Portland-State-University 2023-2024 Bulletin

5. Requirements for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science Degrees

Courses taken to satisfy BA/BS requirements may also be used to meet any other requirements if they conform to the regular qualification for those requirements.

  • For the Bachelor of Arts degree: Students must complete a minimum of 23 credits to include a minimum of 10 credits in the arts and letters academic distribution area, with a minimum of 3 credits in the area of fine and performing arts; a minimum of 10 credits in the science and/or social science distribution areas, with a minimum of 3 credits in the science distribution area; and a minimum of 3 credits in a second language numbered 203 or higher (conducted in the target language). See second language requirements listed below.
  • For the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree: Students must complete the specific program as prescribed by the department.
  • For the Bachelor of Music degree: Students must complete the specific program as prescribed by the Department of Music.
  • For the Bachelor of Science degree: Students must complete a minimum of 23 credits to include: one year of science courses (minimum 10 credits total) in the Science academic distribution area (excluding mathematical sciences/statistics), and two of the science courses (6 credits minimum) must contain integrated or associated laboratory or field work; a minimum of 10 credits in the Arts and Letters and/or the Social Sciences distribution areas; and minimum of 3 credits in mathematical sciences/statistics. Science courses may, but do not need to, be taken from the same science department. Unless otherwise specified, only courses within the Science distribution area that have an explicit indication of lab or field work as part of the catalog description will satisfy the B.S. degree requirement for lab/field work.

Academic Distribution Areas

Fine & Performing Arts Requirement

The Fine & Performing Arts area consists of undergraduate courses from the following College of the Arts subject areas: Architecture, Art, Dance, Film, Music, Theater Arts. Courses from other colleges that satisfy this requirement include:  BSt 353U, BSt 356UBSt 363U, BSt 425, BSt 426, Comm 362, Eng 305U, Eng 335U, Eng 435, Fr 105, Fr 305, Hst 497, Jpn 361U, PS 317U, Rus 331U, Soc 454, Span 430 (Ibero-American Film), Span 436, USP 314U, WS 309, Wr 416