Metropolitan State University

Programme overview

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Individualized Studies empowers students to design a faculty‑approved, occupation‑focused degree plan tailored to their educational, personal, and career goals. Students develop their plan while enrolled in PRSP 301 during their first semester and may apply transferred technical credits and prior learning toward the BAS. The program supports multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary or intradisciplinary concentrations and requires 120 total credits meeting both university baccalaureate and program requirements.

What you'll study

• Core courses: PRSP 301: Perspectives (4 credits) taken in the first semester to create an approved degree plan, and PRSP 499: Capstone (4 credits) completed in the final semester.
• Focus area: A self‑designed focus of at least 38 credits (including the two PRSP courses). The focus must include at least 12 additional upper‑division (300+) credits beyond PRSP 301 and PRSP 499 and at least 30 occupationally related credits tied to one occupation or a related set of occupations.
• Degree requirements: General Education (40 credits via the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum), Liberal Studies upper‑division courses (8 credits), Racial Issues graduation requirement (3 credits), Upper Division minimum (40 credits at 300+ level), Metro State residency (30 credits).
• Program residency: 20 residency credits while in the College of Individualized Studies (includes the 8 credits from PRSP 301 and PRSP 499; remaining 16 credits may be from coursework or creative learning strategies).

Entry requirements

Students must declare the Individualized Studies major either upon admission to Metro State or by submitting the College of Individualized Studies Undergraduate Program Declaration Form. Admitted undergraduates must meet any additional university admission requirements; the individualized degree plan is developed while taking PRSP 301 in the first semester.

Career prospects

The degree is structured to align with occupational aims: students commonly build focus areas around an occupation or related occupations and often incorporate technical program credits (for example, AAS transfers). This makes the BAS suitable for those seeking to formalize workplace skills into a four‑year credential, broaden cross‑disciplinary expertise, or prepare for varied professional pathways tied to their customized focus.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The program emphasizes efficiency and affordability by accepting transfer technical credits and awarding credit for prior learning and creative learning strategies, which can shorten time‑to‑degree and reduce cost. Students should check Metro State financial aid and scholarship resources and consult CIS advising for guidance on combining transferred credits and experiential credit to maximize savings.