Degree Requirements
A strong curriculum focusing on business, people and technology provides students with many options for shaping an academic program that fits their unique skills, interests and career goals. Students may pursue a bachelor of science, a bachelor of arts, or a combined bachelor's/master’s program of studies. All bachelor’s degrees require course work totaling between 121 and 123 credit hours. Degree requirements vary by major and degree (Arts and Sciences and Business) type. Course and graduation requirements are listed in the sections that follow.
GENERAL EDUCATION CORE CURRICULUM (47 CREDIT HOURS)
A strong arts and sciences curriculum is key to the success of all programs at Bentley. Specific requirements are referred to as the General Education Core. There are 16 courses totaling 47 credit hours of general education course requirements.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FS 111 | First Year Seminar 1 | 1 |
| IT 101 | Information Technology and Computer System Concepts | 3 |
| Expository Writing I (fulfilled with one of the following): | 3 | |
| Expository Writing I: Critical Thinking and Writing | ||
| Expository Writing I: Critical Thinking and Writing with Lab | ||
| Expository Writing I: Critical Thinking and Writing | ||
| Expository Writing I: Critical Thinking and Writing with Lab | ||
| Expository Writing II (fulfilled with one of the following): | 3 | |
| Expository Writing II: Advanced Inquiry in Writing | ||
| Expository Writing II: Advanced Inquiry in Writing with Lab | ||
| Expository Writing II: Advanced Inquiry in Writing | ||
| Expository Writing II: Advanced Inquiry in Writing with Lab | ||
| Literature (fulfilled with any LIT, CIN, EMS or MLCH 402, MLFR 304, MLIT 304, MLSP 301, 404, 405 course) | 3 | |
| Mathematical Sciences I (fulfilled with one of the following): | 3 | |
| Applied Calculus for Business I | ||
| Applied Calculus for Business I with Lab | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Mathematical Sciences II (fulfilled with one of the following): | 3 | |
| Applied Calculus for Business II | ||
| Applied Calculus for Business II with Lab | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Natural Sciences course with lab (fulfilled with any NASC course) | 4 | |
| Behavioral Sciences (fulfilled with any PS or SO course) | 3 | |
| EC 111 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 112 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Government (fulfilled with one of the following): 2 | 3 | |
| US Government and Politics | ||
| Globalization | ||
| Comparative Government and Politics | ||
| US State and Local Government and Politics | ||
| International Relations | ||
| History (fulfilled with any HI course) | 3 | |
| PH 101 | Problems of Philosophy | 3 |
| Mathematics/Natural Sciences Elective (fulfilled with any MA 200 or higher, NASE, or ST 242) 3,4 | 3 | |
| Humanities/Social Science Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 47 | |
| 1 | Course is not required for transfer students with 15 transfer credits or more. These students will complete 121 credits for graduation. |
| 2 | Global Studies majors must take GLS 102 Comparative Government and Politics. |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems majors must take a math elective. |
| 4 | Actuarial Science and Mathematical Sciences majors are not required to take an MA/NASE elective, and therefore take 15 courses (44 credits) in the General Education Core. |
| 5 | Fulfilled by any CIN, COM, GLS, HI, LIT, MLCH, MLFR, MLIT, MLJA, MLSP, PS, SO, PH (except PH 101), MC, EMS, EC 251, 321, 331, 341, 343, 351, any ID (except ID 306), LA 100-199. |
OTHER DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
GPA REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
All students must earn a passing grade of at least D- (0.7) in each course; meet a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses completed at Bentley; and attain an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in all courses in the major.
Students electing or required to complete a minor must attain a minor GPA of at least 2.0.
RESIDENCY AND COURSE-AWAY LIMITATIONS
- Students are permitted to take courses away only during interim periods (i.e., summer and winter sessions).
- After matriculating at Bentley University, students may take no more than 10 percent of the remaining credits at other institutions. At least 60 credits toward a Bentley degree must have been earned at Bentley.
- Students must complete substantial work in the major field at Bentley. Only six credits in a student’s major area may be transferred from other institutions.
