Office of the Registrar

Community Development - Bachelor of Science 2022-23 Degree Map

Requirements (REQ) of a Bachelors Degree

Degree Maps show one way how you can earn a degree in four years. Talk with your advisor regularly to develop a personalized plan that works best for you, especially if you have any earned transferrable academic credit.

To graduate in four years, you need an average of 45 credits per year to reach 180 total credits, including 62 upper division (300/400 level courses) credits. You may need to take electives (courses that are not used to meet specific requirements) to reach those totals. Most courses at PSU are 4 credits each. If you transfer credit to PSU, the number of credits you need per year will vary accordingly. 

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This guide outlines the requirements in the 2022-23 catalog. Catalog year defines the specific set of requirements you need to complete a degree. Requirements occasionally change, so it may benefit you to follow a different catalog. Typically, your catalog year is the year you began at PSU, but if you are a transfer student you may be able to use an earlier catalog. Talk with your advisor about which catalog requirements make sense for you.

PSU Bulletins (2015-present) about this content

First Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5 Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5 Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 BS Science 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 13 Total Winter Credits 13 Total Spring Credits 13

First Year Milestone: Meet with an Advisor.

Second Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses  Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Sophomore Inquiry (UNST 220) or Honors 4 Sophomore Inquiry or Honors 4 Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement 3-4
BS Math/Statistics 3-4 BS Science with Lab 3-4 BS Science with Lab 3-4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 USP 300U 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 15-16 Total Winter Credits 15-16 Total Spring Credits 14-16

Second Year Milestones: Meet with Career Services (Fall term). Start volunteering (Winter term).

Third Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4 USP 302 4 Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4
USP 301 4 USP 316 4 Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4
USP 350 4 USP 430 4 CD Pathway Elective 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 16 Total Winter Credits 16 Total Spring Credits 16

Third Year Milestones: Methods course taken (Fall term). Meet with Mentor, decide pathway (Winter term).

Fourth Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
CD Pathway Elective 4 USP 460 Field Experience 2 USP 460 Field Experience 4
CD Pathway Elective 4 USP 313 4 Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis 6
USP 452 4 USP 440 4 General Elective 4
USP 312 4 Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement 3-4 General Elective 1
Total Fall Credits 16 Total Winter Credits 13-14 Total Spring Credits 15

Fourth Year Milestone: Practice Course setup (Fall term).

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • BS Math/Statistics: Students must place into Math 100 or higher. If necessary, lower-level courses should be taken in preparation.
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement: Two courses required, each minimum 3 credits: one course must focus on the U.S. experience; the second course must center the experiences of groups under European and U.S. colonialism and imperialism beyond the United States. One must be within the School of Gender, Race and Nations or be cross-listed with one of the SGRN units: Black Studies (BSt), Chicano/Latino Studies (ChLa), Indigenous Nations Studies (NAS), or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WS). If you choose a RESR course that can be applied towards another requirement, take an elective here instead.
  • USP 460 Field Experience: The 6-credit USP field experience can be completed in one term, but gives more time to complete hours and portfolio when taken over two or more terms.
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.

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