Programs of Study

The College of Arts and Sciences awards both the bachelor of arts (B.A.) and bachelor of science (B.S.) degrees. Degree programs are designed in accordance with the principles of the liberal arts to ensure appropriate breadth and depth. All the programs approximate the following distribution:

• 1/3 of the courses are in the major with at least 24 credits of upper division work in a single discipline.
• 1/3 of the courses are in the University core program.
• 1/3 of the courses are college and degree requirements or electives.

A minimum of 120 credits is required for a degree with at least a 2.0 grade point average in the major discipline. At least 48 credits must be upper-division work with at least 75 percent of these credits earned at the University of Portland. Specific requirements can be found throughout this document.

Across most academic institutions, the scope of the academic program or a course of study determines if a B.A. or B.S. degree is awarded. In general, the majority of B.A. degrees provide breadth in the liberal arts and for a major in one or more areas. B.S. degrees typically have considerably more depth in a particular field of study and may include courses in closely related fields or with professional or technical emphasis, while also providing for a foundational liberal arts education.