Degree Types and Requirements

suny empire state college student degree planning guide 9 Chapter 2 Degree Types and Requirements Degree Types SUNY Empire State College offers the following undergraduate degrees: Associate in Arts (A.A.) Associate in Science (A.S.) Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.)* * The B.P.S. is available only in these registered areas of study: The Arts; Business, Management and Economics; Community and Human Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Labor Studies; Public Affairs; and Technology. To earn an associate degree (A.A. or A.S.), you must successfully complete at least 64 credits, with at least 24 credits earned at Empire State College. A bachelor s degree (B.A., B.S. or B.P.S.) requires the successful completion of 128 credits, with at least 32 credits earned at Empire State College. Advanced Standing Credits Advanced standing credit refers to the credits awarded for college-level learning that you acquired outside of your attendance at Empire State College, and that you will use toward your degree. For an associate degree, the maximum number of advanced standing credits is 40. For a bachelor s degree, the maximum number of advanced standing credits is 96. Liberal Arts and Sciences Credits Each type of degree requires a specific number of liberal arts and sciences credits. The number of liberal arts and sciences credits you include in your degree program helps determine which degree you earn. For example, a Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 96 liberal arts and sciences credits, a Bachelor of Science requires at least 64, and a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree requires at least 32. Advanced-level Credits All bachelor s degree programs at Empire State College require at least 45 credits of study at the advanced level, of which at least 24 must be in the concentration. Advanced level means study that builds upon earlier college-level learning. You could think of this as the equivalent of junior or senior-level work at other colleges. Associate degree programs do not require advanced-level credits because it is equivalent to the first two years of college-level learning. General Education Credits Every SUNY Empire State College bachelor s degree program must have at least 30 credits and every associate degree must have at least 21 credits over seven general education knowledge and skill areas. Students seeking bachelor s degrees are required to meet the areas of Mathematics and Basic Communication; for associate degrees, these two areas are recommended. Chapter 3 describes the requirements in more detail. Requirements for your SUNY Empire State College Degree Degree Total Maximum Minimum Minimum Minimum Minimum Educational Credits Advanced Liberal Arts SUNY General Advanced-level Advanced-level Planning Standing and Sciences Education Credits in Your Credits in Your Credits Credits Credits Credits Concentration Program A.A. 64 40 48 21 4-8 A.S. 64 40 32 21 4-8 B.A. 128 96 96 30 24 45 4-8 B.S. 128 96 64 30 24 45 4-8 B.S. Nursing 128 96 64 30 40 45 4-8 B.P.S. 128 96 32 30 24 45 4-8

10 suny empire state college student degree planning guide Credits listed on your degree program may fulfill more than one degree requirement. One study could be a liberal arts and sciences study at an advanced level that also meets a general education requirement. Associate Degrees An associate degree requires 64 credits, with at least 24 credits earned at Empire State College. You might choose to pursue an associate degree for a number of reasons, including: to complete one step toward the development of a bachelor s degree; to develop expertise in an area that requires a certain level of academic knowledge; to meet employer expectations or requirements; and to acquire new knowledge in areas of potential interest and to fulfill intellectual curiosity. Associate degree programs are generally expected to include a variety of foundational studies and studies that help develop and strengthen basic academic skills, such as college-level reading and writing, quantitative reasoning, analysis, critical thinking and independent study. You may choose between two associate degree formats: one in which there is a concentration; or one in which there is no concentration (referred to as a one-column degree program). One-column degree programs, those with no concentration, are expected to be broad and include a sampling of studies from the arts and sciences, although some technical and professional studies also are appropriate. In a two-column format with a concentration, a reasonable amount of breadth is still expected. There should be a good balance between studies in the concentration and general learning. Although there are no advanced-level credit requirements for associate degrees, advanced-level credit can be included in them. Supporting Materials, Section B in this planning guide provides sample associate degrees. Bachelor s Degrees A bachelor s degree requires 128 credits, with at least 32 credits earned at Empire State College. You might choose to pursue a bachelor s degree for a number of reasons, including: to complete the necessary requirements for study at the graduate level; to meet requirements of an employer or a profession; to explore academic topics that are of personal interest; and to acquire new knowledge in areas of potential interest and to fulfill intellectual curiosity. Bachelor s degree programs are expected to include evidence of introductory and foundational studies and a broad sampling of different academic topics balanced by studies in the concentration. They should show evidence of progression from introductory-level study to more advanced-level study in which topics are examined with greater complexity, sophistication and depth. At least 45 credits of the entire degree program must be at the advanced level. Registered Areas of Study Empire State College has broad Registered Areas of Study (AOS) within which to grant degrees. Each AOS has guidelines that describe the college s general expectations for the academic content of concentrations within each area of study. The area of study guidelines are written to allow maximum flexibility so that you can meet your individual educational objectives. They are not standard curricula or lists of required courses. These guidelines offer general points to consider in designing a degree in that field. The guidelines appear in Supporting Materials, Section C, of this planning guide as well as on the college s website: www.esc.edu/aos. A.A., A.S., B.A. and B.S. degrees are granted in one of the following registered areas of study: The Arts Business, Management and Economics Community and Human Services Cultural Studies Educational Studies Historical Studies Human Development Interdisciplinary Studies Labor Studies* Public Affairs Science, Mathematics and Technology Social Theory, Social Structure and Change * Offered only in New York City and through distance education. The RN to B.S.N. program is an upper-division bachelor s program with all course work offered online. The program focuses on community health and includes an advanced clinical placement. The degree program includes 40 advanced-level credits in nursing. Admission is selective. (See Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the Area of Study section of the SUNY Empire State College Undergraduate Catalog for details.) The program in nursing is offered only to current RNs and only through online study. The B.P.S. is awarded only for appropriate degree programs with concentrations that fall within the following areas: The Arts Business, Management and Economics

