COLLEGE of EXTENDED LEARNING

DEGREE: Bachelor of Individualized Studies

The Bachelor of Individualized Studies (BIS) program is ideal for students with academic and career aspirations that require inter - or multi-disciplinary study. The program attracts motivated and self-directed students who feel constrained by the specialized nature of traditional degree programs and want to design their own, personalized plan of study. Other students, particularly those returning to the university after years away, or those with full-time jobs, choose the BIS degree because they have specific personal or job-related academic needs that can be met most efficiently through the BIS.

BIS Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the BIS program must:

• Demonstrate basic academic skills in English and mathematics at NMSU (see Regulations - Basic Academic Skills)
• Have a minimum of 28 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
• Not have yet earned, or simultaneously be, a candidate for another baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree
• Develop, in consultation with a BIS advisor, a Program of Study that builds on the applicant's existing coursework and meets the stated education or career goals
• Submit an application, which includes written, clearly articulated education or career goals, and a proposed Program of Study

Degree Requirements

Once admitted into the BIS program, you must:

• Maintain a 2.0 GPA
• Pass all courses approved with a grade of C or higher

To graduate from the Bachelor of Individualized Studies program, you must:

• Complete a minimum of 128 credit hours (or more, depending on the Program of Study)
• Complete a minimum of 48 credit hours of upper-division courses (#300-499)
• Complete the University's general education core requirements (at least 35 hours from the University's list of approved general education courses and 6 hours of Viewing a Wider World)