Baccalaureate Degree Programs

All undergraduate degree programs at the University are structured to provide sufficient breadth and depth to prepare students to function as useful and responsible citizens.  To accomplish this goal, the University requires that programs leading to both undergraduate degrees, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, have three components: a) broad exposure to a variety of fields of knowledge (general education); b) study of one or more fields in depth (major or major/minor combination); and c) courses chosen to fit the background and preferences of the individual student (electives).  Requirements for the general education program, for each major field, and for each minor field are found in the appropriate sections elsewhere in this catalog.

Bachelor of Arts degree programs have a broad focus and prepare students for immediate employment or graduate study in a variety of professions or disciplines, respectively.  The major and the minor, often complementing each other, constitute areas of study within the degree program.  Bachelor of Science degree programs have a narrower focus than Bachelor of Arts programs, and, while requiring the same breadth in general education, are usually directed toward immediate employment or graduate study in a specific professional field or discipline, respectively.  These programs, therefore, require no minor field, but do require a larger number of units in the major field to permit greater depth of study in a single field or professional area.

When both degree programs are offered within the same field, the Bachelor of Arts program will maintain a broader focus, will require a minor field of study, and will prepare students for advanced study in a variety of disciplines and professions often including teaching.  The Bachelor of Science program in the same field, because it is more narrowly focused on study leading to employment or toward further study in a single field, will require no minor, but will achieve more depth in the single field often through more emphasis on applications, practical field experiences, and use of the specialized techniques peculiar to the field.

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Bachelor of Arts Degree - One of the two types of undergraduate degrees offered at the university is a Bachelor of Arts degree.  A complete list of the BA degrees is found on pages 84-88. The minimum requirements are as follows:

General Education:                          72 quarter units

Minimum Major, including

   Senior Seminar:                            36 quarter units

One of the following

   three alternatives:                          20 quarter units

a.   A minor of 20 quarter units designed by another discipline, 10-15 of which must be upper division, and taken outside the major department.

b.   An interdisciplinary concentration or minor in one of the specially developed areas such as Black Studies or Chicano Studies (see page 115-116).

c.   A special minor consisting of 20 or more units, 15 of which must be upper division, taken outside the major discipline, and drawn from two or more departments.  A proposal listing the courses and the rationale for their selection must be submitted to the department office no later than the beginning of the student’s senior year.  The proposed special minor must be approved by the advisor, the department chair, and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Electives:                                        52 quarter units

Total units required

   for graduation:                          180 quarter units

Students who pursue a double major do not have to complete a minor, an interdisciplinary concentration or minor, or a special minor.

In addition to the university-wide requirements, each school or department may impose additional requirements for its particular majors.  These are listed under each discipline area.

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Bachelor of Science Degree - The second type of undergraduate degree offered at the university is the Bachelor of Science degree.  A complete list of the BS degrees is found on pages 84-88.  The minimum requirements are as follows:

General Education:                          72 quarter units

Minimum major, including

   Senior Seminar:                            55 quarter units

Electives:                                        53 quarter units

Total units required

   for graduation:                          180 quarter units

In addition to the university-wide major requirements, each school or department may impose additional requirements for its particular majors.  These are listed under each discipline area.

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Senior Seminar - As part of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree the student completes a senior seminar, normally numbered 490.  The senior seminar is designed as a culminating activity for the student’s major field of study.  The seminar’s particular focus, approach, unit value, and content vary from discipline to discipline.  Descriptions of the discipline senior seminars are found under the program requirements.

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Discipline-Based Majors - Each of the academic disciplines at CSUB has a prescribed set of requirements involving a correlated set of courses that lead to the baccalaureate degree, either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science.  The faculty have primary responsibility in developing and updating its major requirements and the supporting curriculum.  Students declaring a discipline-based major will develop a program of study in collaboration with a faculty advisor to meet the prescribed requirements.  See also “Declaring a Major” page 67.

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Double Majors - Any student completing the requirements for two majors in disciplines generating Bachelor of Arts degrees or in two majors generating Bachelor of Science degrees must request approval for a diploma recognizing a double major.  The Associate Vice President for Academic Programs acts on these requests.

Any student completing work for two majors, one of which generates a Bachelor of Arts and the other a Bachelor of Science, must request approval for a diploma recognizing a double major, with the baccalaureate degree designation determined according to the student’s choice.  The Associate Vice President for Academic Programs acts on these requests.

