Baccalaureate Degree and Graduation Requirements

NDSU offers a number of baccalaureate degree types; the two most common bachelor's degrees awarded at NDSU are the Bachelor Science (B.S.) and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). To receive a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree, student candidates must satisfactorily complete two sets of requirements. Students are responsible for understanding these requirements and should consult the official curriculum guide for all programs declared. Students should also plan to collaborate with an academic advisor to help guide them in this process.

A) University-Wide Degree Requirements 

1. Minimum Total Credits: Students must present a minimum of 120 semester credits before a degree can be posted to record. Requirements for some academic programs may exceed this degree credit minimum.
2. University General Education Requirements: Students must satisfactorily complete the university’s general education program requirements as outlined by the university in the general education section of the Bulletin from the year of admission or readmission to the university.
3. Minimum Scholastic Standing: Students presented for graduation must meet a minimum cumulative institutional grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00. This GPA is based on coursework taken at NDSU. Coursework transferred to NDSU is not included in this GPA calculation. Some academic programs may require a higher minimum GPA, which must be clearly outlined on the official curriculum when higher than the university minimum of 2.00 is required.
4. Resident Credit Requirement: Resident credits are earned from undergraduate courses that a student has registered and paid for at NDSU. Students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 30 credits from courses offered at NDSU or via Metro College Alliance (MCA) registration as an NDSU student.
5. Upper Level Credit Requirements: Students must present a minimum of 36 credits in courses taken at the 300-400 level for degree completion. These credits may or may not be earned at NDSU.
6. Transfer Credits: Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits as defined in #4 and the minimum upper level credit defined in #5. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.
7. Satisfy All Financial Obligations: Students must satisfy all financial obligations owed to the university. Diplomas and official transcripts will not be released to students who have outstanding debts owed to the university.
8. Applying for Undergraduate Degree: Candidates eligible for a baccalaureate degree or a Doctor of Pharmacy degree must complete the Application for Graduation found in Academic Records in Campus Connection. When eligible, students will apply for graduation from the Graduation menu within the published semester deadline. This is a hard deadline and failure to apply by the published deadline of the planned semester could delay the awarding of the degree until the following semester. Failure to satisfy all degree requirements can also delay the awarding of a degree requiring a student to have to reapply in a future semester. 
   • Note: The Application for Graduation in Campus Connection is the process to officially earn your degree. It is separate from the Commencement Ceremony registration. Completing one does not automatically register you for the other.

B) Major Requirements for Declared Major and Minors

In addition to university-wide standards, students must complete all requirements for their declared majors and minors as outlined in the official curriculum.

• Primary Major: One major must be designated as the primary major. This selection determines the college that will confer the degree and dictates any applicable college- or department-level requirements.
• Curriculum Guides: Students should refer to their specific curriculum guide for detailed course requirements.

1. Declaring a Program

Students must officially declare their degree and major intent through one of the following methods:

• New Students: Via the initial application submitted to the Office of Admission.
• Returning Students: Via the Undergraduate Reactivation/Petition for Readmission form submitted to the Office of Registration and Records.
• Current Students: By submitting a Major Change Request form to the Office of Registration and Records. This same process is required for declaring additional majors, minors, certificates, or multiple degrees.

2. Catalog Year and Curriculum Rights

The curriculum a student follows is determined by the catalog in effect at the time of their official declaration. Students remain under these requirements until graduation, with two exceptions:

• Change of Major: If a student declares a new major, they must follow the curriculum in effect at the time of the new declaration.
• Discontinued Enrollment: Students who stop attending NDSU for more than one calendar year must meet the curricular requirements published in the catalog at the time of their readmission.

3. Specialized Program Status

For majors with pre-requirements or selective admission criteria, the academic department will notify the Office of Registration and Records when a student has met the necessary benchmarks. At that time, the student's status will be updated from "pre-major" to "major" status.

4. Progress Monitoring and Degree Audits

• Academic Requirements Report: Students can monitor their real-time progress toward graduation at any time via the automated report in Campus Connection.
• Official Audit: The Office of Registration and Records performs a formal degree audit for every baccalaureate candidate to verify that all university, college, and program requirements have been satisfied prior to graduation.

Undergraduate Majors, Minors, and Certificates

Per NDUS State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) Policy 409, all University credentials must meet established minimum credit requirements. Students are governed by the curriculum standards in effect at the time of their program declaration. For comprehensive program details, please refer to the undergraduate curriculum section of the University Catalog. Notably, certificates are stand-alone credentials that may be earned independently or concurrently with a baccalaureate degree.

Majors

A major is a structured curriculum within a specific academic discipline that a student formally declares. Each major requires a minimum of 32 semester credits. To maintain program distinctiveness, departments must ensure that every major includes at least 15 unique credits not required by any other University major during the development of the program. While most programs lead to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS), specialized degree options are also available. A full list of NDSU degree types is located in the "Degree Types" section of this catalog.

