Degree Requirements
Degrees
The SPS online Bachelor of Science degrees in Enterprise Leadership, Strategic Communication, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences are conferred by the School of Professional Studies. For Bachelor of Science degree requirements, see the curriculum for each of the online degree programs.
The SPS Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) and the Bachelor of Science in General Studies (BSGS) are conferred by the Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The primary difference between the degrees is that the BPhil degree has a requirement for proficiency in a language other than English. The BPhil or the BSGS degree is awarded to students who major in Economics, English: Writing, Humanities, Organization Behavior, Psychology, and Social Sciences. Students who major in Biological Sciences are awarded the BSGS degree. See the BPhil and BSGS degree requirements below.
The Bachelor of Philosophy in communication (BPhilCom), an interdisciplinary professional degree, is conferred by the School of Communication. The degree is awarded to students who major in Communication Studies. See the BPhilCom degree requirements below.
Bachelor of Philosophy
To earn the BPhil degree, students must complete a total of 45 units (courses), including a writing requirement, two years of study in a language other than English (or demonstration of equivalent language proficiency), distribution requirements, a major, and electives. Language proficiency may be demonstrated by completion of a second-year language sequence with a grade of C or better at an accredited college or university. Minors are optional.
| Courses | Units Earned |
|---|---|
| English 111 or 205 and 113 | 2 |
| Language | 6 |
| Humanities | 4 |
| Science | 4 |
| Social Sciences | 4 |
| Major Requirements | 10-22 |
| Electives | Up to 15 |
| Total | 45 |
Bachelor of Science in General Studies
For the BSGS degree, students must complete 45 units, including a writing requirement, distribution requirements, a major, and electives. Minors are optional.
| Courses | Units Earned |
|---|---|
| English 111 or 205 and 113 | 2 |
| Humanities | 4 |
| Science | 4 |
| Social Sciences | 4 |
| Major Requirements | 10-20 |
| Electives | Up to 21 |
| Total | 45 |
Bachelor of Philosophy in Communication
To earn the BPhilCom degree, students must complete a total of 42 units, including a writing requirement, distribution requirements, a major and electives. Minors are optional.
| Courses | Units Earned |
|---|---|
| English 111 or 205 | 1 |
| English 113 or Perf St 103 | 1 |
| Humanities | 3 |
| Psychology | 3 |
| Science | 3 |
| Social Sciences | 3 |
| Major Requirements | 12-14 |
| Electives | Up to 16 |
| Total | 42 |
About the Writing Requirement
The writing requirement ensures that students have the skills necessary to meet the rigorous writing demands of subsequent SPS courses in all majors and disciplines. The expository writing courses provide the tools to meet the demands of advanced academic writing; the courses may not be audited or taken on a pass/no credit basis.
Transfer and performance-based admission students must fulfill the writing requirement through one of two options:
Option 1: Complete an English composition course at SPS.
Demonstrate successful completion of English 111 or 205. A grade of C or higher is required.
Option 2: Successfully appeal the writing requirement.
Students who believe they have the writing skills necessary for university-level research and analytical papers may appeal the SPS writing requirement.
A successful appeal does not result in credit for the writing course. Students must complete another course in its place according to the needs and guidelines of their program. Writing will be evaluated for standards of good expository writing, including: a fully developed thesis; sound logic and adequate evidence in support of the thesis; effective organization, coherent structure and an overall unity; correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
To appeal the writing requirement, the following should be submitted:
- An Online Student Affairs Petition Form
- A letter of appeal and two college/university research papers written during previous studies. Submit the letter and the two papers by uploading them with the Online Student Affairs Petition Form.
About the Distribution Requirements
Students complete course work in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences to obtain a broad experience in the liberal arts. Courses that satisfy these distribution requirements include the following areas:
Humanities
Art history, classics, comparative literary studies, English literature, languages other than English (up to two units), history, humanities (HUM), music history, philosophy, religion, and some courses in black studies, languages with literature, gender studies, performance studies, radio/television/film, and theatre.
Sciences
Astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, computer information systems, earth and planetary sciences, engineering, mathematics, physics, and some courses in anthropology, communication sciences and disorders, psychology, radio/television/film, and statistics.
Social Sciences
Anthropology, economics, history, linguistics, political science, sociology, and some courses in black studies, communication sciences and disorders, gender studies, psychology, and statistics.
Transfer Credit
How do I know which courses will transfer?Find out instantly how your college credits will transfer to the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern using Transferology™. Simply create an account, enter your courses, and get your results immediately. Transferology connects to schools across the country, providing comprehensive details about how your academic experience converts to credit at various colleges and universities.
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