Undergraduate Graduation Requirements Policy

Custodian of Policy: Registrar

Relevant Minnesota State System Policy: 3.36

Relevant Procedures: Minnesota State System Procedure 3.36.1

Effective Date: Fall 2022

Last Review: Fall 2021

Next Review: Fall 2025

Associate Degree

Minnesota State University Moorhead offers the two-year Associate in Arts (AA) degree in Liberal Arts. The degree requires:

  • At least 60 semester credits, including at least 22 credits in courses taught by the faculty awarding the degree (MSUM courses).
  • A GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses applied to Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum (LASC), a 2.00 GPA in all courses applied to the AA degree, and a 2.00 in all courses taken at MSUM.
  • Students who earn the AA degree must complete the LASC requirements of 14 courses minimum (42 40 credits minimum) that includes ENGL 101 (or an approved alternative) and two additional writing-intensive (W) courses.
  • Students who are admitted to and complete the associate’s degree and who decide to continue with a baccalaureate program, may do so by meeting all additional requirements for the bachelor’s degree, including the restriction against using more than two LASC courses from the student’s major rubric to fulfill LASC.
  • Completion of the application for graduation, with the advisor signature, and submission to the registrar’s office.

Baccalaureate Degree

  • At least 120 credits are required for all baccalaureate degrees. At least 40 semester hours of upper division courses (300/400 level) are required.
  • Accumulation of 120 credits alone does not result in a degree. Credits must be earned as part of a baccalaureate program approved by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Students are responsible for making certain their coursework fulfills requirements for a major in their designated degree.
  • Candidates must have a GPA of at least 2.0 for all credits applied to the degree program. Students should check with the major department to find out specific graduation GPA requirements.
  • Freshmen and transfer students who have not completed an approved general education curriculum will satisfy the university’s general education requirement by completing the requirements of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum (LASC). Completion of LASC requires a minimum of 40 credits with a cumulative average GPA of at least 2.0 for all courses applied to the requirement. No more than two courses from the student’s major rubric may be applied to the LASC requirements.
    • Transfer students must have an average GPA of at least 2.0 for all courses applied to LASC.
  • All students entering with less than 32 transferrable credits must complete five writing-intensive (W) courses at MSUM. Refer to the registrar’s office web page for a list of approved courses.
    • ENGL 101 (or an approved alternative).
    • One writing-intensive course in LASC.
    • One 300/400-level writing-intensive course designated by the student’s major.
    • Two writing-intensive courses at the 200-level or higher, only one of which may hold the rubric of the student’s major.
    • If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the university writing-intensive course requirements as well as the upper-level writing requirement of each major.
  • Students entering with 32 or more transferable credits must complete two writing-intensive courses at MSUM:
    • One 300/400-level writing-intensive course designated by the major.
    • One writing-intensive course at the 200-level or higher.
    • If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the university writing-intensive course requirements as well as the upper-level writing requirement of each major.
  • All student entering with less than twenty-four transferrable credits must complete a freshmen seminar course.
  • The degree program must include at least one major with a GPA of 2.0 or above. Certain majors may specify a higher GPA.
  • No minor is required, but a GPA of at least 2.0 must be attained in any minor presented for graduation.
  • Candidates must be enrolled as a resident student for at least 30 credits taught by the faculty awarding the degree (MSUM courses), and eight of the last twelve credits must be awarded by MSUM. At least twelve credits must be earned from the MSUM department which awards the major.
  • Undergraduate students may apply graduate credits taken at MSUM towards their undergraduate degree with approval from the Office of Graduate and Extended Learning and their undergraduate program. Graduate level courses may be transferred from sending institutions towards undergraduate degree requirements with approval from the student’s undergraduate program.
  • An application for graduation must be submitted to the registrar’s office prior to the semester in which candidates expect to complete graduation requirements. Students must secure the approval of each major advisor and department chairperson before submitting the application for graduation. Candidates for graduation must have official transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions on file in the registrar’s office. No student will be eligible for graduation while in special or non-degree status.