Course Catalog

Degrees Requirements & Procedures

A. Degrees Offered

Gonzaga University offers programs leading to the degrees listed below. For specific majors within these degrees, more information can be found under the listing of the individual School or College. This document provides undergraduate degree information and references to the other divisions of the University. Information on graduate and legal studies can be found in the separate catalogs of the Graduate School and the School of Law. The University has the following advisory programs to assist students in preparation for admission to professional schools: pre-dentistry, pre-law, and pre-medicine. The Department of Military Science also offers a program leading to a commission in the United States Army.

  • The College of Arts and Sciences confers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Art. 
  • The School of Business Administration confers the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) (Honors and General).
  • The School of Education confers four degrees: Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) (Honors and General) in Special Education, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Sport Management, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Kinesiology and Physical Education, and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Community, Culture, and Language Education. The school also provides programs leading to initial and continuing teacher certification in elementary, secondary, and special education in conjunction with the B.A. degree.
  • The School of Engineering and Applied Science confers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Computer Science and Computational Thinking and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) (Honors and General) in Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, and Computer Science.
  • The School of Nursing and Human Physiology confers the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) (Honors and General) and B.S. in Human Physiology (Honors and General).
  • The School of Law confers the degree of Juris Doctor. In cooperation with the Graduate School of Business, a combined program is offered for the M.B.A./J.D. and MACC/J.D.

A listing of graduate programs in the above College and Schools can be found at www.gonzaga.edu/catalogs.

B. Programs Offered

1. Special University-Wide Programs

Gonzaga makes available special programs for selected students in all of its Schools and the College. Further information on the following programs can be found on the Gonzaga website.
  • Honors Program: A distinctive curriculum for academically motivated undergraduates, featuring innovative, collaborative courses and immersive educational experiences. The program is designed to complement all majors and programs at Gonzaga. Upon graduation, students in this program receive an Honors designation as part of their degree. For further information visitwww.gonzaga.edu/honors.
  • International Admission: Gonzaga University welcomes international students and provides guidance on admission criteria and required documentation. International applicants are encouraged to contact Gonzaga at iadmissions@gonzaga.edu.

  • International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS): International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) offers centralized support to all international undergraduate, transfer, graduate, PhD, law, ESL, Gonzaga Global, exchange and visiting students attending Gonzaga as well as support for visiting scholars. ISSS specializes in immigration advising related to maintaining F-1 and J-1 student visa status, travel, and work authorization. ISSS creates an international community through cultural programming, workshops, and personable services. In addition, ISSS facilitates insurance coverage and assists with tax filing for international students and scholars.

  • Study Abroad Program: Gonzaga University offers a multitude of different study abroad opportunities in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Oceania for the academic year, semester, or summer study. Opportunities to complete internships, research, and service learning abroad are also available. 

2. Pre-Professional Programs

Pre-Health Professions: Pre-health students are those interested in pursuing a career and graduate study in fields such as Dentistry, Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, and other health professions. Students who are matriculating in the direct-entry undergraduate nursing program are not considered pre-health, and have access to advising and career preparation through the School of Nursing & Human Physiology.  

Most health professions graduate programs do not require specific undergraduate majors. At Gonzaga, students are strongly encouraged to choose a major that they are genuinely interested in studying. This will increase the likelihood of academic success, which is often a big factor in graduate school admissions.

Health professions programs each determine their own admissions prerequisite coursework, but most require a strong foundation in the basic sciences along with coursework in the humanities, which can be found in the University Core Curriculum. In consultation with their academic advisors, students can expect to complete a basic science curriculum that includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. Additional science courses may be necessary based on specific program requirements.

Admission to health professions graduate programs is competitive. Schools look for candidates that have distinguished themselves in their academics, leadership, and service and gained the skills necessary to be effective members of their professions. Health professions graduate programs assess cognitive abilities primarily through GPA and standardized admission tests. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to their chosen field and highlight personal attributes and experiences by submitting an application, writing several essay questions, requesting letters of recommendation, and participating in interviews. Hands-on experience in healthcare settings is vital to both the preparation and admission processes. This clinical experience exposes students to the complex duties expected of today’s healthcare professionals and enables them to make informed career decisions.

The Health Professions Pathways Program provides comprehensive resources and a support network for students interested in pursuing a career and graduate study in the health professions. For more information, visit www.gonzaga.edu/h3p or email h3p@gonzaga.edu

Pre-Law: A bachelor’s degree is normally required by law schools for admission. No particular major is required, but these schools look for students who have done well in their undergraduate program and on the Law School Admission Test. Further information can be found at: The School Of Law.

The best preparation for law school is a solid liberal arts education with particular emphasis on those majors and courses that develop the ability to read critically, to analyze difficult written material carefully, to think logically, and to write clear, coherent, and effective English prose. More pre-law students major in Political Science than any other field, but Gonzaga graduates have done well in law school recently with majors in all rigorous academic programs.

The pre-law program is administered by the Department of Political Science. Students can request to be assigned to the pre-law advisor, Dr. Joseph Gardner.  The pre-law advisor can suggest an individually tailored minor in legal studies, upon request, or specific pre-law courses typically offered by the Political Science department.  A course helping students to prepare for the LSAT examination is generally offered in the fall semester.  Internships with private law firms, prosecutors and public defender offices, or the Office of the State Attorney General can be arranged for qualified students.