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The Bachelor of Arts degree in individualized studies is an option restricted to non-traditional- aged students for whom no traditional academic program is  satisfactory. In consultation with the director of the program, and with the approval of the department, the student selects the 10 to 12 courses to be included in her/his individualized studies major.

An individualized studies major may be appropriate if:

• The desired major field of study involves courses from a number of different subject areas. An example is an American Studies program, including courses in American literature, history, and sociology.
• The transfer student has a significant number of credits earned at other institutions which cannot be related to any Rivier traditional academic program without significant loss of credit.
• The student has a particular and very well-defined professional focus building on previous academic or professional background. An example would be a computer programmer who might add carefully-selected business courses in accounting, marketing, and small business management to prepare for a successful consulting practice.

The following requirements, some of them specific to the individualized studies major, must be completed to be awarded the degree:

• a minimum of 40 courses and 120 semester hours of credit earned;
• a cumulative grade point average of C (2.0);
• the Core Curriculum as described for all Bachelor degree programs;
• at least 36 semester hours of credit earned in courses considered to be “upper division,” i.e., numbered 300 or above;
• the final 30 credits in coursework at Rivier;
• satisfactory completion of a self-designed and approved Individualized Studies major, consisting of no less than 10 to 12 courses. At least half of these must be Rivier College courses.

Students interested in pursuing an individualized studies program should meet with the director of the program. In that meeting, the above requirements will be discussed and the guidelines for designing the major and the essay justifying it will be explained.

This program is often pursued in conjunction with a portfolio for Credit for Prior Learning. Prior learning credit will not be added to a transcript until the student has completed five classroom courses at Rivier College.