Associate of Arts Degrees
and Associate of Science Degrees

Interdisciplinary and Degree Completion Programs

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Ñ

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree is limited to students with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.  If a student has earned an AAS degree from a regionally accredited institution, he or she may enroll on the senior campus of MSU Billings to complete Academic Foundations requirements and take upper division credits in existing areas of study which will complement the student’s AAS credits already earned.

Academic Requirements

The BAS requires completion of a minimum of 60 credits beyond the AAS degree.  A maximum of 60 credits will be accepted from the AAS degrees towards the 120-credit requirement.  Course work must include completion of specified Academic Foundations courses and other upper division course work that relates to and is supportive of the AAS degree.

Requirements for the BAS degree are as follows:

• Completion of an AAS degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Satisfy the Academic Foundations Requirements at MSU Billings.
• Earn a minimum of 30 credits from MSU Billings.
• Complete a minimum of 30 upper division credits, of which at least 21 must be earned from MSU Billings.
• Complete a thematic concentration of 30 credits including at least 15 credits from one discipline.  This concentration shall be prepared in collaboration with a faculty advisor and approved by the Academic Dean responsible for the majority of the courses in the Thematic Concentration.
• A grade of “C” or higher is mandatory in all courses in the thematic concentration.

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies (BSLS) Ñ

The Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies at MSU Billings is designed to meet the following objectives:

1. Provide students with the opportunity to participate in integrated thematic programs of an interdisciplinary nature utilizing resources currently available at MSU Billings.

2. Offer students with credits from many sources the opportunity to complete a baccalaureate degree which has focus and integrity.

Academic Requirements

Students must:

• Earn at least 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better.
• Satisfy the Academic Foundations requirements at MSU Billings.
• Earn a minimum of 30 credits from MSU Billings.
• Complete at least 36 upper division credits, of which at least 24 must be earned from MSU Billings.
• Complete a thematic concentration of 30 credits including at least 15 credits from one discipline in the College of Arts and Sciences.  This concentration shall be prepared in collaboration with a faculty advisor and approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
• A grade of “C” or higher is mandatory in all courses in the thematic concentration.

Ñ This program is also offered in an online format

Associate of Science/Associate of Arts

The Associate of Science (AS)/Associate of Arts (AA) degree is a 60-credit program that includes 37 credits of Academic Foundations requirements and 23 credits of electives.  Students will work with an academic advisor to design an AS/AA degree.  AS/AA degrees may be designed to provide a foundation for moving on to a 120-credit bachelor’s degree.  Contact the Advising Center at (406) 657-2240 for further details.

Contact Information

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