Academic Credentials
Approval Process: Undergraduate and graduate certificates are formally approved by either the Vice Provost/Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education or the Graduate Dean.
Credit Requirements: Undergraduate certificates require a minimum of 12 credits and graduate certificates requires a minimum of 9 credits. The number of discipline-specific credits required for a certificate should not exceed those required for a major.
Credentials: Certificates are recorded in student records and displayed on transcripts upon completion. University-approved certificates are designated on official (diploma-like) documentsÌý(includingÌýartist diplomas).
Definition: A credential awarded to a student upon successful completion of a program of study (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Doctor of Philosophy).
Credit Requirements: Generally, minimum credits are required for each degree type (e.g., 120 credits for a bachelor's degree, 30 for a master's degree, etc.).
Credentials:ÌýEach degree earned is designated on a separate diploma and transcript block.
A secondary area of study or concentration in a discipline beyond the student's primary major that complements, enhances or supplements their primary major. Additional fields of study are approved for select majors only.
An approved educator preparation program leading to state licensure in an initial teacher licensure or teacher added endorsement. The licensure or endorsement is transcripted, but is not designated on diplomas.
Definition: A curriculum within a discipline and degree offered by a college, school or program (also referred to as anÌýacademic plan, program of study or degree plan).
Credit Requirements: It may be comprised of prescribed and/or student-selected major requirements, core/general education requirements and electives.
Credentials:ÌýA major is associated with a degree and is typically designated on the diploma after the degree or reflected as part of the degree title.
Definition: A short program that allows students to gain industry-relevant skills and/or other competencies. A micro-credential is aÌýnon-degree credential that is generally a subset of learning achievements or outcomes that is less than a full degree or certificate.
Credit Requirements: Micro-credentials may be for credit or noncredit, and may be proposed by any unit on campus.ÌýThey are smaller than certificate programs, which require a minimum of nine semester credits at the graduate level or 12 credits at the undergraduate level.
Credentials:ÌýA digital badge is issued upon successful completion of a micro-credential program.
An approved undergraduate academic plan within a specific discipline that typically requires a minimum number of 15 credits (and maximum of 21 credits). Minors are transcripted and may only be earned in conjunction with a degree. Minors do not display on diplomas. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ who have previously earned minors from CU Boulder may return for a second major or degree.
Academic Programs
Definition: A major, minor orÌýcertificate.
Designation: In Campus Solutions, academic plans are represented by a four-letter department code andÌýtwo- to four-letter plan code (e.g., AAAH-BA isÌýthe Department of Art and Art History's BA in Art History major).
Definition: AÌýpublished concentration of courses within a particular major (also referred to as an option, emphasis or track).
Designation: In Campus Solutions, subplans are directly tied to plans and are represented by a three-letter subplan code (e.g., BIA is the Bioastronautics subplan forÌýgraduate-level Aerospace Engineering Sciences majors).
Credentials: Academic subplans may be used for advising purposes only, or may be included on student transcripts along with a degree and major.