Office of the Registrar

Women's Studies - Bachelor of Science 2023-24 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 2023-24 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 CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5
BS Arts & Letters/Social Science3-4General Elective4WS 101 or UNST 2314
BS Arts & Letters/Social Science3-4BS Math/Statistics3-4BS Science4
Total Fall Credits11-13Total Winter Credits12-13Total Spring Credits13

Second Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter Courses Winter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4WS 3074
General Elective4WS Upper Division Elective4General Elective4
BS Science with Lab3-4BS Science with Lab3-4General Elective4
BS Arts & Letters/Social Science3-4General Elective4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits14-16Total Winter Credits15-16Total Spring Credits16

Third Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4
WS 3014WS 3054WS Upper Division Elective4
WS Upper Division Elective4General Elective4WS Upper Division Elective4
General Elective4General Elective1General Elective4
Total Fall Credits16Total Winter Credits13Total Spring Credits16

Third Year Note: WS 305 satisfies the domestic/US focus group requirement for the Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement (RESR). 

Fourth Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
WS 4092WS 4124Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis6
WS 4112WS 4094WS 4154
General Elective4WS 4714WS Upper Division Elective4
General Elective4General Elective2General Elective4
General Elective4    
Total Fall Credits16Total Winter Credits14Total Spring Credits18

Fourth Year Note: WS 471 satisfies the international focus group requirement for the Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement (RESR).

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • WS 101 or UNST 231: When WS is the first major, UNST 231 will only count towards the major and does not count towards the number of required UNST Sophomore Inquiries. Transfer students can choose to take WS 332U instead of WS 101 or UNST 231.
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • WS Upper Division Elective: Transfer students may use 4 credits of a lower division Advisor approved WS course toward the WS elective requirements.
  • WS 412, 415 and 471: WS 412, 415 and 471 are offered only one term per year. Please check with the department for the course rotation schedule each year.
  • WS 409: Variable credit course.
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.

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