Post-Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

A post-baccalaureate (or post-bacc) degree is an additional degree earned at the baccalaureate (bachelor's) level after a first bachelor's degree has already been completed. You must be admitted to the University with post-baccalaureate status in order to pursue this additional degree.

This degree is distinguished from multiple majors within a single degree. For information regarding completion of multiple majors within a first bachelor’s degree, see Standards Governing the Completion of a Major.

You may earn a second bachelor’s degree by completing at least 45 credits as a matriculated student at Seattle Pacific University after your first bachelor’s degree has been awarded. You must be accepted into a major, and the date of acceptance determines the Undergraduate Catalog under which major requirements will be applied. Stay on track to graduate by following this graduation requirements checklist for post-baccalaureate students.

A second degree is subject to the following conditions:

If you earned your first degree at SPU:

• Of the 45 credits required for the second degree, you may earn up to 15 credits prior to the granting of the first degree, provided the credits are in excess of the minimum (usually 180 credits) required for the first degree. In such a case, you may be required to complete fewer than 45 credits for the second degree, but no fewer than 30 credits.
• You must earn at least 15 of the credits for the second degree at SPU after matriculation as a post-baccalaureate student.
• You must earn at least 15 upper-division credits in the major at SPU after matriculation as a post-baccalaureate student.
• No more than 15 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may apply toward the additional bachelor’s degree.
• All specified requirements for the second degree must be fulfilled, including all requirements in the major.
• All standards governing completion of a major apply to the second degree.
• Limitations on credit pertain to a second bachelor’s degree as well as a first degree.

If you earned your first degree at another institution:

• You must earn at least 45 credits toward the second degree at SPU if you have not previously earned credit as a matriculated SPU student.
• You must earn at least 30 of the required 45 credits at SPU if, at some prior point, you matriculated at SPU.
• No more than 15 credits taken as a non-matriculated student may apply toward the additional bachelor’s degree.
• You must earn at least 15 upper-division credits in the major at SPU after matriculation as a post-baccalaureate student.
• You must complete 5 credits in Christian Scripture or Christian Theology at SPU.
• You must fulfill all specified requirements for the second degree, including all requirements in the major.
• All standards governing completion of a major apply to the second degree.
• Limitations on credit pertain to a second bachelor’s degree as well as a first degree.