6.29. Earning a Second Baccalaureate Degree

Students who earn a first baccalaureate degree at Oglethorpe cannot earn a second degree at Oglethorpe. Instead, they may earn a second major, either simultaneously with a first major (see Sec. 6.19.5.1.) or post-baccalaureate (see Sec. 6.19.5.2.). Earning a second baccalaureate degree is an option available only for students who hold a baccalaureate degree from another regionally-accredited U.S. post-secondary institution and for select students holding certain credentials from non-U.S. post-secondary institutions.

For students who hold a first baccalaureate degree from another regionally-accredited U.S. post-secondary institution, the process is as follows:

  1. The student must apply for admission as a transfer student under the admit status which is affiliated with the degree of interest. Those interested in obtaining a B.A. or B.S. degree must be admitted to the TU program (see 4.1.1.). Those interested in obtaining a B.A.L.S. or B.B.A. degree must be admitted to the ADP program (see Sec. 4.1.2.).
  2. The student’s first degree is treated as transfer credit. All the usual policies and procedures relevant to incoming transfer credits apply, except that the student can receive up to 92 semester hours of credits (for students admitted to the TU program) or up to 84 semester hours of credits (for students admitted to the ADP program).
  3. If the student is transferring in any work which might be relevant to the new major/degree, then he/she/they should be aware that previous disciplinary course work may or may not count toward the new major. For example, if more than five years have elapsed since the student received his/her/their first degree, the advisor and registrar may decide that the best interests of the student would be served by starting the new major afresh. If fewer than five years have elapsed since the first degree was completed, the advisor and registrar may decide that some previous course work could be applied to satisfy requirements of the new major/degree. The same decision-making process will be used to decide whether or not previous course work can be used to satisfy course prerequisites relative to the new major/degree. In any case, the student may not transfer in credits sufficient to satisfy more than 50% of the semester hours required for the new major or any other officially declared academic program (minor, concentration, certificate).
  4. Once the student first enters Oglethorpe, no new transfer work will be counted toward the second baccalaureate degree. That is, from this point forward, all new credits counting toward graduation must be earned in residence at Oglethorpe (see 8.3.).
  5. The student must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours in residence at Oglethorpe and must end up satisfying all requirements of the new major/degree, including the requirement that at least 50% of all new declared academic programs (major, minor, concentration, certificate) required semester hours must be taken in residence at Oglethorpe.
  6. Oglethorpe will accept the existence of a previous baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary U.S. institution as proof of satisfactory completion of a suitable general education program, so no further general education courses are required.
  7. Oglethorpe will waive graduation requirements for a second degree which are significant only for one’s first degree.
  8. All other graduation requirements for the degree/major in question must be satisfied (see Sec. 8. and Sec. 9.).
  9. Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student must submit an application for degree to the enrollment services office and pay the degree completion fee. The student will be awarded a new diploma and will be allowed to walk at commencement.

Use of the above policy is not permitted if a student’s first baccalaureate degree came from a U.S. post-secondary institution which was not regionally accredited at the time of degree conferral.

Students who have a post-secondary degree or similar credential from a non-U.S. college or university are considered on a case-by-case basis following completion (at the student’s expense) of a foreign credential evaluation and translation of the student’s post-secondary record by Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. (https://www.jsilny.org/). All inquiries should be addressed to the Office of the Provost, Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 U.S.A.