suny empire state college student degree planning guide 11 Community and Human Services Interdisciplinary Studies Labor Studies (offered only in New York City and through distance education) Public Affairs Technology** (not in Science or Mathematics) **B.P.S. degrees are not permitted in Science, Mathematics and Technology, but rather the registered area would be Technology. Together you and your mentor design a degree after you determine which type of degree and registered area of study is the most appropriate for your individual needs and goals. Supporting Materials, Section B in this planning guide contains sample bachelor s degree programs. Concentrations An Empire State College degree program divides learning into two major categories: the concentration and general learning. Your concentration, often called a major at other institutions, is designed to fit one of the Empire State College registered areas of study and consists of a series of integrated studies in your primary field of study. The studies that make up a concentration fit together and make sense as a whole. Because the concentration requires in-depth learning and a degree of competence in an academic area, a bachelor s degree concentration includes evidence of progression from introductory to advanced-level learning with a minimum of 24 advanced-level credits in the concentration. Your concentration may be organized around one of these frameworks: a focused, in-depth study of a discipline, such as economics, physics, psychology; the study of a problem, such as poverty; the study of a theme, such as economic issues in American education; study in preparation for a profession or vocation, such as managing in a technical environment; or an interrelated study of two or more disciplines, such as American history and religion, which would be considered an interdisciplinary concentration. Two Concentrations At Empire State College, you can design degree programs with two concentrations when appropriate. In these cases, although the expectation for credits in a concentration is 24 to 36 credits with a minimum of 24 advanced-level credits for each concentration, a program with a double concentration could have fewer than 48 credits of advanced-level studies in the concentrations if some components of advanced-level work are shared by the two concentration areas. Your Degree Title Your degree title is the registered area of study, not the concentration title. For example, if you design a B.S. in marketing within the Business, Management and Economics area of study, your official degree title is a Bachelor of Science in Business, Management and Economics. Your diploma states the type of degree you have earned, Bachelor of Science, not the area of study or your concentration. Restricted Concentration Titles New York state education law regulates certain kinds of professional education, and Empire State College cannot offer concentration titles in certain professional areas. Currently, these are: Acupuncture Architecture Athletic Training Audiology Certified Shorthand Reporting Chiropractic Clinical Laboratory Technology Cytotechnology Histological Technology Dentistry Dental Anesthesia/Sedation Dental Hygiene Dental Assistance Dietetics-Nutrition Education (see below for details) Engineering Interior Design Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Massage Therapy Medical Physics Medicine Mental Health Practitioners Creative Arts Therapy Marriage and Family Therapy Mental Health Counseling Psychoanalysis Midwifery Nursing (Note: Empire State College offers an online RN to B.S.N. degree program) Registered Professional Nurses Nurse Practitioners Licensed Practical Nurses Occupational Therapy Ophthalmic Dispensing Optometry Pharmacy Physical Therapy Podiatry

