Graduation Requirements - General Studies B.G.S.
Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:
- General Education Program (36 credit hours), including State Core General Education, State Computation and State Communication;
- Minimum of 120 unduplicated credit hours;
- A minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on all coursework taken at USF and an overall 2.0 GPA average on all college-level coursework;
- Major and college requirements in a chosen degree program;
- Nine credit hours of coursework taken during the summer term(s) (if entered USF with less than 60 credit hours);
- Registration and successful completion of at least thirty (30) of the last sixty (60) credit hours;
- 42 credit hours of upper-level coursework;
- Civics Literacy;
- Foreign language admissions coursework.
State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - General Studies B.G.S.
Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program.
Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program.
All Florida College System students are encouraged to complete the Associate degree. Students should consult with an academic advisor in their major degree area at the intended transfer institution.
There are no State Mandated Common Prerequisites for this program.
General Studies Required Course: (3 credit hours)
Major Core Course: 1 course; 3 credit hours
General Studies Major (Restricted) Electives: 7 courses; 21 credit hours
Students complete the General Studies program of study and one of the following fourteen concentrations:
Leadership Studies Concentration: 7 courses; 21 credit hours
Workforce projections for the 21st Century indicate there will be an ongoing need for people with specific skills and abilities to fill Florida’s growing number of specialized, scientific, industrial and technological positions. Florida’s two-year colleges offer many exceptional programs that meet these demands through their Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees. Although these applied and technical degrees provide excellent preparation for students seeking jobs that require specific knowledge, skills and abilities, they have not generally transferred very efficiently into four-year bachelor’s degree programs. The Bachelor of Science in Applied Science has been developed by USF under certain provisions of Florida legislation to remove constraints from the transfer process, recognize some past coursework as transferable credit to the university, and afford exciting new opportunities for those with an A.S. degree from a Florida public state or community college to pursue and acquire a distinctive bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida.
Concentration Description: Leadership Studies courses are designed to give students a practical and theoretical grasp of leadership on the basic assumption that leadership can be learned and, therefore, taught. The program has a unique approach to leadership that combines practical theories and opportunities for students to study the characteristics of authority, leadership, social and role dynamics, political processes and the values that orient their careers.
Concentration Core: 3 courses; 9 credit hours
Concentration Restricted Electives: 4 courses; 12 credit hours
Select four (4) courses from the following list:
Additional Information - General Studies B.G.S.
GPA Requirements
A minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on all coursework taken at USF and an overall 2.0 GPA average on all college-level coursework.
Grading Requirements
A minimum grade of C- or better must be earned in each concentration course.
Research Opportunities - General Studies B.G.S.
Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914 - Advanced Undergraduate Research Experience course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of Student Engagement in Research and Innovation (SERI) is able to assist with further inquiries.