Office of the Registrar

Social Justice and the Arts - Bachelor of Arts 2024-25 Degree Map

Requirements (REQ) of a Bachelors Degree

Degree Maps & Advising

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

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Bulletin or Catalog Year

This guide outlines the requirements in the 2024-25 Bulletin. Bulletin or 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. Review PSU's course catalog policy and talk with your advisor about which catalog requirements make sense for you. 

 

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DARS System  

Students are highly encouraged to run their own Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) report in myPSU to track their progress through their program. You'll need to know which catalog year you'd like to use for your audit request. Students are also encouraged to contact an advisor if they have any questions about their DARS, catalog/bulletin year, or degree requirements in general. DARS audits are advising tools and are not an official record of earning a degree, major, minor, or certificate. You must apply to have a degree or certificate awarded.

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First Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter Courses Winter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
First Year Inquiry or Honors5First Year Inquiry or Honors5First Year Inquiry or Honors5
BA Second Language 1013-5BA Second Language 1023-5BA Second Language 1033-5
COTA 1354COTA 2354Social Justice Core4
Disciplinary Foundation4Disciplinary Foundation4Disciplinary Foundation4
Total Fall Credits16-18Total Winter Credits16-18Total Spring Credits16-18

First Year Note: 

Second Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement3-4
BA Second Language 2013-5BA Second Language 2023-5BA Second Language 2033-5
Social Justice Core4BA Science/Math3-4BA Science/Social Science3-4
SGRN/RESR3-4General Electives4General Electives4
Total Fall Credits14-17Total Winter Credits14-17Total Spring Credits13-17

Third Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4
Social Justice Core4Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4COTA 3354
Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4
BA Science/Social Science3-4General Elective4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits15-16Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits16

Fourth Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis6Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4Practicum4
Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4General Elective4Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective 4
General Elective4General Elective4General Elective4
    General Elective2
Total Fall Credits14Total Winter Credits12Total Spring Credits14

Fourth Year Milestone: Apply to graduate (by the end of Fall term).

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • Disciplinary Foundation: 12 credits are required. See Bulletin or DARS for options. Additional options are available if also pursuing a minor in Art Practice, Architecture or Film. 
  • Social Justice Core: 12 credits are required. See Bulletin or DARS for options. 
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • SGRN/RESR: Any course from the School of Gender Race and Nations (SGRN) course approved for the University-level Race & Ethnic Studies Requirement (RESR) may count towards this requirement. This requirement also applies to 90-credit transfer students who otherwise only take 3 credits of RESR. 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), Chicanx/Latinx Studies (CHLA), Indigenous Nations Studies (NAS), or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WS). 
  • General Elective: 62 credits required at the Upper Division. Depending on your Social Justice Core choices, you may need to take 300/400 level electives here. 
  • Concentration Course or Social Justice Elective: Students must choose a Concentration: Social Justice Concentration or COTA Concentration. 12 credits are required from each Concentration, and 12 credits of Social Justice Electives are required.  See Bulletin or DARS for course lists. 
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.

Resources for Social Justice and the Arts

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