The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree is a designated pathway for graduates of Applied Arts and Science programs to continue to a Baccalaureate Degree without significant loss of technical credit. The technical credits awarded to fulfill the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences fulfill this applied degree only and are not intended to be transferred into a traditional BA or BS degree program.

Please contact the BAAS Team for program questions. 

Marketable Skills

1. Critical thinking: Analyze and evaluate issues in order to solve problems and develop informed opinions.
2. Problem-solving: Find solutions to difficult or complex issues.
3. Teamwork: Participate as an effective, efficient member of a group in order to meet a common goal.
4. Leadership: Step up, think, and act critically and creatively to bring others together to accomplish a common task.

Admission Requirements                                                                

Required: 33 semester credit hours awarded from an organized technical program completed at a community college (AAS degree or equivalent is required) .

Degree Requirements

Students enrolled in the 120 SCH BAAS degree program are required to complete:

• 42 semester credit hours of Core Curriculum
• 33 semester credit hours awarded from an organized technical program completed at a community college. (AAS degree or equivalent is required.)
• 15 semester credit hours of foundation courses intended to provide BAAS students with a background in writing and communication strategies and skill sets
• 30 semester credit hours to make up two concentrations, each requiring 15 credit hours. These concentrations will be selected in consultation with the BAAS advisors. Students may select concentrations including, but not limited to: Communication Studies, Entrepreneurship, Food Culture and Nutrition, General Business, Intelligence and National Security Studies, and Writing Studies.[1]
• 39 credit hours of the 120 required to complete a bachelor's degree must be upper-division.
• Please see Evaluation of Transfer Credit for details regarding transfer of core curriculum, for both core complete or individual core courses. [2] If a student admitted to the BAAS program is eligible to receive 33 hours for the AAS degree awarded from an organized technical program completed at a community college AND is core complete (42 hours), the student will be allowed to make the decision regarding which 66 hours they want to apply toward their degree. A maximum of 66 semester hours of credit from two-year lower-division institutions is applicable toward a degree at UTEP.
• There is no minor for the BAAS.