OTHER COURSE REQUIREMENTS/LIMITATIONS
- Complete a minimum of 50 percent of courses in arts and sciences
- Complete a minimum of 50 percent of business courses at Bentley
OTHER GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
- Meet all financial obligations to the university
- File a petition for graduation (see the Academic Calendar on the web for specific dates)
Arts and Sciences Majors
In addition to the General Education requirements described in the overview, Arts and Sciences degrees (except the Liberal Arts major) include the following:
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (24 TO 25 CREDIT HOURS)
Students must satisfy departmentally determined major course requirements in one of the majors listed below. Each major has particular course and minimum credit-hour requirements.
Minor in Business Studies (15 Credit hours) or Business Studies Major (24 Credit hours)
All students pursuing an arts and science undergraduate degree, with the exception of students completing a Liberal Arts Major, must complete either a Minor in Business Studies or a Business Studies Major as part of their degree requirements. Students pursuing a bachelor of arts cannot apply more than 30 credit hours of business courses to their degree requirements.
Unrestricted Electives (6 TO 15 CREDIT HOURS)
Students who elect the Business Studies Major have six credits of unrestricted electives. Students completing the minor in business studies have 15 credits in unrestricted electives.
Modern Language Requirement (0 to 12 credit hours)
Students pursuing an Arts and Sciences degree (except students pursing a BS in Mathematical Sciences or Actuarial Sciences) must demonstrate intermediate competence in a modern language. Most students do so by completing an Intermediate II course. Students must meet with the Chair of Modern Languages to discuss their language proficiency and required course work.
Arts and Sciences Electives (9 to 24 credit Hours)
Students pursuing a degree in business must complete an additional three credits of business-related coursework of their choosing.
DIVERSITY, INTERNATIONAL AND COMMUNICATION-INTENSIVE FOCUSED COURSE REQUIREMENT
All students must satisfy these three focus requirements by selecting from a list of approved courses that have diversity, international and/or communication-intensive material as their focus.
In addition, Mathematical Sciences and Actuarial Science students complete one communication-intensive course in their major. Courses that meet the diversity, international and communication requirements are listed on the registrar’s website. These requirements can be fulfilled with courses taken to meet any of the other degree requirements. Transfer students with a minimum of 30 credits will be waived from the focus requirements.
Business Majors
In addition to the General Education requirements described in the overview, Business degrees include the following:
General Business Core Curriculum (27 credit hours)
Specialization in a field of business practice at Bentley is based on a solid foundation of business discipline knowledge and skills: the General Business (GB) Core. Starting in the first semester of the first year and ending in the fourth year, the sequence of nine three-credit courses enables students to understand the connections between business and society as well as among the internal functions of a business organization. The General Business Core is required of all Business majors.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GB 110 | Legal and Ethical Environment of Business | 3 |
| GB 112 | Tools and Concepts in Accounting and Finance | 3 |
| GB 212 | Practice and Applications in Accounting and Finance | 3 |
| GB 213 | Business Statistics | 3 |
| GB 214 | Marketing-Operations Fundamentals | 3 |
| GB 215 | Human Behavior and Organizations | 3 |
| GB 310 | Business Processes and Systems | 3 |
| GB 320 | Integrated Business Project | 3 |
| GB 410 | Global Strategy | 3 |
Major Requirements (from 24 to 30 credit hours)
Students must satisfy departmentally determined major course requirements in one of Bentley's Business majors. Each major has particular course and minimum credit-hour requirements.
Arts and Sciences Electives (15 CREDIT HOURS)
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in a business discipline must complete an additional 15 credit hours of arts and sciences coursework of their choosing.
Business-Related Electives (3 CREDIT HOURS)
Students pursuing a degree in business must complete an additional three credits of business-related coursework of their choosing.
Unrestricted Electives (FROM 0 TO 6 CREDIT HOURS)
Depending on a student’s major, students are required to take additional courses in any discipline. This requirement may be reduced to one or no courses for some majors.
Diversity, International and Communication-Intensive Focused Course Requirement
All students must satisfy these three focus requirements by selecting from a list of approved courses that have diversity (D), international (I) and/or communication-intensive (C) material as their focus.
In addition, all students complete one communication-intensive course (C) in their major. Courses that meet the diversity, international and communication requirements are listed on the registrar’s website. These requirements can be fulfilled with courses taken to meet any of the other degree requirements. Transfer students with a minimum of 30 credits will be waived from the focus requirements.