Accelerated Baccalaureate Program

The Accelerated Baccalaureate Program – known fondly around campus as the “Acc Bacc,” is a unique program that allows you to earn your bachelor’s degree in just three years, saving you a year’s worth of tuition and other college expenses.

The Acc Bacc program actually reduces the number of credits required for graduation by taking into account your high school work. With fewer credits to take, Acc Bacc students enjoy a regular course load and plenty of time to participate in the extraordinary extracurricular opportunities available at SOU and in the greater community.

Acc Bacc students differ from regular four-year students in two important ways:
1) They have already decided upon their major when they enter college.
2) They seek to complete college sooner rather than later.

Please note that the Acc Bacc is not a program for transfer students – if you’re transferring too many credits, our credit reductions would not be to your benefit.

Your chosen major must be offered by a participating academic department. You may also choose to complete a minor or certificate program while pursuing your undergraduate degree to support your career goals. Your minor can be from any department on campus.

Acc Bacc students benefit from a number of different advantages:

• A contract with SOU to complete course work in three years
• Priority registration status
• A reduction of 29-45 general education and elective credits
• A normal course load of about 16 credits (four classes) per term
• Up to one less year of the expense of tuition, fees, books and other expenses
• Time to work, play, study, volunteer and compete
• One less year of college and one more year of what YOU want to do
• One year earlier to grad school
• Upon graduation, a fully recognized bachelor’s degree!

Before applying for the Accelerated Baccalaureate Program, you must first apply and be admitted to SOU. Please visit the SOU Admissions Apply Section for further information on applying for admission to the University.

To be considered for the Acc Bacc program, you must have already selected your major, and you must have attained superior GPA and/or standardized test scores as defined below:

• Cumulative high school GPA of 3.4; or
• Cumulative high school GPA of 3.2 and a combined SAT score of at least 1150 on the critical reading and mathematics sections, with neither section below 500; or
• Cumulative high school GPA of 3.2 and composite ACT score of 25 with scores of at least 22 on both math and English sections.

Please download our Application Guidelines for complete information on applying for the Acc Bacc program. You will also need to download the Application Form and the Recommendation Form as your prepare your application materials.

You are welcome to submit your application materials in stages. When your file is complete, faculty members will review your application materials to evaluate your suitability for the program and determine the appropriate general education reductions.