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Specific courses and a minimum number of college credits are required to earn your bachelor's degree. Some students will complete all their course requirements, but still need more credits to meet the minimum graduation credits. Some students may have more credits than the minimum and still need to take more required courses for their major, general education or liberal studies. Contact your academic advisor if you have any questions about your degree requirements.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.

Course requirements

Credit requirements: 120 total credits

  • 40 upper-division credits (courses at community colleges are all lower-division courses, so they do not count toward this requirement)
  • 30 credits completed at Metropolitan State University
  • 40 general education credits
  • 8 upper-division liberal studies credits
  • 3 racial issues graduation requirement (RIGR) credits
  • All credit requirements for the major
  • Elective credits (if you are short of the 120 total credits required for graduation)

GELS: General education/liberal studies requirements (48 credits)

  • Minnesota Transfer Curriculum: 40 credits. Goal areas 1–10 are met by Minnesota community college A.A. degree. They are not met by A.S. or A.A.S degrees or community colleges outside of Minnesota.
  • Liberal studies: 8 credits.
    • These credits must be:
      • Upper-division general education courses (300 to 500 level)
      • Designated as a liberal studies (LS) course
    • These credits are not:
      • completed by AA, AAS or AS degrees or the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
      • met by any community college course (all community college courses are lower division, including courses that meet major requirements)

Racial Issues Graduation Requirement (RIGR) and transfer coursework

All new or readmitted undergraduate students admitted fall 2016 or later must complete an approved learning experience (at least 3 credits) with a significant focus on race and racism to graduate with a bachelor's degree from the university. Upon review, an approved prior learning, independent study, theory seminar or transfer course from other accredited institutions may also be used to meet this graduation requirement.

More about RIGR

Major courses

  • Check your major's requirements or meet with your academic advisor to learn about the requirements.
  • Some majors have foundation or pre-admission courses. These courses must be completed first and they may have minimum grade requirements. You may have to wait to declare your major until foundation or pre-admission courses, if any, are complete.
  • All majors have required courses.
  • Many majors have specific course sequences.
  • You must take prerequisite courses before more advanced courses. Prerequisites are found with course descriptions.
  • Many majors have elective courses. These are usually upper-division (300 to 500 level) courses. While some majors let you select your own electives, others have a set list of electives to choose from.
  • Many majors have capstone courses at the end. These are required for graduation and should be completed at the end of the degree. Capstones often have prerequisites or credit completion requirements.