What is Undergraduate Level study? This is the level of study available to students who have earned a high school diploma and/or have completed some community college work.

What is an Undergraduate degree? This is the degree awarded to students upon the successful completion of an undergraduate level program. Students are referred to as graduates when they have completed their degree. Once you have earned a bachelor's degree, you are eligible for entry to graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels.

What options are there for online study towards an Undergraduate degree at NAU? At undergraduate level study there are many program options for obtaining a baccalaureate degree via distance learning at NAU. These are listed below by degree title. A complete listing of undergraduate degrees available through NAU Distance Learning can be found at www.distance.nau.edu/programs/degreesearch.aspx.

BA (Bachelor of Arts): an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. Graduate and professional schools typically require a four-year BA for admission. BA studies usually require a student to take a majority of their courses (usually 1/2 or 3/4) in the arts, namely social sciences, humanities, music, or fine arts. The curriculum of a traditional Bachelor of Arts degree is centered on providing a well-rounded, liberal arts education. In the United States, colleges and universities often award Bachelor of Arts degrees even to those who pursue a majority of their coursework (i.e., major) in traditional, "hard" science fields such as biology and chemistry. A Bachelor of Arts receives the designation BA for a major/pass degree.

do not require an associate's degree.

are not expected to have prior knowledge or work experience in the field.

will complete the majority of courses for a degree in the subject area, resulting in a greater depth of knowledge in the primary subject area.

BS (Bachelor of Science): BS studies usually require a student to take a majority of their courses (usually 1/2 or 3/4) in the sciences, namely life sciences, physical sciences, or the mathematical sciences. Graduate and professional schools typically require a four-year BS for admission. Most universities plan the Bachelor of Science degree as a liberal arts course schedule. A Bachelor of Science receives the designation BS for a major/pass degree.

do not require an associate's degree.

are not expected to have prior knowledge or work experience in the field.

will complete the majority of courses for a degree in the subject area, resulting in a greater depth of knowledge in the primary subject area.

BAS (Bachelor of Applied Science): an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in a technical area with substantial applied content that a student can partially acquire by completion of another instructional program or experience in a technical field. A BAS program can be designed to incorporate applied content through various pathways, including collaboration with a community or technical college with block transfer of credits, transfer of credits on a course-by-course basis, or credits for experiential learning. Whenever feasible, the design of a BAS program should take advantage of opportunities for flexible sequencing of courses and demonstrated competencies. A Bachelor of Applied Science receives the designation BAS for a major/pass degree.

must have an associate's degree (some programs require specific associate's degree).

take an associate's degree in whole, then adds to it upper-division courses in the major, plus a block of managerial skills courses in areas of: communication, administration and management, values and ethics and technical or quantitative (research type) classes.

typically complete more upper-division hours in your primary subject area resulting in a greater depth of knowledge in the primary subject area designated as major.

have the primary subject area in degree as a major.

may include certification courses not included in the BAS program.

BAiLS (Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies): an undergraduate academic degree awarded for an interdisciplinary degree program. A BAiLS degree program curriculum offers flexibility in course and program selection yet maintains structure to ensure the student receives the proper education. This degree is suited to individuals who: desire to develop their own specialized area of study; to enter an occupation requiring a broad general education; desire a bachelor's degree; for career advancement; seek personal intellectual enrichment; are enrolled in statewide academic programs; or maybe considering a pre-professional program for medicine, dentistry, law, and veterinary medicine. A Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies receives the designation BAiLS for a major/pass degree.

do not require an associate's degree.

concentrate on a primary subject area, the emphasis, and add it to a second subject area, the focus, and take a block of communication classes needed in today's working environment.

complete less upper-division hours in the primary subject area but supplement with a second subject area, resulting in a greater breadth of knowledge.

must have one year of foreign language studies.

have their major designated as Liberal Studies and their minor showing as their chosen primary subject area

**Please note the BAiLS degree programs are no longer available beginning Fall 2007. There are possible options available for students who have been continuously enrolled in an Arizona university or community college. Please work with the advisor for the degree to discuss possible options.

BA-IS (Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies) or BS-IS (Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies): an undergraduate academic degree awarded for an interdisciplinary degree program. A BA-IS or BS-IS degree program curriculum offers flexibility in course and program selection yet maintains structure to ensure the student receives the proper education. This degree is suited to individuals who: desire to develop their own specialized area of study; to enter an occupation requiring a broad general education; desire a bachelor's degree; for career advancement; seek personal intellectual enrichment; are enrolled in statewide academic programs; or maybe considering a pre-professional program for medicine, dentistry, law, and veterinary medicine. A Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies receives the designation BA-IS for a major/pass degree. A Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies receives the designation BS-IS for a major/pass degree.

• Does not require an associate's degree.

• Concentrate on a primary subject area, the emphasis, and add it to a second subject area, the focus, and take a block of communication classes needed in today's working environment.

• Complete less upper-division hours in the primary subject area but supplement with a second subject area, resulting in a greater breadth of knowledge.

• Must have 12-16 credits of a modern language studies for the BA-IS.

• Must have 12 credits in science based coursework for the BS-IS.