Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs

Per University Policy AC-20.02, Development of Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's (ABM) Programs allow high performing undergraduate students an opportunity to apply to select ABM programs after successfully completing 75 undergraduate semester credit-hours.  

Upon acceptance to the ABM program, students will be able to take up to 12 semester credit hours (SCH) of graduate level coursework as an undergraduate. Master’s level directed studies, internships, thesis hours, and other culminating/capstone experiences may not be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. The graduate level course work will be applied to the undergraduate degree program. Upon acceptance and admittance to the graduate degree program, up to 12 SCH of preapproved, successfully completed graduate level coursework taken by the student as an undergraduate may be applied toward the master’s degree.

Change of Major or Area of Specialization

Per UWF AC-34.04, students may change their major once per semester. Students are not permitted to change majors after they have earned 90 credit hours unless the new major can be completed within the same time-frame as the previous major.

Dual Degrees and Minors

A student may declare a Dual Major or a Dual Degree after earning 45 credit hours. A student may not declare a Dual Major or a Dual Degree after earning 90 credit hours unless the degree can be completed by the projected graduation date of the first major or degree. If a second major or degree cannot be completed by the projected graduation date of the first major or degree, the student must graduate and reapply to the University.

A student is not permitted to add a minor after having earned 90 credit hours unless the requirements for the minor can be completed within the same time-frame as the declared major. A minor may only be awarded in conjunction with the award of the major degree. To facilitate efficient progress toward degree, a student may not declare more than two minors.

GPA Requirement/Academic Standing

A minimum 2.00 UWF GPA is required to change/declare majors, double majors, and dual degrees. Major approval, based on GPA and department requirements, is determined by the department offering the new major. Students on probation and students returning from suspension may request a change of major; however, approval of the change of major is granted by the Chairperson or Dean of the prospective department. Students should contact the department offering the new major for guidance and review.

Undergraduate students, including lower-division students:

1. Must submit an Undergraduate Program Change Form via the academic advisor for the student's new major.  The advisor will initiate the form and then it will pass to the student for acknowledgment. 
2. May change their major only once per semester.
3. Are not permitted to change majors after they have earned 90 hours unless the new major can be completed within the same time-frame as the previous major.
4. Change of majors must be submitted prior to the end of drop/add for the major to be applicable to the current semester.

Program approval is determined by the advisor of the department offering the new program. Students who change majors have a choice of meeting the major degree requirements listed in the University’s catalog that are in effect at the time of the student’s change of major or at graduation. Students should be aware of admission requirements for specialized admissions programs. Students should contact the academic advisor of the prospective program for guidance.

Double Major and Dual Degree

For information on double majors and dual degrees, please see
Graduation and General Degree Requirements.

Minors

A minimum 2.00 institutional UWF GPA is required to change/declare minors. Minor approval, based on GPA and department requirements, is determined by the department offering the new minor. 

Per University Policy, AC-34.04 and AC-13.02, a student is not permitted to add a minor after having earned 90 hours unless the requirements for the minor can be completed within the same time-frame as the declared major.  To facilitate efficient progress toward degree, a student may not declare more than two minors.  A student may declare/change a minor by submitting the Undergraduate Program Change form via the MyUWF app. 

1. Students seeking a minor must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate major.
2. Undergraduate students may qualify for a minor by meeting specific departmental and/or college requirements.
   1. Specific requirements for the minor will be those listed in the academic programs section of the catalog that is in effect at the time the minor is declared.
3. Students should consult the minor department for questions concerning course requirements.
4. A minimum of 12 semester hours of upper-division work must be completed in the minor, of which 9 semester hours must be courses taken at UWF.
5. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all UWF courses used in the minor.

Neither diplomas nor certificates are issued for completion of the minor. Minors are only awarded in conjunction with the receipt of a baccalaureate degree and are recorded only on the academic transcript. 

Certificate Programs

The University offers a variety of certificate programs to pursue as a stand-alone certificate, to complete in conjunction with a bachelor's degree, or to take for professional development. Requirements are determined by the academic department offering the certificate.  Refer to Certificate Program information.  

Student Information on Credit-Bearing Certificates:

University Policy, AC-13.03

1. Concurrent Enrollment: Students who are currently enrolled as degree-seeking students at the University and who wish to pursue simultaneously a certificate must complete an Undergraduate Change of Major form. Upon approval of the head of the unit offering the certificate, applicable courses taken at UWF prior to applying to a certificate program may be applied to a certificate.
2. Transfer Courses: Upon approval of the head of the unit offering the certificate, students may transfer one course (normally 3 semester hours) with equivalent content from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of approved accrediting agencies or must be a course with equivalent content from an institution meeting standards equivalent to the approved accrediting agencies. Course applicability will be determined by the offering department(s).

Choice of Catalog

Continuous Enrollment and Catalog Year

Catalog year determines the set of academic requirements (general education and the major) that must be fulfilled for graduation. Generally, the Catalog year is determined at the time of admission or when a student changes majors.  Students also have the option of choosing the Catalog year in effect at the time of graduation.  Students must follow a single catalog, not a combination of catalogs, to meet graduation requirements. 

A student who has completed at least 1 credit within three consecutive semesters (summer included) is considered to have satisfied the minimum requirements for “continuous enrollment.”

Continuously Enrolled Degree-seeking Students

The catalog year for an undergraduate student’s program (General Education and major curriculum) will be the catalog year in effect at the time of initial enrollment as a degree-seeking student. Those students who do not change their major and who maintain continuous enrollment in the University have the option of following the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment as degree-seeking students or the catalog in effect at the time of graduation. Students who elect to change their major have the option of following the catalog in effect at the time of the major change or the catalog in effect at the time of graduation.

Non-continuously Enrolled Degree-seeking and Readmitted Students

Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment and who are readmitted to the University after non-enrollment of three consecutive semesters have the option of following the degree program outlined in the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment as degree-seeking students or the catalog in effect at the time of graduation.

Students with an A.A. or General Education Certification

Students holding the A.A. or certification of the completion of General Education requirements from a Florida public college or university may elect to complete the degree requirements of UWF that were in effect at the time the student first entered the Florida public college university as a degree-seeking student. Students electing this option must be enrolled at UWF as a degree-seeking student within three years of the date of initial enrollment in the college or university. The transcript of the student granted this option must demonstrate that a four-year plan was made by the inclusion of the appropriate lower-division courses. Students should contact their major department for additional information regarding requirements for their degree program. A combination of catalogs may not be used to fulfill major degree requirements.