Graduation Requirements: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music


The Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music degrees prepare students for selected professions and for study at the graduate level. Each degree offers a broad range of courses in the arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, biblical studies, business, and education, and allows specialization in a major field. The baccalaureate typically requires four years of full-time study to complete, although some programs may take longer.

Bachelor’s degree students must complete the minimum General Education courses. Some courses in the list are prescribed for particular majors. To determine which alternatives to take, consult your degree program page, the requirements for your major, and your academic advisor.

Graduation Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees in the College of Undergraduate Studies

The faculty recommends students in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Science degrees to the Board of Trustees as candidates for graduation when they have completed the following requirements.

  1. Completion of at least 120 semester hours, including all General Education requirements, major courses, and electives. (Some majors may require additional credit hours to complete degree requirements.)  

  2. A letter grade of D or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all CCU coursework, with a GPA of 2.0 or higher for all courses specified for the major.

    1. In the School of Business and Leadership a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher for all SBL degree program courses. Accounting major students must earn a grade of C or better in all Accounting major program courses. 

    2. For the School of Education a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher for all CCU courses, and a C- or better in all professional education courses. 

    3. Nursing students must earn a grade of C or better and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in all CCU coursework.

  3. Completion of 180 hours of ministry/community service and 180 chapel credits. Transfer students are required to complete 45 hours of ministry/community service and 45 chapel credits each year of attendance at CCU. For further details on ministry/community service hours, see the Life Directions Center (LDC) tab on the CUS Student Life page of this catalog. For further details on chapel credits, see the Campus Ministries section on the CUS Student Life page of this catalog.  

  4. Effective with the 2019-20 catalog year, seniors wishing to walk during the commencement ceremony must have 90% of their required chapel credits accomplished: 162 for a student at CCU for four years, 121 for a student at CCU for three years, 82 for a student at CCU for two years. A student who is short of the 90% threshold will not be able to participate in commencement exercises.  

  5. Meet the CCU Residency Requirement (see CUS Academic Policies).  

  6. Acceptable performance on exit exams, as required by the faculty.

  7. Formal and timely application for graduation.

  8. No outstanding financial obligations to the university.

  9. For music majors only: completion of eight semesters of course.

Minors, Emphases, and Cross Disciplinary Studies

Students may select a minor, an emphasis, or a cross disciplinary study in many fields of interest. A minor requires the completion of at least 18 semester hours in the field. An emphasis and cross disciplinary study require the completion of a minimum of 12 hours in the field. Course requirements for various emphases are listed with the appropriate major. Cross disciplinary studies are a concentration of coursework independent of a major. Course requirements for various minors and cross disciplinary studies are listed in their designated program pages. Minors and cross disciplinary studies may require additional prerequisites for degree completion. Overlap of credit between majors, minors, emphases, or cross disciplinary studies is limited to 50% unless otherwise noted. Cum GPA requirements for the minor, emphasis or cross disciplinary study follow the baccalaureate GPA requirements of the School in which they are located. Minors, emphases, and cross disciplinary studies are awarded when the baccalaureate degree is conferred.