Bachelor of Applied Science in Business and Organizational Leadership (BAS-BOL)


Frequently Asked Questions

1 - What is the difference between a B.A.S. and a B.A./B.S.?
The main advantage of a B.A.S. is that while the degree explores the theory of business, the focus is on the application of business principles to the real world. In contrast, B.A./B.S. degrees tend to focus more on theoretical frameworks. The B.A.S. degree prepares students to enter management and leadership positions as well as many graduate school programs.

Context for what they will learn: How to lead and manage diverse employees to meet and exceed their business goals.

2 - Which is better to get to go into BASBOL if I am just beginning, an A.A. or an A.S.?

Each degree offers its own advantages. With an A.S. degree, a student will gain a job ready skill, where a student who earns an A.A. degree will not.  

However, if you are considering a transfer to a 4-year institution, we suggest the A.A.to meet the general education requirements for transfer. If you are a business student and have an area of interest- we do advise that you continue with your AS to get the original degree in that area to use to obtain work while studying for your BASBOL degree. However, there are many routes you can take.

First example: A student can get an A.S. in Human Resources Management and enter BASBOL.

Second Example: A student can get an A.A. General, then enter BASBOL, and focus their business elective choices on a Human Resources Technical Certificate. 

Third example, an A.S. student in any A.S. program can enter the BASBOL program but will need to complete their general education requirements. In this case, the student would use the elective requirements in the BASBOL program to meet this requirement. 

3 - Can I declare BASBOL right out of high school?
No, Applicants must complete an A.A. or A.S. degree in any field of study, or at least 60 college credit hours (including 15 hours of general education requirements for an A.A. or A.S. degree) from a regionally accredited institution. To identify general education requirements, please see Valencia College Catalog.

4 - I heard that some books might be free? What books is this referring to?
Books for our 3000 and 4000 level courses are open educational resources. These courses will not require additional purchased books to complete assignments.

5 - I am a transfer student, can I go right into the B.A.S.?
See admissions requirements. While we accept all students with an A.A./A.S. or bachelor from other institutions, students will need to meet the state of Florida requirements for Gordon Rule English and Math.  Students may need to submit an NEC or take the PERT before being able to register for any courses in the BASBOL program.

6 - When I have the requirements, what are the steps to apply to BASBOL?

Scenarios:

  1. Students who are graduating with an A.S., A.A. degree or 60 college level credits and have applied to graduate OR Students who are graduating with an A.S., A.A. degree or 60 college level credits and have NOT applied to graduate:

    Complete the BASBOL application
    Students will be sent the BASBOL articulation agreement which they need to read and decide if they want to participate.

    Apply to graduate
    Students will be sent the BASBOL graduation letter which they need to read and decide if they want to participate.

  2. Students who have an A.A., A.S., A.A.S. or bachelor degree from any accredited institution.

    Complete the BASBOL application

    Provide requested documents, if any
    Once approved, they will be sent an approval letter, and an approval email instructing them to complete the online bachelor orientation.

  3. Students who are not graduating and do not have 60 college level credits from an accredited institution with 15 credits of general education courses.

    Student are advised to complete the degree or credits. NO PRE-REQUISITES REQUIRED
    Provide BASBOL website

7 - When will I hear back on my BASBOL application?
3-5 business days.  

8 - If I am denied admissions, what are my next steps?
Work with our advising office to determine what would be the best course of action. Typically, this would be to work on either an A.A. or A.S. to earn the credits necessary to meet the admission requirements, then reapply. 

This may involve submitting a new application to work on an A.A. or A.S. Please work with our Answer Center to identify if an application is needed. 

9 - I am a Valencia College student, can I just change my major to start the program?
No, every student must apply to the program. Apply Now

10 - I added BASBOL as a secondary major and nothing happened. Why is this?
BASBOL cannot be a secondary program.  If you submit a Change Of Major and try to move BASBOL to the secondary program, it will be deleted and another change of major must be submitted to place it back as the primary program. 

11 - What is the application fee for BASBOL?
There is no application fee for this program.

12 - If I have attended Valencia do I need to submit all my transcripts?
You would need to verify that your transcripts are on file.

