To earn a UAF degree, you must satisfy the following sets of requirements: general university requirements, degree requirements and program (major) requirements. General university requirements and degree requirements are described in this section of the catalog; major requirements are found in the Bachelor’s Degree Programs section; for bachelor’s degree requirements in brief, see Summary of Bachelor's Degree Requirements chart.

If your degree program is delivered collaboratively within the UA system, credits you earn from each UA institution will be counted toward fulfillment of degree requirements and the minimum institutional residency requirements. You must contact Admissions to bring any credit from another UA system in. Credits will not transfer automatically. Institutional residency requirements are the minimum number of credits you must earn from the campus where you earn a degree.

General University Requirements

For a UAF bachelor’s degree, you must earn at least 120 semester credits, including transfer credits, at the 100 level or above. Of these, 39 credits must be upper-division (300 level or above), of which 24 must be UA residence credits and 15 must be UAF credits.

At least 30 semester credits applicable to any bachelor’s degree must be earned at UAF. Transfer students need to earn at least 24 upper-division semester credits at UA, of which 15 must be UAF credits. Transfer students must earn at least 12 semester credits in the major and at least 3 semester credits in the minor. You must earn a C- grade or higher in all courses required for your degree, unless otherwise specified by your major (major, minor, general education requirements and degree requirements).

Unless otherwise specified, a course may be used more than once toward fulfilling degree, certificate, major and minor requirements. Credit hours for these courses count only once toward total credits required for the degree or certificate.

Since WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X and WRTG F214X are writing courses, any will satisfy the second half of the requirement in written communication for the bachelor’s degree. But you can’t enroll in WRTG F211X, WRTG F212X, WRTG F213X or WRTG F214X without first fulfilling the WRTG F111X requirement. (See Local Advanced Placement Credit — English.)

Majors

You may declare a major when you are admitted to UAF as a degree-seeking undergraduate student. If you haven’t chosen a major you’ll be enrolled as a general studies student. Nondegree students are not eligible to declare a major, be assigned class standing or receive financial aid.

A major from UAF consists of a minimum of 30 credits, at least 12 of which have to be earned at UAF. No grade lower than C- in courses required for major. Some majors require higher GPAs for major coursework.

Students enrolled in associate degree or certificate programs who want to declare a bachelor’s degree major must apply for admission to a degree program following the standard admission process for bachelor’s degree programs. The same is true for students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program who want to declare an associate degree or certificate program major. (See admission requirements.)

• Changing Your Major
  Undergraduate students may change majors by completing a Change of Major form available from the Office of the Registrar or online at the registrar's website. A change of major becomes effective after it is processed by the Office of the Registrar. Graduating seniors must have a change of major submitted with their graduation application to be considered in that program.

Concentrations

A concentration is an area of emphasis including the program's required courses within a student’s degree program. Some programs at UAF require a concentration, others do not. A student may only earn one degree in a specific discipline once. Using different concentrations within a degree program to count as different degrees is not allowed. Double concentrations are permitted with departmental approval.

Minors

A minor is a component of a bachelor’s degree. The Bachelor of Arts degrees requires a minor. You must satisfactorily complete the requirements for a minor before a B.A. degree can be awarded. A minor is optional for Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Applied Management, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Security and Emergency Management and Bachelor of Sport and Recreational Business degrees.

A minor from UAF consists of a minimum of 15 credits, at least 3 of which have to be earned at UAF. Students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (C) in the minor and follow minor requirements from the same academic catalog used for their bachelor’s program. An Associate of Applied Science degree or certificate of at least 30 credits earned at any regionally accredited college or university may be used to meet requirements for a minor in B.A. degree programs.

Some minors require more than 15 credits and approval from the department. Refer to specific requirements listed in the Bachelor’s Degree Program section. Students seeking minors can use DegreeWorks to review their options. Results in DegreeWorks will be more accurate after submitting a declaration of minor form to the Office of the Registrar by the beginning of the senior year.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

UAF graduates who want to earn a second bachelor’s degree must complete at least 24 hours of credit beyond the first bachelor’s degree. Students must meet all general university requirements, degree requirements and major requirements for both degrees.

Students who earned a bachelor’s degree from another college or university must be accepted for admission as a transfer student. All general university requirements (including residency requirement), degree and major requirements must be met. Students who graduated from a regionally accredited college or university, however, will be considered to have completed the equivalent of the UAF baccalaureate general education requirements.

