Academic Program Requirements

Degrees

A degree is a formal title conferred upon an individual for the completion of a program of study. Undergraduate degrees are called baccalaureate or bachelor’s degrees. These terms can be used interchangeably. Central Missouri offers the following baccalaureate degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
• Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
• Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.Ed.)
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.)
• Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

General Requirements for All Baccalaureate Degrees

1. A baccalaureate degree must total a minimum of 120 semester hours. Some degree programs require more than 120 semester hours.
2. Students must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours from UCM.
3. The last 12 hours of the degree must be earned from UCM.
4. A baccalaureate must include a minimum of 30 semester hours of upper-level credit from an accredited four-year institution and a minimum of 20 of those hours must be completed at UCM.
5. A baccalaureate must include completion of the General Education Program as prescribed by the university. See The General Education Program  in this section.
6. Students must achieve a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the cumulative GPA, UCM GPA, major, and minor (if applicable) GPA. Some degree programs require higher GPAs for graduation.

Specific Requirements for the Various Baccalaureates

Bachelor of Arts

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 30-43 semester hours.
2. Candidates for this degree who are seeking teacher certification must satisfy teacher education certification standards. See B.S.Ed. degree requirements on this page and Teacher Education Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.
3. A modern language requirement shall be nine semester hours and may be met as follows:

The modern language requirement is fulfilled by successfully completing nine semester hours of one modern language, or completing six hours of one modern language and three hours of modern literature in translation (ENGL 2220  or ML 2000 ), or completing three hours of an upper-level (or level three) modern language course.

Students with previous study of a modern language in high school may be eligible to enroll in the second or third level of language courses at UCM. Students who earn a grade of C or higher will earn validated credit for the lower level class(es). For further information contact the Department of Modern Languages and Interdisciplinary Studies  at 660-543-4780.

Students may alternately satisfy the B.A. language requirement and/or gain General Education Humanities credits by attaining a proficiency rating of Intermediate Mid on an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Non-native speakers of English are understood to fulfill the spirit of the requirement through their English coursework, provided that they can show proof of native proficiency in another language (Advanced proficiency rating on an OPI). Students wishing to fulfill the requirements in this way must pay for their own examinations. Contact Testing Services at 660-543-4919, for more information.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

This is a professional performance degree available through the School of Visual and Performing Arts .

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 61-88 semester hours.

Bachelor of Music

This is a professional performance degree available through the School of Visual and Performing Arts .

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 77-88.5 semester hours.

Bachelor of Music Education

This is a professional education degree available through the School of Visual and Performing Arts . Students planning to obtain teacher certification should see Teacher Education Policies and Procedures .

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 63.5-68.5 semester hours.
2. Professional education courses for this degree shall be 25-35 semester hours.
3. A candidate for this degree must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in specified content courses, a grade point average of 3.00 and no grade below a C in designated professional education courses.
4. All students receiving this degree must obtain minimum scores on the area specialty test to be eligible for teacher certification (HB463). Not obtaining the prescribed minimum score does not preclude receiving the degree. Teacher Education Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

Bachelor of Science

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 30-80 or more semester hours.
2. Candidates for this degree who are seeking teacher certification must satisfy teacher education certification standards. See B.S.Ed. degree requirements on this page and Teacher Education Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

1. A major for this degree normally shall be 60-77 semester hours.
2. A minimum of 50 percent of the major hours must be earned at UCM.
3. Candidates for this degree must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.25 for graduation (2.65 for accountancy majors and 2.40 for finance majors).

Bachelor of Science in Education

Students planning to obtain teacher certification should see Teacher Education Policies and Procedures  in this catalog.

1. A major for this degree shall be in a certifiable area and normally shall be 36-64 semester hours except in those instances where certification requirements exceed this amount.
2. A minor for this degree normally shall be 18-24 semester hours.
3. Professional education courses for this degree shall be 25-35 semester hours.
4. A candidate for this degree must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in specified content courses, a grade point average of 3.00 and no grade below a C in designated professional education courses.
5. All students receiving this degree must obtain a minimum score on the appropriate exit test to be eligible for teacher certification (HB463). Not obtaining the prescribed minimum score does not preclude receiving the degree. Students with double majors in education normally must plan to take tests in and student teach in both areas. Students should check with Clinical Services and Certification (LOV 2170) to clarify student teaching expectations for double majors.

Bachelor of Social Work

This is a professional degree available through the Department of Human Services .

