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Degree Requirements

The College awards three basic degrees, the Bachelor of Arts (AB), the Bachelor of Science (BS), and the Bachelor in General Studies (BGS).

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees require  competent use of the modes of thought which characterize each major area of knowledge, and a deep understanding of at least one subject area. Each student is required also to achieve competency in the use of the English language, to acquire second-year college-level proficiency in a language other than English, must receive credit for an approved course addressing questions on race & ethnicity, and must fulfill the quantitative reasoning requirement. Beyond these general requirements, which serve not to limit but rather to enhance the value of the educational experience, students are free to choose elective courses to complete a minimum of 120 credits. The difference between the AB and BS degree is that the BS degree requires 60 credits of approved courses in the physical and natural sciences and/or mathematics.

The Bachelor in General Studies degree degree encourages students to take responsibility for structuring their own multidisciplinary academic program within guidelines emphasizing upper-level courses elected in three or more departments. This degree also requires a minimum of 120 credits, and includes the College Writing Requirements, the race & ethnicity requirement, and the quantitative reasoning requirement.

Common Requirements for the AB, BS, and BGS Degrees

Credits and Grade Point Average
A student must complete a minimum 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) or better.

College Writing Requirements

Race & Ethnicity Requirement
Students choose one course from a list of approved courses that cover issues relating to race & ethnicity, racial and ethnic intolerance and inequality. The goal is to prepare students to live and work in a multi-ethnic, multi-racial environment.
Frequently Asked Questions about the R&E requirement 

Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Requirement
Students are required to take one or two courses from an approved list which focus on the methodology of quantitative analysis. The goal is to ensure that students achieve a level of proficiency in using and analyzing quantitative information.
Frequently Asked Questions about the QR requirement

Non-LS&A Coursework
To qualify for a degree a student must complete a program of study which includes primarily coursework from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts or equivalent LS&A transfer credit.

Candidates for the AB, BS, or BGS degree must complete a minimum of 100 credits of LS&A courses, thus allowing 20 credits of non LS&A coursework in the 120 required for the degree.

Requirements Particular to the AB and BS Degrees

The Language Requirement
Students are required to complete fourth-term proficiency in a language other than English, most often by earning credit for the fourth term of a University of Michigan language course. The goal is to offer a means of access to the cultural and intellectual heritage of the world's non-English speaking majority as well as to provide reflective understanding of the structure and complexity of English itself. LS&A offers over 30 different languages that meet this requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions about the language requirement

Area Distribution
Students must complete 30 credits outside of their field of concentration distributed over the following five categories: Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis, and Creative Expression. Through this requirement the student gains an understanding and appreciation of the major areas of learning and a coherent view of essential concepts, structures, and intellectual methods which typify these disciplines.
Frequently Asked Questions about the distribution requirement

Concentration
The concentration requirement provides the option for a student to pursue a thorough investigation of a particular subject or discipline. Course requirements of concentrations offered vary from 24 to 48 credits. In addition to the more than 60 concentration plans offered, a student has the option to develop his or her own Individual Concentration Plan (ICP).

Academic Minors Option
AB/BS students have the opportunity to complete an academic minor as part of the degree program. Departments have the option of offering an academic minor option and, although some departments will not offer any academic minor, others may develop several. As departmental academic minors are created and approved, students may choose to add an academic minor to their academic plan.

Requirements Particular to the BGS Degree

Upper-Level Coursework Requirement
A minimum number of 60 credits numbered 300 or above must be completed, with no more than 20 credits in any one department.
Frequently Asked Questions about the BGS degree