New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 8 - EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Chapter I - Rules of the Board Of Regents
Part 3 - University Of The State Of New York; State Education Department
Diplomas and Degrees
Section 3.47 - Requirements for earned degrees

Universal Citation: 8 NY Comp Codes Rules and Regs ยง 3.47

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024

(a) General requirements.

(1) No earned degree shall be conferred in this State on any person who has not completed the program of study requisite to such degree, which institution shall be authorized to confer the same. No earned undergraduate or graduate degree shall be conferred unless the applicant has completed a program registered by the department.

(2) No earned degree shall be conferred unless the candidate has met the requirements of subparagraphs (i) or (ii) of this paragraph.
(i) Candidates who are of compulsory school age, pursuant to section 3205 of the Education Law or other requirement of law, shall provide the degree-granting institution with satisfactory evidence of meeting one of the following requirements:
(a) holding a high school diploma; or

(b) having completed the substantial equivalent of a four-year high school course, as certified by the superintendent of schools or comparable chief school administrator of the candidate's school district of residence at the time such course was completed.

(ii) Candidates who are beyond compulsory school age, pursuant to section 3205 of the Education Law or other requirement of law. shall provide the degree-granting institution with satisfactory evidence of meeting one of the following requirements:
(a) holding a high school diploma; or

(b) having completed the substantial equivalent of a four-year high school course, as certified by the superintendent of schools or comparable chief school administrator of the candidate's school district of residence at the time such course was completed; or

(c) holding a New York State high school equivalency diploma in accordance with the requirements of section 100.7 of this Title, or a local high school equivalency diploma in accordance with the requirements of section 100.8 of this Title, or a high school equivalency diploma issued by another state of the United States or an authorized local government of such state, or a high school equivalency diploma based on passing the General Educational Development (GED) test or its successor examination, or a high school equivalency diploma based upon completing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements for a New York State high school equivalency diploma as prescribed in section 100.7 of this Title; or

(d) having successfully completed 24 semester hours or the equivalent as a recognized candidate for a college-level degree or certificate at a degree-granting institution as defined in clause (e) of this subparagraph. distributed as follows; six semester hours or the equivalent in English language arts, including writing, speaking and reading (literature); three semester hours or the equivalent in mathematics; three semester hours or the equivalent in natural sciences; three semester hours or the equivalent in social sciences; three semester hours or the equivalent in humanities; and six semester hours or the equivalent in any other courses within the registered degree or certificate program, all as verified by the institution conferring the degree; or

(e) having previously earned and been granted a degree from a degree-granting institution accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education, pursuant to 20 USC 1099 b; or from a postsecondary institution authorized by the Board of Regents to confer degrees; or from a degree-granting institution located in a jurisdiction outside the United States that is approved, authorized, or recognized by the jurisdiction's ministry of education or other governmental agency responsible for higher education; or

(f) having passed and successfully completed all requirements for the following Regents examinations or the approved alternative assessments for these examinations, pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Title: the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English, the Regents examination in mathematics, the Regents examination in United States history and government, a Regents examination in science, and the Regents examination in global history and geography. For purposes of this clause, the passing score on the Regents examinations shall be 65 or, where applicable, a score of 55-64 as determined by the school district of residence, pursuant to section 100.5(a)(5)(i) of this Title.

(b) Preliminary requirement. Prior to enrolling, a student who seeks to meet the compulsory educational requirements of Education Law, section 3205 through full-time study at a degree-granting institution, meaning enrollment for at least 12 semester hours in a semester or its equivalent, shall submit to the institution a valid and in effect individualized home instruction plan (IHIP), pursuant to section 100.10 of this Title, that authorizes such full-time study.

(c) Undergraduate degrees. Undergraduate degrees shall be distinguished, as follows, by the minimum amount of liberal arts content required for each degree. The required liberal arts core shall not be directed toward specific occupational or professional objectives.

(1) Three quarters of the work for the following degrees shall be in the liberal arts and sciences:

Associate in Arts (A.A.)

Bachelor of Arts (A.B. or B.A.)

Bachelor of Hebrew Literature (B.H.L.)

(2) One half of the work for the following degrees shall be in the liberal arts and sciences:

Associate in Science (A.S.)

