Degree framework for bachelor’s degrees
Degree titles
The College of Liberal Arts offers programs leading to the following bachelor’s degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A. most majors)
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (B.A. in C.J.)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A./B.A. in Ed. "PackTeach" dual degree programs)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
General degree framework
The following is a generalized overview of the typical components and requirements of a liberal arts degree.
University graduation requirements (“the numbers”)
Some programs may have requirements greater than the typical minimums listed below. Please check course catalog for accuracy.
- Total units: 120
- Four-year units (units completed at four-year colleges or universities): 60, or at least half the total units requirement (whichever is greater)
- Upper-division units (300/400-level units): 42
- University of Nevada, Reno residency units (300/400-level units completed at University of Nevada, Reno): 30
- Major residency units (residency units within the major): 15, in each major declared
- Minor residency units (residency units within the minor): 6, in each minor declared
- Cumulative GPA (GPA of all courses on academic record, completed at the University of Nevada, Reno and transfer): 2.00
- University GPA (GPA of all courses completed at the University of Nevada, Reno): 2.00
- Major GPA (GPA of all courses applied to a set of major requirements): 2.00
- Minor GPA (GPA of all courses applied to a set of minor requirements): 2.00
Course requirements
For each degree plan, there are six sections of course requirements. Some of these requirements are not applicable to every degree plan.
Comprises Core Objectives (“COs”) 1–8 of the Silver Core Curriculum, and contains foundational courses in English composition, mathematics, sciences, humanities, social sciences, fine arts and constitution. See the Core Curriculum chapter of the General Catalog for more information.
Incoming students with a transferrable associate’s degree or completion of an out-of-state general education component should discuss these requirements with a College Advisor.
Comprises Core Objectives (“COs”) 9–14 of the Silver Core Curriculum and contains advanced areas of general instruction, such as diversity and equity, and ethics. See the Core Curriculum chapter of the General Catalog for more information.
- Foreign language requirement: Up to 14 units of study in a single language sequence, or can be satisfied through other methods. See foreign language requirements for more information.
- Breadth requirement: Six units of coursework in liberal arts fields. See breadth requirements for a detailed explanation.
Your primary field of study, representing the main area of concentration of your undergraduate studies. Each degree plan specifies a combination of required courses, distribution requirements (selecting one or more courses from various groupings) and major electives — typically 30 to 42 units of major coursework, although some major plans require significantly more units.
Most liberal arts majors require completing a minor program of at least 18 units in a different area of study. Review minor requirements for additional information on minor selection and related policies.
General electives are classes taken that are not counted towards any specific course requirement in the degree plan. A student may need general electives if, after fulfilling all other specific course requirements (I. through V.), additional coursework is still necessary to reach any of the unit minimums under the University graduation requirements.
Degree requirements and academic progress
Students are strongly encouraged to become familiar with their degree plan. While academic advisors can assist in navigating curriculum and course selection, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to be aware of academic requirements and policies, select appropriate classes and to monitor their progress towards graduation.
The General Catalog
The General Catalog is the University’s repository of all official academic policies, course descriptions and academic program requirements. A new General Catalog is published for each academic year.
Every major and minor program offered at the University has an entry in the General Catalog. Each major program’s listing in the Catalog includes a description, graduation requirements and more specific information for the various levels of course requirements described above. Also included is a recommended schedule, which is a suggested course sequence that students can use as a guide to complete their degree plan within four years. Minor program listings in the Catalog simply show the course requirements of the minor program.
When a student chooses their major or minor, they are typically declared under the program requirements of the then-current edition of the General Catalog. The student’s graduation requirements on that plan will not change — even if new requirements are introduced in a later catalog — unless the student and an advisor agree to a change of “catalog year” within the bounds of University policy. A student who changes their major or minor (or a specialization/emphasis within said major or minor) after originally declaring may be subject to the requirements of the General Catalog in effect at the time of new plan declaration.
Note: The catalog website automatically loads the current General Catalog, but also houses several archived versions. Be sure you are searching in the right catalog year for the requirements that apply to your academic plan.
Tracking your academic progress
Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with their Academic Advising Report or “AAR” in their MyNevada student account (also known as the “Academic Progress” or “Academic Requirements” page). The AAR is the official University record of a student’s progress towards degree completion, based on the requirements of the General Catalog in effect at the time each major and minor plan was declared. This page will show each graduation or course requirement and how the student’s coursework has been used to satisfy those requirements. See the MyNevada Help page "Understanding your Academic Advising Report" for how to find and read your AAR on MyNevada.
It is important students review the information on their AAR carefully and regularly, to ensure their course selections are fulfilling degree requirements. Sometimes, an AAR will need manual adjusting to ensure courses satisfy requirements in the most effective manner — if you have questions about how a course has been applied on your AAR, please ask an academic advisor.
Note: In the event of a discrepancy between the requirements on the AAR and requirements listed in the General Catalog, the General Catalog usually prevails.