CBU Graduation Units (Degree Requirements)

A CBU bachelor’s degree generally requires at least 124 semester units, but that number is only a starting point. Your major, catalog year, transfer-credit decisions, GPA, and CBU residency requirements all matter. Use your official degree audit and the catalog for your program and year to confirm exactly what remains before you plan your final terms.

Planning your degree with care can save time, money, and repeated coursework. It can also reduce waste: taking a class that does not meet a requirement may use tuition, time, and other resources without moving you closer to graduation. Before you build a term-by-term plan, find out which rules apply to you and how your completed courses count.

I often see students focus first on their total number of units. That is useful, but it does not tell the whole story. A student can have enough units overall and still need a specific course, a higher GPA in the major, or more coursework completed at CBU.

What determines the units you need at CBU?

The number of units required for graduation depends on more than your major’s listed total. CBU’s catalog for your catalog year, your degree audit, and your official transfer-credit evaluation work together to show the rules that apply to you and which requirements you have met.

CBU undergraduate bachelor’s programs generally require at least 124 semester units. Some programs require more. Treat 124 as a baseline, not a promise that completing that many units will earn a degree.

Your degree plan includes several kinds of requirements:

Total units: The minimum number of semester units required by your program.
General education: Courses that meet CBU’s broader academic requirements.
Major requirements: Required courses and other rules for your field of study.
Other university requirements: Additional requirements that apply under your catalog.
Minimum GPA: At least a 2.00 cumulative GPA is a general benchmark; your major may require a higher GPA or minimum grades in certain courses.
Residency: A minimum amount of coursework must be completed at CBU. The amount that applies to you, and any major-specific residency rule, should be confirmed with CBU.

A course can count toward your total units without meeting a particular general education or major requirement. Likewise, a course may satisfy one requirement but not provide enough units to meet your overall total. Your audit helps reveal these differences.

Requirements can also vary by catalog year. If you changed programs or are considering a change, ask which catalog governs your degree and whether the change affects your remaining requirements. Get important decisions in writing.

How can you verify your degree requirements?

Start with official records, not an online estimate or another student’s plan. Your catalog explains program rules, while your degree audit applies those rules to your own record. Your official transfer evaluation shows how CBU has assessed prior coursework.

Use these steps to check your status:

Confirm your program and catalog year. Ask your adviser or the registrar if you are unsure which catalog applies.
Open your current degree audit. Review each category, including completed, in-progress, and outstanding requirements.
Compare transfer work with the audit. Check how each accepted course applies, not just how many units transferred.
List all remaining conditions. Include specific courses, prerequisite sequences, minimum grades, GPA rules, upper-division work, and residency.
Ask about unclear items. Contact your academic adviser, department, or registrar. Request written guidance if an answer affects your schedule or graduation date.

What to check	What it tells you	What it does not prove
Total units earned	How many units are on your record	That every degree requirement is complete
Transfer-credit evaluation	Which outside courses CBU accepted	That each course meets a specific major or GE rule
Degree audit	How your record matches listed requirements	That future courses will be available in your planned term
Catalog for your year	The rules that govern your program	That a different catalog or major has identical rules
GPA report	Your current GPA status	That you meet a separate major GPA or course-grade rule

CBU is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Accreditation is useful context, but it does not replace your program’s requirements or your personal degree audit.

The key step is to resolve mismatches before registration. If a transfer class appears on your transcript but is still listed as an unmet requirement, ask whether it can be reviewed for that specific requirement. Do not assume that an equivalency shown by a third party will control CBU’s decision.

How should you plan courses, transfer credit, and residency?

A graduation plan connects each remaining requirement to a term when you can take the course. It should account for prerequisites, course availability, unit limits, GPA rules, and residency. Check the plan with your adviser, especially if you have transfer credit or want to graduate by a set date.

A prerequisite is a course or condition you must complete before taking another course. A sequence is a set of courses that must be taken in order. These rules can affect your timeline even when you have enough total units.

Build your plan in this order:

Mark every unmet requirement on your audit.
Identify courses that unlock later courses.
Check whether required courses are offered in your intended terms.
Confirm how many planned units will count toward CBU residency.
Review any major GPA, course-grade, or upper-division rules.
Ask whether your plan fits course-load limits and any relevant financial-aid progress rules.
Recheck the audit after grades and transfer evaluations are posted.

