Career & Technical Program Requirements (General)

Undergraduate Program Requirements (General)

Academic Associate degrees

All Academic Associate degrees at SHSU contain the following MINIMUM requirements:

  • Total Hours. A minimum of 60 semester credit hours (SCH) is required for each Academic Associate degree.
  • Residence Requirement. At least 25% of the SCH required for the degree must be completed in residence at SHSU, as defined by the applicable SHSU catalog.
  • GPA Requirement. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 is required (unless a higher GPA is specified by the degree program) in each of the following:
    • SHSU GPA (all undergraduate coursework taken at SHSU)
    • Overall GPA (all SHSU and transfer undergraduate coursework)
    • SHSU Major GPA (all SHSU coursework taken within the Major block of the degree plan)
    • Overall Major GPA (all SHSU and transfer coursework within the Major block)
  • Degree Plan & Coursework. Specific course requirements for the degree (including general education, major requirements, electives, and/or minor requirements) will be documented in the student’s degree plan as published in the SHSU Undergraduate Catalog and in the institution’s degree-audit system, DegreeWorks. The student is responsible for ensuring all degree requirements are satisfied.

Applied Associate degrees

Grade Point Average (GPA) - Degree Requirements

A minimum 2.00 GPA is required in the following:

  • SHSU GPA (all undergraduate coursework taken at SHSU)
  • Overall GPA (all SHSU and transfer undergraduate coursework)
  • SHSU Major GPA (some programs may require a higher GPA)
  • Overall Major GPA (SHSU coursework and transfer coursework)

Academic Credit and Institutional GPA

  • Academic credit for additional major or minor coursework shall be applicable to the SHSU GPA in order to achieve the minimum required grade point averages for graduation purposes. Academic credit for additional major and minor coursework beyond course requirements, as noted on a student’s degree plan, may be used for SHSU GPA purposes and does not increase the total required hours for the degree program.

Degree Works/Degree Plan

The specific degree course requirements will be listed in the student’s degree plan. A degree plan outlines academic requirements for successful completion of a specific degree. Students are encouraged to use their Polytechnic program advisor for advice on degree plans. Students may view their degree plan via My Sam using DegreeWorks, located under the Students Tab.

The university provides advisors through the Polytechnic College to assist students with registration and ensure appropriate progress toward completing degree requirements.  However, the student is responsible for ensuring all degree requirements are fulfilled.

Students are placed under a degree and major based on their selection at the time of application to SHSU.  In addition, a later catalog may be selected, provided the requirements are met no later than six years from the effective date of the selected catalog. Students are responsible for knowledge of the detailed requirements of the degree plan, including any special requirements of the major and/or minor department.  Some academic departments may require approval for a change of major.

Career and Technical Certificates

Grade Point Average (GPA) - Certificate Requirements

A minimum 2.00 GPA is required in the following:

  • SHSU GPA (all undergraduate coursework taken at SHSU)
  • Overall GPA (all SHSU and transfer undergraduate coursework)

A certificate is an academic, non-degree credential from a university awarded upon completion of a set of baccalaureate-level courses indicating mastery of a specialized field or subject area.  Career and Technical undergraduate certificates are split into two levels.

Level 1 certificates require between 15 and 42 semester credit hours (SCH), may be offered as stand-alone credentials or embedded within an applied associate degree, and are not subject to the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).

Level 2 certificates require between 30 and 51 semester credit hours (SCH), may be offered as stand-alone credentials or embedded within an applied associate degree, and are subject to the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).

Students may view their certificate plan via My Sam using DegreeWorks, located under the Students Tab. The university provides advisors through the Polytechnic College to assist students with registration and ensure appropriate progress toward completing certificate requirements.  However, the student is responsible for ensuring all certificate requirements are fulfilled.

University Academic Policy Manual and Student Guidelines

SHSU's Academic Policy Manual and Student Complaints and Grievance Procedures provide specific information about the university's educational procedures and student conduct. Copies of these publications may be viewed at the Reference Desk in the Newton Gresham Library or online.