Types of Careers

Individualized areas of study and structured programs

SUNY Empire offers both structured and individualized careers. Specialty programs are structured, with a faculty-designed curriculum that provides predefined choices. Individualized career programs are intentionally created or personally designed by the student within the Areas of Study.

You'll work with your mentor to determine what type of career best fits your personal and educational goals. A complete list of all programs, along with their guides and/or course requirements, is located in the Undergraduate/Bachelor's Programs section of the catalog.

HigherUniversity Technical Degree Programs

A college associate degree is equivalent to two years of full-time study and includes basic and general studies that help develop and strengthen foundational academic skills, such as college-level reading and writing, quantitative reasoning, analysis, and critical thinking.

To earn an associates degree, students have to complete anywhere from 60 to 64 credits, depending on the program. In most cases, at least 24 credits earned at Empire State University are needed. Students can include from 36 to 40 credits of transfer and/or advanced standing. An exception is our A.A./A.S. in General Studies, where students can transfer up to 52 transfer and/or prior learning credits, completing 12 credits at SUNY Empire.

Students in A.A. and A.S. programs must comply with the study area guidelines as well as the SUNY general education requirements.

Planning for Transfers Within SUNY

If a student plans to start at Empire State University and then transfer to another SUNY campus, the SUNY Transfer Paths program will help identify core courses that prepare the student for multiple SUNY campuses. Transfer Paths summarizes common lower-division requirements for similar specialties in most disciplines. Students should work with their mentors to follow the sequence of core courses that ensure a smooth transfer. This is especially important for the student who is going to graduate as a college associate and wishes to transfer to another SUNY campus to complete a bachelor's degree in one of the Transfer Paths. For more details, visit the SUNY Transfer Paths page.

Undergraduate Certificates

Undergraduate certificates offer focused study that supports a specific career interest and can be applied to at least one undergraduate area of study. Plans for associate or bachelor's degree programs may include a certificate.

Bachelor's Degree Programs

A bachelor's degree is equivalent to four years of full-time study and requires a minimum of 120 to 124 credits, depending on the program, with at least 30 credits earned at Empire State University. Students can include up to 94 credits of transfer or advanced standing.

All bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 45 credits of advanced level. The number of credits in liberal arts and sciences varies depending on the type of major. In addition to area of study guides or specialty requirements, students are expected to meet SUNY's general education requirements.

Dual major or Area of Study (AOS)

Students may choose to pursue two distinct majors and/or areas of study and receive a single bachelor's degree that includes both in the diploma. For example, a student may pursue a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Cultural Studies. You will receive only one diploma, and both the major and the area of study will appear on your transcript. In order to take advantage of this option, both specializations or areas of study have to lead to the same type of degree (B.A., B.S., B.P.S., B.B.A.). For example, it is not possible to combine Psychology and Criminal Justice, as Psychology is only offered as a Bachelor of Arts and Criminal Justice only as a Bachelor of Science.

Second degrees

A student may pursue a second bachelor's degree after completing the first. This second degree has to respond to an educational objective that is clearly different from the first. The student has to complete the entire admissions process again. See the degree credit rule and residency requirements here for more information. You cannot earn two different bachelor's degrees at the same time.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Programs

SUNY Empire offers combined bachelor's/master's degree programs for highly qualified undergraduate students who wish to pursue a master's degree. Students accepted into these programs will be able to take specific courses at the master's level during their bachelor's degree, paying the undergraduate fee, and will count toward both degrees. These programs can speed up the time needed to complete the degree and reduce the cost of master's degree completion.

SUNY General Education Requirements

As a college of arts and sciences, SUNY Empire expects students to acquire the qualities of a well-rounded person. One way to achieve this breadth of knowledge is through SUNY's general education requirements, which all new and current students pursuing an undergraduate degree must meet. See the general education section of the catalog for more details on these requirements.

Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) Requirements

Students are expected to maintain an overall grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. See the Academic Probationary Rule for Undergraduate Students for more details. A minimum G.P.A. of 2.0 is required to graduate with an undergraduate degree or certificate. Nursing students should visit the nursing program page for specific G.P.A. requirements.

Title/Career Change

Undergraduate students may change or add a degree to their transcript in consultation with their mentor. Students may request changes in degree type (e.g., B.A. to B.S.) or area of study/specialty (e.g., change from B.A. in Psychology to B.A. in Cultural Studies) using the Degree Change/Addition Request Form available on the Self-Service Banner (SSB). They can also use this form to add an additional degree or certificate to their transcript, such as completing a college associate degree while pursuing a bachelor's degree. Programs with specialized admission requirements (such as those at the School of Nursing and Allied Health) may require a new application. To change the concentration title in an area of study, students work with their mentor to update their degree program plan through the DP Planner, and should only complete the change/addition form if they are also changing the degree type or area of study.

Changes in the catalog year

The year in the catalog determines which set of requirements you have to follow to graduate. Generally, this year aligns with the academic year in which you were admitted or readmitted to college. You may want to adopt a more recent year if it aligns better with your academic goals or if there have been significant changes to the curriculum. You should discuss the catalog year change with your mentor before applying. You can only advance in the catalog year, you cannot select a previous one. Changing the catalog year will not affect your general education requirements. In some cases, students close to graduation may not be eligible to change the catalog year. The catalog year change form is located on the Office of the Academic Registrar's Forms and Services page.

Learning Goals

Stemming from Empire State University's unique mission, the learning goals outlined below serve as a vital link between the university's historic mission, the current context of rapid educational change, and our institution's future in a global society where knowledge and learning remain of urgent importance.

