General Education Requirements

At Portland State University, there are two general education tracks: University Studies and the University Honors College. Students must complete one of these tracks to graduate from PSU.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS A major is a primary field of study, an in-depth academic focus; you develop a significant level of knowledge in a specific academic area. In order to graduate, you must complete the requirements for one of the majors offered by PSU. The number of credits required for each major vary. Details about the specific requirements for the undergraduate majors offered by PSU are located on each academic department's website. WRITING REQUIREMENT Students must complete 2 college-level composition courses or their approved equivalents for their baccalaureate degree requirements. This requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways: 1. Students admitted to PSU as freshmen (0-29 credits) meet the requirement by completing the first two years of University Studies or University Honors (both approved equivalents of composition courses). 2. Students admitted to PSU having earned 30-89 credits meet the requirement with WR 121 (required for transfer admission) and the requisite number of Sophomore Inquiry or Honors sophomore courses determined by placement into University Studies or University Honors. 3. Students admitted having earned 90 or more credits have four options for meeting the requirement:

GENERAL EDUCATION MAP

FRESHMAN INQUIRY (FRINQ) OR HONORS FOUNDATION UNST 1x1, 1x2, 1x3 or HON 101, 102, 103 Year-long sequence = 15 credits SOPHOMORE INQUIRY (SINQ) OR HONORS FOUNDATION UNST 211–299 or HON 201, 202, 203

Course #1 4 Credits Course #2 4 Credits Course #3 4 Credits

UPPER DIVISION CLUSTER OR HONORS SEMINARS/ INTERNSHIPS

UNST Junior Cluster courses are Upper Division courses designated with a “U” offered by academic departments. Three courses in one cluster linked to one of the Sophomore Inquiry courses, if it is required. Honors offers a wide variety of HON 407 Junior Seminars every year. Internships for credit require prior approval from Honors

Course #1 4 Credits Course #2 4 Credits Course #3 4 Credits

SENIOR CAPSTONE OR HONORS SENIOR THESIS Transfer into PSU with an approved equivalent of WR 121 plus one approved composition course for which WR 121 (or its approved equivalent) is a pre-requisite. Transfer into PSU with two approved composition courses for which WR 121 (or its approved equivalent) is a pre-requisite. Complete WR 121 plus one additional course from the following PSU course list: WR 200, 222, 227, 228, 300, 301, 323, 327, 333, 394, 400, 420 or a 4-credit Writing Intensive Course (WIC) course. HON 399 and HON 403 are approved WICs. Composition writing courses transferred into PSU may also be considered. Complete any two courses from the list above.

ELECTIVES Electives are courses that do not directly apply toward general education, degree, or major requirements. Most students need elective credits to meet the 180 total credit or 62 upper-division credit requirements for graduation. PSU does not require a specific number of electives; the number varies.

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Total credits required to graduate with a bachelor’s degree = 180 Total upper-division credits required = 62 Minimum credits required in residence at PSU = 45 of final 75, 150 total Maximum number of two-year college credits allowed towards degree = 124 Maximum number of Pass/No Pass (P/NP) credits allowed towards degree = 45 Maximum number of vocational/technical, PE, cooperative education credits allowed towards degree = 12 each