12 suny empire state college student degree planning guide Public Accountancy (See below for more information) Certified Public Accountants Public Accountants Respiratory Therapy Social Work Speech-Language Pathology Veterinary Medicine List available at: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/ Although you should avoid using these regulated categories as you consider the title for your concentration, some study in these areas is available. For example, while Empire State College cannot offer concentrations in social work, it may grant degrees with concentrations in social welfare. A Note on Degrees in Education The New York State Education Department (NYSED) regulates certification of the teaching professions and other educational specialties. As a result, Empire State College degree programs may not contain concentration titles that include the word education or otherwise conflict with NYSED certified areas such as early childhood education and secondary education. When the word education has a specific commonly understood meaning not in conflict with NYSED certification titles, it may be used in a concentration title. Concentration titles related to education which Empire State College cannot offer include: Art Education Business and Distributive Education Dance Education Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Health Education Home Economics Music Education Physical Education Reading Recreational Education School Administration and Supervision School Business Administration School Counseling School District Administration School Media Specialist School Psychology Secondary Education Special Education Speech Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Technology Education Any student who develops a concentration in an acceptable area of education or indicates that they are interested in teaching within the degree program rationale will be required to sign a Teacher Certification Disclaimer (see page 148). A Note on Degrees in Accounting Empire State College does offer concentrations in accounting. Please see the Concentration in Acccounting section in Supporting Materials, Section C: Area of Study and Concentration Guidelines under Business, Management and Economics for details. An Empire State College undergraduate degree in accounting is not sufficient to meet the total educational credit requirement in order to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination for licensure in New York state. The student is responsible for checking with their state board and professional associations, regarding the current requirements for any professional designations they are interested in pursuing. The most recent information regarding CPA licensure requirements in New York state is available at www.op.nysed.gov/prof/cpa/. Any student who develops a degree in accounting will be required to sign an Accounting Certification Disclaimer (see page 149). General Learning An Empire State College degree program must contain some general learning, a term used to describe learning that is not in the concentration. Studies defined as general learning may support the concentration or add breadth to the degree program in areas that may be unrelated to your concentration but are of interest to you. General learning studies provide you with the opportunity to develop general analytical and critical abilities, to take ideas from one field and apply them to another, and to develop a sense of how specific studies relate to the learning involved in an entire field or academic discipline. This expectation is different from the general education requirement, although a study can cover both. Although each Empire State College degree program is designed to meet individual needs and goals, a strong degree program contains a reasonable balance between the concentration and general learning. Liberal Arts and Sciences Credits The number of liberal arts and sciences credits included in your degree program helps determine which degree you earn (see the chart, Chapter 2, page 9). On the degree program, liberal arts and sciences are designated with an asterisk (*). The Empire State College definition of liberal arts and sciences (found in policy for individualized program design, bachelor s degrees) is:

suny empire state college student degree planning guide 13 Liberal arts and sciences enhance the abilities of men and women to understand, to judge, to communicate and to take action with each other about the nature, quality and conditions of their lives. Learning that meets this definition generally tends to have strong theoretical and conceptual content. Fields of study traditionally included within the liberal arts and sciences humanities, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, social sciences and the creative arts fall within the present definition. Other subjects when studied with appropriate theoretical and conceptual content meet this definition. Another way to think about liberal arts and sciences is that they emphasize why rather than how to. They are theoretical rather than applied or professional. For example, a study of the theories of personality development would be liberal arts and sciences because it answers questions about why personalities develop as they do. On the other hand, an internship in counseling would be an applied, professional study because it emphasizes how to practice counseling techniques. Similarly, a world literature course would be considered liberal arts and sciences while a course in computer applications would be considered applied/professional. Learning that grows out of a job or community experience most often results in applied rather than theoretical knowledge. Advanced-level Study All bachelor s degree programs at Empire State College (B.A., B.S., B.P.S.) require at least 45 credits of advanced-level study with at least 24 of those in the concentration or major. (See the chart, Chapter 2, page 9.) On the degree program, advancedlevel studies are designated with a plus sign (+). Advanced-level study involves a higher and more complex level of knowledge and understanding than introductory or foundational learning. It means that you have a level of knowledge and understanding of a particular area or topic that goes beyond basic terminology and definitions. Advanced-level learning usually is determined by the degree to which you are able to analyze, synthesize and evaluate information related to a specific topic or area of learning. course s level typically is made on the basis of prerequisites, the difficulty or complexity of the study, and the degree of academic ability required to successfully master course requirements. You should consult with your mentor or Center Office of Academic Review if you have questions about the level of learning that a course represents. Breadth in Empire State College Degree Programs Empire State College expects you to acquire the qualities of a broadly educated person. The purpose of a college education is not only to enable you to gather information and build skills, but to understand what you have learned in a broad context. You should be able to: relate your learning to what you already know; think about, consider and judge what you are told; use what you learn in a practical and thoughtful way. As an Empire State College student, your learning should extend beyond a single, narrow discipline or field. You should be able and willing to: demonstrate an understanding of several diverse perspectives, such as historical, literary, scientific, technological, aesthetic, ethical, international, multicultural and gender-based; develop an ability to apply diverse perspectives to issues concerning human behavior, society and the natural world; acquire the habit of critical examination, careful analysis and broad acceptance of the complexities of today s world; and understand other points of view and consider alternatives. See Chapter 4 for details on how to combine all the pieces. For example, Accounting I and II would be considered introductory-level studies as they are the first studies in this area and provide a foundation for more complex learning. A study in cost accounting generally is classified as advanced level as it builds on the learning gained in earlier accounting courses. Introduction to Human Biology is an introductory-level study but provides a basis for Genetics, which is typically considered advanced-level learning. Courses taken at community or junior colleges, as well as most courses taken during the first two years at four-year institutions, are considered introductory level. Junior or senior-level courses taken during the last two years at fouryear institutions are usually considered advanced. At these institutions, and at Empire State College, the evaluation of a