Baccalaureate and Associate Degree Requirements – LR 507.1

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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Policy Name: Baccalaureate and Associate Degree Requirements
Policy Number: LR 507.1
Effective Date: July 1, 2020
Revised Dates: August 2019, August 2018; January 5, 2015; April 1, 2010; May 21, 2004
Most Recent Review Date: August 30, 2019

Policy

To receive a baccalaureate degree, a student must complete 120 hours (Academic majors and colleges may specify additional and /or more restrictive requirements) of which 30 hours must be in residence and 45 must be upper-level (3000 level or above). At least 15 upper-level hours must be completed in residence. A baccalaureate degree program may require more than 120 semester hours of college credit if prior approval has been granted by the Board of Trustees or it is a requirement of an independent licensing or accrediting body.

Except in majors that must adhere to standards established by national accrediting agencies, students must select at least 12 elective hours outside their program or complete a minor in addition to the UA Little Rock Core Curriculum.

Except in majors that must adhere to standards established by national accrediting agencies, major requirements must include courses or coursework either within or outside the department on

  • Oral and written communication in the discipline
  • Research methods, ethics, and critical thinking
  • Technology.

These required hours must include:

  • A minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point on all work attempted at the University.
  • A minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point on all work attempted in the academic major.
  • A core curriculum which must include a 3 hour course in U. S. history or U. S. government and a 3 hour course in College Algebra, College Math or higher-level math course. See “Core Requirements for Bachelor Degrees.”
  • A major.
  • A baccalaureate degree-seeking student in the process of completing more than one major may have one calendar year following graduation with one major to complete the additional declared major(s) if (1) the student has a valid degree plan on file which specifies requirements for more than one major and (2) if the student completes an application for graduation which indicates that a total of seven (7) or fewer hours remain to complete the additional major(s).

Associate Degree Requirements
Except for certain programs as specified by the program, all students receiving the associate degree (the AA or AS) must successfully complete at least 60 hours.

Graduation with an associate degree requires a C average (2.0 cumulative grade point average) on all work attempted at the University; completion of at least 20 hours above the freshman level, unless specified otherwise in the program; and completion of at least 15 hours (excluding credit by examination) in residence. Hours earned as credit by examination are counted as hours toward graduation but are not counted as hours in residence. See “Credit by Examination.”

Courses completed for an associate degree at UA Little Rock will be counted toward the appropriate requirements for the baccalaureate degree.

Second Associate Degree
An associate degree may be conferred as a second degree when the first degree is either a baccalaureate or another associate degree, subject to these provisions:

  • The second associate degree must be in a different discipline from the first degree.
  • Students must complete at least 15 credit hours in residence (excluding credit by examination) beyond their first degree.
  • Only credit earned at UA Little Rock after completing the first degree will normally apply toward the second degree. However, students in their final semester of studies toward the first degree may complete the course load for that semester with courses applicable to the second degree. Students must file a written statement of their intent to seek a second degree with the Office of Records and Registration at the time of registration.
  • A major must be completed. Courses completed within the previous degree that satisfy requirements for the second major may be accepted as satisfying course requirements, but not as hours toward the second degree. These hours do not count as part of the 30, except as specified in Item 3 above.
  • The core curriculum component in the second associate degree is not required. However, if not taken as a part of another baccalaureate degree, a course in United States history or government (HIST 2311, HIST 2312, or POLS 1310) must be completed. See “Policy 503.3. U.S. Traditions: United States History or Government Requirement.”

Additional Baccalaureate Degrees1,2
Additional baccalaureate degree(s) may be conferred subject to these provisions:

  • Students must complete at least 30 credit hours in residence, including courses completed previously at UA Little Rock, but excluding transfer credit, credit-by-examination, experiential credit, and repeated courses.
  • All program requirements must be completed for each additional baccalaureate degree. Courses completed within the previous degree(s) that satisfy requirements for additional program(s) may be accepted as satisfying program requirements for additional degree(s), subject to approval by the program faculty.
  • If not taken as a part of another baccalaureate degree, a course in United States history or government (HIST 2311, HIST 2312 or POLS 1310) must be completed, see “General Education Policy (503.3). U.S. Traditions: United States History or Government Requirement.” However, other general education requirements are not applicable to additional baccalaureate degrees.

(Academic majors and colleges may specify additional and/or more restrictive requirements.)

Regulations
These provisions apply to baccalaureate degrees:

  • Hours earned as credit by examination are counted as hours toward graduation but are not counted as hours in residence. See “Credit by Examination.”
  • A student may elect to graduate under the provisions of the UA Little Rock Undergraduate Catalog in effect during any semester in residence at UA Little Rock before qualifying for a degree. Students who interrupt their enrollment at UA Little Rock for more than five consecutive calendar years must use the catalog current at the time of readmission or later. A student transferring to UA Little Rock from regionally accredited four‐year institutions, community colleges, or junior colleges with 13 or more hours of accepted credit may graduate under the provisions of a UA Little Rock Undergraduate Catalog in effect during any semester of the previous five years in which they were enrolled at the other institution. Note: At no time may a student follow the provisions of a UA Little Rock Undergraduate Catalog that is more than five years old at the time of the student’s entry into UA Little Rock.
  • A student enrolled at UA Little Rock who intends to enroll concurrently or as a transient student at another accredited institution should obtain advance approval.
  • A senior may participate in commencement exercises prior to the completion of all degree requirements if the student has:
    • A cumulative 2.0 grade point on all work attempted at UA Little Rock
    • A cumulative 2.0 grade point in the academic major and in the academic minor
    • No more than nine hours remaining to complete degree requirements.
    • Submitted a graduation application following prescribed procedures. See “Graduation Procedure” in the UA Little Rock Undergraduate Catalog.

(Academic majors and colleges may specify more restrictive requirements which supersede these regulations and are detailed in the academic section of the catalog.)

Citation and Modification
This policy must be cited in any curricular documents that excerpt it (such as the Undergraduate Catalog) and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (or their designee) should review those documents before they are finalized.  Wherever there is a substantive conflict between the document which quotes this policy and this policy, this policy shall be followed.

The Policy can be modified through legislative action of the Faculty Senate (see Article III of the Constitution of the Assembly of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock).

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1The first degree may be awarded at UA Little Rock or it may be accepted in transfer (FSM_2017_1).

2The catalog for each of the degrees may be different, although all requirements for the first degree must be drawn from the same catalog (FSM_2017_1).

Source:  Faculty Senate Minutes (10/20/2017; 4/10/2015; 12/5/2014; 10/24/2014; 3/15/2013; 2/15/2013; 3/30/2012; 5/7/2004; 4/18/2003; 4/19/1994; 4/24/1992; 4/19/1989; 10/17/1985; 3/30/1983); Faculty Senate Memo (10/5/2017)
Status:  Active
Approved:  Andrew Rogerson, Chancellor
Originator:  Faculty Senate
Custodian:  Faculty Senate