Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Majors, Minors, and Certificates
Effective: January 3, 2011
Version History: Approved by TLC March 15, 2017; approved by EVCAA May 5, 2017; revisions approved by TLC 2-20-19; approved by EVCAA 5-15-19; policy revision confirmed by UCC April 23, 2024; approved by EVCAA June 26, 2024
Policy Owner: Academic Affairs
Policy Contacts: Jennifer Mencl (Undergraduate Education), Tracey Bolen (Registrar)
1. The Board of Regents, on recommendation of the faculty, grants degrees from the University of Minnesota. The University sets degree requirements and standards, and departments, colleges, and campuses have the delegated authority to determine requirements and standards related to programs and majors, so long as they are consistent with this policy.
UMD’s minimum credit requirements for undergraduate academic programs are specified in the campus’s Credit Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Majors, Minors, and Certificates Policy.
2. To receive an undergraduate degree, or to have a minor or credit-bearing certificate recorded on their transcript, students must complete a required minimum of their coursework from the campus that awards the degree, minor, or certificate (commonly referred to as “resident credit” or “credit in residence”).
Resident credit includes:
- Credit-bearing courses offered by UMD in any modality, such as in-person, partially online, and online (includes courses offered by the Duluth School of Medicine and College of Pharmacy)
- Credits earned through UMD-approved Study Abroad programs and National Student Exchange*
- Credits earned through UMD-approved affiliation or exchange agreements with accredited institutions of higher education or equivalent institutions*
*Credits meet residency requirements; UMD faculty determine whether credits meet program requirements.
Resident credit does not include:
- Transfer credit not earned through a UMD-approved program/agreement
- Credit through prior learning
- Military service credit
- Credit granted through nationally prepared examinations (e.g., Advanced Placement testing, College-level Examination Program, International Baccalaureate exams)
- Local credit-by-examination credits earned through locally prepared tests
Minimum residency requirements for an UMD undergraduate degrees, minors, and credit-bearing certificates include:
a. Undergraduate (baccalaureate) degrees:
- At least 30 semester credits through UMD;
- At least 15 credits of the last 30 credits through UMD; and
- At least half of upper-division (3xxx-level or higher) credits that satisfy major requirements (major requirements includes all courses required for the major, including courses in a sub-plan) through UMD.
b. Undergraduate minors: At least 3 upper-division credits that satisfy minor requirements for the minor through UMD.
c. Undergraduate credit-bearing certificates: At least 3 upper-division credits that satisfy requirements for the certificate through UMD. If the program does not require upper-division credits students must take at least one course in the certificate program through UMD.
The Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may, under extraordinary circumstances, waive the minimum residency requirements specified in 2a, 2b, and 2c.
3. Students may complete a major and minor from two different University of Minnesota campuses. Students may earn a certificate from any credit-bearing certificate program to which they have been admitted on any University of Minnesota campus.
a. Students fulfilling requirements for two majors within different degree structures (e.g., one B.A. and one B.S.) may earn two degrees except for the same major or discipline (e.g. B.A. and B.S. or B.B.A. in Economics) from any campus of the University. Students must complete all requirements for each degree beyond completion of the major.
b. In addition to resident credit specified in #2, undergraduate degree requirements at UMD include:
- Completion of the Liberal Education Program or the campus-approved equivalent;
- Completion of a campus-approved advanced writing course or a campus-approved equivalent; and
- A maximum number of S/N credits as specified in the Satisfactory/Non-satisfactory (S/N) Grading Policy: Undergraduate Degrees.
c. Students may not complete more than one degree or minor in the same discipline (e.g., a student may major or minor in Economics but not both). Academic departments may specify major and minor combinations that are allowed in their degree program requirements within the catalog.
d. A single course can fulfill multiple requirements within the same academic program (major, minor, or credit-bearing certificate) and/or the Liberal Education Program, but the course credits will count only once for the credit requirements.
Students must meet all course and credit requirements of the degree or credential according to the students’ declared academic catalog.
The default catalog year is the term in which a student matriculates as a degree-seeking student at UMD. Otherwise, the catalog year follows the term in which a student declares a major, minor, or credit-bearing certificate. Students may petition to use a more current catalog year in which they are enrolled at UMD for a major, a minor, a credit-bearing certificate, or the Liberal Education Program. Former students who re-enter UMD after an absence of two or more terms, excluding summer, must meet the requirements of the current catalog unless the college dean, associate dean, or advising director approves use of the requirements for an earlier catalog. Transfer students admitted to UMD may petition to follow a catalog year in effect when they initially enrolled in a degree-seeking program at a two- or four-year institution up to three years prior to their first semester at UMD.
4. The University of Minnesota (UMN) GPA required for graduation is a minimum of 2.00, which is cumulative and includes only University of Minnesota coursework from all campuses. Additionally, each UMD undergraduate major, minor, and certificate requires a minimum program GPA of 2.00, which includes transfer coursework meeting requirements for the academic program. No academic unit may impose different grade point standards or conditions to graduate.
5. In some cases, a student may accumulate credits that, while recognized by the University, are in excess of what may be required for the degree program in which the student is enrolled. The accumulation of 120 or more credits without meeting requirements and standards set out in this policy and by departments, colleges, and the campus, does not entitle a student to a degree.
6. Application of transfer credits toward majors, minors, and certificates are subject to department approval.
7. Diplomas and transcripts may be withheld until financial obligations and student conduct or academic integrity sanctions for the University have been met in accordance with University of Minnesota and UMD policies (Holds on Records and Registration). Recommendations for licensure and other credentials that are dependent upon completion of specific academic programs will also be withheld until obligations and sanctions are met.
Definitions
Academic program: A program of study consisting of credit-bearing course requirements that is approved by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents; includes baccalaureate degrees, minors, and credit-bearing certificates.
Baccalaureate degree: An academic degree conferred upon those who complete the undergraduate curriculum; also called a bachelor’s degree or undergraduate degree program.
Degree structure or type: A common degree framework, such as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and others approved by the Board of Regents to be offered by UMD.
Major: A main field of specialization during undergraduate or graduate studies that is related to a degree program. Majors are recorded on transcripts.
Minor: A declared secondary field of study or specialization during undergraduate or graduate studies. A minor typically consists of a set of courses that meet specified guidelines and is designed to allow a sub-major concentration in an academic discipline or in a specific area in or across disciplines. Minors are recorded on transcripts.
Requirements for the major and minor: The set of courses that constitute the program of study in a focused area for a particular degree program and make up a portion of the University of Minnesota degree.
UMD-approved Study Abroad programs: UMD-approved Study Abroad programs are credit-bearing non-degree programs that have been vetted and approved by UMD Study Abroad. Undergraduate programs at any level (institutional, collegiate, or departmental) must be offered by an institution, affiliate, or provider with whom UMD has a study abroad or exchange contractual agreement approved by the Office of the General Counsel and approved and signed by Study Abroad/International Programs and Services staff. UMD-sponsored Study Abroad programs do not include partnerships where only a Memorandum of Understanding, or similar document, has been signed.