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The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) requires bachelor's degrees to have a minimum of 120 credit hours and master’s degrees to have a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. Under these requirements, the total combined minimum credit hours for both the bachelor's and master's degrees is 150. (See section below on accelerated 90-credit hour bachelor's degrees.)

For combined bachelor's/master's degree programs, ODHE allows a maximum of 9 credit hours of master’s level coursework to double count toward both the bachelor’s and master's degree ONLY when all of the following conditions apply:

1. The combining of the bachelor’s degree with a master’s degree must be approved at all appropriate stages at the institution (e.g., department, college and university curriculum committees).
2. Only exceptionally well-prepared students are admitted to the combined bachelor's/master's degree program.
3. The total number of credit hours counted toward the master's degree is equal to or more than 30.
4. All credit hours counted toward the master's degree are at the graduate level.
5. The total number of unique credit hours required for the combined bachelor's/master's degree is equal to or more than 141 hours.
   1. E.g., 120 undergraduate credit hours for the bachelors + 21 graduate credit hours for the master's degree = 141 unique credit hours + 9 graduate credit hours for both bachelor's and master's degrees = 150 total credit hours.
6. The student is charged undergraduate tuition and fees for no fewer than 120 credit hours.

With each combined bachelor's/master's degree program, Kent State should be able to demonstrate to the Chancellor’s staff the following upon request:

• Provide evidence that both the bachelor’s program and the master’s program have been approved by ODHE and the Higher Learning Commission.
• Confirm that no more than 9 credit hours of the undergraduate program will be made up of courses in the master’s program.
• Identify how the Kent State will ensure students meet the program outcomes for the undergraduate degree once they have completed the credit hours from the undergraduate program and the credit hours from the master’s program.
• Ensure documentation and advising for students are clear and transparent.
• Ensure a pathway is in place for students who wish to leave the program with only a bachelor’s degree before finishing graduate-level work.
• Identify how the university monitors student success in the program.
• Describe how Kent State is ensuring that students pay undergraduate tuition throughout the undergraduate degree (including the 9 credit hours of graduate-level coursework).
• Agreed to submit annual reports on the scope of the program and student success.

After a master’s degree is conferred to a student, any related doctorate degree should be at least 60 credit hours post-masters.

The only exceptions for the above standards could extend to law programs offered by a law school or college medical programs offered by a medical school.

Accelerated 90-Credit Hour Bachelor's Degrees

Accelerated bachelor's degrees may be part of a combined bachelor's/master's degree program (i.e., double counting of courses toward both) ONLY if the combined degree program meets ODHE policy that total unique credit hours is minimum 141.

• NOT allowed: 90-credit hour bachelor's degree combined with a 30-to-59-credit hour master's degree
• Allowed: 90-credit hour bachelor's degree combined with a  60-credit hour master's degree (Note: 120 credit hours must be charged at the undergraduate tuition rate)