The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree consists of 45 credit hours. You must have at least 75 prior credit hours before enrolling in the BGS program.
Your 45 BGS credit hours must come from two or three different academic departments.
Completion Degree Plan
Three-department option
- 15 hours in each department
Two-department option
- 21 hours in one department
- 24 hours in second department
Other requirements
- Eighteen of the 45 credit hours must be upper-division courses
- Nine hours must be at or above the 300 level
- Nine hours must be at or above the 400 level
- Complete all BGS courses with a “C” grade or better
- Complete one capstone course
- Students utilizing courses in the College of Business (COB) are allowed to use all previously completed COB courses. Once declared Bachelor of General Studies, students must stop taking additional COB courses if they have reached a total of 30 or more COB credit hours.
Transfer students
Contact the BGS program to check your transfer options.
You may already have a head start. The BGS program is a popular choice for transfers because it has fewer specific courses.
Often, your transfer credits are more effective in the BGS program than a traditional degree program.
You can receive credit for all courses completed at regionally accredited institutions. We’ll help you determine how your courses will transfer.
We’re here to help
Maybe you started college but never finished. Maybe you haven’t found the right major.
You’re not alone. In the past 10 years, nearly 5,000 students have left MSU without a degree.
- Former students: If you switched majors often, the BGS offers an alternative degree option using your past credits.
- Current students: A traditional degree program isn’t for everyone. If you have over 75 credits and like variety in your academics, you can still have a great college experience through the BGS’s alternative format.