13 - Can a student complete orientation any time after they have been approved?
No. Orientation is term-specific and closes after two terms. Thus, if you take a year off, you will not need to reapply but, someone will need to manually assist you with the orientation. If this occurs, please reach out to your Bachelor’s advisor.
 
14 - What if some of my credits did not come over as General Education Requirements?
Submit our non-equivalent coursework form in Atlas, under your students tab. We recommend gathering as much information as possible- syllabi, course description, materials used, etc, to give yourself the best possible outcome. Decisions are communicated to your ATLAS email only (not to your advisor).

If you hold an Associate in Arts or Bachelor’s degree or have completed the entire general education program at a regionally accredited institution then you do NOT need to Satisfy Valencia’s General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements.

15 - What if I have bachelor’s level courses in the area of Business that are not transferring?
Once admitted into the BASBOL program, please work directly with your program advisor. This statement is a suggestion, however, is not a guarantee that courses will equate or transfer. 

16 - I took a bachelor’s business course (3000 or 4000 level) at another institution, can I submit a Non-Equivalent Coursework form thru Atlas?
No, we do not accept NECS for any level 3000 or 4000 courses. All must be submitted through the advisor to a review committee.  The submission needs to have the course description and often needs a syllabus to determine if learning outcomes have been met. As stated in the previous question, please work with your advisor once accepted into the program. 

17 - If I choose to do an Associate in Science degree, can I do ANY Associate in Science degree to get into the BASBOL? Even Graphic Design or Culinary?
Yes! Since the goal is to do 120 credits overall, no A.S. has an advantage over another, and no degree A.A. vs A.S. has an advantage over the other. It is all about personal preference. We want to support you in getting to the best career for YOU.

18 - My B.A.S. will allow me to transfer into a master’s program. Is this true?
True! Valencia College is a regionally accredited institution, and, as such, the BASBOL degree should transfer into many graduate programs.  It should be noted though that admission into some graduate programs, particularly those with a STEM focus, may require prerequisite courses not included in the BASBOL degree. 

Students are strongly encouraged to research graduate program requirements prior to beginning or very early on in BASBOL to ensure transfer graduate readiness. There are also multiple tests that graduate programs require. *Do your research, this is a student responsibility*

19 - I heard from a friend that an internship is required to get my BASBOL Degree. Is this true?
No, Internships are not required.  If a student has room in business electives and the internship begins with the correct prefix - FIN, BUS, etc. they can take them.  Also, if they have room in their A.A. General Education area, they can take any course including an Internship.

20 - Am I required to have a foreign language to graduate with BASBOL? What about to get into the program?
Graduation requirements as it relates to Foreign Language are stated below:

Successfully complete the Florida foreign language requirement: two years high school or one year of college (at least eight credits) in a single foreign language. American Sign Language is acceptable. 

*You do not need foreign language to be accepted into the program.

20 - I heard I have to take College Algebra and other high-level math. Is this true?
No. Students can meet general education math requirements.

21 - Okay, but there must be a benefit for taking College Algebra/Statistics then?
College Algebra is not required for the degree, but it might be of value if you decide to pursue a master’s degree that requires higher level math courses as either an admissions requirement or because the program’s course content requires a higher-level understanding of math or algebraic concepts.  

22- Can I become a certified program accountant (CPA) with this bachelor’s?
Our advice regarding master’s programs is always to check with your institution. However, in our experience, this does not transfer to a CPA program. The typical entrance requirements to the master’s are to have a bachelor’s in Accounting.

23 - I am taking continuing education credits and a workplace training through my job. Does the program let me use life experience? For example, do these or any of my SHRM courses cover credits for the bachelor's degree?

No, continuing education courses do not cover or convert to college credits in this BASBOL program. Life experience/experiential learning is also not eligible in this program.

24 - Can I receive business elective credit for licensures, i.e., Real Estate License?
This is yes and no. Please read carefully: 

Yes, this credit will remain as you transfer from your A.S. to B.A.S. only if you were awarded this credit during your A.S. degree. This is an A.S. articulation agreement (degree specific).

No, you cannot use articulation agreements specifically designed for A.S. degrees for the BASBOL degree. If you did not meet the articulation agreement during you’re A.S., you will not be able to use these credits in BASBOL.

25 - Is job placement provided upon graduation?
No, however, we do have a tremendous career center which provides instruction on resume building, mock interviews, career research and so much more. For more information visit, Career Center.

