Baccalaureate Degrees 

The four-year degrees available from Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and the Bachelor of Social Work. Each requires the satisfactory completion of 120 or 128 credits of college courses and includes 42 credits in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum (LASC), from 32-64 credits in a major area, and the remainder in electives. The exception is Music Education, which requires a total of 136 credits for the major. While no minor is required, students may choose from more than 90 possible minor programs. Information about the LASC requirements may be found in the Common Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of the Bulletin and requirements for degrees are listed in the Majors, Minors, and Certificates section.

Multiple Majors and Multiple Degree

Students completing two or more majors with different degree designations will be awarded the more appropriate degree, except that the B.S. degree shall be given if one major is in a field of professional teaching.

Students who seek more than one baccalaureate degree (different designation, i.e. B.A. and B.S.) will be required to complete at least 30 credits beyond the minimum of 120 or 128 credits applied to the first degree.

Students who hold a previous baccalaureate degree from MSUM or from another institution whose degree is recognized by MSUM may earn an additional bachelor’s degree (degree name must be different than the initial degree, i.e. B.A. and B.S.) by:

• Completing at least 30 resident credits at MSUM;
• Meeting all MSUM course requirements for the degree program, including at least six credits from the MSUM department awarding the degree and including an approved major and teacher education requirements for any teaching major; and
• Maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA in all studies at MSUM.

Students with a previous MSUM degree may add another major or minor by completing any additional requirements as certified to the Registrar's Office by the department offering the major or minor and by the education department in the case of any teaching major.

Students completing two majors must meet departmental requirements for each major.

Minors Through Tri-College University Exchange  

The Tri-College University commissioners have agreed that students completing minors on one of the other campuses should be given recognition for this accomplishment on their graduation transcripts. Thus, a MSUM student could complete a minor in, for example, agronomy or horticulture at one of the other TCU schools and, upon graduation, that student’s transcript would so indicate. Students should complete the TCU minor approval form and secure signatures from the university/college granting the minor. Additional information may be found on the Tri-college page.

Teaching Majors and Minors and Licensure 

Requirements for teaching major programs are listed under the respective departments in this catalog or can be found at http://www.mnstate.edu/education/.

Many enroll at MSUM in programs that will provide the academic requirements for Minnesota licensure in various fields of education. Upon completing one of these programs, students should apply for licensure through the School of Teaching and Learning. If the license program is combined with study for a postgraduate degree, students must meet admission requirements established by the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning. Questions should be directed to specific departments.

Those who hold baccalaureate degrees without a teaching license may earn a Bachelor of Science degree from MSUM or complete the academic requirements for licensure.

Minnesota licensure does not guarantee reciprocal licensure in other states. Therefore, students who intend to teach in other states should contact licensure boards in those states as early as possible to determine appropriate coursework for certification.

University Studies Major

Students who wish to develop a multidisciplinary major built around a chosen theme or who wish to complete a generalist degree or who have completed most but not all of the requirements of a major or have been unable to complete a degree in a timely major may wish to complete a generalist degree, the Bachelor of Science in University Studies. Information on the University Studies degree can be found on the Academic Support Center website. 

Certificate Programs 

Certificates are awarded for successful completion of a specialized academic program of study which certifies specific knowledge and/or professional skills in a specialized area of knowledge or practice.

Advising in Pre-Professional Areas

A number of professions, particularly those in the health sciences and legal areas, require advanced specialized training beyond the baccalaureate. Students interested in pursuing these careers must be properly advised about their various options for coursework and degree completion at MSUM so they will be best prepared for more advanced degree work in these fields. For example, MSUM has a Pre-professional committee of faculty who provide advising and support for students at all stages of their interest in and application to medical school. MSUM faculty also have expertise in advising students as they prepare for post-graduate work.

Associate Degree 

MSUM offers the two-year Associate in Arts (A.A.). This degree requires completion of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum and Writing-Intensive requirements, plus electives to fulfill the 60 credit degree requirement. The AA degree is designed so students may continue to study for a baccalaureate degree should educational plans change.