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. in Ed.)

Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology (B.S. in Med. Tech.)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S. in Nursing)

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (B.S. in Pharm.)

(3) One third of the work for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree shall be in the liberal arts and sciences.

(4) One quarter of the work for the following specialized degrees shall be in the liberal arts and sciences:

Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)

Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

Bachelor of Industrial Design (B.I.D.)

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.)

Bachelor of Music (Mus.B. or B.M.)

Bachelor of Planning (B.Plan.)

Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.)

Bachelor of Religious Education (B.R.E.)

Bachelor of Sacred Music (S.M.B.)

Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)

Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.)

Bachelor of Theology (Th.B.)

(5) Work for the Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree shall not include courses in the liberal arts and sciences.

(d) Graduate degrees. To provide for clear-cut distinctions between graduate academic and professional degrees, the following policies have been established.

(1) Academic degrees. Graduate academic degree programs consist of advanced studies in an academic discipline. They must have as their purpose contributions to knowledge of the subject matter, rather than specific applications of knowledge to professional practices. Master's degree programs of this type may be terminal in nature or may also provide an introduction to research and advanced study at the doctoral level. Such programs emphasize theory and are not primarily designed as preparation for professional careers. Graduate academic degree programs leading to the doctorate shall include research that prepares the graduate student for a life of scholarship in an academic discipline. The following are the only degrees appropriately conferred upon the completion of an academic graduate program:

Master of Arts (A.M. or M.A.)

Master of Science (M.S.)

Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The master of philosophy is intermediate between the other academic master's degrees and the doctor of philosophy. It is awarded to candidates in one of the institution's own Ph.D. programs and for completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation.

(2) Professional degrees. Graduate professional degree programs must be comprised of advanced studies in professional or vocational fields. While they may have strong theoretical underpinnings, they must have as their primary purpose knowledge for application in professional practice. Master's degree programs of this type are primarily terminal in nature. They may serve as preparation for advanced studies at the doctoral level, but they shall not be designed primarily for this purpose. The doctorate in such studies is likewise practical, insofar as it prepares the student to train or supervise others in the field, to discover new knowledge that has practical application in the field, or to prepare the student for a life of practice in the student's particular profession. Only the following degrees may be conferred upon the completion of a professionally oriented graduate program:

Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.)

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)

-------- Engineer (---- E.)

Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Master of Comparative Jurisprudence (M.C.J.)

Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)

Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

Master of Education (Ed.M. or M.Ed.)

Master of Engineering (M.E.)

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Master of Food Science (M.F.S.)

Master of Forestry (M.F.)

Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.)

Master of Hebrew Literature (M.H.L.)

Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (M.I.L.R.)

Master of Industrial Design (M.I.D.)

Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.)

Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.)

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

Master of Library Science (M.L.S.)

Master of Management in Hospitality (M.M.H.)

Master of Music (Mus.M.)

Master of Nutritional Science (M.N.S.)

Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.)

Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.)

Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Master of Regional Planning (M.R.P.)

Master of Religious Education (M.R.E.)

Master of Sacred Music (S.M.M.)

Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.)

Master of Science for Teachers (M.S.T.)

Master of Science in Education (M.S. in Ed.)

Master of Science in Pharmacy (M.S. in Pharm.)

Master of Social Science (M.S.Sc.)

Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.)

Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)

Master of Theology (Th.M.)

Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.)

Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (D.A.O.M)

Doctor of Arts (D.A.)

Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.)

Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.)

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.)

Doctor of Engineering Science (Eng.Sc.D.)

Doctor of Hebrew Literature (D.H.L.)

Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)

Doctor of Law (J.D.)

Doctor of Library Science (L.S.D.)

Doctor of Medical Science (Med. Sc.D.)

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)

Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

Doctor of Nursing Science (D.N.S.)

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)

Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.)

Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.)

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.)

Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.)

Doctor of Religious Education (D.R.E.)

Doctor of Sacred Music (S.M.D.)

Doctor of Science in Veterinary Medicine (D.Sc. in V.M.)

Doctor of Social Science (D.S.Sc.)

Doctor of Social Welfare (D.S.W.)

Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.)

Doctor of Theology (Th.D.)

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)

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