Program Description

The Professional Studies program is designed for students transferring to Seattle Pacific University with the Associate of Applied Sciences-Transfer degree from a public Washington state community or technical college. However, students completing a different technical or professional degree from a public Washington state two-year school are eligible to apply for the program once they have completed at least 20 credits of liberal arts coursework with a 2.5 minimum GPA in those courses.

When you are admitted into SPU as a participant in the Professional Studies Program, you are also admitted to the Professional Studies major. Essentially, your program at the community or technical college is your major area of study, and this program allows you to receive a bachelor’s degree by completing liberal arts requirements and a minor. No more than 90 credits from your community or technical college are transferred into this program.

If you decide to pursue a major other than the professional studies major, you will leave the Professional Studies Program, and your transfer credits will be re-evaluated on a course-by-course basis. This will likely result in a loss of transfer credit, since many professional and technical courses accepted for the Professional Studies Program would not normally transfer.

Entering and Completing the Minor

You will be admitted to Seattle Pacific University and the Professional Studies major simultaneously. However, in order to complete the Professional Studies degree you must be formally admitted to a minor and complete all minor requirements. Minor requirements are listed within each specific discipline in this Undergraduate Catalog. You should apply for entrance to your minor during your first quarter at SPU. 

• Once you have identified the minor you want to pursue, apply in Banner by following these instructions.
• The University requires a grade of C- or better in all classes that apply to a major or minor; however, programs may require higher minimum grades in specific courses. You may repeat an SPU course only once for a higher grade.
• To advance in this program, meet with your faculty advisor regularly to discuss your grades, course progression, and other indicators of satisfactory academic progress. If your grades or other factors indicate that you may not be able to successfully complete the major or minor, your faculty advisor can work with you to explore options, which may include choosing a different major or minor.
• You must complete the minor requirements that are in effect in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog for the year you enter the major or minor.

Curriculum for Special Programs Graduation Requirements Checklist

The following coursework is required for students admitted to the Professional Studies program at Seattle Pacific University. Students should refer to their online Degree Check in Banner to track their progress towards completion of their degree.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Total College-Level Credits (Minimum) A		180
Upper Division Credits (Minimum) B		60
Major C
Minor D
General Education
"W" Writing Requirement E		3-8
Common Curriculum
University Foundations G		10-15
UFDN 1000	The Christian Faith
UFDN 2000/3001	Christian Scripture G
UFDN 3100	Christian Theology
Exploratory Curriculum
Academic Inquiry and Writing		3
Ways of Knowing in the Arts		10
Ways of Knowing in the Humanities		10
Ways of Knowing in the Social Sciences		10
Ways of Knowing Quantitative Reasoning		5
Ways of Knowing in the Sciences		10

A

Courses numbered 1000-4999 are considered college level. At least 45 of the 180 credits must be completed at SPU as a matriculated student, including 25 of the last 45 credits for the degree. All college-level courses for which credit is received (for example, general education or courses in the major) apply to the 180 credit requirement.

B

Upper Division courses are numbered 3000-4999 and carry the UD attribute. At least 15 Upper Division credits in the major (10 in the minor) must be completed at SPU as a matriculated student.

C

The completion of one major is required (NOTE: Students in the Professional Studies Program complete a minor at SPU rather than a major). See the Standards Governing Completion of a Major for details. Students may elect to complete a second major as part of their baccalaureate degree.

D

The completion of a minor is required for students admitted to the Professional Studies program. See the Standards Governing Completion of a Minor for details.

E

Students admitted as First Year or Sophomores are required to take 8 credits. Those admitted as Juniors are required to take 5 credits, and those admitted as Seniors are required to take 3 credits.

F

Students admitted as Juniors complete 5 credits of Writing. Students admitted as Seniors complete 3 credits of Writing. See Academic Counselor for placement.

G

Students admitted as Juniors or Seniors complete only 10 credits of University Foundations: UFDN 3001 and UFDN 3100.