Degree and Certificate Requirements

Students are responsible for full knowledge of the provisions and regulations pertaining to their program contained in this catalog and elsewhere. Students have final responsibility for completing the requirements for a degree and are urged to seek advising. Students should never assume that they have approval to deviate from a stated requirement without a properly signed statement to that effect. Please refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

For degree requirements, click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

• Requirements for All Bachelor Degrees
• Requirements for Extended Majors
• Requirements for a Second Degree
• Requirements for Concurrent Degrees
• Requirements for Dual Majors
• Certificate Requirements
• General Studies Requirements
• Ethnic Studies & Social Justice (ESSJ) Graduation Requirement
• Senior Experience Graduation Requirement

Requirements for All Bachelor Degrees

To earn a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, a student must satisfy the following minimum requirements, plus any others stipulated for the degree for which a student is a candidate. Please refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

• Complete a minimum of 120 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher for all coursework.
• Complete at least 39 semester hours in upper-division courses (3000- and 4000-level courses).
• Complete all General Studies requirements listed for the degree and major.
• Complete a three-credit hour Ethnic Studies & Social Justice course requirement.
• Complete a three-credit hour Senior Experience course requirement. This course must be taken at MSU Denver.
• Complete one subject major consisting of not less than 30 semester hours. 
• Students may not major and minor in the same discipline and are encouraged to obtain verification from an advisor if uncertainty exists.
• Complete all requirements of the student’s department, school, or college.
• Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all MSU Denver courses that satisfy the requirements for the major and for all MSU Denver courses that satisfy requirements for a minor. Students should check with an advisor for special GPA program requirements.
• File an application for graduation through the Student Hub with the Office of the Registrar according to published dates in the Academic Calendar .
• Academic residency (classroom credit) requirements:
  • Complete either (1) a minimum of 30 semester hours of academic credit applicable to the degree at MSU Denver, including the last 12 semester hours applicable to the degree, or (2) a minimum of 45 semester hours applicable to the degree at MSU Denver.
  • Complete at least 8 upper-division (3000- and 4000-level courses) semester hours of the major and 3 upper-division semester hours of the minor at MSU Denver (classroom credit).
  • Students should be aware that University of Colorado Denver pooled courses will not satisfy academic residency requirements at MSU Denver. Physics (PHY) courses are excluded from this restriction. To use an MSU Denver-UCD pooled course for the last 12 hours residency requirement, a student must (1) complete a minimum of 30 hours of credit at MSU Denver prior to graduation and (2) obtain permission from the major or minor department prior to taking a pooled course to meet a requirement in the major or minor program.  UCD pooled credit will not count towards the 50 resident credit hours required for Honors.

Requirements for Extended Majors

These majors require course work that is so extensive and in-depth that it may take more than 120 credits to complete the major. 

Credit Limitations

• No more than 30 semester hours of omnibus-numbered courses may be applied toward graduation requirements, except for music.
• No more than 30 semester hours taken by correspondence may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.
• No more than 15 semester hours of internship credit may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.
• No more than 16 semester hours in human performance and leisure activity (ESSA) courses will be counted towards a bachelor’s degree for students who are not majoring in Human Performance and Sport.
• No more than 4 semester hours in varsity sports (ATH) courses will be counted towards a bachelor’s degree for students who are not majoring in Human Performance and Sport.
• No more than 7 semester hours in music ensemble courses will be counted toward a bachelor’s degree for students who are not majoring in music.
• No more than 12 semester hours of independent study credit may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.

Student Bill of Rights

The General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:

1. Students should be able to complete their associate of arts and associate of science degree programs in no more than sixty credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than one hundred twenty credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
2. a student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
3. students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees;
4. students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education;
5. students, upon completion of core general education courses, regardless of the delivery method, should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education;
6. students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the students’ degree requirements;
7. a student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferrable.

Requirements for a Second Bachelor’s Degree

To earn a second bachelor’s degree, a student must satisfy the following minimum requirements, plus any others stipulated for the degree for which a student is a candidate.

Students should be aware that depending on the amount of curricular overlap between the first-degree program and the second-degree program, it might be difficult or impossible to fulfill the degree requirement. Students should consult with an advisor in the department of the prospective program to determine the feasibility of a second-degree.

Please refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures  in this catalog; requirements for a dual major can be found under Requirements for Dual Majors.

Students must comply with the following to be awarded an additional bachelor’s degree:

• The first bachelor’s degree must be recognized by Metropolitan State University of Denver.
• Declaration of a second bachelor’s degree major must be approved by the major department. Failure to do so may result in unawareness of issues with the completion of the degree requirements.
• Students must complete all degree requirements for the major.
• Students do not need to complete a minor unless specifically required by the major.
• General Studies will be considered complete unless deficiencies exist according to the major program requirements.
• Students must satisfy the Ethnic Studies & Social Justice and Senior Experience course requirements for the second degree even if these requirements were met as part of the first degree.
• Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher for all coursework taken after the awarding of the previous degree. Students should check with an advisor for special GPA program requirements.
• An application for graduation must be filed through the Student Hub with the Office of the Registrar according to published dates in the Academic Calendar .

