Individualized, BAAS
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences is designed to meet your unique needs—including the ability to design your own degree concentration to develop the knowledge and skills you need to fulfill your life goals and career ambitions. While most BAAS degree concentrations are interdisciplinary, combining areas of study to encourage greater complexity and flexibility as you explore your interests, the Individualized Studies concentration goes a step further. With input from your academic advisor, you can combine courses from any three certificates or course blocks for a highly personalized learning experience.
Curriculum
Students in the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree will choose a concentration to tailor their undergraduate education to specific personal and professional goals. Courses within each concentration may be taken in any order, unless prerequisites are specified.
Students must complete foundational courses for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree. In addition, students in the Individualized Studies degree concentration can work with an academic advisor to focus their studies toward any three certificates or course blocks; complete four courses in each of your selected course blocks for a total of 12 courses (12 CU*). Once the plan is approved, the student’s concentration in individualized studies will be officially declared.
Declaration of the individualized studies concentration is a two-step process.
Step 1. Work with your academic advisor to select the structure of your individualized studies concentration.
Students with applicable transfer credits can select 2 certificates/course blocks plus 1 additional Penn LPS online course for a total of 9 courses and identify up to 3 applicable transfer courses for their individualized studies concentration proposal for a total of 12 courses (12 C.U.*). Students without applicable transfer credit will choose 3, 4-course blocks for their concentration. The proposed concentration must be significantly different than a concentration that currently exists.
Step 2. Once the individualized studies program of study is approved by your advisor, the student submits the electronic program declaration from via Path@Penn.
Take four courses from any two or three of the following course blocks:
- Applied Positive Psychology
- Cinema
- Classics
- Climate Change
- Creative Writing
- Data Analytics
- Digital Strategies
- English Literature
- Global and Regional Studies
- Leadership and Communication
- Mathematical Sciences
- Music Studies
- Neuroscience
- Organizational Culture and Collaboration
- Professional Writing
- Religion and Culture
- Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Social Sciences
Students completing certain course blocks while enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree are awarded a certificate upon completion of the degree.
- Applied Positive Psychology Certificate
- Climate Change Certificate
- Creative Writing Certificate
- Data Analytics Certificate
- Digital Strategies Certificate
- Global and Regional Studies Certificate
- Leadership and Communication Certificate
- Neuroscience Certificate
- Organizational Culture and Collaboration Certificate
- Professional Writing Certificate
- Science Foundations Certificate
- Social Difference, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate
- Upskill Certificate
Any course with Attribute = BBIS
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.