Multiple Majors - Students may pursue multiple majors concurrently. In these instances, one major is designated as "primary," and the degree is awarded by that major's respective college. Students must satisfy all curriculum and degree requirements for every declared major.

• Note on degree types: If a student declares majors that fall under different degree types (e.g., a BA and a BS), Second Degree requirements apply rather than multiple major requirements.

• Post-Graduation Completion: Students may complete additional majors or minors after their initial degree is awarded, provided they fall under the same degree type. These will be recorded as academic milestones upon completion.

Dual Majors - A dual major is a formally integrated curriculum that merges two distinct majors into a single, cohesive program of study. Unlike pursuing multiple majors independently, a dual major is structured to streamline requirements, often resulting in fewer total credits. These programs must be formally approved through the University governance process. Students may declare an approved dual major via the standard major change procedure; a comprehensive list of these programs is available in the undergraduate curriculum section of the University Catalog.

Minors

Minor: Minors are focused programs of study within an academic discipline that undergraduates can declare to enrich their bachelor's degree. Minors require a minimum of 16 credits, with at least eight of those credits earned through NDSU resident coursework. A list of eligible minors is available in the "Curriculum" section of the catalog.

• Note on minors: Minors are not independent credentials; they are awarded in conjunction with a bachelor's degree. Students can also complete additional minors after they have already earned their degree, and these will be noted on their academic record as a milestone following the semester of completion.

Undergraduate Certificates

Undergraduate Certificate: Undergraduate certificate programs offer focused study in a specific area, requiring a minimum of 9 credits. These certificates can be pursued concurrently with a degree program or as a separate, stand-alone program. Details regarding the curriculum for each certificate can be found in the undergraduate "Curriculum" section of the catalog. Prospective students not currently enrolled at the University must apply through the Office of Admission to pursue an undergraduate certificate. Current students may add a certificate program through the standard major change process.

Second Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students may earn more than one baccalaureate degree at NDSU provided they meet the following criteria:

• Distinct Degree Types: Each degree must be a different type (e.g., a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts, or a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Fine Arts).

• Duplicate Degrees Prohibited: Students cannot be awarded two degrees of the same type (e.g., two Bachelor of Science degrees). To pursue multiple fields within the same degree type, students should instead declare Multiple Majors.

• Curriculum Completion: Students must successfully fulfill all curriculum and residency requirements for the additional degree.

Graduation with Honor

Honors eligibility is reserved for students earning a baccalaureate degree and the honor is posted on the official academic record with the degree. To qualify, candidates must complete a minimum of 50 institutional resident credits at NDSU and maintain a minimum institutional cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.50. Please note that transfer credits and graduate-level coursework are excluded from honors calculations. Students meeting these requirements will be awarded honors based on the following levels:

Honors

Honor	Criteria
Summa Cum Laude	50 undergraduate credits in residency and a CGPA equal to or greater than 3.90
Magna Cum Laude	50 undergraduate credits in residency and a CGPA equal to or greater than 3.70 and less than 3.90
Cum Laude	50 undergraduate credits in residency and a CGPA equal to or greater than 3.50 and less than 3.70

Honors Recognition at Commencement

For the commencement program, graduation honors are determined by a student's total credits (both completed and in-progress coursework), and the NDSU cumulative GPA at the time of the ceremony. To maintain the flow of the ceremony, specific honor levels (such as Cum Laude) are not announced as students walk across the stage.

Official Degree Audits

The degree audit is the University's official verification of graduation eligibility. When undergraduate students reach approximately 70% completion of their primary major, the Office of Registration and Records will invite them via email to submit a formal degree audit request. A Degree and Records Analyst will then perform a comprehensive review, notifying the student and advisor once the official results are confirmed in Campus Connection.

Because of the unique nature of student goals—including multiple degrees, majors, and minors—audits are not performed automatically. Students must submit a request to avoid graduation delays. For daily progress tracking, students should use the Academic Requirements Report in Campus Connection and collaborate with advisors via Bison Advise to maintain an interactive graduation plan.

Curriculum Requirements and Exceptions

NDSU maintains rigorous academic policies regarding degree requirements, graduation, and transfer credits to ensure consistently high program quality. Students are responsible for fulfilling all university-wide requirements (including General Education) and the specific curriculum for their declared program.

Substitutions and Waivers

In limited circumstances, exceptions to curriculum requirements may be granted. Students should consult their academic advisor to request a course substitution or waiver. The advisor initiates this process via the Substitution/Waiver Form, which requires formal approval from the department chairperson or curriculum coordinator.

Departmental Responsibility and Curricular Changes

Academic departments are responsible for course planning to facilitate timely graduation. If a required major course becomes unavailable, the department must ensure student progress through one of two actions:

• Individual Adjustment: Filing a substitution or waiver for the affected students.

• Curriculum Transition: Moving students to a more recent, updated curriculum within the same major.

In either case, departments must clearly communicate the chosen path to the impacted students.