Degrees, Majors, and Minors < Youngstown State University Academic Catalog

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Degrees Awarded
Majors
- Declaring or Changing a Major/Degree
Earning a Second Degree
Minors
- Declaring or Changing a Minor
Individualized Curriculum Program (ICP)
- ICP Minors
Certificates
- Declaring or Changing a Certificate
- Contact for Questions/Concerns

Degrees Awarded

Youngstown State University grants the following bachelors and associates degrees:

Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Engineering (BE)
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Bachelor of General Studies (BGS)
Bachelor of Music (BM)
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (BS in AS)
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BS in BA)
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (BSDH)
Bachelor of Science in Education (BS in Ed)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (BSRC)
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Associate of Arts (AA)
Associate of Applied Business (AAB)
Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
Associate of Individualized Studies (AIS)

All bachelor's and associate degrees may be taken as honors degrees. An integrated BaccMed program is offered in conjunction with the Northeast Ohio Medical University and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Educational System.

Majors

Major: An academic major is a credit-bearing, transcripted award consisting of at least 30 semester hours of specialized study leading to both breadth and depth in a particular discipline.

Major with Concentration: An academic major is the primary field of study upon which a student will focus. A concentration is an identified set of courses within a major indicating in-depth knowledge in a particular area of focus. Concentrations differ from majors in that the concentration must include a minimum of 50% of the curriculum within the major.

Combined major: An academic major in which courses are given by more than one department, consists of at least 42 semester hours. At least two disciplines must be represented in a combined major with the core discipline having the majority and at least 12 s.h. coming from outside of the core (these 12 s.h. may be spread over multiple disciplines, but at least 6 s.h. must be at the 3700-level or above).

Each department determines the course requirements for its own major or majors. Responsibility for certifying that a student has completed a major rests with the chairperson of the major department. The student may be required to do more than the minimum stated in the preceding paragraph. As soon as a student has decided on a major, he or she should consult with the department chair of the major department. A major must be declared by the time a student has achieved junior standing. Early consultation with the department chair is strongly recommended, since in some departments the student must begin coursework related to the major during the freshman year or risk a delay in graduation. (Updated per 3/4/2020 Academic Senate resolution.)

All grades in the major must be "C" or better.

Declaring or Changing a Major/Degree

Prospective Students (Admitted, No Enrollment)

A student may enter the university with a declared major/degree or with an undetermined or exploratory major. Students should contact the Office of Admissions or First Year Student Services to have their impending major changed on the application/student information system.

Current Students (Admitted, Enrollment in Current or Future Semester)

Although students may be admitted to YSU with an undetermined or exploratory major, all undergraduate students must declare a major and minor (if a minor is required for that particular degree) by the time they have completed 60 credit hours.

Students enrolled in an associate degree program must earn 24 credit hours at YSU and be in good academic standing (or meet the program requirements) in order to transition into a bachelor's degree.

To Declare/Change a Major, Students Should Follow this Process:

Assess Your Reasons and Research.
1. Self-Reflection – Take time to understand why you’re considering a different major. Are you unhappy with your current path, or are you simply exploring other options?
2. Research Potential Majors – Thoroughly research any majors you’re considering, including their curriculum, career prospects, and required coursework; use the “What If” function in Penguin PASS. (Add Link to video instructions)
3. Talk to Faculty – Connect with faculty in departments related to your potential new major to gain insights and ask questions.
Schedule Meetings with Career and Advisement Staff.
1. Schedule a meeting and complete a career assessment/planning session with the Office of Career Exploration and Development, WCBA Center for Career Management, or STEM Career.
2. Schedule a meeting with an academic advisor at the college in which the new major is assigned. The advisor will help you understand the requirements for the new major, potential challenges, graduation timeline, and the best path forward.
Take Action.
1. Submit the Necessary Forms – Once you’ve made your decision and have been cleared by an academic advisor, the advisor will submit the required Intra-University Transfer Request form. Once your major change has been reviewed and processed, your program will be updated on the Student Profile in the Penguin Portal.
2. Financial Aid – If you receive federal or state aid, changing majors may impact your financial aid eligibility. Discuss this with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships or review your Financial Aid Snapshot.
3. International Students – If you are an international student, changing majors may require updating your visa information. Discuss this with the International Programs Office.
4. Athletes – If you are a student athlete, a change in major may impact your eligibility. Discuss this with the Office of Athletic Academic Counseling.
5. Veterans - Check with Veteran Affairs.

