University Studies Major
Major Requirements
Degree Type: B.U.S. Minimum Credits Required: 120
University Degree Requirements
For complete details on these and other university degree requirements, refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section in the University Catalog.
- Minimum of 120 semester credits (some programs may exceed this minimum).
- Complete the University General Education requirements.
- Minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- Minimum of 30 credits in resident at NDSU.
- Minimum of 36 upper level credits (courses numbered 300 or higher).
- Students with transfer credit must meet the NDSU 30 credits in residence (#4). Of these 30 credits in residence, a minimum of 15 credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 credits must be in the student's declared major curricula.
University General Education Requirements
A list of university approved general education courses along with the administrative policies governing the requirement and the categories is available here.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Category C: Communication | 12 | |
| Category R: Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | |
| Category S: Science and Technology | 10 | |
| Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts | 6 | |
| Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences | 6 | |
| Category W: Wellness | 2 | |
| Category D: Cultural Diversity | ||
| Category G: Global Perspectives | ||
| Category L: Digital Literacy | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
B.U.S. Plan Proposal
The Bachelor of University Studies (B.U.S.) degree program is designed for students seeking a personalized, flexible path to graduation. Students begin by collaborating with an advisor at the Career and Advising Center to define their long-term goals. Together, they develop a proposal outlining these goals, summarizing prior education and experience, and detailing a tailored plan of study. This proposal, once signed by both the student and advisor, is submitted to the B.U.S. Program Review Committee for approval. Upon approval, the proposal becomes the student's individualized graduation requirements, ensuring they meet both general education and university-wide graduation standards.
The B.U.S. degree does not offer a designated major. Instead, students create one or more areas of emphasis relevant to their post-graduation aspirations. Each emphasis area requires a minimum of 12 credit hours, with at least six being upper-division courses. Students may also choose to complement their plan of study with an academic minor.
Degree plan proposals must be submitted to the B.U.S. Program Review Committee by established deadlines: October 1 for spring or summer graduation, and February 1 for fall graduation. A minimum of 15 credit hours included in the proposal must be completed after the Committee's approval.