Degree Requirements

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the Undergraduate Catalog and to satisfy all published degree requirements for each major and minor being completed. Failure to do so does not provide a basis for exceptions to academic requirements or policies. It is expected that students will receive assistance from general academic and faculty advisers, but students must assume responsibility for completing published degree requirements by reviewing their Academic Requirements Report often. It may be viewed through Towson Online Services: Student Dashboard > Academics > Academic Requirements.

Satisfactory Progress to Graduation

Towson University is committed to fostering conditions that enable a student to complete their degree and providing support to help students achieve this goal. In accordance with Maryland law and TU policy and in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward completion of a degree, all TU students shall:

  • Complete ENGL 102 or ENGL 190 (English Composition – Core 2) within their first year at TU;
  • Complete or qualify for a waiver of TSEM 102 (Towson Seminar – Core 1) within their first year at TU;
  • Complete all requirements for developmental course work in mathematics or reading, as determined by TU’s assessment process, within their first year at TU;
  • Complete one course from Mathematics (Core 3) within their first year at TU; and
  • Complete and file a Degree Completion Plan by the point at which they have earned 45 units. Students who have transferred to TU with more than 45 units, the plan shall be filed by the end of their first term of enrollment at TU. This plan must:
    • Include the remaining course requirements and other standard graduation requirements a student must complete for a degree;
    • Include a chronological sequence of the courses to be taken; and
    • Be reviewed and approved by an adviser prior to final submission.
  • Details regarding how and where to file the Degree Completion Plan will be available to students through their primary academic department.

Bachelor of Science

Students must fulfill the following requirements to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree:

  1. Completion of the online graduation application
    1. May (spring) graduates submit by January 15
    2. August (summer) graduates submit by July 4
    3. December (fall) graduates submit by August 15
  2. At least 120 earned units. 
  3. At least 32 units (part of the 120 total units required) of upper-level work (courses numbered 300+ and 400+); courses taken at two-year institutions cannot count as part of the 32 upper-level units required. Courses from four-year institutions will transfer with the numerical level for which they were taken at the transfer institution and may not be converted to an equivalent TU number or level.
  4. Successful completion of all university Core Curriculum requirements. 
  5. Completion of a major (a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher must be earned in all courses applied toward the major and, if applicable, minor).
  6. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
  7. Completion of at least 15 units after formal matriculation as a degree candidate.
  8. Completion of the final 30 units in residence at TU.

Once a student has graduated, any corrections or changes to the academic record must be made within 180 days. When this timeframe has passed, their academic record will be CLOSED and no further changes can be made. 

Bachelor of Arts

The requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree mirror those for the Bachelor of Science degree, but Bachelor of Arts candidates must also complete a foreign language through the intermediate (202) level (or the equivalent) with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher. See the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures section in this catalog.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is available only to students who complete a major in Dance, Acting, or Art + Design. The requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are identical to those for a Bachelor of Science degree, but Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates must also fulfill the performance and/or studio requirements specified by the departments of Dance, Theatre Arts, and Art + Design, Art History and Art Education.

Bachelor of Music

The Bachelor of Music degree is available only to students who complete the major in Music. The requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree are identical to those for a Bachelor of Science degree, but Bachelor of Music candidates must also fulfill the performance and studio requirements specified by the Department of Music.

Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies

The Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies (BTP) is available only to students in specifically articulated programs between TU and area community colleges. The Allied Health major is an example of a BTP program.

Concurrent Degrees

Students simultaneously pursuing course work in two programs of study may wish to earn two degrees concurrently and receive two diplomas*.

For example: If a student is pursuing a B.S. in Mass Communication and Business Administration, two concurrent degrees may be requested. 

To receive two degrees and two diplomas, students must:

  1. Complete a minimum of 150 units
  2. Complete all requirements in both programs of study
  3. Complete a minimum of 60 units in residence at TU
  4. Complete at least half of the units required for each major in residence at TU
  5. Have no more than 12 units overlap between each major, including program requirements and program electives
  6. Complete an appropriate advanced writing course for each of the majors, where required

Students who complete two majors under different degrees (BFA, BM or BTP combined with a BS or BA) will automatically receive two diplomas and do not have to apply for a concurrent degree. 

*Students wishing to pursue Concurrent Degrees must contact the Registrar's Office during their final term prior to graduation.

Accelerated Bachelor's to Graduate Programs

TU offers a number of accelerated bachelor's to graduate programs. There are two types: 1) structured programs within or among departments or program units, and 2) individualized plans that are specific to a student's career interests and goals. Undergraduate students typically are screened into an accelerated program when they have earned 60-89.5 units (Junior Standing) by the department chairpersons or designees for the undergraduate and graduate programs; some students may be screened into the accelerated program during their senior year. Once approved, these undergraduate students may begin taking graduate level courses.

Up to 9 units of graduate work can be counted toward the undergraduate degree and later applied to the graduate degree (up to 6 units for a graduate certificate). The units and GPA for graduate courses taken as part of the accelerated program will count toward the undergraduate degree. Students are permitted to transfer a graduate level course with a grade of C to their graduate record once admitted to a graduate program, however per graduate policy only two C grades are permitted to be applied to a program's requirements. The grades for these transferred courses will not be factored into the graduate degree GPA. 

During their senior year, students approved for the accelerated bachelor's to graduate program must apply for formal admission to the graduate program. Once the bachelor's degree is earned and the student is matriculated as a graduate student, the Registrar's Office will apply the graduate courses to the graduate record.

Course requirements for the accelerated bachelor's to graduate programs vary by program; some programs designate specific courses that must be taken to meet undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Students are to consult with the Academic Departments for course requirements. Students are to abide by the time frame and unit requirements of the specific programs. Students can earn only one master's degree through an accelerated program. Procedures to initiate screening into an accelerated bachelor's to graduate program are posted on the Registrar's webpage.

Students, with senior standing and a cumulative grade point average of 3.00, wishing to take graduate level coursework without being screened into an accelerated program should contact the Registrar's Office to discuss other options. 

(Visit the Student and University Billing Office's Tuition and Fees page for information on accelerated tuition costs).