General Degree Requirements
All students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the bachelor's degree:

1. A minimum of 116 earned credit hours.* At least 36 courses with a minimum value of three credits each must be completed.

2. A minimum 2.00 (4.0 scale) cumulative quality point average (i.e., overall grade point average, "GPA").*

3. A minimum of 24 upper-division credits in the major, with a minimum 2.00 GPA in all required courses within the major. 

4. Normally, unless otherwise stipulated, students may not begin their senior year in any major in which they have not achieved a 2.0 cumulative average in their major subject(s).

5. Students are responsible for meeting the graduation requirements of their major curriculum. Modification of any departmental rule can be made only with written approval of the chair of the department or program director in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. 

6. Undergraduate students must spend at least eight semesters in full-time attendance, unless the period is reduced by advanced standing credit from another institution as reviewed and approved by the dean of undergraduate studies. The College reserves the right to allow graduation at the completion of seven semesters following the successful petition by students to the Committee on Academic Status with the subsequent approval of the vice president for academic administration. 

In order to be considered students in full-time attendance, students must attempt a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours per semester. All students must spend their junior and senior years in attendance at the College in order to graduate. Under the title of "Special Student", individuals are permitted to register in a non-matriculated status.  

*Some majors/programs may have higher credit hour and/or GPA requirements. 

Credit Requirements
All students are normally required to enroll in four courses that are three credits or more per semester in their freshman and sophomore years and five courses that are three credits or more per semester in their junior and senior years.

The value of each course is stated in terms of credit hours.  A credit hour requires the equivalent of one classroom period of fifty (50) minutes or a laboratory period of from one to four hours per week throughout the term. 

Each curriculum at Providence College requires that students earn a specific number of credit hours. Students seeking to undertake course credit in excess of the normal number must have the approval of the dean of undergraduate studies. Approval is normally granted only for the purpose of academic enrichment or to rectify deficiencies in credit hours earned, not for the purpose of accelerated advancement of graduation class year status. 

Change in Curricular Requirements
The College reserves the right to change the course and credit hour requirements of any or all academic programs, when such modifications are deemed necessary.  All students must comply with the new requirements insofar as such modifications pertain to courses and/or credit hours yet to be completed. Such changes, however, will be made only for the purpose of more fully achieving the objective of the curriculum.

Short Credits
Enrolling in one or more of the following may make up a deficiency in credit hours that the student has incurred:

1. An extra course in the undergraduate day school.

2. An approved extra course in the Providence College School of Continuing Education or in an accepted continuing education program.

3. An approved course in a summer school program.

4. An approved course in a winter intersession program.