Degree Requirements

Idaho State University Resident Credit Requirements

Resident credits are credits earned at Idaho State University for ISU credit-bearing courses. The following lists the resident credit requirements of the University.

• For an undergraduate certificate requiring 30 credits or less, at least 50% of credits applied to the certificate must be resident credits, as defined above.
• For the associate degree and undergraduate certificates requiring 31 credits or more, at least 15 credits in the major area of study must be resident credits,* or 15 credits of the last 25 credits applied to the degree must be resident credits, as defined above.
• For the bachelor's degree:
  • At least 30 credits in the major area of study must be resident credits,* or 30 of the last 50 credits applied to the degree must be resident credits, as defined above.
  • At least 15 upper division credits required for the major must be resident credits, as defined above.
  • At least 6 credits required for the minor must be resident credits, as defined above.
• Additional resident credit is granted as specified in the “Alternative Credit Opportunities” section of this catalog.

*To graduate using this resident credit requirement, please contact dgwaudit@isu.edu.

Please note: Resident credits are not synonymous with Idaho State residency definitions for tuition purposes (see the section on “Idaho Residency Requirement for Fee Payment” in the About Idaho State University section of this catalog).

Resident credit for graduate programs is addressed in the Graduate Catalog.

Degree Credit Requirements

To be eligible for any undergraduate academic or technical certificate, a student must:

• Complete all major requirements with a minimum grade point average of 2.0;
• Meet Resident Credit Requirements as defined above;
• Have an overall ISU cumulative GPA of 2.0; and
• Have a completed and cleared degree audit.

To be eligible for an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree, a student must:

• Complete General Education requirements;
• Complete all major requirements with a minimum grade point average of 2.0;
• Meet Resident Credit requirements as defined above;
• Complete 60 credits of coursework;
• Have an overall ISU cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0; and
• Have a completed and cleared degree audit.

To be eligible for an associate of arts (A.A.) or an associate of science (A.S.) degree, a student must:

• Complete General Education requirements;
• Complete all major requirements with a minimum grade point average of 2.0;
• Meet Resident Credit requirements as defined above;
• Complete 60 credits of coursework, of which at least 30 need to be academic credits;
• Have an overall ISU cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0; and
• Have a completed and cleared degree audit.

To be eligible for a bachelor's degree, a student must:

• Complete General Education Requirements;
• Complete all major requirements with a minimum grade point average of 2.0;
• Meet Resident Credit requirements as defined above;
• Complete 36 credits of upper division coursework;
• Complete 120 credits of coursework, of which at least 60 need to be academic credits. (The B.A.S. in Applied Science in Robotics Engineering Technology is exempt from the 60 academic credits requirement.);
• Have no more than 60 credits earned through specialized credit or alternate credit opportunities;
• Have an overall ISU cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0; and
• Have a completed and cleared degree audit.

Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs

Participation in an accelerated Bachelors to Masters program as published in the ISU catalog will allow undergraduate students the opportunity to take a maximum of 12 credits of Idaho State University graduate-level coursework as part of their undergraduate curriculum. These credits will count towards both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and can fulfill major requirements, upper division requirements and/or free electives. Grades earned in the graduate-level coursework will be factored into the student's undergraduate GPA. 

Specialized Credit Limitations

Graduation requirements may be met by no more than the number of credits in certain groups as listed below.

• No more than 30% of the program requirements can be fulfilled through credit by examination.**
• No more than 35% of the program requirements can be fulfilled with Experiential Learning Assessment.***
• No more than 8 credits allowed from Professional Development workshop courses.
• No more than 12 credits allowed from ensemble participation in music. (Music majors may count 8 credits of ensemble participation in music as free electives.)
• No more than 8 credits allowed from physical activity courses (including all PEAC courses, DAAC courses, and MSL 1111 / PEAC 1110)

Exception: Up to 100% of CTE courses may be applied to College of Technology degrees or certificates using Experiential Learning Assessment. 

