2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Bachelor of Applied Science in Professional Innovation

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, students need to meet Grand Valley State University's minimum requirements for transfer student admissions and have completed or be in the last semester of an associate of applied science degree, associate of general studies, an associate of applied arts and science degree, an associate in business degree, or similar technical applied degrees. Contact us to learn if the bachelor of applied science could be the right degree for you.

• If your associate degree is still in progress, we encourage you to apply and meet with an advisor to discuss your transfer plan.
• If you do not have an applied degree, but possess an associate degree, our online accelerated degree completion program is a great alternative that can help you get to where you want to be. Visit our LEADS page for details.

Degree Requirements (B.A.S.)

Students in the professional innovation program at Grand Valley State University must follow all general education requirements as defined in the Grand Valley State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog and complete a minimum 120 credits total toward their degree. This could include credits transferred in from their Applied Associate Degree or other prior coursework at an accredited institution. An additional 24 credits may be awarded toward the degree total through prior learning assessment (PLA). Students are required to earn their final 30 credits at Grand Valley State University. This program requires 40 credits from a four-year institution, which exempts students from the university's 58 credits from a four-year institution rule. All other relevant policies apply.

Technical Focus (transferred from AAS): 15+ credits

Professional Innovation Major B.A.S. Course Requirements (9 credits)

• INT 331 - Person and Profession in a Global Environment (3 credits)
• BAS 301 - Concepts in Learning Integration (3 credits)
• One of the following quantitative reasoning courses:
  • CIS 320 - Visualization of Data and Information (3 credits)
  • DS 202 - Digital Data and Design (3 credits)
  • STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics (3 credits)

Emphasis Areas (Credits: 18-33)

Students must complete the requirements for ONE of the following emphasis options, for a minimum of 18 unduplicated credits.

1. Completion of course requirements for one of the pre-approved minor programs listed above (18-33 credits)
2. Completion of undergraduate certificates and/or badges offered by GVSU for a total minimum 18 or more credits. Students may combine micro-credentials to meet the minimum 18 credit requirement or complement micro-credential requirements by taking additional upper-division (300-level or above) elective courses with approval from the program director. For example:

• • A student wishing to complete an emphasis that includes the leadership certificate would need to complete the required 12 credits of core and electives credits for that certificate (3 credits of which are replicated in the professional innovation major core, INT 331) plus an additional 9 credits to reach 18 unduplicated credits in their emphasis. Those 9 credits could be another micro-credential, like the intercultural competence badge, or could be any upper-division course at GVSU that is related to the student's emphasis including up to an additional 3 credits of BAS 491.
• • Or, a student could pursue an applied data analytics certificate, which is 18 credits. No additional credits in the emphasis would be needed.

3. Working with their professional advisor and the program director, students may design a customized emphasis of their choosing. The customized emphasis must include a minimum of 18 credits. Fifteen or more of those credits must be at the 300-level or above.

Application and Synthesis (6 Credits):

• BAS 491 - Practicum in Applied Science (1 to 6 credits)
• BAS 495 - Senior Seminar in Applied Science (3 credits)

Suggested Order of Coursework for the Leadership and Business Fundamentals Major

Year One:

• BAS 301 - Concepts in Learning Integration (3 credits)
• INT 331 - Person and Profession in a Global Environment (3 credits)
• WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing (4 credits) and/or additional general education requirements
• Quantitative reasoning requirement (one course only required):
  • CIS 320 - Visualization of Data and Information (3 credits)
  • DS 202 - Digital Data and Design (3 credits)
  • STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics (3 credits)
• Additional coursework in Year One to be determined by emphasis track and other university requirements.

Year Two and beyond:

• BAS 491 - Practicum in Applied Science (1 to 6 credits)
• BAS 495 - Senior Seminar in Applied Science (3 credits) (typically taken in the final semester prior to graduation)
• Additional required coursework depending upon emphasis and general education requirements.
• Additional coursework in Year Two to be determined by emphasis track and other university requirements.

Additional coursework may be needed to meet emphasis track requirements, general education requirements at GVSU, minimum 120 credits required to graduate, last 30 credits at GVSU, or other university requirements. Minimum number of years to complete this degree will be impacted by whether students are attending part-time or full-time. Many full-time enrolled students can expect to complete this degree in two to three years or less.