1. The major for this degree normally shall be 51 semester hours.
2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 is required for admission to the program. Students in this major must earn a grade of C or better in all required major courses.
3. Candidates for this degree must successfully complete a 40-hour volunteer observation experience in a social service agency during the first semester as a major, and a 480-hour field practicum experience in the final semester.

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s degree programs at the University of Central Missouri provide well-prepared, advanced students, the opportunity to utilize graduate courses for required or elective courses in an undergraduate degree program, and then subsequently count those same courses as fulfilling graduate requirements in a related graduate program.

The program will begin after a student is admitted. Students can enroll in graduate courses only after the junior year (90 earned hours).

A minimum of 30 graduate credit hours must be earned to complete the Master’s degree, while the undergraduate program will require a minimum of 120 credit hours of both undergraduate and graduate courses.

Depending on the program, up to 12 hours of graduate coursework may be taken during the senior year and counted to meet both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree requirements. Students complete the remaining graduate coursework in the fifth year. Students may not enroll in additional graduate courses until the undergraduate degree is completed.  

Students can take a maximum of 6 hours of graduate credit per semester during the senior year, and 3 hours over the summer if available, with no more than 16 total credit hours of both undergraduate and graduate coursework in a single semester.

Upon completion of the undergraduate portion, the student will then be classified as a graduate student. Students are awarded a Bachelor’s degree as soon as those degree requirements are completed, and are then admitted as candidates for the Master’s degree. Students are awarded the Master’s degree when all graduate requirements are completed. If a student withdraws from the university and stops enrolling in coursework following completion of the Bachelor’s degree and later wants to return, they will have to apply to the regular graduate program and no prior coursework may be applied.

Please note: enrollment may affect eligibility for financial aid and scholarships, please contact the Student Financial Services office at 660-543-8266 if you have any questions.  For the purposes of financial aid and scholarships, students are considered to be at the undergraduate level until the Bachelor’s degree is awarded.  Students will be considered graduate level after the Bachelor’s degree is awarded and the student is only taking graduate level courses.  Students are eligible for graduate assistantships after receiving a Bachelor’s degree.

Double Degrees

Students may earn more than one degree, if desired. This is often referred to as a double degree or dual degree program. The degrees can either be the same type (e.g., two B.S. degrees) or of different types (e.g., a B.F.A. and a B.S.E.). Students must meet the unique requirements of each degree (including required minors, specified General Education courses, etc.). There are no additional requirements for the double degree option. Each degree may be from a different catalog year, if needed. Students who earn both degrees in the same semester will pay one graduation fee.  Students who earn the degrees in different semesters will pay the graduate fee each semester. 

Students may not earn a double degree with the same major name (e.g., students cannot earn both a B.A. and a B.S. degree with a history major). Students may pursue more than one option/area under a major, but they must be earned concurrently and only one degree will be awarded. The exception to earning more than one degree with the same name is when one of the degrees is a B.S.E. (e.g., students may earn both a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.S.E. degree in Mathematics). A minor used to satisfy a degree requirement for one degree may not be in the same subject as a major used in a different degree program if the two degrees are earned concurrently. The same minor may not count on more than one degree.

Majors

A major is a primary field of specialized study. UCM majors range from 30-88 credit hours. Majors are tied to specific degrees. Some majors may be offered with multiple degree programs. For example, the history major is available as both a B.A. degree or a B.S. degree. Find a listing of the majors offered by UCM in the Programs Alphabetically link in the navigation bar on the left side of this online page or click here . Students may declare, change, or delete a major by meeting with their Student Success Advisor.

General Requirements for a Major

1. A major must require a minimum of 30 semester hours.
2. A minimum of 15 semester hours of a major’s program requirements must be completed through Central Missouri. Some majors require additional major hours at UCM for graduation.
3. A minimum of 12 upper-level hours must be included in a major program. At least nine of these 12 upper-level hours must be completed through Central Missouri.
4. Courses taken to fulfill major requirements must be taken for a standard letter grade and may only be taken as pass/fail if that is the only way the course is offered.
5. Students must achieve a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the major. Some majors require higher major grade point averages for graduation.

Double Majors

Students may earn more than one major if desired. The two majors must be tied to the same degree type and the student must follow the curriculum from the same catalog year for each major. For example, a student can pursue a double major in management and marketing, as they are both B.S.B.A. degrees. Upon completion, the student earns two majors with one degree. Students must meet the unique requirements of each major. If one or both of the majors requires a minor, the minor requirement will be waived because of the double major (minors are only waived in the case of double majors, not for double degrees). There are no additional requirements for the double major option.

