The University of South Dakota

The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) is designed to accommodate students who have accumulated significant college credit (64 credit hours minimum) and who want to complete a baccalaureate degree.

The BGS degree is available online, on-campus in Vermillion, at University Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., at University Center - Rapid City in Rapid City, S.D., and at Capital University Center in Pierre, S.D. 

Admission Requirements:

Transfer Student Admission Requirements
Readmitted Student Admission Requirements

Degree Requirements:

Students must complete 32 credit hours from the University of South Dakota (USD), delivered in any form, at any location.  The number of USD credit hours earned immediately preceding attainment of the degree must be 16 of the last 32 credit hours.  Moreover, a minimum of 32 semester hours of credit in courses numbered 300 or above is required.  Students must complete or have completed USD's general education requirements (30 credit hours), 9 credits of institutional credit hours, plus 45 credits in three areas of emphasis (15 credits in each area) selected by the student and approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.  Areas include:

• Allied Health (ADS, CLS, DCOM, DHGY, HSC, NURS, SOCW)
• Business (ACCT, BADM, ECON, ENTR, HSAD)
• Education (EDER, EDFN, ELED, EPSY, INED, SEED, SPED)
• Fine Arts (ART, ARTD, ARTH, INTA, MUAP, MUEN, MUS, THEA)
• Humanities (CLHU, ENGL, LING, MCOM, PHIL, REL, SPCM, WMST, any non-English language, selected HIST, MSL, POLS, PSYC, SOC)
• Science, Engineering and Mathematics (BIOL, CHEM, ESCI, MATH, MICR, MTRO, OCEN, PHGY, PHYS, STAT)
• Technology (CSC, TET, selected MCOM)
• Wellness (ADS, HLTH, PE, RECR)

Students may petition for the use of additional prefixes from any discipline to meet graduation requirements.  Finally, a capstone course is required.

There are numerous courses available to satisfy each emphasis area:

Program at a Glance

Transfer Students:

Undergraduate Transfer Equivalency Request Report

Transfer students can request for an unofficial transfer equivalency report to give you a more accurate look at what can be transferred to the University of South Dakota.  The transfer equivalency report will include a course by course equivalency report as well as a degree completion plan.  All we need are unofficial copies of your transcripts from your previous institutions.  Please contact Matt Hammer for questions and how to get started at Matt.L.Hammer@usd.edu.