The Committee on Educational Policy presented a proposal for updated undergraduate degrees during the Cal State University board meeting Wednesday. They presented new baccalaureate options such as the Bachelor of Education, which is being reinstated, the Bachelor of Professional Studies and the Bachelor of Applied Studies.
The proposal would amend their Title 5 policy by adding new degree options, which are offered throughout the nation, amending the units required for completion and supporting degree acceleration options. The board will vote on it as an action item in May.
“With the approval of new Title 5 baccalaureate degree frameworks, commensurate policies to support reduced credit bachelor’s degrees such as the BAS or other accelerated formats,” the policy update reads. “Revisions to existing academic policies supporting consortium degrees developed and awarded among two or more universities, joint degrees shared by two or more universities, and ‘4+1’ integrated bachelor’s plus master’s degree pathways between two universities are actively underway.”
The CSU Academic Affairs office has begun drafting changes to the internal CSU academic policy in order to better reflect current multi-campus collaborations, including online classes and truly integrate academic programs.
The proposal also studies accelerated academic program development so that campuses can rapidly develop and launch new degrees. The amendment would increase the number of “pilot” programs campuses can have from two to four.
Additionally, in an effort to maintain budgeting consistency, the amendment would also decrease the timeline for academic program proposal development and approval from five to two years each.
Although the proposal would allow for a reduced number of required units for certain degrees, each university decides the specific amounts. According to Nathan S. Evans, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, other states, such as Indiana and Utah, already require at least one degree with reduced units at each of their public universities.
“That particular degree (Bachelor of Applied Studies) helps to align in a more seamless way, if constructed correctly, to AAS degrees from community colleges,” said Junius Gonzales, the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. “They’re aimed generally for returning, working adults; those who have some credits but want to complete in different ways.”
The Bachelor of Education would complement other pathways to educational professions, such as teaching credentials.
The Bachelor of Professional Studies is designed for working adults and allows students to integrate prior college experience and other training into their pathway, supporting career advancement.
The Bachelor of Applied Studies focuses on the application of disciplinary, technical or occupational skills, specifically for those who hold an Associate of Applied Science degree.
The board passed a motion to change the CSU’s Academic Master Plan with the approval of new program projections, which allows campuses to write new degree proposals to the chancellor’s office and to remove some programs.
New projected degree programs from 17 universities were approved. Of the 31 programs, 14 were bachelors and 15 were masters.
Fullerton would be adding an online Doctor of Education in Educational Technology program to be implemented in 2027. The Master of Business Analytics, previously approved for development in 2025, will be removed from the Master Plan.
In 2025, 40 new degree programs from 17 campuses were approved. However, 108 programs were suspended from accepting new students from 16 campuses. 110 programs from 18 campuses were discontinued.