What is a B.A.S. degree? (2024)

Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degrees focus on providing hands-on experiences and incorporating job-related skills into the classroom, whereas B.A. or B.S. degrees may have a more theoretical focus. Our International Business B.A.S. (IB B.A.S.) degree focuses on group projects in almost every class. The IB B.A.S. degree also works with industry partners to bring real projects into the classroom and frequently incorporates local industry leaders as guest speakers and in panels.

B.A.S. degrees are considered career training degrees and are specifically designed to build on associate degrees that provide workplace skills, known as career training or non-transfer associate degrees (A.A.S. and A.A.S.-T degrees).

Traditionally, students who have taken career training degrees were going into the workplace and not expecting to transfer to another college or university. If those students later decide they do want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, many find that very few of the credits from their degree count toward the requirements of the traditional bachelor’s degree.

By contrast, B.A.S. degrees build on that practical career training degree and provide a path to the baccalaureate level without requiring the student to earn another associate degree. B.A.S. degrees can accept professional and technical credits and transfer credits from any regionally accredited associate degree including Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Business (A.B.), Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Associate of Applied Science Transfer (A.A.S.-T) and any other associate degree from other regionally accredited community and technical colleges. Additionally, the IB B.A.S. program can accept credits from past colleges and universities, including international institutions.