Empire State University graduates will demonstrate proficiency in the following areas of learning, depending on their degree level:

• Active learning – evaluating and building on previous learning and experiences to seek new learning, independently and collaboratively with others.
• Breadth and depth of knowledge – cultivate a broad, interdisciplinary understanding in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as expertise in a specific field.
• Social responsibility – engaging in ethical reasoning and reflecting on issues such as democratic citizenship, diversity, social justice, and environmental sustainability, both locally and globally.
• Communication - expressing and receiving ideas effectively, in multiple contexts and through various strategies.
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving – evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, and critiquing key concepts and experiences, and applying diverse perspectives to find creative solutions to problems related to human behavior, society, and the natural world.
• Quantitative literacy – reading, interpreting, using, and presenting quantitative information effectively.
• Information and Digital Media Literacy – accessing, evaluating, understanding, creating, and sharing information critically using a variety of collaborative technologies to advance learning, as well as personal and professional development.

For more details, see the university's Learning Goals Standard.

Study Time

Empire State University students are primarily adults who arrive with lives filled with family, work, community, and personal commitments. When you decide to take on the academic rigor of earning a degree, it's critical that you examine your commitments and make adjustments to accommodate your academic goals.

In general, you should plan to dedicate between 10 and 12 hours or more per week for each 4-credit study or course you enroll in, or, in simpler terms, at least three hours per week for each credit of the course. Study time includes activities such as reading, writing, reflecting and researching. Students taking online courses should factor in time to communicate virtually with other students in their courses.

Study modalities

SUNY Empire Course Modalities Dictionary

Teaching and learning at SUNY Empire utilizes a wide variety of instructional modalities designed to meet student needs and course content. Some modalities are face-to-face and require scheduled in-person meetings, while others rely on tools and technologies. The university community uses a common vocabulary to describe these modalities, including the expectations and requirements for participation between professors and students associated with each modality. Students can find up-to-date information about any section of courses in the academic cycle guide.

Undergraduate Study Options

• Independent Study: An instructor-led course in which the student and teacher agree on flexible contacts and meetings.
• Practicum: An instructor-led learning experience designed to provide practical knowledge about a specific field, such as clinical experience.
• Lab: An instructor-led course, or course components, in which all students practice a scientific, technical, or creative application.
• Online: An instructor-led course conducted virtually using the university's Learning Management System (LMS). Online courses are offered synchronously and asynchronously. If an online course requires synchronous meetings, the days and times are shared in the academic cycle guide.
• Residency: An instructor-led course that combines virtual learning or independent study with academic and professional enrichment opportunities in face-to-face meetings over one or more days.
• Study Groups: An instructor-led course that includes regular in-person meetings with students. The days and times are shared before the start of classes and are included in the cycle guide.
• Virtual Exchange: Instructor-led educational practice that brings together students from different regions for synchronous and asynchronous interactions.
• Virtual Residency: An instructor-led course that combines virtual learning with synchronous meetings scheduled virtually over one or more days.
• Virtual Study Group: An instructor-led course that combines asynchronous activities with synchronous meetings scheduled virtually. The days and times of these meetings are shared before the start of classes and are included in the cycle guide.

Other Learning Opportunities

• Workshops: Non-credit workshops are regularly offered to students, particularly in the areas of writing and portfolio development for degree programs. Check the workshop calendar (requires MySUNYEmpire login) for workshops available to students.

Working with Your Mentor and Degree Works

Every undergraduate student at SUNY Empire is assigned a mentor who serves as their academic guide and resource from orientation to graduation. Students should meet regularly with their mentors to discuss degree requirements and plan their progress toward earning the degree. Students and mentors use Degree Works to assist in this process. Degree Works is an online tool for students to monitor their academic progress toward degree completion. A Degree Works audit reviews past, current, and planned coursework, providing information on completed and pending requirements needed to earn the degree.

Concesión del título / graduación

Solicitud de graduación

Los estudiantes tienen que solicitar la graduación una vez que se hayan registrado para sus últimos cursos. Cuando un estudiante solicita graduarse, informa a la Oficina del registrador académico que está completando sus estudios. También les brinda la oportunidad de confirmar los detalles de su diploma, como el nombre preferido y la dirección donde debe enviarse. Una vez que se envía una solicitud de graduación, se revisan los registros del estudiante para determinar si todos los requisitos se cumplirán con base en su registro actual. Se notificará tanto el estudiante como el mentor del resultado de la revisión.

Proceso de concesión de títulos y certificados

El proceso de concesión del título comienza una vez que un estudiante ha cumplido con todos los requisitos académicos y las calificaciones finales han sido recibidas por la Oficina del registrador académico. Los estudiantes recibirán un correo electrónico de la Oficina del registrador académico en su correo de SUNY Empire cuando el título y / o certificado haya sido otorgado. En ese momento, el título otorgado se anotará en el expediente académico oficial del estudiante. SUNY Empire está autorizado a otorgar títulos en 12 fechas diferentes al año. Todas las fechas de concesión son el primer día del mes posterior al cumplimiento de los requisitos académicos. Los estudiantes pueden esperar recibir su diploma por correo aproximadamente tres semanas después de la concesión del título.

Ceremonia de graduación

Para celebrar el éxito y los logros de los estudiantes, SUNY Empire ofrece ceremonias de graduación para los estudiantes elegibles dos veces al año. Para detalles sobre las ceremonias de graduación de primavera e invierno, así como los criterios de elegibilidad, consulta el sitio web de graduación.