Double Degrees

Students who want to earn more than one UAF bachelor’s degree must complete all general requirements as well as all major and minor requirements (if any) for all degrees. At least 24 semester credit hours beyond the total required for the first degree need to be earned before any additional degrees can be awarded. For two degrees completed at the same time, students may follow requirements from two different catalogs.

Degree Policies

Residence Credit

Residence credit is course credit earned through any unit of UAF. Formal classroom instruction, correspondence study, distance-delivered courses, individual study or research at UAF are all considered residence credit. On the other hand, transfer credit, advanced placement credit, credit for prior learning, military service credit and credit granted through nationally prepared examinations are not considered resident credit, nor are credit-by-examination credits earned through locally prepared tests. None of these types of credit can be applied to UAF residency requirements. UAF residence credit takes precedence over any nonresident credits. For example, if a student has AP credit for a course, but takes the same courses at UAF, the AP credit will be excluded and the UAF course will be applied to the degree requirements.

Residency Requirement

Most universities have residency requirements that call for a certain number of credits toward a degree to be earned at the degree-granting school. At UAF, the residency requirement for bachelor’s degrees is 30 resident credits.

Degree Requirements and Time Limits

You may complete degree requirements in effect and published in the UAF catalog in any one of the previous seven academic years in which you are enrolled as a degree student for a bachelor’s degree. You’re considered enrolled in your degree program when you complete the appropriate degree student registration procedure. If you do not enroll for a semester or more, or if you enroll through the nondegree student registration process, you aren’t considered enrolled as a degree student during that time.

Exceptions to Degree Requirements

Occasionally an undergraduate student may request an exception to an academic requirement or regulation. Requests for an academic dispensation must be approved by petition. If you submit a petition on the basis of a disability, the coordinator of Disability Services will be consulted. Petition forms are available at the Office of the Registrar or online at the registrar website. Forms need to be returned to the Office of the Registrar with required signatures of approval. The Office of the Registrar will notify note your petition in Degreeworks once the appropriate person or committee has made a decision. Academic petitions fall into three categories and each involves different processes:

• General Education Requirements Petitions
  If your petition deals with baccalaureate general education requirements or baccalaureate degree ethics or library science requirements, your advisor and the head of the department of the academic area involved must grant approval. Submit your signed petition to the Office of the Registrar. It will then be forwarded to the chair of the Faculty Senate CORE/General Education Requirements Curriculum Review Committee for consideration.

• Major or Minor Degree Requirement Petitions
  If you want to waive or substitute courses within your major or minor requirements, you need approval signatures from your advisor and the department or program head of your major or minor area. Submit your signed petition to the Office of the Registrar.

• Petitions for Other Requirements
  If your petition deals with general university and/or specific requirements for your degree or other academic policies, you need approval from your advisor and the dean or director of the college or school in which your major is located. Submit your signed petition to the Office of the Registrar. It will then be forwarded to the Provost for consideration.

Reserving Courses for Graduate Programs

Seniors who have only a few remaining requirements for a bachelor’s degree may take courses at the 400 or 600 graduate course level and have them reserved for an advanced degree. Courses reserved for use toward a graduate program cannot also be counted toward requirements for your bachelor’s degree. Unless otherwise notified in writing that the courses are to be used toward the undergraduate program, 600-level graduate courses will automatically be reserved for the advanced degree. To reserve one or more courses, you must be in your final year of an undergraduate program. Submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar during the first four weeks of the semester. The request should identify which semester courses you want reserved for graduate study and not counted toward your bachelor’s degree. (Reserving courses does not, however, assure that a graduate advisory committee will accept them as part of your eventual graduate program.)

Graduation

• Responsibility
  You are responsible for meeting all requirements for graduation. You are encouraged to communicate regularly with your academic advisor and to use DegreeWorks throughout your college career to ensure you are on track to graduate.
• Application for Graduation
  You need to formally apply for graduation. An application for graduation and nonrefundable fee must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. We encourage students to apply the semester prior to the semester you plan to graduate. If you file your application by the published deadline, the graduation application fee is $50. If you miss that deadline, you can submit a late application for graduation by the published late graduation deadline for that semester. The fee for a late application is $80. Applications for graduation filed after the late deadline are processed for graduation the following semester. Students who apply for graduation and who do not complete degree requirements by the end of the semester must reapply for graduation and repay the fee.
• Diplomas and Commencement
  UAF issues diplomas to graduates three times a year: in September, January and June. Students who complete degree requirements for UA Board of Regents-approved academic programs during the academic year are invited to participate in the annual commencement ceremony at the end of spring semester.
  Names of students receiving degrees/certificates appear in the commencement program and are released to the media unless you submit a written request to the graduation department not to do so. (See Information Release and FERPA.)
  Graduates are responsible for ordering caps and gowns through the UAF bookstore in early spring.