Academic Residency Requirements

• Students previously awarded a bachelor’s degree by another accredited institution must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at MSU Denver , with a minimum of eight semester hours in upper division courses (3000- and 4000-level courses) in the major, after the awarding of the previous degree.
• Students previously awarded a bachelor’s degree by MSU Denver do not need to meet the academic residency requirements but must complete a minimum of eight semester hours in upper division courses (3000- and 4000-level courses) in the major and complete required coursework for their second degree.

Requirements for Concurrent Degrees

Students must comply with the following to be awarded two diplomas for two concurrent baccalaureate degrees of different types (e.g., B.S. and B.M.E.):

• Declaration of concurrent degrees requires department approval(s) and must be made prior to completion of 90 hours. Both degrees must utilize the same catalog year.
• Students who declare two degrees do not need to complete a minor unless the minor is specifically required for either of the majors.  
• Students must satisfy all requirements for both majors.
• Students must complete a minimum requirement of eight unique MSU Denver upper-division semester hours for each major. 
• Students must complete a minimum requirement of 30 MSU Denver semester hours.
• Students must complete a minimum upper division requirement of 40 hours total.
• Students must complete university requirements for General Studies, including General Studies courses specific to each major.
• Students must satisfy only one Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Course requirement.
• Students must complete two unique Senior Experience courses.

Requirements for Dual Majors

Students must comply with the following to be awarded one diploma for a single baccalaureate degree with dual majors (B.A., B.F.A., B.M., B.M.E., or B.S.). See advisors in each of the majors for specific degree requirements.

• Students who declare dual majors must select a primary major. A primary major is the major for which General Studies requirements will be satisfied (students who declare dual majors need not satisfy General Studies requirements for their second major).
• Students who declare dual majors do not need to complete a minor unless the minor is specifically required for either of the majors.
• Students who complete two concentrations under one major have not completed two majors.

Certificate Requirements

Students are responsible for full knowledge of the provisions and regulations pertaining to their program contained in this catalog and elsewhere. Students have final responsibility for completing the requirements for a certificate and are urged to seek advising. Students should never assume that they have approval to deviate from a stated requirement without a properly signed statement to that effect. Please refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

To earn a certificate, a student must satisfy the following minimum requirements, plus any others stipulated for the certificate. For students in a standalone certificate program to receive financial aid, the certificate must be 24 credits or more and must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education prior to students enrolling.

• Complete a minimum of 15 semester hours (or 18 hours for post-baccalaureate certificates) as recommended by the certificate program. Credit hours may not be waived from certificate programs.
• Complete all special requirements of a department, school, or college.
• Achieve at least a “C” or higher in each of the certificate courses. The courses may not be taken Pass/Fail.
• A maximum of one course substitution is permitted per certificate. Lower division courses may not replace upper division courses.
• File an application for graduation through the Student Hub with the Office of the Registrar according to published dates in the Academic Calendar.
• Academic residency (classroom credit) requirements:
  • Complete a minimum of 60% of semester hours applicable to the certificate at MSU Denver.
  • Students should be aware that University of Colorado Denver pooled courses will not satisfy academic residency requirements at MSU Denver. Physics (PHY) courses are excluded from this restriction.

General Studies Requirements

A baccalaureate degree includes a broad-based education that prepares students for the more focused study of the academic major. The general education component of the degree equips each student with crucial intellectual skills in analysis, research, and communication, in addition to foundational skills. General education coursework offers an introduction to a broad range of studies in the natural sciences, the human condition, aesthetic experience, and global and cultural diversity.

Ethnic Studies & Social Justice and Senior Experience Course Requirements

In addition to completing the General Studies requirements, a student must complete a 3-credit ESSJ course and a 3-credit Senior Experience course, or selection of courses, to be awarded a bachelor’s degree from MSU Denver. The ESSJ course does not require three credits as a separate category and can be taken in the major, minor, or as an elective. The rules pertaining to those requirements and the courses that will satisfy those requirements are described below.

Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirements

The Ethnic Studies & Social Justice (ESSJ) curriculum requirement is designed to equip students with the tools to challenge, understand, and contextualize the treatment of racially and ethnically marginalized groups in the United States. As a fluid and contested space, the United States has been a historically, geographically, and politically contingent region. These courses center the experiences of marginalized groups and examine the ways in which the existences and experiences of these groups have been historically shaped by oppression and systems of white supremacy. ESSJ coursework interrogates relationships between power, privilege, and oppression.

Senior Year Assessment Examinations and Other Activities

In their senior year, students may be required to participate in an assessment of their education. The faculty has determined educational goals or outcomes that it wants graduates to achieve. A copy of those goals and the methods by which their achievements are measured can be obtained from the department offices.

The Senior Experience course provides a culmination of the undergraduate experience, allowing students to synthesize their learning, using critical analysis and logical thinking. Students may use the course to satisfy major or minor requirements if the course is approved for that use. Students should consult with their advisor and check prerequisites. Students must complete a Senior Experience course at the end of the undergraduate program and must take the course or courses at MSU Denver. Senior Experience courses include “senior standing” as a prerequisite in addition to other prerequisites designated by the department. In some cases, students may need to take two courses to satisfy the requirement. See an advisor in the major for specific degree requirements.