Frequently Asked Questions

Interested in the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree through the University of Wyoming's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources? Here are some commonly asked questions with answers to help get you started:

• Who completes this degree?
  This degree is designed for individuals with some work experience who have completed an Associate of Applied Science degree at a Wyoming Community College or other accredited institution. Beginning Fall 2011, students with Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degrees may also be accepted. The degree is especially relevant for those who need or desire the additional breadth in skills, knowledge, and professional expertise to enhance their capabilities in their own careers and in the organizations in which they work.
• Can I complete this degree at a distance?
  This degree can only be completed through distance delivery methods. It is not available on campus at the University of Wyoming.
• What is required to apply?
  Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Apply to the University of Wyoming through Admissions, declaring the Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership.
  2. Have official transcripts from all institutions attended sent to Admissions. Be aware that it frequently takes a month or more for transcripts to be received and loaded into the system. Be sure that final transcripts are sent that show an earned associate’s degree.
  3. Once the Admissions Office has confirmed that all of your application materials have been received and the application fee has been paid, your materials will be sent to the Office of Academic and Student Programs, College of Agriculture for review.
  4. Send an email to Dr. Karen Williams (cachevki@uwyo.edu) or Kerry Casper (kcasper2@uwyo.edu) when you have received your letter of acceptance to UW. This does not mean that you have been accepted into the BAS program. We can then track your files to evaluate them for the BAS program.
  5. Send your resume to Dr. Williams or Kerry Casper via email attachment.
  6. Students will receive a letter from the Office of Academic and Student Programs in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources telling the application decision. If a student is denied admission to the BAS, an explanation for the denial will be provided. If accepted, the student will be given information for how to work with the program advisor, Rosalind Grenfell (rgrenfel@uwyo.edu), to enroll in classes.
• How will I be notified of acceptance?
  They will be analyzed to be sure that all entry requirements have been met. You will receive a letter from the College of Agriculture stating whether or not you have been accepted into the B.A.S. distance program. If you are not accepted, the letter will indicate what requirements still must be met to be eligible for the program.
• Are there application deadlines?
  In order to be able to register for the online courses one must be accepted to the program in a timely fashion. Transcripts must be received by the Admissions Office, loaded into the system, and a resume received by the following deadlines:

  • Fall entry: July 15th deadline for a completed application
  • Summer entry: March 15th deadline for a completed application
  • Spring entry: November 1st deadline for a completed application

  Students failing to meet the above application deadlines will be accepted for the next semester if they meet all application requirements at the time of application.
• What counts towards the two years of required work experience?
  Two years of work experience must be completed prior to applying for the B.A.S. This can include part time and full time work to equal two full years (24 months) or more of work experience. Part time work experience counts as half credit (i.e. 6 months of part time work = 3 months toward work experience). All work experience done during the years prior to, during, and after your Associates degree was completed can count towards the required two years. Work experience does not have to be in a job that directly relates to your Associates degree focus.
  
  Students need to be aware that work experience that was part of an internship cannot double for credit hours toward the degree and go toward the two years of work experience. The internship will be taken as college credit. If additional hours were completed beyond those required for an internship, those hours can be shown in your resume as applied toward work experience.
• How do I document work experience?
  One of the admission requirements for the Bachelor of Applied Science Program is two years of work experience. Therefore, it is important to include documentation of this work in your resume. When completing your resume, please be certain to include the following work experience information:

   

  • Job title and description for each position
  • Starting and ending dates using months and years (i.e. May 2003-July 2004) of employment for each position
  • Employer contact information (current name, address, phone or email)

  Omission of this documentation will delay or preclude admission to the BAS program.
  
  The University of Wyoming Center for Advising and Career Services (CACS) is happy to provide assistance with resume development. They can be contacted by phone at (307) 766-2398, or by email at uwcacs@uwyo.edu.

• I’m in the military. Will this program work for me?
  Since this program uses distance delivery methods, it is ideal for military personnel who may have duty assignments that require moving from place to place. Accredited courses that you may take as part of your military training that lead to an Associate's degree will come in as coursework in your major. However, your military service will not come in directly as the required two years of work experience for entry into this program.
• Will I have an adviser?
  All students have an assigned adviser who will work with the student throughout their degree program. The adviser will analyze General Transfer Credits for program equivalents, work with the student to determine how many courses per semester they want to take, recommend the appropriate course sequence so that prerequisites are followed, and answer any questions the student might have about their program.
  
  The current adviser, and the only one approved to advise BAS students, is Rosalind Grenfell, Manager of Student Advising for UW-C and the Outreach School, University of Wyoming. Her email contact information is rgrenfell@uwyo.edu and she can also be reached by phone at 1-800-860-2398 or (307) 268-2398. She can also help with any questions you might have prior to applying for the B.A.S.
• What is required for degree completion?
  The B.A.S. has four basic components. These components are university studies, career specialty, professional concentration, and electives. All students graduating from the University of Wyoming must have 48 hours of credit at the 3000 and 4000 level; 30 total hours in the degree program must be completed through the University of Wyoming.
  
