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Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2009-10 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

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Degree Programs

Stanford University confers the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.) on those candidates who have been recommended by the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP), who have applied in advance for conferral of the degree, and who have fulfilled the following requirements:

  1. A minimum of 180 units of allowable University work. (As described below, units above the allowable limits for activity courses and for courses taken on a satisfactory/no credit and credit/no credit basis cannot be counted towards the 180-unit minimum.)
  2. The Writing, General Education, and Language Requirements (see below).
  3. Curricular requirements of at least one major department or program and the recommendation of the department(s). (Descriptions of curricular and special degree requirements are included in each department's section of this bulletin.)
  4. Students admitted as freshmen Autumn 2001 and thereafter—A minimum of 135 units (including the last quarter in residence) at Stanford. In special cases, students who have earned at least 135 units in resident work may petition for a waiver of the last quarter-in-residence requirement for up to 15 units.
  5. Students admitted as freshmen prior to Autumn 2001 and students admitted as transfers—A minimum of 90 units (including the last quarter in residence) at Stanford. In special cases, students who have earned at least 90 units in resident work may petition for a waiver of the last quarter-in-residence requirement.

Stanford confers the Bachelor of Science degree on candidates who fulfill these requirements in the School of Earth Sciences, in the School of Engineering, or in the departments of Applied Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics in the School of Humanities and Sciences. The University also awards B.S. degrees to candidates in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society; in the Program in Mathematical and Computational Science; in the Program in Symbolic Systems; and, when appropriate, in the Program for Individually Designed Majors. Candidates who fulfill these requirements in other schools or departments receive the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Students who complete the requirements for two or more majors, which ordinarily would lead to the same degree (B.A. or B.S.), should review "The Major" section of this bulletin to ensure that they have an understanding of the requirements for multiple or secondary majors.

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