University General Course Catalog 2021-2022 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
University General Course Catalog 2021-2022 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

General Studies, B.G.S.


The University’s Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree program provides interdisciplinary study across the academic disciplines and professional fields. It is designed for students whose academic interest or career objectives require an individualized university degree. Degree candidates are assigned an academic advisor to assist in preparing an appropriate course of study. Prospective graduate students should contact their advisor regarding the degree’s applicability to that goal.

The program objectives are:

  1. To meet the University of Nevada, Reno’s mission as a land-grant university;
  2. To better serve the general educational needs of the state’s citizens;
  3. To provide nontraditional students an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree;
  4. To offer a relatively flexible degree program that may include studies in several disciplinary and professional areas.

Student Learning Outcomes


Students will be able to:

  • explain their intellectual goals in undertaking interdisciplinary degree and why they have chosen specific minor and breadth courses.
  • integrate the knowledge, skills, information, and/or values gained from a wide range of self-designed study across various disciplines.
  • articulate their academic experience and personal development achieved through a self-designed curriculum.

Contact Information


405 Pennington Student Achievement Center
(775) 784-4684

Advising Center - advising@unr.edu

Transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno


Use the transfer agreement  and the degree planner (available by clicking Print degree planner icon at the top right of this page) to build your plan for graduation with your advisor. Course substitutions not identified on the transfer agreement require UNR advisor approval.

If a major-to-major transfer agreement is not available for your transfer institution, please check the General Core agreement  if available. If neither is available, access established Transferology to assist in your planning.

Admission Requirements


Entrance Requirements: students must have completed a minimum of 60 undergraduate credits from an accredited institution before seeking admission to the BGS program. Students may not use the BGS as a second bachelor’s degree.

Graduation Requirements


  • Total Units | 120
  • Cumulative GPA | 2.0
  • University GPA | 2.0
  • Major GPA | 2.0
  • Residency Requirement | 30 Upper-Division Units at UNR
  • Upper-Division Requirement | 42 Upper-Division Units
  • Half Program/4 Year Institution | 60 Units

A maximum of four units applicable to the BGS degree may be earned in recreation, physical education and dance activity courses (numbered 100-199). 

I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)


NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter of this catalog for information regarding the “Core English and Math Completion Policy  .”

Students must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course description.

A. Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information (3-6 units) - CO1, CO3


B. Quantitative Reasoning (3 units minimum) - CO2


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO2 courses .

C. Physical & Natural Phenomena (6 units minimum) - CO4, CO4L


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO4/CO4L courses .

D. Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) - CO6


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO6 courses .

E. Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) - CO7


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO7 courses .

F. History & Culture; Constitution (6 units) - CO5, CO8


Refer to the Core Curriculum   chapter in this catalog.

II. Additional Core Requirements (18 units maximum)


Students must take courses that satisfy the following Core Objectives. Some or all of these requirements may be satisfied by courses in other requirements. Refer to the Core Curriculum   chapter in this catalog.

A. Science, Technology & Society - CO9


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO9 courses .

B. Diversity & Equity - CO10


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO10 courses .

C. Global Contexts - CO11


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO11 courses .

D. Ethics - CO12


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO12 courses .

E. Capstone Integration & Synthesis - CO13


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO13 courses .

F. Application - CO14


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO14 courses .

III. Additional College Requirements (0 units)


IV. Major Requirements (45 units)


A. Breadth Requirement (15 units)


Complete 15 units outside the two declared minors, a minimum of 9 units must be upper-division.

F. Specialization (Two distinct minors) (30 units)


Students must complete the requirements for two distinct minors offered at the university and at least 18 upper-division units. Once declared, the minor requirements will display on individual student’s academic advising reports as BGS Specializations. 

A student may choose to replace one of the minors with a coherent, customized set of courses developed in consultation with and approved by their academic advisor. This customized set of courses must be between 18-24 units and a minimum of 9 units must be upper-division.

V. Minor Requirements (0 units)


As part of the Specialization, two minors are required. Students in the General Studies program may declare up to two minors in addition to those used to satisfy the Specialization requirement.

VI. Electives (15-18 units)


VII. Recommended Schedule


First Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


  • (3 units)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (3 units) CO2
  • Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) CO6
  • Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) CO7
  • BGS Minor 1 (3 units) 

Spring Semester (15 units)


  • (3 units) CO1, CO3
  • Physical & Natural Phenomena (3-4 units) CO4L**
  • BGS Minor 1 (3 units)
  • BGS Minor 2 (3 units)
  • BGS Breadth Requirement (3 units)

Second Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


Spring Semester (15 units)


Third Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


  • Science, Technology & Society (3 units) CO9
  • BGS Minor 1 (6 units) 
  • BGS Minor 2 (3 units)
  • BGS Breadth Requirement (3 units)

Spring Semester (15 units)


  • Capstone Integration & Synthesis (3 units) CO13
  • BGS Minor 1 (3 units)
  • BGS Minor 2 (6 units)
  • BGS Breadth Requirement (3 units)

Fourth Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


  • Application (3 units) CO14
  • BGS Minor 1 (3 units)
  • BGS Minor 2 (3 units)
  • Global Contexts (3 units) CO11 (satisfy with a 300-400 level course)
  • Ethics (3 units) CO12 (satisfy with a 300-400 level ccourse)

Second Semester (15 units)


  • 300-400 Level Elective (12 units) 
  • General Elective (3 units)