Degree and Graduation Requirements

Requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science are as follows:

• Pass or validate every course in the Core Curriculum.

• Complete at least 130 semester hours at the Academy.

• Attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.

• Attain a grade point average of at least 2.0 for all required upper division courses of a major.

• Satisfy the academic requirements for a major.

• Fulfill the requirements of the 200-week leader development program.

• Successfully complete all graduation requirements, including meeting swimming, physical fitness, military performance, and conduct standards.

Details about how GPAs are calculated, what courses count toward the 130-semester hour standard, requirements for the core and major programs of study, and other academic regulations and requirements are specified in the Academic Catalog. When other regulations conflict with the academic standards and requirements specified in the Academic Catalog, the Academic Catalog shall govern.

Bachelor of Science

Each major has standards specific course requirements and validating courses taken externally. In addition, there are distribution requirements that apply to all majors and overall requirements for graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Distribution Requirements

Courses from the following programs, which satisfy broad academic and professional purposes, are integrated in each of the Majors (with substitutions to satisfy any unique program needs):

• Core Curriculum

• Health and Physical Education Program

Majors Requirements

To earn the degree of Bachelor of Science, cadets must successfully complete the academic requirements for one of the following majors:

• Civil Engineering

• Cyber Systems

• Electrical Engineering

• Government

• Interdisciplinary Engineering

• Management

• Marine and Environmental Sciences

• Mechanical Engineering

• Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

• Operations Research and Data Analytics

Each major has specific course requirements, including the distribution courses, mandatory courses, area or related elective courses, designated course substitutions, and optional free elective courses. Given the breadth of study inherent in the Academy's core curriculum, free electives are not required for graduation. Therefore, they can be waived if at least 15 academic credits (not including Health and Physical Education credits) are taken each semester.

Double Major

Students with a strong academic record, a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher, may elect to take a second major with the approval of both Program Chairs and the cognizant Dean(s).

All courses classified as major requirements, to include major area electives and technical electives, for both majors need to be fulfilled. Depending upon the two majors selected and the number of validations granted, students should expect to overload in multiple semesters and complete 20 to 30 academic credits above the first major. The USCGA cannot guarantee the completion of the second major as scheduling and resource constraints may prohibit course offerings.

Cadet/Student Rank

In following military tradition, students at the Coast Guard Academy are labeled cadets. Within the Corps of Cadets there is a classification structure of rank which correlates with the traditional higher education level of study. This is outlined below.

• 4/c cadet - Freshman or First Year

• 3/c cadet - Sophomore

• 2/c cadet - Junior

• 1/c cadet - Senior