  The University Studies Program (USP) Component consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours as adopted by the UW faculty and the Articulation Agreement between UW and the Wyoming Community Colleges (www.uwyo.edu/unst/Artic_agree_full.pdf). Students with an Associate of Applied Science degree from a Wyoming community college will normally matriculate with 15-20 hours of credit that count toward this component. The remainder may be acquired as part of the student's UW coursework, including the Professional Concentration or Electives coursework.
  
  The Career Specialty Component is fulfilled with the Associate of Applied Science degree. This component will consist of a minimum of 40 credit hours in the major.
  
  The Professional Concentration Component is the advanced component of the program and the courses are selected by the student and the advisor. The specifics may vary according to the student's program, community college, and the student's interests and career aspirations. However, all students are required to take a range of courses from the prescribed set of areas of concentration within this component. This component provides the breadth and depth of learning necessary for a baccalaureate degree. This component will consist of 36-40 upper division or articulated equivalent credit hours.
  
  The Elective Component will consist of the number of credit hours needed (after completing the other three components) to complete the minimum total credit hours (120) required by the College of Agriculture. This component also provides an opportunity for each student to individualize their learning to fit their career aspirations.
• I have 100 hours of transfer credit. Do I have only 20 hours of coursework to complete to receive the BAS degree?
  While a minimum of 120 hours of coursework are needed for the B.A.S.degree, students must complete the coursework on the check list and all University Studies Program (USP) requirements, including 48 hours of upper division (3000 and 4000 level coursework), 30 of which must come from the University of Wyoming.
  
  Note on the check list that each category indicates the number of hours needed and how many courses are required for each area of the degree program.
• What if I decide to change my major once I’ve been accepted into the B.A.S. program?
  If you decide to change your major from the B.A.S. to another program that will result in a B.S. or B.A. degree, you may lose some credit hours if your original degree was an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.). The B.A.S. program accepts technical and other credits associated with an A.A.S. that may not be applicable for other degree programs. Should you contemplate changing your major, it is recommended that you work with an adviser so you understand fully what the change will entail.
• How do I sign up for classes?
  Advising will occur every October/November for spring courses, and every March for summer and fall enrollment. Once your adviser has recommended the courses you need to take, you can sign up for courses using the WyoWeb portal at http://wyoweb.uwyo.edu or call 1-800-448-7801. For Correspondence Study, enroll by phone at 1-800-448-7801 or FAX at (307) 766-4048. Do not attempt to register for courses without first contacting your advisor. Failure to do so may result in being dropped from your classes!
• How do I get textbooks?
  Once you have enrolled in a course, contact the University Bookstore at 1-800-423-5809 or order books online using the WyoWeb portal at http://wyoweb.uwyo.edu. Books can be charged and will be shipped directly to you.
• What is SI?
  SI is Supplemental Instruction. It is an option in your AGRI 3000 course and you may find it in other online courses in your program as well. Supplemental instruction sessions are designed to promote greater student interaction and peer support. Supplemental instruction sessions are facilitated by an undergraduate or graduate student leader who attends the course regularly and engages in the readings and discussions. Most SI leaders have already taken and successfully completed the course, and had the same teacher as the students he/she is leading. It has also been shown in studies that students who regularly attend SI sessions are more successful in the course. More information on SI is available at www.uwyo.edu/learn/si/.
• Are there internship possibilities? I have been accepted into the B.A.S. program and want to complete an internship as part of my Career Electives category. Can I register for an internship right away?
  AGRI 4960 is an internship that was created just for B.A.S. students. It can be applied to the Career Elective portion of the degree program. In order to take AGRI 4960 B.A.S. Internship, you must

  1. Be in your final year in the B.A.S. program, preferably in your final semester.
  2. Have gotten approval from your adviser to contact Dr. Karen Williams.
  3. Contact Dr. Karen Williams for internship site approval and to receive the course syllabus.
  4. Return the signed legal liability form that Dr. Williams will send you during finals week the semester prior to enrollment in the internship.
  5. Hold a conference call with Dr. Williams, you, and your on-site mentor to approve your project and create a contract for that project.
• May I count prior courses as Career Electives?
  All Career Electives must be taken at the 3000 or 4000 level and must directly relate to your career goals. Courses taken as part of your associate's degree can't count. All Career Electives must be approved by your adviser, Rosalind Grenfell. For any course in the Career Electives category, you must write an email prior to taking the course that indicates a justification for counting the course as a Career Elective. This is true of the internship as well. Once Mrs. Grenfell approves your ability to take a course in the Career Elective category, you may register for the course. Failure to get prior approval will mean that the course cannot count as a Career Elective.
• What about Financial Aid?
  Planning ahead is critical for financial aid options, including possible support from your employer. Please contact the University of Wyoming Outreach School Regional Centers in your area for general information about financial aid. You may also call 1-800-448-7801, UW Outreach Credit Programs, and ask to be transferred to the UW Financial Aid Office. As a student in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, you will have the opportunity to be considered for a Brand of Excellence scholarship. The scholarship application, instructions, and deadlines can be found on the following webpage http://www.uwyo.edu/agprograms/scholarships/. For more information please contact the Office of Academic & Student Programs at 307-766-4135.

The University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UW Outreach Credit Programs wish you the very best in pursuing your dreams of continuing your education and career aspirations. Please do not hesitate to call or contact us.