Requests for change of major received by Records Services on or before the 14th day of the full term will be processed for the current semester. Requests received by Records Services after the 14th day of the full term will be effective for the subsequent semester.

Declaring Additional Majors/Degrees

Multiple majors or degrees may be awarded concurrently. Students earning both an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree concurrently will have the Bachelor level degree listed as their primary degree and the associate degree listed as secondary. This designation will be reflected on the student's record.

Multiple Majors/Single Degree: A degree – e.g. Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts – may be awarded only once. However, more than one major for the degree may be posted on the transcript when the appropriate department chairpersons certify completion of the requirements. The student should indicate in each of the appropriate colleges each major completed when filing for graduation. When the student completes more than one major in a given degree, one diploma is awarded. A minimum of 30 semester hours or 50% of the credits counted towards a major, whichever is less, must be specific to that major and not shared by any other major.

Multiple Majors/Multiple Degrees: If a student wishes to complete the requirements for multiple majors that are awarded under different degrees, the student must fulfill all requirements for each major and each degree. The appropriate chairpersons and deans must then certify completion of the requirements for each major and degree. The student must file intent to graduate and graduation application forms for each major and each degree in the appropriate colleges. A minimum of 30 semester hours or 50% of the credits counted towards a major, whichever is less, must be specific to that major and not shared by any other major.

Students may not earn the Bachelor of General Studies concurrently with another bachelor's degree. Students who hold a bachelor's degree are not eligible for a Bachelor of General Studies degree.

Earning a Second Degree

Any student who has received a degree from another institution and desires a second degree from YSU must complete a minimum academic residency of 20 semester hours for an associate degree and 30 semester hours for a baccalaureate degree, meet all requirements for the second degree, and complete the requirements for a new major. Students coming from another university or from YSU with an already-completed bachelor's degree will not have to complete any additional general education requirements at YSU but will have to satisfy the residency requirements described above.

To Declare/Change an Additional Major/Degree, Students Should Follow this Process:

Schedule Meeting with Advisement Staff.
1. Schedule a meeting with your current academic advisor to add the additional major/degree. The advisor will help you understand the requirements for completion, potential challenges, and/or contact the college/department offering the major to be assigned.
2. Submit the Necessary Forms – Once you’ve made your decision and have been cleared by an academic advisor, the advisor will submit the required Intra-University Transfer Request form. Once your additional major/degree has been reviewed and processed, your program will be updated on the Student Profile in the Penguin Portal.

Minors

A minor is an intellectual venture that broadens and deepens the student's intellectual growth. An intellectual framework and coherence are evident in the scope and sequence of the minor course of study. A minor is intended to contrast with or deepen the major or General Education and is to be taken in a discipline other than that of the major.

In interdisciplinary minors, courses from the student's major discipline can be counted in the minor provided that the same courses are not counted toward the major. Each student must complete a minor, unless the student has a combined major or is enrolled in a professional or technical curriculum that does not require a delineated minor. Check with an academic advisor for specific information.

A minor consists of at least 12 hours (but not more than 19 hours) of an approved, published set of courses as listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. All grades in the minor must be "C" or better. Courses taken under the Credit/No Credit option may not be counted toward the minor. Upper-division courses (3700+) must comprise at least 6 s.h. in the minor. Each department develops the specific pattern or sequence of courses for any minor(s) it offers. However, the department in which the student receives the major is responsible for certifying that a student has completed a minor. Certification will be guided by the description of minors published in the Undergraduate Catalog. Students should declare a minor prior to their junior year.