• Graduation with Honors
  ​Graduation with honors is a tribute that recognizes academic achievement. Candidates who have earned a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UAF and a minimum institutional grade point average of 3.50 at the bachelor’s level will graduate with honors.
  GPA calculations for graduation with honors do not include:
  • Credits that were excluded due to retaking a course or through the Fresh Start Program
  • Noncredit courses, transfer credits, and credit by examination
     

Please see Grading System and Grade Point Average Computation for more information on how the UAF Institutional GPA is calculated. Students who meet these academic criteria will graduate according to one of the following honor levels:

Honors Academic Criteria

Honor	UAF Grade Point Average (GPA)
Summa Cum Laude	3.90 or higher
Magna Cum Laude	3.75-3.89
Cum Laude	3.50-3.74

These designations are effective for all who graduate fall 2021 going forward and will not be retroactively applied to anyone who graduated prior to the fall 2021 semester.

Types of Bachelor’s Degrees

• Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences
  The B.A.A.S. interdisciplinary degree is designed for students with technical or vocational backgrounds who want to enhance their experiences with more advanced academic pursuits.
• Bachelor of Applied Management
  The B.A.M. online degree is designed for individuals who have completed 21-30 credit hours in an area of specialization or trade and aspire to assume middle-management-level positions in their chosen field.  
• Bachelor of Arts
  The B.A. degree emphasizes written and oral communication skills, creative thinking, critical analyses of texts, understanding cultures, and a working knowledge of social, political and historical contexts. The degree is typically pursued by students whose major areas of study are directed toward humanities, arts and social science disciplines.
• Bachelor of Business Administration
  The B.B.A. degree is the undergraduate equivalent of an MBA. Students explore a wide spectrum of business-related issues to develop advanced business, management and administration skills required in organizational settings at senior levels, and to accelerate high-level career development in the workplace.
• Bachelor of Fine Arts
  The B.F.A. degree has a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare talented students for professional careers in the arts.
• Bachelor of Music
  The B.M. degree encourages acquisition of skills and display of talent in music, with special emphasis on aesthetic performance and understanding.
• Bachelor of Security and Emergency Management
  The B.S.E.M. degree prepares students for professional careers responding to natural and man-made disasters, forming crisis management plans and ensuring public safety. Students with backgrounds ranging from first responders and military to applied vocational skills will graduate ready to start or advance in careers in emergency management, homeland security, public safety and emergency services.
• Bachelor of Science
  The B.S. degree emphasizes oral and written communication skills and analytical skills for examining and solving problems. The degree is typically pursued by students whose major areas of study are directed toward natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, engineering, computer science and some social science fields.
• Bachelor of Sport and Recreation Business
  The B.S.R.B. will provide academic preparation and sought-after, critical education necessary for entry-level careers in the sport and recreation industries.

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

The General Education Requirements 

For a summary of the general education requirements see the general education requirements chart. Undergraduate bachelor’s study at UAF is characterized by a common set of learning experiences known as the General Education Requirements. General education objective and learning outcomes for undergraduate students seeking baccalaureate degrees at the University of Alaska Fairbanks:

1. Build knowledge of human institutions, sociocultural processes, and the physical and natural world through the study of the natural and social sciences, technologies, mathematics, humanities, histories, languages and the arts.
2. Develop intellectual and practical skills across the curriculum, including inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, written and oral communication, information literacy, technological competence, and collaborative learning.
3. Acquire tools for effective civic engagement in local through global contexts, including ethical reasoning, intercultural competence, and knowledge of Alaska and Alaska issues.  
4. Integrate and apply learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies, adapting them to new settings, questions and responsibilities, and forming a foundation for lifelong learning.

If you completed your bachelor’s degree, Associate of Arts degree or Associate of Science degree from a regionally accredited institution, you will be considered to have completed the equivalent of the general education requirements when you have been officially accepted to an undergraduate degree program at UAF.

Alaska Native-Themed Requirements

The Alaska Native-themed requirement is a degree requirement for all baccalaureate, associate of arts and associate of science degrees. The requirement may be met by taking a designated Alaska Native-themed course anywhere in the student's course of study, including general education requirements, major requirements, minor requirements and electives. For a summary of the Alaska Native-themed courses see the Alaska Native-themed Requirements chart.

Postbaccalaureate Certificate Requirements

For information regarding Postbaccalaureate Certificate Requirements visit the Postbaccalaureate Certificate page.