Credit Requirements for Degree Programs and Residency
Credit Requirements for Degree Programs
• Associate Degree – 90 undergraduate quarter credits, including 30 in specific general education disciplines and 60 in the major field.
• Bachelor’s Degree – At least 180 undergraduate quarter credits, including 55 in specific general education disciplines, and all upper-division credits in the major field.
• Master’s Degree – Normally at least 45 graduate quarter credits; with approval of the Academic Affairs Council and the Provost, a Master’s degree can be approved with fewer graduate credits, but no less than 33. Some or all of the coursework must be in the core field of the degree. Other coursework may relate to a specific emphasis within the degree field. Some programs also require completion of internships and/or practica among credit requirements.
• Doctoral Degree – At least 90 graduate quarter credits, for which two-thirds of the coursework is in the core field of the degree and includes dissertation requirements. Other coursework may relate to a specific concentration within the degree field.
Residency Requirements for Degree Programs
Definition of Residency - Courses taken at CityU – that is, taken in residence – are used to fulfill the residency requirement. Residency credits may be performance-based with courses taken in any delivery format (in class, mixed-mode, through distance learning, or by challenge), and may be administered by any CityU location worldwide. They are different from external credits transferred into a program, and from PLA credits, which give academic credit for knowledge acquired elsewhere. (Please refer to the policies on transferring credit into graduate and undergraduate programs for more information on use of external credits.)
• Associate Degree – Of the 90 lower-division quarter credits required, 25 must be earned in residence, and no more than 65 may be transferred into the program. An exception to this rule is made for the Associate of Science degree program in General Studies-Military Only. In this program, available to active duty service members only, only five (5) credits must be earned in residence and up to 85 may be transferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree – Of the 180 or more quarter credits required, at least 45 upper-division quarter credits must be earned in residence. No more than 135 quarter credits may be transferred.
• Master’s Degree – Of the quarter credits required, no more than 25 percent of the program, up to maximum of 12 quarter credits may be transferred, and all remaining credits must be taken in residence, regardless of the exact number needed to complete the program.
An exception to this requirement for master’s degree programs is made for dual-delivery, bilateral, joint delivered or partnered articulation programs. Up to 15 quarter credits may be transferred into these programs.
All other credits must be earned in residence.
• Doctoral Degree – Of the 90 or more quarter credits required, a maximum of 12 credits may be transferred, and all remaining credits must be taken in residence, regardless of the exact number needed to complete the program. Some exceptions may be granted by the school dean as outlined in the specific Transfer Policies for Graduate and Doctoral Degrees and Certificate Programs policy, with prior approval.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the Provost.
(Policy #3500.19)