BABA to BLS

[Jonathan Whatley]

You might now be able to add a BLS as a second degree to the BABA but that BLS would require a minor in something not listed above, something not duplicative with your BABA.

The BLS has never been allowed as a second bachelor's degree at UMPI.

That used to be true. But the new UMPI catalog deleted the wording that disallowed that and replaced it with new wording that implies either a BLS or BAS now is possible as a second bachelor’s degree.

From the Academic Policies page in the 2024-2025 catalog:

Dual Baccalaureate Degrees

A student may earn multiple degrees provided they are different. The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree and the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree may not be declared as a dual (secondary) degree, as both were designed with broad requirements to target a specific population. […]

Big changes to that section on the Academic and University Policies page in the current 2025-2026 Fall catalog:

Dual Baccalaureate Degrees

A student may earn multiple degrees provided they are appropriately differentiated. In order to receive additional degrees, the following conditions must be met:

(1) The first degree must have been awarded.
(2) The student must apply through Admissions for subsequent degrees.
(3) A minimum number of credits must be earned in residency beyond the total hours earned for the previous degree: 15 for each additional Associate, 30 for each additional Baccalaureate.
(4) Additional degrees cannot be awarded whose content serves as a subset of required program courses to the first degree (i.e., a student may not earn a second degree in the form of a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) or Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) that uses the “minor” of the major program of the first degree).
(5) As is the requirement for the initial degree, transfer credits may not be used toward the attainment of minimum credit hour requirements (15 for Associate, 30 for Baccalaureate) for additional degrees.
(6) Students pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) or a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) may not declare the other as a dual degree.

[ss20ts]

So weird. They had explained to me that you had to do the BLS first because it was a terminal degree because of the number of general electives. i wonder how students can complete it as their second degree now. Like what they perceive differently.

[Mint Berry Crunch]

I asked about "double minor" and she said "no thats not possible". What am I missing?

Unless there was a big change that I missed, you should be able to add as many minors as you qualify for:

UMPI BLS with MIS, Project Management, and Management Minors

I would imagine there was a misunderstanding somehow. Maybe have a conversation to clarify why they believe this is no longer possible?

@origamishuttle I think BJ made a comment on your signature a while ago IIRC, but I find it incredible that within a years span, you were able to complete pretty much all of the forums top recommended schools lol. I was close with BOG, but I accidentally sent them my Rowan transcript. It was only when the dean was approving the degree did they find that I had another associate... I was so close lol. Maybe I'll wait a couple of years and try again

[origamishuttle]

@origamishuttle I think BJ made a comment on your signature a while ago IIRC, but I find it incredible that within a years span, you were able to complete pretty much all of the forums top recommended schools lol. I was close with BOG, but I accidentally sent them my Rowan transcript. It was only when the dean was approving the degree did they find that I had another associate... I was so close lol. Maybe I'll wait a couple of years and try again

Ha, yes, I thought it was an interesting challenge to complete them all in such a short period of time. They were conferred in the order listed in my signature - BOG first (1 graded credit from ASU), then WGU (57 CUs) a month later. I was very lucky with COSC because they gutted their Study.com transfers right after I enrolled, but I was able to get the max transfers in on the last day before the policy change. TESU specifically awarded the BACS as a second bachelor's degree and the ASNSMM as a second associate's degree, and UMPI allowed the BAS because of my AAS, so order was important. It seems like a lot when they're all listed out, but each extra bachelor's degree was only 30+ new credits, and the second associate's only needed the College Mathematics CLEP, so not a huge amount of work overall.

[Jonathan Whatley]

each extra bachelor's degree was only 30+ new credits

30 credits is one academic year full-time equivalent, so not a small thing!

[origamishuttle]

30 credits is one academic year full-time equivalent, so not a small thing!

While that's true, some credits are easier than others. I'm far better at tests, and more than half of the courses I completed at WGU and UMPI were a single test each. And tests & quizzes were most or all of the grade for the Sophia and Study.com courses, plus I had a couple of 6-credit CLEPs thrown in. What really felt like a lot of work were the capstone courses, especially the TESU liberal arts capstone! The rest of the writing really wasn't all that bad. Then again, some people find tests challenging and writing easy, so it really all depends.

[bjcheung77]

Haha, Yes I did comment on the achievement! I was just as amazed as you were! That was 2 Associates and 4 Bachelors completed in such a short time frame.