Courses which fulfill requirements of both a major and a minor may be counted toward the completion of both the major and the minor, up to but not to exceed one-third of the total course hours of the minor. Autonomy to approve courses rests solely within the department of the minor for each course that is to be considered for both the major and the minor. Formal approval will be conducted by chairpersons upon consultation with expert faculty within their department. (Updated 4/7/2021)

For a list of minors and their requirements see Minors List. An individualized minor may be developed and approved through the Individualized Curriculum Program (see below).

Declaring or Changing a Minor

To Declare/Change a Minor, Students Should Follow this Process:

Schedule Meeting with Advisement Staff.
Schedule a meeting with your current academic advisor to add/change the minor to your degree plan. The advisor will help you understand the requirements for completion, potential challenges, and/or contact the college/department offering the minor to be assigned.
Submit the Necessary Forms – Once you’ve made your decision and have been cleared by an academic advisor, submit the required Intra-University Transfer Request form. Once your minor request has been reviewed and processed, your program will be updated on the Student Profile in the Penguin Portal.

Individualized Curriculum Program (ICP)

The student whose needs are not met by existing conventional programs may wish to investigate and apply for the Individualized Curriculum Program (ICP). This option requires a student to design the curriculum suited to his or her particular background and needs, allowing alternative paths for reaching the currently offered undergraduate degrees.

A student admitted to the program will have the help of a committee of faculty advisors selected by the student. This committee will help to develop a program that will serve a valid educational goal not attainable within the regular curricular structure of the university. To receive approval, the overall program needs to be of a scope and intensity comparable to conventional programs leading to the degree being sought.

Students wishing to develop an individualized curriculum must meet the following requirements:

Sophomore standing and 30sh completed
GPA of at least 2.50
Students pursuing a baccalaureate degree must have at least 30 s.h. to complete once the program has been approved. Students pursuing an associate degree must have at least 20 s.h. remaining upon approval.

To Declare/Change an ICP, Students Should Follow this Process:

Schedule Meeting with Advisement Staff.
1. Schedule a meeting with the Director of Advising in the academic college you wish to reside. The advisor will help you understand the requirements for completion and potential challenges.

ICP Minors

An individualized minor may be developed and approved through the Individualized Curriculum Process (ICP). Transfer students may also use the ICP process for approval of a minor course of study.

An official minor is designated on the student's transcript at the time the degree is awarded. In instances when extenuating circumstances are present, students who have taken courses that meet the guidelines of a minor (a minimum of 12 s.h. in a discipline with at least 6 s.h. at 3700-level or above) but do not have the designated courses of the official minor may declare an unofficial minor to meet graduation requirements. Only courses that are part of the major curriculum (from the discipline being used for the unofficial minor) can count toward an unofficial minor. This minor must be agreed to by the chairperson of the major department. An unofficial minor is not transcribed on the student's transcript.

Certificates

Certificate :A credit-bearing, transcripted award granted by a college/department to acknowledge successful completion of a structured program of study and competence in a specific area of study. All grades for certificate courses must be earned as a C or better.

Declaring or Changing a Certificate

To Declare/Change a Certificate, Students Should Follow this Process:

Schedule Meeting with Advisement Staff.
1. Schedule a meeting with your current academic advisor to add a certificate while you also pursue a major/degree. The advisor will help you understand the requirements for completion, potential challenges, and/or contact the college/department offering the major to be assigned.
2. Submit the Necessary Forms – Once you’ve made your decision and have been cleared by an academic advisor, submit the required Intra-University Transfer Request form. Once your additional major/degree has been reviewed and processed, your program will be updated on the Student Profile in the Penguin Portal.

Note on Certificates: Students using financial aid who are looking to declare a certificate only, meaning a certificate without an associate or baccalaureate degree path declared, should discuss financial aid eligibility with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Contact for Questions/Concerns

Office: Advisement Office (in which your major lies)
Location: Academic College (in which your major lies)