Capstone Option for University Core Curriculum (UCC)
Since the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) is not designed to be a transfer degree, the typical A.A.S. curriculum does not include a significant number of courses that satisfy UCC requirements. Therefore, students with an A.A.S. degree who transfer to a baccalaureate degree program often find themselves at a disadvantage (compared to students with A.S. or A.A. degrees). In an effort to bridge the gap, SIUC developed the Capstone Option.
The advantage of the Capstone Option is the reduction of UCC requirements. Students who are approved for the Capstone Option have the opportunity to complete the UCC in 30 hours, which is 11 fewer hours than is normally required for UCC. By reducing UCC requirements, the Capstone Option gives students who have already earned an A.A.S. degree an opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in 60 or fewer semester hours.
The Capstone Option is available for eligible students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree or its equivalent and who have a gpa of 2.25 on a 4.0 scale on all accredited coursework prior to the award of the A.A.S. degree (Southern Illinois University Carbondale Undergraduate Catalog). The Capstone Option is not available for all baccalaureate programs.
More information about the Capstone Option is available in the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Undergraduate Catalog or on the web at: