Regents Bachelor of Arts
This nontraditional degree program is designed specifically for adult students looking to earn a baccalaureate degree. Typical students have earned some college credit but have not yet earned a degree due to work obligations or other responsibilities. As you progress through this unique and flexible program, which requires no major or minor, you can earn an interest in an area of specification (such as Psychology, Business, or Criminal Justice).
For more information on the RBA program, please email rba@bluefieldstate.edu.
In order to apply, you must have completed your high school diploma at least 4 years prior to enrollment.
If you are new to Bluefield State University, here’s what you’ll need to submit to the Admissions Office:
- Completed Bluefield State University application
- Official high school transcript or High School Equivalency scores
- Official transcripts of all previous college coursework
If you are a transfer student (or a former Bluefield State University student) without an accredited baccalaureate degree, here’s what you need to do:
- Contact the Regents Bachelor of Arts office for an evaluation
- Following this evaluation, you will be contacted about admission to the program, as well as the requirements you’ll need to complete the degree
- Our staff will assist you in preparing a portfolio detailing your work experience and non-college learning
There are several ways that work experience or credits earned from other institutions can be applied to this program. Our office staff will work directly with you to evaluate your specific needs and experience. Here are a few ways that you can earn credit:
- Completion of college-level courses at accredited colleges or universities with satisfactory grades.
- Successful completion of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests and other standardized tests, such as the Advanced Subject Exam of the Graduate Records Examination (GRE).
- Credit recommendations from the American Council on Education for completion of selected industrial, military, professional, and/or governmental training programs.
- Faculty recommendations are based on evaluations of a portfolio, which should include a detailed description of experiences that have resulted in college-level learning.
- Specific suggestions for portfolio content and format are available in the RBA office. A fee of $300 is charged each time (per semester) that you submit a portfolio for review.
The Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program, also known as RBA, is a nontraditional academic program offered by the baccalaureate degree-granting public institutions of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
The Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is an accredited and innovative baccalaureate degree initially developed by the former West Virginia Board of Regents. The Program is designed to give adults an opportunity to earn a four-year degree in a nontraditional way. A unique feature of the degree is that students may be awarded credit in the usual manner, in addition to the possibility of earning college equivalent credits for work and other non-traditional learning experiences. In the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program, students can plan individualized programs of study tailored to meet personal goals.
The Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is of excellent academic quality; whereas, recipients of the degree must meet requirements comparable to more conventional baccalaureate degrees. The difference in the two routes toward obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree is the critical element of the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program. Credit awarded conventionally may be used in the Program and, in addition, college-equivalent credits awarded for work and other applicable nontraditional learning experiences may also apply toward the degree.
Students entering the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program are judged on their merit and may create unique programs suited to their individual needs. The degree program is not designed as an escape outlet for students who are excluded from other traditional academic programs for reasons of poor scholarship. Poor scholarship in the early years, however, should not preclude the admission of a candidate who has demonstrated the ability to acquire and use knowledge.
The Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is different from other baccalaureate degree plans:
- College credit for work and other applicable nontraditional learning experiences may count toward the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree requirements.
- While the program is designed to ensure the Regents Bachelor of Arts degree student’s sound educational foundation, rigid specialization requirements are not imposed.
- The student selects one of the participating institutions to sponsor the degree but is permitted to take courses through all institutions in the West Virginia public system of higher education including the West Virginia Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System (WVROCKS).
- Admission to the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is open to students who have been graduated from high school for at least three years. For those passing a high school equivalency examination, admission must be at least four years after their class graduated from high school.
- By design, the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program is operated on the same level of academic quality as other more traditionally structured baccalaureate degree programs.
- The Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program has been designed as a mechanism suitable for adults who are interested in obtaining a four-year college degree.
Eleven specific “Regents area of emphasis” options have been established within the Regents Bachelor of Arts Program at Bluefield State University. These areas of emphasis permit Regents Bachelor of Arts students to take 15-to-16 semester hours of upper-level coursework (numbered 300-499) and three to eight semester hours of lower-level coursework in designated academic areas (the precise number of specialized credits depends on the emphasis selected). When the Regents Area of Emphasis is satisfied and verified, it will appear on the student’s Bluefield State transcript. Regents Area of Emphasis options include Business, Criminal Justice Administration, English, History, Imaging Science, Organizational Leadership, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Special Education.
Students should contact the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program Director for specific “Regents Area of Emphasis” course requirements at rba@bluefieldstate.edu.
What You Need to Graduate
- Completed general studies curriculum
- At least 30 credits in Upper Level Division courses
- Aggregate 2.0 GPA in all courses