Degree Requirements

Degree and Certificate Completion Requirements

Students are eligible to receive academic degrees and certificates from CityU if they have satisfactorily met the following general requirements:

• Fulfilled all admissions requirements.
• Fulfilled all degree and/or certificate requirements.
• Achieved the minimum cumulative GPA for all CityU coursework of 2.0 for undergraduate programs, 3.0 for masters and doctoral programs.
• Fulfilled all financial obligations to CityU.
• Submitted a degree or certificate audit application and paid the fee, if applying for a degree.
• For Master of Counselling (Canada), Master of Arts Counseling, and doctoral degree programs students must graduate within 7 years from their first quarter of enrollment.

Degree and certificate program offerings, courses, course sequences, curricula and the terms and conditions of enrollment may change. The University makes every effort to keep students informed of any changes. As a general rule, students who remain continuously enrolled follow the requirements in effect at the time they first enrolled as a degree or certificate candidate.

The Office of the Registrar provides each student with a program plan, and updates or revises the program plan as needed. However, the responsibility for fulfilling the requirements of a degree or certificate program rests ultimately with the student.

Note: Undergraduate certificates containing less than 25 credits and graduate certificates containing less than 15 credits are not eligible for federal funding.

Exceptions to this policy may be made by the dean.

Undergraduate General Education Requirements

Basic to an undergraduate education is a foundation of General Education. City University of Seattle requires all candidates for undergraduate degrees to satisfy the following minimum general education requirements:

The distribution requirements for students pursuing an Associate degree:

The distribution requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree are:

Undergraduate Certificates:

The University may require all candidates for undergraduate certificates to satisfy one or both of the following minimum general education requirements:

In order to fulfill the College Composition requirement, students must achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 in the designated College Composition course.

Programs requiring higher level math as a prerequisite to upper-division study are noted in the program section, with the specific program.

*Some credits may be satisfied with upper-division courses that are part of the student’s program.

Note: In the School of Management (SOM) and the Albright School of Education (ASOE), the general education courses covering college composition and college mathematics are admission requirements. In the ASOE/The School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), one or both of the courses is a required prerequisite.

Prerequisites for Entry into Upper Division Coursework

Undergraduate students seeking degrees and certificates are required to demonstrate that they have met the requirements for college composition and college mathematics as defined in the City University of Seattle catalog prior to enrolling in upper-division coursework. General Education requirements may be fulfilled by any of the following, singly or in combination:

1. City University of Seattle lower- or upper-division courses, as designated; some undergraduate programs allow students to satisfy certain General Education requirements through upper-division course work.
2. Courses completed at other recognized institutions.
3. Standardized examinations in appropriate subjects.
4. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).

General Education:

A course fulfilling the college composition requirement must stress written communication and be equivalent to the University’s designated college composition course and must be taught in English. A course fulfilling the college mathematics requirement must be equivalent to the University’s designated college mathematics course. Students must also complete courses in at least two separate disciplines within the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences/mathematics. Examples of course areas with each discipline include:

*History may be applied to Humanities if the institution at which the course was taken has defined it as meeting Humanities or by review of the CityU Registrar and general education director.

General Education Learning Outcomes and Skill Development

City University of Seattle graduates exhibit professional competency and a sense of professional identity.

Our graduates bring to the workplace the contemporary knowledge and skills intrinsic to success in their professions. They understand the basic values and mission of the fields in which they are working. They are able to use technology to facilitate their work. They have an understanding of basic technical concepts and are able to demonstrate understanding through practical application.

City University of Seattle graduates have strong communication and interpersonal skills.

City University of Seattle graduates are able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. They are able to interact and work with others in a collaborative manner as well as to negotiate difficult interpersonal situations to bring about solutions to problems that benefit all involved.

City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate critical thinking and information literacy.

City University of Seattle graduates are able to think critically and creatively, and to reflect upon their own work and the larger context in which it takes place. They are able to find, access, evaluate, and use information in order to solve problems. They consider the complex implications of actions they take and decisions they make.

City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical practice and service in their professions and communities.

City University of Seattle graduates take responsibility for their own actions and exhibit high standards of conduct in their professional lives. They are aware of the ethical expectations of their profession and hold themselves accountable to those standards. City University of Seattle graduates are also active contributors to their professional communities and associations. They are informed and socially responsible citizens of their communities, as well as of the world.

City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate diverse and global perspectives.

City University of Seattle graduates embrace the opportunity to work collaboratively with individuals from a variety of backgrounds, and to learn from the beliefs, values, and cultures of others. They realize that varied viewpoints bring strength and richness to the workplace. City University of Seattle graduates demonstrate an awareness of the interrelation of diverse components of a project or situation.

City University of Seattle graduates are lifelong learners.

In a world where knowledge and skills must be constantly updated, City University of Seattle graduates are self-directed and information literate in seeking out ways to continue their learning throughout their lifetimes.

Through this combination of course requirements and embedded outcomes, CityU ensures that it offers undergraduate students exposure to the breadth of knowledge that characterizes general education, and the opportunity to learn the skills and abilities that are essential to engaged citizens in the twenty-first century.

Second Degree

Students who want to earn a second degree at the same academic level as another CityU degree must fulfill all residency requirements for the second degree program.

Undergraduate Level

• Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Graduate Level

• Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Leadership
• Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Information Security

A second degree produces a second diploma.

Degree/Certificate Posting Requirements

Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees: Application for Diploma

Students who have completed the requirements for an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s degree or doctorate must submit a degree audit application and pay a fee for the audit and degree-posting process. Degrees will not be posted to students’ transcripts if this step is omitted. If a student applies for a diploma in a second degree or second major, the audit/posting fee is assessed again. Each time a student applies for an additional degree or major, the audit/posting fee is assessed. The degree audit application fee policy is found in the Finance section of the University catalog.

Undergraduate and Graduate Certificates: Application for Certificate

Students who have earned undergraduate or graduate certificates must initiate the audit and posting process by submitting a certificate audit application. Certificates will not be posted to students’ transcripts if this step is omitted. There is no charge to process certificates.

Financial Criteria Applicable to Both Degree and Certificate Candidates

Degrees and certificates are posted to the transcripts of students who have completed their academic requirements and have submitted a degree or certificate audit application and any applicable fee. Transcripts, diplomas and/or certificates cannot be released to any student with an outstanding obligation to CityU, however, until the student’s financial account is cleared.

Undergraduate and Graduate Participation in Commencement

Degree candidates who have submitted their Final Degree Audit Application and the applicable fee, and whose degrees have either been posted or are within ten credits of completion at the undergraduate level or six credits of completion at the graduate level, may participate in Commencement regardless of their financial standing with the University.

Certificate candidates do not participate in Commencement.