BACHELOR OF APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES
Option A: The General Studies BAAS Program
MISSION STATEMENT
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences BAAS degree is designed to offer students with workforce education, vocational-technical training and/or professional experience in occupational fields the opportunity to obtain a baccalaureate degree. Such experienced professional/vocational students may obtain credit toward this degree via regionally accredited college-level course work and/or certain types of professional and educational training. Students who pursue the degree are required to complete the academic core requirements, thirty-six hours of advanced credit that is complementary to the vocational-technical or professional area, and any additional hours necessary to meet the 120-hour university requirement as stated in the catalog.
ADMISSION TO PROGRAM
Before a student can be admitted, the student must arrange an interview with the Director or Assistant Director of the BAAS Program.
BAAS students are limited to not more than twenty-five percent of their total semester credit hours in courses transferable to a program in a school of business and not more than fifteen semester credit hours in business school courses completed at Midwestern State University. However, students may select a minor in Business Administration with the approval of the Dean of the Dillard College of Business Administration.
Students currently enrolled at Midwestern State University in a designated degree program who satisfy the intent of the mission statement and have at least a 2.75 g.p.a. will be allowed to transfer to the BAAS degree program. Exceptions to this policy will be considered on an individual basis by the BAAS Director. In such cases, the student must submit to the BAAS Director a petition letter accompanied by a letter of recommendation from an advisor in the student’s current major.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
All transfers from another MSU program must complete at least 12 hours under the BAAS program to be eligible to graduate from the BAAS program.
The student must complete a baccalaureate degree plan from residence and transfer credit hours by meeting the requirements as follows:
Option A: The General Studies BAAS Program
Academic Foundations and Core Curriculum (_____)
Occupational Specialty (39 semester hours)
Credits toward an area of coherent specialization may be earned from community colleges, this university and other senior institutions (including elective hours), workforce education, vocational or technical schools, armed forces schools, work experiences, and non-traditional learning experiences that can be equated to college credit. To qualify for work experience credit, a student must have 3 consecutive years of full-time employment within the last 6 years. A student may be awarded 2 hours of credit for each qualifying year of job experience related to the student’s occupational specialty up to a maximum of 6 hours. Credit for non-traditional experiences is granted on the basis of evaluation by the Director and the BAAS staff utilizing the National Guide of the American Council on Education (ACE) and other appropriate publications. Documentation will be placed in the student’s permanent file in the Office of the Registrar. A minimum of 24 semester hours in the area of occupational specialty must be completed before the student can be accepted into the program. Cognate vocational-technical courses may be accepted within the area of occupational specialty or professional development.
Computer Science (3 hours)
Professional Development (36 advanced semester hours that may include 3 hours of BAAS 3113 Internship and will include 3 hours of BAAS 4113 Capstone Project).
The courses taken in this area will be chosen on the basis that they will give academic depth or breadth to the area of specialization or will provide substantive developmental knowledge for the student’s career or personal goals.
COURSES IN APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCES (BAAS)
3113. Internship in Public Administration 3(0-3)
Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Students will work in approved employment situations that can be demonstrated to be an integral learning portion of their career development education. Student performance will be reviewed by employers and by the Director of the BAAS program. Applications for the internship require the approval of the BAAS Director or an Academic Advisor. BAAS students enrolled in the internship should keep a journal documenting the internship, noting the tasks undertaken, and assessing how those tasks are applicable to current employment and future career goals. From that journal students will write an internship report.
4113. Capstone Project 3(0-3)
Prerequisite: Senior standing.
Students will produce a capstone portfolio as the culminating activity to his/her BAAS work. The capstone course is designed to help the student assess the educational experience in relation to career goals and the application of educational concepts to those goals. Although the portfolio should be considered a “work in progress” from the student’s first enrollment in the BAAS program, the student will enroll in BAAS 4113 only once - during the last enrolled semester.
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Rev: 9/2019