Residency deserves special attention for transfer students. Accepted transfer units can help meet the total, but they do not automatically satisfy the requirement to complete coursework at CBU. Ask the registrar or your adviser to confirm the applicable CBU-residence requirement and whether any major-specific rule also applies.

If you are changing majors, request a new audit before deciding how much of your earlier work will apply. A course may remain on your transcript and count toward total units, yet no longer fill a requirement in the new program. Get written confirmation before relying on it to shorten your plan.

What do degree-planning scenarios look like?

These examples are planning scenarios, not actual student records or promises about CBU decisions. They show why total units alone are not enough. In each case, the official catalog, evaluation, and degree audit determine what counts.

Transfer student with many accepted units: A student transfers substantial coursework and sees that the units were accepted. The audit still shows a required major course and CBU residency work outstanding. The student should confirm which transfer courses meet specific requirements, then plan remaining CBU courses around prerequisites and residency.

Student close to the 124-unit baseline: A student expects to finish after reaching 124 units. The audit shows a required course with a minimum grade, and the major has a separate GPA rule. The student should check both conditions and avoid treating the total as a graduation clearance.

Student considering a major change: A student’s completed courses may apply differently in a new program. Before switching, the student should compare official audits for both majors and ask which catalog and course substitutions, if any, apply. The difference could affect the units and terms still needed.

In my advising work, a common source of stress is learning late that a course counted as elective credit but did not fill the intended requirement. A quick audit review before registration can help you catch that issue while you still have choices.

How do you confirm you are ready to graduate?

Graduation readiness means every applicable academic requirement is complete or scheduled for completion, not simply that your total units look sufficient. Before your final term, use your current audit and confirm deadlines, outstanding grades, residency, and any program-specific conditions with CBU.

As you prepare to graduate:

Review the audit with your adviser and resolve any unmet or unclear items.
Confirm that planned courses meet the exact requirements shown.
Check CBU’s published graduation application deadline and submit by that deadline.
Verify that final grades and transfer records will post in time.
Ask the financial-aid office whether you need to complete any aid-related steps or understand repayment obligations.
Recheck your audit after the final term’s grades are recorded.

A change in course availability, a failed or repeated course, or a revised transfer evaluation can affect your plan. If anything changes, ask for an updated audit and revise your schedule rather than relying on an older estimate.

The most dependable plan is the one that matches your current CBU record and written guidance. Keep copies of evaluations and advising answers, and revisit your audit each term. That gives you a clearer path to graduation and helps prevent avoidable courses or delays.

Frequently asked questions

How many units are required for a bachelor’s degree at CBU?
CBU undergraduate bachelor’s programs generally require at least 124 semester units. Some programs require more, so check your catalog and degree audit.

Is 124 units enough to graduate?
Not always. You must also complete all applicable general education, major, university, GPA, and residency requirements.

What GPA do I need to graduate?
A 2.00 cumulative GPA is a general minimum benchmark. Your program may require a higher major GPA or minimum grades in certain courses.

How many units must I complete at CBU?
CBU requires a minimum amount of coursework in residence, but the applicable number can depend on your program and rules. Confirm it with the registrar or your adviser.

Do transfer units automatically meet CBU requirements?
No. CBU may accept units without applying a course to a specific general education or major requirement. Check your official transfer evaluation and audit.

Which catalog year applies to me?
Your applicable catalog year is tied to your CBU academic record and program rules. If you are unsure, ask your adviser or the registrar to confirm it.

Can I use a third-party course match to plan graduation?
Use third-party information only as a starting point. CBU’s official transfer evaluation and degree audit determine how coursework applies.

What should I do if my audit seems wrong?
Contact your adviser, department, or registrar with the course and requirement in question. Request written clarification before changing your schedule.

Does changing majors affect my graduation units?
It can. Some completed courses may count differently in the new program, and your catalog or remaining requirements may change. Compare official audits before making the switch.

When should I apply for graduation?
Apply by the deadline published by CBU. Check the official graduation instructions for the deadline that applies to your planned completion term.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Christopher Langston. Visit our Meet the Team page.)