Applied Arts and Sciences
Bachelor’s degree
What is a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree?
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) program is designed to provide a
more direct path to a four-year baccalaureate degree for community college students with
technical or applied degrees or transfer students with technical, applied, or military credits from
approved institutions.
By accepting many of these unique credit types, the BAAS minimizes the number of
transfer credit hours that are often lost in other types of degree programs. The BAAS program
builds on these credits and combines them with multi-disciplinary or professional development
coursework for a degree that is individually oriented.
With flexible evening, weekend and web-based courses, the BAAS program provides a
special opportunity for individuals to realize their dreams of completing a bachelor’s degree
while balancing full-time work and personal lives.
Who benefits from a BAAS degree?
The BAAS program is a great degree option for:
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Transfer students wanting credit for workforce or technical courses taken in
community colleges or technical institutions
Active-duty military or veterans seeking college credit for courses taken in the
military
Students interested in developing multiple areas of expertise
Students who have accrued a significant number of credit hours
Individuals seeking admission into the BAAS program are typically mature students who
are currently employed or who already have real-world work experience.
What Career Opportunities are available?
Graduates of the BAAS program use their degrees to break through promotional barriers
in existing jobs or to change careers altogether. Alumni of the BAAS program have pursued
careers in a variety of areas including business, industry and public service. One graduate
combined paramedic training with courses in business, criminal justice, and emergency
administration and planning to prepare for a career in law enforcement. Other graduates have
become high school teachers, utilizing their training in marketing or business. BAAS alumni
include development officers, sales professionals, deputy police chiefs, elected officials,
recreation managers and technical consultants. Many BAAS alumni use their degrees as a
springboard to pursue graduate degrees in law, counseling, applied economics, sociology, and
other fields.
UNT’s Career Center is a free service that helps UNT students prepare to pursue their
career. The center has information about jobs and employers and the staff is available to help
students with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation. UNT's
Cooperative Education and Internships office can also be a valuable resource for students
seeking internship opportunities.
What types of BAAS programs does UNT offer?
UNT offers two distinctive BAAS programs, one from the College of Public Affairs and
Community Service and the other by the Department of Learning Technologies in the College of
Information, Library Science and Technologies. Each program is targeted to meet the unique
needs and career goals of students and has different requirements.
BAAS from the College of Information, Library Science and Technologies
The College of Information, Library Science and Technologies offers a BAAS in Applied
Technology, and Performance Improvement (ATPI). The courses for these programs are totally
online, saving students both time and money. These specializations can combine almost any
technical area of study with career development courses to develop a professional career path.
Students take professional development courses to learn skills in communication, human
relations, leadership and management.
With this BAAS program, students may choose a concentration directed at one of two
broad career tracks:
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Teaching career in technical education (Health Science, Marketing, or Trade and
Industrial Certifications)
Corporate career (non-certification)
The specific degree requirements for the BAAS program from the College of
Information, Library Science and Technologies are outlined in Table 1.
BAAS from the College of Public Affairs and Community Service
The College of Public Affairs and Community Service offers a flexible BAAS degree that
enhances a student’s previous education and experience while targeting his or her current career
goals. This BAAS program is best suited for the student who needs:
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A baccalaureate degree for professional advancement with an existing employer;
To work cooperatively with an advisor to individually develop and tailor a degree plan to
meet specific (non-teaching oriented) career objectives; and,
A large variety of course offerings and instructional settings including on-line, traditional
classroom or a combination of the two.
With this BAAS program, students form themes to enhance their professional development
sourced by courses from multiple disciplines. Students may build on occupationally specific
courses already taken at a community college or in the military or take other related courses to
form a unique specialization.
The Professional Development component of this BAAS program requires that a student
complete three interdisciplinary concentrations of courses consisting of 12 hours per
concentration. Two concentrations (24 hours) must be taken from departments in the College of
Public Affairs and Community Service (PACS). The third concentration may come from any
other department at UNT or may consist of additional technical or professional coursework from
a community college (or in the military) as part of an associate’s degree.
Students are best served by selecting professional development concentrations which work
together to satisfy future career needs or objectives. For example, a student with an associate’s
in management might choose to complement her skills by selecting concentrations in non-profit
management and applied gerontology in order to pursue a career with a non-profit agency which
addresses the needs of the elderly. Another student with a desire to work in youth services might
select concentrations in addictions, health promotions, and sociology. Experienced advisors
work with each BAAS student to help select concentrations that meet the student’s career goals.
The specific degree requirements for this BAAS program outlined in Table 2.
Degree Requirements:
Table 1: BAAS from College of Information, Library Science and Technologies
Component
University Core
Occupational
Specialization
Professional Development
Electives
Total
Hours
42
Description
Consists of a variety of courses including English,
history, political science and math; intended to
form a general education foundation. The state
requires all university students take core courses.
They may be taken at UNT or at another
accredited educational institution and then
transferred to UNT.
36
Comprised of courses related to a specific
occupation, field or subject. Many technical and
workforce courses taken at a community college
or in the military may be applied.
42
Consists of classes such as leadership, computer
technology, business communications, project
management, human relations, teaching career
preparation or corporate career preparation
Vary by individual degree plan
120
Minimum hour requirement for a BAAS degree
Table 2. BAAS from the College of Public Affairs & Community Service
Component
University Core
Hours
42
Professional Competencies
9
Occupational
Specialization
21
Professional Development
36
Electives
12
Total
120
Description
Consists of a variety of courses including English,
history, political science and math; intended to
form a general education foundation. The state
requires all university students take core courses.
They may be taken at UNT or at another
accredited educational institution and then
transferred to UNT.
Courses which teach students to effectively locate
and analyze information, to function more
effectively with diverse groups of people, and to
apply classroom knowledge in community-based
internships or through policy analysis.
Comprised of courses related to a specific
occupation, field or subject. Many technical and
workforce courses taken at a community college
or in the military may be applied.
Consists of three interdisciplinary concentrations of
courses (12 hours per concentration) which serve
to enhance the skills a student has already
acquired through a technical or associate’s
degree or which are general themes of interest.
Two concentrations (24 hours) must be taken from
departments in the College of Public Affairs and
Community Service.
Students select from an array of courses offered at
UNT or apply transfer credits.
Minimum hour requirement for a B.A.A.S. degree
Where do I begin?
If you are interested in majoring in applied arts and sciences, you should schedule an
appointment with a program advisor or visit our website at baas.unt.edu. The contact
information for each BAAS program at UNT is listed below:
College of Information, Library Science and Technologies
Phone: 940-565-2057
Email: info@lt.unt.edu
College of Public Affairs and Community Service
Phone: 940-565-4664
Email: BAAS@unt.edu
http://www.pacs.unt.edu/baas/