Skip to Main Content

The Associate Degree

Dallas Baptist University offers eight two-year associate degree programs: Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts (Teacher Certification Preparation), Associate of Biblical Studies, Associate of Business Administration, Associate of Christian Studies, Associate of Engineering, Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Associate of Science. The associate degree is designed to aid those who may need to enter the vocational world more quickly than a four-year degree program would allow.

The associate degree programs are designed to provide a strong foundation in the liberal arts, business, church-related ministries, or science profession and to prepare students for future academic success. Additionally, the academic program of the associate degrees offers a sound foundation that helps prepare students to live their adult lives as mature, intellectually-integrated persons. All instruction is presented with a commitment to the student’s intellectual and spiritual growth through the integration of faith and learning.


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE

Dallas Baptist University offers programs leading to the Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts (Teacher Certification Preparation), Associate of Biblical Studies, Associate of Business Administration, Associate of Christian Studies, Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Associate of Science degrees.  A student may elect to graduate under the degree requirements of the official catalog of any year in which the student is enrolled for classes and receives credit, provided that the period between initial enrollment and graduation does not exceed six years. The six-year time frame begins at the final semester covered by the chosen catalog. The University reserves the right to change the requirements for graduation at the beginning of any semester. Such changes will appear in the next edition of the official catalog. A student may not change degrees and/or majors until the end of a term due to Financial Aid implications.

All candidates for an associate degree must fulfill the following requirements as a minimum: 

  1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours, including the General Studies requirements for each degree.

  2. Complete a minimum of 25% of the required credit hours in residence at Dallas Baptist University (e.g., for a 60-credit hour degree program, the residency requirement is 15 hours).

  3. Be enrolled at Dallas Baptist University the semester of graduation.

  4. Earn a minimum of 2.00 grade point average in all courses taken. DBU requires a minimum institutional cumulative, major, and minor GPA of 2.0. 

  5. Meet the requirements for a prescribed degree curriculum and be recommended by the faculty for graduation.

  6. Complete one-half of the Chapel credits required for a bachelor’s degree candidate, if applicable. (See section under Academic Policies for Chapel requirements.)

No student will be allowed to participate in the graduation exercises of the University until all of the above requirements for graduation have been completed.

DEGREE PLAN

It is the student’s responsibility, as soon as possible after entering the University, to meet with an associate degree advisor to develop a plan of study leading to a specific degree. With the assistance of the advisor, the student outlines the courses needed to complete the degree. The degree plan developed between the student and advisor is only a guide. The student must complete all degree requirements as stated in this catalog. A degree plan becomes official when it has been approved and signed by the advisor, the program director, the student, and the Registrar.

The degree plan will outline the requirements for the associate degree program selected by the student. Additional courses (credit hours) needed to complete the minimum 60-credit hour graduation requirement may be selected by the student as electives. Electives are courses that can be taken for credit on the selected degree plan but are not specifically named. These elective courses can enrich the program of study and allow students to explore new interests and fields.

GENERAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS

The General Studies requirements are designed to develop the basic understanding and skills needed by broadly educated men and women in a democratic society. The General Studies involve a concern for students’ intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical growth. In addition, they provide the core of degree requirements for all associate degrees. General Studies courses are listed at the 1000 and 2000 levels.

In addition to the other General Studies requirements, the following are included:

Foundations for Excellence – FOUN 1101

One semester of the course Foundations for Excellence is required of all first-year and transfer students who enroll with fewer than 15 credit hours. (AP, CLEP, IB, or dual/concurrent credit earned while in high school does not count toward these 15 credit hours.)

Developing a Christian Mind – DCM 2301   

Required of all traditional students enrolled at DBU.  

Lifelong Learning – PRST 3301

Required of all students enrolled in the College of Professional Studies and pursuing an Associate of Interdisciplinary Studies. It is expected that all adult students will take this class in their first term of enrollment at DBU.

Religion Requirements

All students are required to take RELI 1301, Old Testament Survey, and RELI 1302, New Testament Survey. 

eMAT Advising Tool

Every student who has not completed the general studies mathematics requirements for his or her degree plan upon enrolling at DBU will be required to take the eMAT Advising Tool instrument. No student will be advised for or permitted to register in any mathematics course other than MATH 1101 until after having completed this instrument.  Students will be permitted to register for general studies math courses required for their degrees upon passing the qualifying segments of the eMAT.

Any student who does not satisfactorily complete the Arithmetic Skills portion of the eMAT will be required to enroll in MATH 1101. Any student whose degree plan requires MATH 1303 and whose performance on the Basic Algebra portion of the eMAT is not satisfactory will be required to take MATH 1300. The eMAT is free and available on the DBU secure Website called “webreg.” The eMAT consists of three tests and their respective study guides. The student must read carefully the homepage of the eMAT. For example, a specific internet browser is required.  

Current students must contact their advisor for the web address. New students will be contacted by the Admissions Office. The eMAT is an advising tool for all undergraduate advisors and students. Each test may be taken a maximum of three times and the honor code must be followed. Contact the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at 214-333-5303 with any questions.

Computer Literacy Requirement    

All DBU students are required to develop computer skills. The educated person of today must learn to handle computerized information, to identify the source of the information, to recognize its validity, to understand the assumptions that were made to generate the information, and to use the results to make decisions. DBU provides students the opportunity to begin building life-long skills for using the computer in a modern world.

Students will have access to computers for use in computer science and other courses which stress computer applications. These computers and computer software are in the Academic Computer Laboratory in the Collins Learning Center.