Credit Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Majors, Minors, and Certificates
Effective: Implementation 2023-24, effective fall 2024
Last Updated: Approved by the EVCAA 6-30-2023
Policy Owner: Academic Affairs
Policy Contact(s): Jennifer Mencl (undergraduate education),Tracey Bolen (Registrar)
UMD ensures students meet the institutional credit standards of achievement for undergraduate (baccalaureate) degrees and majors as well as for minors and credit-bearing certificates appearing on the University of Minnesota Transcript.
Minimum credit requirements for academic programs
1. An undergraduate degree program requires a minimum of 120 total semester credits with specific residency and GPA requirements (refer to the Undergraduate Degree Requirements Policy).
a. An undergraduate degree program includes a major, and a major is a minimum of 30 semester credits.
2. Undergraduate minors are available to students pursuing an undergraduate degree program at the University of Minnesota. An undergraduate minor is a minimum of 12 semester credits.
3. Undergraduate credit-bearing certificates are available to students pursuing an undergraduate degree program at the University of Minnesota (degree-seeking students) as well as to individuals who are not enrolled in a degree program (non-degree-seeking students).
a. An undergraduate certificate that does not require prior completion of a baccalaureate degree is a minimum of 14 semester credits.
b. An undergraduate certificate that requires prior completion of a baccalaureate degree is a minimum of 8 semester credits.
Credit requirements for students pursuing multiple academic programs
4. Students must fulfill the coursework and related credit requirements of all degrees and majors, minors, and certificates they pursue.
a. Credit requirements presented in policy items 5 through 9 apply to combinations of degrees, majors, minors, and certificates.
b. Additionally, degree programs may list acceptable and unacceptable combinations of majors, minors, and/or certificates within their catalog requirements.
c. Students must work with the academic advising office for the respective majors, minors, and certificates as needed to ensure proper completion of credit requirements.
5. Students may earn two or more degrees when the degrees are in different disciplines/subfields (example: a student can earn a B.A. in Economics and a B.B.A. in Finance, but cannot earn a B.A. in Economics and a B.B.A. in Economics).
a. If the degrees involve overlapping coursework, the student is required to complete a minimum of 12 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for each additional degree program.
i. Students in the following program combinations are not required to complete 12 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for the additional program. The degree requirements for both programs must be completed.
Teaching Communication Arts and Literature B.A.A. and English B.A.
Teaching French B.A.A. and French Studies B.A.
Teaching German Studies B.A.A. and German Studies B.A.
Teaching Mathematics B.A.Sc. and Mathematics B.S.
Teaching Physical Science B.A.Sc. (Chemistry subplan) and Chemistry B.A.
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Anthropology subplan) and Anthropology B.A.
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Geography subplan) and Environment, Sustainability & Geography B.A. (General subplan or Urban and Regional Studies subplan)
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (History subplan) and History B.A. (History and Social Science subplan)
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. and Political Science B.A.
Teaching Spanish B.A.A. and Spanish Studies B.A. (Language and Culture Studies subplan or Latin America subplan)
b. A student may graduate with two or more degrees at the same time, and may graduate with an undergraduate degree from UMD and return to UMD to complete a second degree.
6. Students may earn two or more majors within the same degree program (example: a student can earn a B.A.Sc. in Psychology and a B.A.Sc. in Public Health).
a. If the majors involve overlapping coursework, the student is required to complete a minimum of 9 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for each additional major.
b. A student may graduate with two or more majors at the same time. A student may graduate with a degree from UMD and return to UMD to complete a second major in the same degree as a non-degree seeking student.
7. Students may earn two or more subplans within the same degree depending upon the program (example: a student can earn a Theatre B.F.A. with subplans in Acting and Costume Design).
a. If the subplans involve overlapping coursework, the student is required to complete a minimum of 9 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for each additional subplan.
b. A student may graduate with two or more subplans at the same time. A student may graduate with a degree from UMD and return to UMD to complete a second subplan in the same degree as a non-degree seeking student.
8. Students may earn one or more minors when the major(s) and minor(s) are in different disciplines/subfields (example, a student cannot earn a B.S. in Biology and a Biology minor). Students cannot declare a minor that is an optional subplan in their degree program.
a. If the major(s) and minor(s) involve overlapping coursework, the student is required to complete a minimum of 6 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for each additional program.
i. Students in the following program combinations are not required to complete 6 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for the minor. The requirements for both programs must be completed.
Teaching Communication Arts and Literature B.A.A. and English Minor
Teaching French B.A.A. and French Studies Minor
Teaching German Studies B.A.A. and German Studies Minor
Teaching Life Science B.A.Sc. (Biology subplan) and Biology Minor
Teaching Mathematics B.A.Sc. and Mathematics Minor
Teaching Physical Science B.A.Sc. (Chemistry subplan) and Chemistry Minor
Teaching Physical Science B.A.Sc. (Physics subplan) and Physics Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Anthropology subplan) and Anthropology Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Economics subplan) and Economics Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Geography subplan) and Environment, Sustainability & Geography Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (History subplan) and History Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. and Political Science Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Psychology subplan) and Psychology Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Sociology subplan) and Sociology Minor
Teaching Social Studies B.A.A. (Women’s Studies subplan) and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Minor
Teaching Spanish B.A.A. and Spanish Studies Minor
b. A student seeking a minor may complete the minor concurrently with a degree or first complete a degree and then return to earn a minor.
9. Students may earn one or more certificates. Students earning a certificate as part of a degree program that includes the certificate’s requirements must apply to receive the certificate (z.umn.edu/umdcert).
a. If the major(s) and certificate(s) involve overlapping coursework, the student is required to complete a minimum of 6 semester credits of non-overlapping coursework for each additional program.
b. A student seeking a certificate may complete the certificate concurrently with a degree or first complete a degree and then return to earn a certificate.