Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.)/Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)

The Bachelor of Applied Science degree and the Associate of Applied Science are additional degree programs offered by the university

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree

Caitlin Odom, Director of BAS/BCM Records and Associate Registrar

The Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) is an inverted degree program which allows individuals to apply a vocational/technical field (i.e., courses, training, or work experience) as credit toward an applied associate’s degree and, in turn, to apply the associate’s degree toward a B.A.S. degree. Students in this degree program desire to enhance their knowledge, analytical abilities and critical thinking skills for upward mobility in their field. The B.A.S. exists to provide a seamless transition from technical fields to an appropriate baccalaureate program while enhancing the liberal arts component of the student’s education.

The B.A.S. degree is designed for individuals who have completed occupational/technical degrees and certificates at community, vocational, and technical colleges and schools; individuals who have completed occupational/vocational training in U. S. Armed Services Schools, the workplace, and career training centers; occupational and technical faculty at regional and local public schools; individuals who have received several years of on-the-job training; and individuals entering these technical/career paths.

The B.A.S. degree also accepts credit from Dantes Standardized Subject Tests (DSST/DANTES). The minimum level acceptable for receiving credit for DANTES is C-level (ACE recommended score). No credit will be accepted on the DANTES test without the original score report. DSST credit will not be accepted as upper-level credit unless specified by DSST.

The Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree is a minimum 124-semester hour program. A minimum of 36 semester hours must be in upper-level (junior/senior level) credit. Major fields of study included in the degree have specific upper-level requirements. The student may select from eleven majors which combine non-traditional credit with a traditional liberal arts background. Majors include applied science, banking and finance, business administration, computer information systems, computer science, human services, justice administration, management, environmental studies, and early child development. Each major consists of 36 semester hours, of which 18 must be in upper-level credit. The degree also requires a 24-semester hour professional development block designed to provide academic depth or breadth to the major and to provide substantive developmental knowledge for the student’s career or personal goals. The degree also includes a 12-semester hour experiential professional development block designed to provide practical experience as an integral part of the student’s career development. Finally, the degree includes electives to complete the 124-semester hour requirement.

Major

The B.A.S. degree requires a 36-semester hour major, of which 18 semester hours must be in upper-level credit. The major may be selected from applied science, business administration, human services, justice administration, management, environmental studies, or early child development. See programs for more information.

Programs

• Applied Science, B.A.S.  
• Banking and Finance, B.A.S.  
• Business Administration, Cyber Security, B.A.S.  
• Business Administration, General Business Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Business Administration, Health Care Administration Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Business Administration, Human Resource Management Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Business Administration, Management Information Systems Application Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Computer Information Systems, B.A.S.  
• Computer Science, B.A.S.  
• Early Childhood Development, B.A.S.  
• Environmental Studies, B.A.S.  
• Human Services, B.A.S.  
• Justice Administration, B.A.S.  
• Justice Administration, Forensics Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Justice Administration, Law Enforcement Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Justice Administration, Legal Studies Specialization, B.A.S.  
• Management, B.A.S.  

Professional Development

The Professional Development component of the B.A.S. consists of 24 semester hours selected to provide depth or breadth to the major and to provide substantive developmental knowledge for the student’s career or personal goals.
The following majors are specific as to the amount of hours in the professional development component that must be related to the major field of study:
Business Administration - a minimum of 12 hours from approved business courses
Human Services - a minimum of 12 hours from approved social science courses unless otherwise specified.

Experiential Professional Development

The experiential professional development component consists of 12 semester hours designed to provide practical experience as an integral part of the student’s career development. Experiential learning may satisfy a portion of this requirement. Experiential learning must be evaluated and approved by the university. Practicums or internships may be used in this area, up to 12 hours, or used in the major if it relates to the major field of study.

Electives

The student may complete the remainder of the required 124 semester hours with courses which complement or extend career preparation or pursue subject fields that hold special appeal.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree

The A.A.S. degree program is designed to track directly into the B.A.S. degree. Students desiring to continue in their educational pursuits can do so at the baccalaureate level with no loss in credit between the A.A.S. and the B.A.S. degrees. The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is a 65-semester hour degree which requires 32 semester hours in a general education core and 33 semester hours from an approved major. The residency requirements on the A.A.S. degree count toward the B.A.S. residency of 31 hours. The A.A.S. residency is 18 hours. The five majors include applied science, business administration, human services, justice administration, and religion.

Programs

• Applied Science, A.A.S.  
• Business Administration, A.A.S.  
• Christian Ministry, A.A.S. 
• Human Services, A.A.S.  
• Justice Administration, A.A.S. 

Experiential Professional Development

The experiential professional development component consists of three to four semester hours (depending on major) designed to provide practical experience as an integral part of the student’s career development. Experiential learning may satisfy a portion of this requirement. Experiential learning must be evaluated and approved by the university. Practicums or internships may be used in this area, three to four hours, or used in the major if it relates to the major field of study.