between students and academic advisors. Students are expected to meet periodically with an academic advisor at least once per semester.
- It is recognized that individual circumstances may change and, in some cases, a student’s progress toward a baccalaureate degree may be interrupted. In such circumstances, students should consult with an academic advisor to minimize any delays toward degree completion.
- If an interruption occurs, the student has the option of following the requirements in the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at UMBC when he or she began public higher education within the state of Maryland for the first time, provided continuous enrollment (without a two-year break). This option applies to major requirements as well as to minimum university requirements and general education requirements as outlined in the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Policy.
- The university reserves the right to change any provision or requirement at any time within a student’s period of enrollment.
Minimum University Requirements for an Undergraduate Baccalaureate Degree
Minimum Academic Credits: Without exception, students must complete a minimum of 120 academic credits to receive a UMBC degree. Academic credits exclude institutional credit (i.e., physical activity and developmental level coursework).
Minimum Grade Point Average: Without exception, students must have a minimum cumulative UMBC grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 to receive a UMBC degree. The UMBC GPA excludes institutional credit (i.e., physical activity and developmental level coursework) and all academic coursework with an earned “P” grade.
Minimum Upper Level Credits: Without exception, at least 45 of the minimum 120 credits required for graduation must be in courses numbered at the 300-level or above. Courses taken at UMBC as well as those accepted in transfer that are numbered 300-level or above will be applied towards the 45 upper level credit requirement.
Minimum Resident Credits: Without exception, students must complete at least 30 credits of course work at UMBC (referred to as resident credit) to receive a UMBC degree. Of the 30 resident credits, 15 must be upper-level (courses numbered at the 300-level or above).
Writing Intensive Course (WI): Without exception, students must complete one writing intensive course with a grade of “C” or better; a designated WI course may count for the major or a general education requirement, or it may be taken as an elective. The WI course must be completed at UMBC; transfer courses shall not to be used to fulfill this requirement.
General Education Requirements
Recommended competency areas for General Education Programs have been established by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and adopted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
UMBC’s general education requirements enable students to develop functional skills and competencies important for academic and lifetime success which include the following areas: written and oral communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency and information literacy. Additional information regarding the general education requirements at UMBC is available at the General Education website.
- Students must complete all general education requirements with a grade of “C” or better.
- Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis shall not be applied toward General Education Requirements.
To fulfill the general education requirements, UMBC students will complete courses distributed across seven broad areas of academic inquiry:
- ENGLISH COMPOSITION (ENGL 100 or ENGL 110): Students must complete one English composition course with a general education designation within the first 30 credit hours of enrollment at UMBC.
- MATHEMATICS: Students must complete one mathematics or statistics course with a general education designation within the first 30 credit hours of enrollment at UMBC.
- ARTS AND HUMANITIES: Students must complete three arts and humanities courses with a general education designation; courses must come from at least two different academic disciplines.
- SOCIAL SCIENCES: Students must complete three social science courses with a general education designation; courses must come from at least two different academic disciplines.
- SCIENCES: Students must complete two science courses and one laboratory course with a general education designation.
- LANGUAGE: Students must complete a language sequence through the 201 level or demonstrated proficiency at that level.
- CULTURE: B.A./B.F.A. students must complete two culture courses with a general education designation; B.S. students must complete one culture course with a general education designation.
Major Requirements
Students must satisfy the requirements of a major program which provides the focal point of a student’s undergraduate study and ensures depth of knowledge in that field.
Students may choose to major in an established discipline within one of the available major curricula or develop a self-designed program within the framework of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. A list of major programs, with links to departmental websites is available at the Degrees and Programs at UMBC website.
Students shall declare a major program as soon as practical but not later than by the completion of 45 credit hours of course work by filing a Declaration of Major form in the Registrar’s Office. Students who transfer to UMBC with at least 45 credit hours of course work shall declare a major program during their first semester.
Minor Requirements (If Applicable)
Students may elect to declare a minor, which is a survey of an academic field, but in less depth than a major program. Students are encouraged to discuss the opportunity with an academic advisor to determine if it is appropriate. Some programs may require completion of a minor in conjunction with the major. A list of minor programs with links to departmental websites is available at the Degrees and Programs at UMBC website.
Minor programs are recognized only when completed concurrently with and as part of a bachelor’s degree program and shall not be the same as the declared major.
Certificates (If Applicable)
Students may elect to declare a certificate as part of their degree program to achieve mastery of a skill or content area. Students are encouraged to discuss the opportunity with an academic advisor to determine if it is appropriate. A list of certificate programs, with links to departmental websites is available at the Degrees and Programs at UMBC website.
In general, students must complete the requirements of a certificate in conjunction with and as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Special exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Registrar’s Office at the point of a student’s graduation audit.
Multiple Major Programs
Students who elect to complete the requirements of multiple majors must submit a Declaration of Major form with the Registrar’s Office to declare their major intent. Upon filing the form, the primary, secondary or other major(s) will be specified.
When pursuing multiple major programs involving the same bachelor degree type (e.g., Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Arts [or] Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science), the student must complete the requirements of both major programs, complete the general education requirements for only one major since they result in the same degree and a minimum of 120 degree credits. All requirements of both major programs must be completed at the time of graduation.
When pursuing multiple major programs involving different bachelor’s degree types (e.g., Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science [or] Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts), the student must complete the requirements of both major programs, complete only the general education requirements of the primary major that was specified on the Declaration of Major form and a minimum of 120 degree credits. All requirements of both major programs must be completed at the time of graduation.
Students who successfully complete multiple majors will receive only one diploma with the primary major printed on the diploma. The secondary or other major(s) will be listed only on the official transcript.
Multiple Degree Programs
Students who elect to complete the requirements of multiple degrees must submit a Declaration of Major form with the Registrar’s Office to declare their degree intent.
Students electing to concurrently complete programs involving the same bachelor degree type (e.g., Bachelor of Arts and a second or more Bachelor of Arts [or] a Bachelor of Science and a second or more Bachelor of Science), must complete the requirements of all degree programs, complete the general education requirements for only one degree since they are the same and a minimum of 30 credits above the 120 credit minimum for each additional degree at the time of graduation.
Students electing to concurrently complete programs involving different bachelor’s degree types (e.g., Bachelor of Arts and a second or more Bachelor of Science [or] a Bachelor of Science and a second or more Bachelor of Arts), must complete the requirements of all degree programs, the general education requirements applicable to all degrees and a minimum of 30 credits above the 120 credit minimum for each additional degree at the time of graduation.
Students who successfully complete multiple degrees will receive one diploma for each degree earned.
Post-Baccalaureate Degrees
Students who have graduated and wish to complete an additional degree program in a discipline or major not completed during their prior degree program are required to complete a minimum of 30 degree credits in residence at UMBC, which may include courses to complete all requirements of the additional degree program.
Combined Degrees
If students wish to enroll in a combined degree program in medicine, law or dentistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), they must satisfactorily complete 90 credit hours at UMBC, including all general education and major requirements, prior to entrance to the professional school. After completing the first year at UMB and on the recommendation of the dean of the professional school and the provost at UMBC, students will be awarded the baccalaureate degree from UMBC.
Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs
Students interested in pursuing an accelerated bachelor’s/master’s degree program should make their intentions known to an undergraduate academic advisor and the appropriate graduate program director. Additional information regarding the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program is available on the Graduate School website.
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