The degree requirements for a Penn State degree program are comprised of the following primary credit categories:
Students also must satisfy University Degree Requirements (First-Year Seminar, United States/International Cultures, and Writing Across the Curriculum). These credits typically are captured within the Requirements for the Major, General Education requirements, and/or Bachelor of Arts Requirements.
Requirements for the Major are comprised of the following subcategories:
Within the degree requirements, you must specify the number of credits (or range of credits) for each major category and subcategory of the curriculum. Credit ranges occur when there are required courses that have variable credit (e.g., MATH 220 (2-3 credits)) or when students can select different courses to satisfy a specific requirement (e.g., CHEM 110 (3 credits) or BIOL 230W (4 credits)).
Below is a detailed breakdown of each degree requirements category, including a listing of the specific requirements and formulas for how to accurately count all the credits that make up the degree requirements.
Associate's degree requirements include a total of 21 credits of General Education courses. Some of these credits may be included in the Requirements for the Major (General Education Double Count).
Foundation Courses: 6 credits
* Foundation Courses require a grade of C or better
Knowledge Domains: 12 credits
* Up to six credits of Inter-domain courses may be used for any Knowledge Domain requirement, but when a course may be used to satisfy more than one requirement, the credits from the course can be counted only once.
Exploration: 3 credits
Associate's degree requirements include a total of 6 credits of United States Cultures or International Cultures, and Writing Across the Curriculum courses.
United States Cultures or International Cultures (US/IL)
* US/IL courses may double count in General Education, major, or as an elective.
Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
* WAC courses are typically prescribed in the courses required for a major.
Associate's degree programs must include at least 7 credits of C-required courses.
Associate's Degree with No Options
Requirements for the Major = Prescribed Courses + Additional Courses + Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Associate's Degree with Options
Requirements for the Major = Common Requirements for the Major (All Options) + Requirements for the Option
Common Requirements for the Major (All Options) = Common Prescribed Courses + Common Additional Courses + Common Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Requirements for the Option = Option-specific Prescribed Courses + Option-specific Additional Courses + Option-specific Supporting Courses and Related Areas
The minimum number of credits required for an associate's degree is 60 credits. This allows students to complete a degree in two years, taking an average of 15 credits per semester. In general, majors should be 60 credits unless there is a compelling reason, such as accreditation considerations, to exceed 60 credits.
Associate's Degree
Minimum Credits Required for the Degree = Requirements for the Major + (General Education Requirements - General Education Double Count) + Electives
There is no requirement to specify all required credits for a degree. Any credits that are not specified allow the student to take elective courses (i.e., courses without any restrictions) to reach the minimum 60 credits required for degree completion. Typically, programs that exceed 60 credits do not include any electives.
Associate's Degree
Electives = Minimum Credits Required for Degree Completion - (Requirements for the Major + (General Education Requirements - General Education Double Count))
* If the Minimum Credits Required for Degree Completion is 120 credits, electives is usually 0.