26 - What Opportunities do BASBOL students have at Valencia College?
List of opportunities for BASBOL students:


Miscellaneous Questions

 

27 - What elective options can I take for BASBOL, or as an advisor, recommend?
Depending on your pathway this answer can differ. Please speak to your bachelor’s advisor.
You may need Business Electives, or you may need General Electives- we can help you determine this.

Business Prefix Options

Any lower level course with ECO 2013, ECO 2013H, ECO 2023, ECO 2023H, OST 1355C, OST 2836C, OST 2854C, OST 2858C or any lower level ACG, APA, BUL, CCJ, CJE, CJC, CJJ, FIN, GEB, MAN, MAR, MKA, MNA, REE, SBM, or TAX courses with advisor approval. Any lower level course with ECO 2013, ECO 2013H, ECO 2023, ECO 2023H, OST 1355C, OST 2836C, OST 2854C, OST 2858C or any lower level ACG, APA, BUL, CCJ, CJE, CJC, CJJ, FIN, GEB, MAN, MAR, MKA, MNA, REE, SBM, or TAX courses with advisor approval. 

28 - Does BASBOL have an honors program?
Not at this time.

29 - What accreditation does BASBOL have?
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

30 - If I am using Florida Prepaid for payment, will my courses be paid for automatically? 
No. Please contact our business office each semester to ensure the manual intervention is completed. Florida Prepaid does not cover course additional fees, so ensure this balance is paid.

For more information visit, My Florida Prepaid Tuition and Fees.

31 - What are the graduation requirements for this program?

  • Earn a minimum of 2.0 Valencia College and Overall GPA. Complete all Core course work with a minimum grade of C (2.0).
  • Satisfy Valencia College’s 36 credit hours General Education requirements and Gordon Rule requirements. Complete at least 25% of the 120-hour degree program (30 credits) at Valencia College, based on the Florida College System’s requirements of 2+2 admission into the baccalaureate program. Fifteen of those hours must be 3000 or 4000 level courses from the program core course list.
  • Fulfill all financial obligations to Valencia College.
  • Successfully complete the Florida foreign language requirement as outlined in the online BASBOL.
  • Complete 120 total semester credits in addition to the foreign language credits above.  The credit courses required may vary depending on the credits the student brings to the BAS program.
  • Submit an application to graduate through ATLAS by the deadline date listed in the Academic Calendar in the online BASBOL. 

32 - Do I need to apply to graduate to receive my BASBOL degree?
Yes, you will want to apply to graduate by the given deadline IN the term you are taking your last courses. How to Apply for Graduation.

33 - Does the VA pay for this degree?
The program is eligible for VA benefits. Each student will need to determine his/her VA benefit eligibility. For more information, visit Veterans Affairs.

34 - Does financial aid pay for this degree?
The program is financial aid eligible. Each student will need to determine his/her financial aid eligibility. 

35 - What are Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for Financial Aid for the Bachelor’s?

  • Complete 67% of all classes attempted, and
  • Maintain a Valencia College Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, and
  • Maintain an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, and
  • Complete your degree within the 150% timeframe (i.e. BASBOL degree of 120 credit hours must be completed within 180 credit hours)

Hint: Remember to always complete your FAFSA. If you are suspended for having 100 credits previously in your A.A./A.S. this does not mean you are automatically suspended in your BAS.

36 - What percentage of credits must be completed at Valencia to earn the BASBOL? How many credits is that?
25% of courses must be taken with Valencia College (in any modality), 30 credits total. Out of these 30 credits at least 15 credit hours must be 3000 or 4000 level courses from the program core course list. 

37 - What are the main differences between UCF and BASBOL?

  • the cost of the degree
  • the free instructional resources
  • admissions requirement
  • Also, the UCF program is more of a traditional business program, whereas the BASBOL program includes business topics, but it has more of an organizational leadership focus.  That focus is intended to develop students for future supervision and management roles within an organization.
  • UCF requires that students complete certain pre-requisites, such as accounting and economics courses. The BASBOL program does not have those requirements.
  • Lastly, UCF requires that transfer students applying for the program have an A.A. degree. This would exclude AS students from UCF’s program until they met the A.A. requirements

Course Details