Students pursuing a double major also have the option of completing a double degree. Each degree may be from a different catalog year, if needed. Students who wish to opt for the double degree will apply for graduation separately for each degree. Students must meet the unique requirements of each major. There are no additional requirements for the double degree option.

Major Options and Areas

Some majors offer Options or Areas that provide additional specialization or focus within a major. Options are those content areas that have gained approval from the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) and are listed on their official program inventory. Options will appear on official transcripts and diplomas. Areas (sometimes also noted as specializations, concentrations, etc.) are those content areas that are internal UCM designations and have not gained approval from the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE). Areas will not appear on official transcripts or diplomas. Students may pursue more than one option/area under a major, but they must be earned concurrently and only one degree will be awarded.

Minors

A minor is a secondary field of specialized study. UCM minors range from 15-34 credit hours. Some programs require minors as part of the degree program. See specific program requirements in this catalog. A minor may not be earned independently from a degree or added onto a transcript after graduation. Students may follow a minor curriculum from a different catalog term than their major curriculum, as long as the student is eligible for that catalog term. Students may pursue more than one minor if desired. Students may not concurrently major and minor in the same subject area. Students may return to UCM and earn a major in a subject area in which a minor was previously earned. Students may not return to UCM and earn a minor in a subject area in which a major was previously earned.  Find a listing of the minors offered by UCM here . Students may declare, change, or delete a minor by meeting with their Student Success Advisor (UN 128, 660-543-4721).

General Requirements for a Minor

1. A minor must require a minimum of 15 semester hours.
2. Although the university does not require the completion of a minor for a degree, some programs do require a minor. Carefully read the program requirements for specific majors.
3. A minimum of nine hours of a minor program must be completed through Central Missouri.
4. At least one upper-level hour must be included in the minor program and completed at Central Missouri.
5. Courses taken to fulfill minor requirements must be taken for a standard letter grade and may only be taken as pass/fail if that is the only way the course is offered.
6. Students must achieve a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the minor.

Undergraduate Certificates

An undergraduate certificate is a course of study in a specialized subject area. Certificate programs range from 12 to 21 credit hours. Some certificate programs may be completed in one semester. These programs range from 12-15 credit hours. Other certificate programs are one-year programs and contain between 16 and 21 credit hours. Fifty percent of the coursework for a certificate must be earned at UCM to fulfill residence hours. Courses taken to fulfill certificate requirements must be taken for a standard letter grade and may only be taken as pass/fail if that is the only way the course is offered. Find a listing of the undergraduate certificates offered by UCM at the bottom of the list of Programs Alphabetically link in the navigation bar on the left side of this online page or click here  and scroll to the bottom of the list.

An undergraduate certificate may be earned independently or in conjunction with a degree program. A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate may seek admission to a degree program simultaneously or at a later date. Students may pursue certificates and majors in the same academic area. Coursework used for a certificate may also be used towards an undergraduate degree. Students must earn a 2.00 or higher grade point average in the coursework required for the undergraduate certificate, in the UCM GPA, and the cumulative GPA. Latin honors are not awarded for certificate programs.  Students who earn only a certificate, or earn a certificate before/after earning a degree, are not recognized in the commencement ceremony.  Only degree recipients participate in the commencement ceremony.

Course Overlap

In the instance of a double degree or double major program, courses required in both degrees or majors may count in both programs. In the instance of a major and minor or double minor, courses required in both may count in both programs. Limitations to this policy may be enforced by the schools/programs. Refer to school/program information in this catalog for restrictions.

Students pursuing a double degree program where a minor(s) is required may not receive a major and minor in the same subject area. In addition, if both majors in a double degree program require minors, each must have a unique minor. Students completing a double major (one degree) do not need to complete a minor.

Teacher Certification

UCM, accredited by (CAEP) the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation, offers both courses and programs at the graduate-level that meet the requirements for certain teaching certificates issued by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  All students seeking teacher certification should check specific program requirements listed in this catalog and with the graduate program advisor.

Authority has been granted to the university by the State Board of Education in Missouri to recommend students for certification who are qualified to teach or serve as administrators in the public schools of Missouri as well as in other states. Any student seeking initial certification or additional certification as a result of completing graduate courses or a graduate degree should contact the Director of Clinical Services and Certification at the University of Central Missouri (Lovinger 2170, 660-543-8441, clinicalsvs@ucmo.edu).