**See Alternative Credit Opportunities in the Academic Information section of this catalog for specific information.

***Idaho State University follows Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) 2020 Standard 1.C.8 in awarding credit for prior learning.

Catalog Requirements

Candidates for associate or bachelor’s degrees may choose to fulfill the degree requirements stated in any one catalog in effect during their enrollment at Idaho State University, subject to the stipulations below. Regardless of the catalog the student chooses, deviations may be required for accreditation, licensing, or State Board of Education mandates.

1. Candidates for bachelor’s degrees must use a catalog in effect the year they matriculate or any later year. For students who change majors, this is determined by the department in consultation with the student at the time they are accepted into the major.
2. The catalog cannot precede the academic year in which the student graduates by more than 8 years.
3. Selection of a catalog for certifying graduation requirements must be approved by the department’s chair, program director, or designee.
4. Students with a gap in enrollment at the university for eight semesters or more (including summers) from the date of last attendance must meet degree re­qui­rements as outlined in the catalog in effect at the date of their re­-enrollment, or any subsequent catalog published prior to their degree conferral date.
5. If a major program is discontinued by the university and the State Board of Education, students enrolled will be assisted in transferring to an equivalent program in the state. If there is no similar program within the state, currently enrolled students will be permitted to complete the program in accordance with existing graduation requirements.

Dean's List

The deans of Idaho State University's colleges recognize outstanding undergraduate student scholarship every semester by placing students on the Dean's List.  All students earning a GPA of 3.666 or above for the semester that have completed at least 12 GPA eligible credits (6 in the summer semester) will be placed on the Dean's List.

Graduation with Distinction

Idaho State University recognizes outstanding student scholarship in baccalaureate and associate degree graduates by granting the following distinctions:

• Summa Cum Laude (gold honor cord): to those having an Idaho State University GPA of 3.950-4.00
• Magna Cum Laude (silver honor cord): to those having an Idaho State University GPA of 3.750-3.949
• Cum Laude (white honor cord): to those having an Idaho State University GPA of 3.500-3.749

Acknowledgement of academic achievement at commencement will be based on the student’s cumulative ISU GPA at the conclusion of the term prior to the ceremony. Distinction recorded on the diploma and final official transcript, however, will be based on all semesters completed.

Revocation of Degrees

The university reserves the right to revoke a previously granted degree, either for failure to satisfy the degree requirements (i.e., a mistake in granting the degree), or for fraud or other academic misconduct on the part of the recipient discovered or acted upon after the degree has been awarded.

Second Associate Degree

Earning two associate degrees concurrently​: A student who has satisfied the individual requirements of each degree will be allowed to graduate with two degrees or more concurrently.

Earning a subsequent associate degree (when previous degree has been awarded by ISU): ​A former student who previously earned an associate degree from Idaho State University may be awarded a second associate degree from ISU by:

1. Completing a minimum of 8 additional credits at ISU.
2. Satisfying all courses required by the department beyond the general education requirements fulfilled by the first degree.

Earning a subsequent associate degree (when previous degree has not been awarded by ISU): ​A student with an associate degree from an external accredited institution may be awarded a second associate degree from ISU by:

1. Completing a minimum of 15 resident credits at ISU.
2. Satisfying all courses required by the department beyond the general education requirements fulfilled by the first degree.

A student with an academic associate degree (A.A., A.S.) earned  from a regionally accredited institution in Idaho will be considered to have met Idaho State University’s General Education Requirements when seeking a second associate degree. Degrees earned from regionally accredited institutions outside the state of Idaho may be reviewed for General Education waiver consideration.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

Earning two baccalaureate degrees concurrently: When most students complete two majors within the same college during the same semester, they earn one degree with a double major, as long as each major contains at least twelve credits of unique content. Students should bear in mind the following exceptions or
qualifications:

•  If a student earns different baccalaureate credentials within the same college—if one major is a BA, for example, and the other is a BS—a second Bachelor’s degree rather than a double major is awarded, as long as each degree contains at least twelve credits of unique content.
•  Two degrees rather than a double major within a single degree are also awarded when two or more majors are completed in different colleges, with no requirement of unique content.
•  In order to meet accreditation requirements of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the flexible BBA in ISU’s Business College is not required to observe the twelve-credit minimum of unique content within majors.

