Undergraduate Degree Information & Graduation Information

bachelor of science degree

Upon completion of the requirements and upon being recommended for graduation by the faculty, and approved by the Board of Trustees, the undergraduate receives one of the following degrees:

  • Bachelor of Science (Applied Mathematics and Statistics)
  • Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry)
  • Bachelor of Science (Business Engineering and Management Science)
  • Bachelor of Science (Ceramic Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Chemical Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Chemistry)
  • Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)
  • Bachelor of Science (Construction Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Design Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Engineering Physics)
  • Bachelor of Science (Environmental Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Geological Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Geophysical Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Mechanical Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Metallurgical and Materials Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Mining Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Petroleum Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering)
  • Bachelor of Science (Quantum Systems Engineering)

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado School of Mines, all candidates must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.000 for all academic work completed in residence.
  2. A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.000 for courses in the candidate’s major.
  3. Upon starting their degree at Mines, students must complete at least 30 credit hours of 300-level or higher courses that satisfy the student's degree requirements, excluding free electives. 
  4. A minimum of 19 hours in Culture and Society (CAS) courses.
  5. The recommendation of their degree-granting department to the faculty.
  6. The certification by the Registrar that all required academic work is satisfactorily completed.
  7. The recommendation of the faculty and approval of the Board of Trustees.

Seniors must submit an Application to Graduate upon completion of 90 hours (upon obtaining Senior class standing). Applications are completed online through the student's Trailhead account.

Completed Minor and ASI forms are normally due to the Registrar's Office at the same as the application to graduate.  If the Minor or ASI is added later, it is due no later than the first day of the term in which the student is graduating.

It is the responsibility of students to monitor the progress of their degrees. It is also the student’s responsibility to contact the Registrar’s Office when there appears to be a discrepancy between the degree audit and the student’s records.

No students, graduate or undergraduate, will receive diplomas until they have complied with all the rules and regulations of Colorado School of Mines and settled all accounts with the School. Transcript of grades and other records will not be provided for any student or graduate who has an unsettled obligation of any kind to the School.

minor programs

Established minor programs are offered by undergraduate degree-granting departments and the Military Science Department.  Additionally, Mines offers interdisciplinary minors. 

A Minor Declaration Form (which can be found in the Registrar's Office) should be submitted for approval at the time of application for graduation. If the minor is added after the application to graduate, it must be submitted to the Registrar's Office by the first day of the term in which the student is graduating.

Once the declaration form is submitted to the Registrar's Office, the student deciding not to complete the minor must officially drop the minor by notifying the Registrar's Office in writing. Should minor requirements not be complete at the time of graduation, the minor program will not be awarded. Minors are not added after the BS degree is posted. Completion of the minor will be recorded on the student's official transcript. Students who return after completing a degree may not take courses solely to complete a minor with the expectation of having the minor added to the transcript.  Minors are not added after the BS degree is posted.

Please see the Minors section for specific course requirements. For questions concerning changes in the sequence of minor courses after the declaration form is submitted, contact the Registrar's Office for assistance.

No more than half of the hours used for the minor may be transferred from other colleges or universities including AP, IB, or other high school or non-Mines credit. Some minor programs, however, have been established in collaboration with other institutions through formal articulation agreements and these may allow transfer credit exceeding this limit. For additional information on program-specific transfer credit limits, refer to the Academic Programs section of this Catalog.

At a minimum, Mines requires that any course used to fulfill a minor requirement be completed with a passing grade. Some programs offering minors may, however, impose higher minimum grades for inclusion of the course in the minor. In these cases, the program specified minimum course grades take precedence. For additional information on program-specific minimum course grade requirements, refer to the Academic Programs section of this Catalog. At a minimum, to be awarded a minor, Mines requires students obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all minor courses completed at Mines. All attempts at required minor courses are used in computing this minor GPA. Some programs offering minors may, however, require a higher minimum cumulative GPA. In these cases, the program-specified GPA takes precedence. For additional information on program specific GPA requirements, refer to the Academic Programs section of this Catalog.

Each department or minor-oversight authority (in the case of interdisciplinary minors) defines a list of requirements that constitute a minor. The lists of requirements clearly delineate any specific courses needed for the minor, may include a set of courses from which the rest of the credits must be completed, and will clearly outline any other specific restrictions and/or requirements for obtaining the minor. Once recommended by Undergraduate Council and approved by Faculty Senate, the minor requirements will appear in the Minors section of this catalog so that courses may be planned in advance in order for a student to receive a given minor(s).

The objective of a minor is to provide a depth of understanding and expertise to an area outside of, or complementary to, a student's degree. A minor is a thematically related set of academic activities leading to a transcript designation in addition to but separate from that granted by the student's degree.

All minors are created and awarded based on the following minimum requirements and limitations:

Minimum Credit Hours  – 18.0

Minimum Hours Outside of Degree Requirements  – 9.0

At least 9 of the hours required for the minor must not be used for any part of the degree other than free electives.

Minimum GPA  – 2.0

A 2.0 grade point average, including all Mines graded courses used for the minor, must be met in order to receive the minor designation on the transcript. Transfer credit hours do not factor into the minor grade point average.

Level  – At least 9 credits must be at the 300-level or above.

Content

There must be sufficient distinction between a degree and a minor obtained by the same student. In general, students may earn minors offered by the same department as their degree program, but the minor may not have the same name as the degree. For example, an Electrical Engineering degree-seeking student may earn a minor in Computer Science. However, degree-granting programs, with recommendation by Undergraduate Council and approval by Faculty Senate, may 1) specify minors that are excluded for their students due to insufficient distinction, and/or 2) add restrictions or additional requirements to the minimal requirements for their students to obtain a specific minor. 

multiple undergraduate degrees

A student wishing to complete two Bachelor of Science degrees must complete the first degree plus a minimum of thirty hours specific to the second degree program. The thirty (or more) hours required for the second degree may not include free electives and may not be double counted with any credit used to complete the first degree. The degree plan for the second degree must be approved by the advisor, the department head, and the Registrar’s Office representing Academic Affairs. 

When two degrees are completed concurrently, the first degree is the one with fewer total hours required for graduation. In the case of a returning student, the first degree is the original completed degree. The two degrees may be in different colleges. The degree plan may include courses from multiple departments. Different catalogs may be used, one for each degree program. The student receives two separate diplomas. The transcript lists both degrees.  

A student may not earn two degrees in the same content area because the course requirements, content, and titles do not significantly differ.  

​DEGREE POSTING & GRADE CHANGES 

Once the degree is posted, grade changes will be accepted for six weeks only. After six weeks has passed, no grade changes will be allowed for any courses on the official transcript. 

COMMENCEMENT PARTICIPATION

To participate in May Commencement, no more than 6 semester credit hours can remain outstanding after the spring term. The student must show proof of summer registration for these 6 or fewer credits in order to be placed on the list for August completion. To participate in December convocation, the undergraduate student must be registered for all courses that lead to completion of the degree at the end of the same fall term.