Students graduating with a double major are required to complete all components of each major, including the Senior Seminar.  Although double-counting of courses from one major to the other is possible, the student must accumulate a minimum number of unduplicated units in each major.  For the BA major, the minimum is 36 quarter units; for the BS major, the minimum is 55 quarter units.  The student completing a double major does not need to complete a minor.

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Special Major - The University also offers a baccalaureate degree with a Special Major.  This permits a student to propose a program of correlated studies in two or more fields.  This alternative is for the student who wants to pursue a field of study not covered by one of the University’s academic departments.  Forestry or Political Philosophy are two examples of Special Majors previously completed at CSUB.  A student who transfers with a large number of upper-division units in a degree program not offered at the University may find this alternative particularly useful.  Students seeking information on the Special Major should contact the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (EDUC 242, 654-3420).

A student wanting to develop a Special Major first approaches a faculty member with preparation in one of the proposed fields of study and requests that he/she serve as the academic advisor.  The faculty advisor, upon agreeing to serve, will require that a second or third advisor(s) be secured for the other fields to be subsumed in the Special Major.

The student and advisor(s) then develop and agree upon a Program of Study.  The Program of Study must contain a minimum of 55 quarter units, 35 of which must be upper division.  The courses must be distributed appropriately among the different fields of study.  The student is also required to complete the senior seminar requirement, either by completing a “special” senior seminar specifically developed for the Special Major, normally in independent study format supervised by faculty in the different fields, or by completing at least two “standard” senior seminars for the different fields of study.  The form to be completed for the Special Major is available in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (EDUC 242, 654-3420).

The proposed Program of Study is then reviewed for approval by the dean or deans of the school(s) involved.  If the proposed Program of Study receives their approval, the Associate Vice President for Academic Programs then reviews the proposed Program of Study and makes a final determination.  The approved Program of Study becomes a permanent part of the student’s academic record.

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Minors - The university offers a wide array of minors (see pages 84-87).  There are three different types of minors-a traditional minor from a single discipline, a special minor, and an interdisciplinary minor. Regardless of type, most minors require a minimum of 20 units with at least three upper-division courses and one lower-division course.  Two (2) lower-division courses that are “related” in subject matter content may be used to meet one of the upper-division course requirements.  However, all minors must have at least 10 units of “real” upper-division coursework.  

Students, whether pursuing either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, are able to complete one or more minors and have them displayed on their diploma and transcript.  To do so, students should contact the academic department or faculty coordinator responsible for the minor.  The department or faculty coordinator approves the 20-unit minor and, at the time of graduation, certifies completion of the minor to the Evaluation Office.

The 20 units (normally four 5-unit courses) used in a minor cannot be drawn from those used to satisfy the major requirements.  However, in the case of majors requiring extensive lower division cognates (e.g., Business Administration), students may count one of the cognate courses as one of the four required in the minor.  Alternatively, two lower-division cognate courses can be used in lieu of one of the required upper-division courses for the minor, as long as the minor contains at least 10 units of “real” upper-division course work

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Special Minor - The special minor consists of 20 or more units drawn from at least two academic programs outside of the declared major, 15 of which must be upper-division courses.  Two (2) lower-division courses that are “related” in subject matter content may be used to meet one of the upper-division course requirements.  However, the Special Minor must include at least 10 units of “real” upper-division course work.  Proposals for the Special Minor must be submitted and approved by the faculty advisor, department chair for the student’s major, and the Dean for Undergraduate Studies no later than the Census Date of the quarter in which the student becomes a Senior (135 or more units).  Any changes to the Special Minor requires the approval of the student’s faculty advisor, the department chair of the student’s major, and the Dean for Undergraduate Studies.

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Second Baccalaureate Degree - The University does not encourage students to seek a second bachelor’s degree.  A student who has the ability and the interest will normally be better advised to satisfy the prerequisites to the second field and seek the master’s degree.  Exceptions may be made under the following guidelines:

1.   A student may not be granted two baccalaureate degrees at the time of meeting the requirements for graduation from the University.

2.   A student desiring a second baccalaureate degree should have the written approval of the department chair of the major in which he/she seeks the second degree.

3.   To earn a second baccalaureate degree:

      a.   the student must meet the current graduation requirements of CSUB, including, but not limited to, General Education, Gender, Race, & Ethnicity (GRE), American Institutions, and foreign language;

      b.   the student must meet all the requirements for the second baccalaureate degree, including the major and the minor, if applicable;

      c.   units completed for the first baccalaureate degree may be counted, but the student must complete a minimum of 36 units of additional course work.