Degree Advancement
Semester Units of Credit
APU measures courses in semester units of credit. Courses are worth different
unit values depending on the type of course and the number of hours the course
meets each week. Three units are usually given when a course meets three hours
per week, although in some fields, such as physical education, music, nursing,
and laboratory sciences, more hours per week are required. Courses in summer
sessions meet for the same number of minutes and receive the same unit value
as semester courses, but more time per day is devoted to these courses since
there are fewer sessions.
Normal Progress Toward a Degree
The minimum number of credits for a bachelor's degree is 126. Twelve (12) units
per semester constitute a minimum full-time load, and will be considered normal
progress toward a degree. However, students must be aware that at this 12-unit-per-semester
pace, they will not complete the bachelor's degree in a four-year period unless
summer sessions or extra terms are taken.
Graduation
Seniors must complete an Intent to Graduate form (PDF)* and submit it to the Office of the Registrar at
least 90 days prior to commencement. A student may participate in the commencement
exercises only if the degree work has been completed or is in process concurrently
at another institution, and will be completed in the graduating term. Concurrent
enrollment is limited to 17 units with a maximum of 7 units being completed
at another institution. (The student must receive prior approval from the Office
of the Registrar for concurrent enrollment, including correspondence classes.)
Correspondence courses must be completed prior to commencement. Proof of completion
must be given to the Office of the Registrar.
*The downloadable version of this document is provided in a Portable Document Format (PDF). To learn more about PDFs or to install Adobe Acrobat Reader, follow this link.