Earning a subsequent bachelor's degree (when previous degree has been awarded by ISU): A former student who previously earned a baccalaureate degree from Idaho State University may be awarded a second baccalaureate degree from ISU by satisfying all of the following:

1. Completing a minimum of 12 additional credits at ISU.
2. Satisfying upper division requirements in the major field as required by the department in which the second degree is to be granted.
3. Satisfying lower division courses required by the department beyond the general education requirements fulfilled by the first degree.

Earning a subsequent bachelor's degree (when previous degree has not been awarded by ISU): A student who previously earned a baccalaureate degree from another accredited institution may be awarded a second baccalaureate degree from ISU by:

1. Completing a minimum of 30 additional credits at ISU.
2. Satisfying upper division requirements in the major field as required by the department in which the second degree is to be granted.
3. Satisfying lower division courses required by the department beyond the general education requirements fulfilled by the first degree.

A student with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Idaho will be considered to have met Idaho State University’s General Education Requirements when seeking a second bachelor’s degree.

Majors

Each degree-seeking student admitted to Idaho State University will indicate a choice of major on the admissions application. All students are expected to contact their major department and formally declare their major and request an advisor assignment as early as their first semester of attendance and before completing 58 credits. Students wishing to change their major must contact the department that offers the desired major. Some majors require a separate and subsequent application to the department. In those cases, the student will only be able to choose a pre-major and should contact the department for details of the program admissions requirements and process.

Minors

Minors at Idaho State University are optional unless specified as required by the major. More than one minor may be declared and earned. To declare a minor, the student must contact the appropriate department. A student declaring a minor must do so before or at the time of application for graduation.

A minimum of 18 semester hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required in the minor. Not all departments offer a minor. Those that do may require more than the minimum number of credits. Consult departmental catalog entries for more information.

Certificates

A certificate enables students to demonstrate a specific skillset as they pursue their professional goals. Typically smaller than a minor, a certificate can highlight career-relevant specializations that enhance a resume and make students more competitive in the job market. The general goal with certificates is to help students cultivate an interest that is of personal or professional value to them.

Academic Certificates

At ISU academic certificates must meet the following requirements:

•  An ISU academic certificate must consist of a minimum of nine credits, although most are in the twelve to twenty-five range.
• A student may be enrolled in at most two academic certificates at any one time at ISU.
•  At the time of award, an individual ISU academic certificate must contain at least six credits that have not counted toward another academic certificate.

For information about technical certificates available through ISU’s College of Technology, see the section immediately below.

Technical Certificates

Technical certificates at ISU follow definitions established by Idaho State Board of Education Policy III.E:

Technical Certificate: A credential awarded for completion of requirements in an approved career technical program that represents mastery of a defined set of competencies. Technical certificates are awarded based on a total number of required credits and intended to be stackable:

1) Technical Certificate of Completion – 1 to 7 credits
2) Basic Technical Certificate – 8 to 29 credits
3) Intermediate Technical Certificate – 30 to 51 credits
4) Advanced Technical Certificate – 52 to 59 credits.

Specialized Certificate: A credential awarded upon successful completion of specific credit- bearing courses within a career technical or academic program of fewer than 60 semester credits that have been industry validated and sequenced for the purpose of developing new skills and upgrading existing skills in an occupation. Specialized Certificates are to be stacked on or appended to other credentials as advanced training. In exceptional cases, stand-alone Specialized Certificates may be proposed if justified by the content of the certificate.