Excelsior University 3+1 Program
Complete a bachelor’s degree in areas such as business, technology, liberal arts, health sciences, public service, and nursing with Excelsior University’s 3+1 program. This unique pathway helps you save on the cost of earning your bachelor’s.
4 Easy Steps
- Earn an associate degree at a community
college (usually around 60 credits). - Talk to an Excelsior admissions counselor
to determine credit requirements. - Start on a bachelor’s degree by taking
additional courses—up to 30 credits—at
your community college, at your community
college’s tuition rates. - Earn a minimum of 30 upper-level credits
with Excelsior via online courses or through
independent study for credit by exam to
complete a bachelor’s degree.
3+1 Snapshot
Transfer Guide Example
The program plan below outlines how students might transfer credits from a community college liberal arts degree program to Excelsior University’s BS in Liberal Arts program. Upon completion of the associate degree, credit shown below will apply to the BS in Liberal Arts.
| How to Earn up to 90 Credits | |
|---|---|
| First Two Years Community College Credits | Semester Hours |
| Written English | 6 |
| Ethics Requirement | 3 |
| Humanities Art, music, literature, foreign language, philosophy, religion, speech, communications, or creative/advanced writing |
6 |
| Social Sciences/History Anthropology, criminal justice, economics, geography, government, history, political science, psychology, or sociology |
9 |
| Natural Sciences Requirements Biology, chemistry, geology, or physics |
3 |
| Mathematics Requirement College algebra, college math, trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus |
3 |
| Natural Science/Mathematics Biology, chemistry, geology, physics, college math, college algebra, trigonometry, precalsulus, or calculus |
3 |
| Electives (Applied Professional) |
21 |
| Arts & Sciences Electives | 6 |
| Total Credits Required for Associate Degree | 60 |
| Third Year Community College Credits | Semester Hours |
| Remaining Arts & Sciences or Applied Professional coursework to meet remaining requirements at lower level | 29 |
| Total Additional Credit | 29 |
| How to Earn Your Remaining Credits | |
|---|---|
| Fourth Year Excelsior University Credits | Semester Hours |
| IND 301 Cornerstone B (Pathways) | 3 |
| INL 102 Information Literacy | 1 |
| Upper-Level Electives (18 Credits of Arts & Sciences and 9 credits of Art & Sciences or Applied Professional) |
24 |
| Capstone Requirements | 3 |
| Total Additional Credits | 31 |
