Regents Bachelor of Arts
The Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) is a non-traditional, interdisciplinary degree option designed to help adult students just like you earn a bachelor’s degree.
The RBA degree caters to working adults by providing a cost-effective, online program that lets students customize their education to match their interests.
Students who participate in the RBA degree program at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia have many different reasons for enrolling, including:
- Expanding career opportunities and increasing earning potential
- Undergraduate preparation for a master’s degree
- Fulfilling a promise to themselves or others
- Serving as a strong role model for their children
Through our flexible RBA program, Marshall University accepts transfer credit for courses completed at regionally accredited community colleges as well as at four-year colleges and universities. In addition, veterans are eligible to receive credit for their military training. You can complete your degree with online and/or classroom courses, and can choose from among 22 areas of emphasis.
Since 1975, Marshall University’s RBA degree completion program has graduated more than 7,000 students.
The RBA degree completion program at Marshall University might be a good choice if you:
- Graduated high school at least four years ago
- Started college but never finished
- Earned an associate degree and would like to build on that foundation
- Need a college degree to advance your career
- Are interested in intellectual growth or personal achievement
The Regents Bachelor of Arts degree at Marshall offers many options:
- Tailor your academic program, based on your individual needs and goals, with the help of an academic advisor. As a general studies degree, our Regents Bachelor of Arts degree offers many opportunities.
- Choose a minor or an area of emphasis so your degree reflects your interests and aptitudes.
- Take advantage of College Equivalent Credits (CEC), which are awarded for certain kinds of training, learning experiences, certificates and licenses. This includes credits for military training.
- Benefit from academic forgiveness, which means that failing grades received four or more years before admission to the RBA program will not be calculated into your final grade point average.
- Complete your RBA online without ever needing to be on campus, with more than 100 courses available at your fingertips. RBA students also can access the WVROCKS online courses (see below).
- Take traditional classroom courses at one of our convenient West Virginia locations: Marshall’s Huntington and South Charleston campuses or the Mid-Ohio Valley Center in Point Pleasant.
- Use free technology resources to help prepare for online courses and necessary computer proficiency.
An area of emphasis enables RBA students to choose a specific academic focus as part of the RBA degree completion program. An area of emphasis is not required for the RBA degree and not all areas of emphasis are available online. An RBA area of emphasis requires a minimum of 15 hours of 300-400 level courses and earning a C or higher grade for each course. Here are the various options:
- Computer
- Digital Forensics (25 hours)
- Information Assurance (23 hours)
- Web Application Development (24 hours)
- Game Development (24 hours)
- Instructional Technology and Library Science (15 hours)
- Creative Writing and Art
- Creative Writing in English (15 hours)
- Studio Art (21 hours)
- Humanities
- Religious Studies (18 hours)
- Literature in English (15 hours)
- Social Science
- Anthropology (18 hours)
- Communication Studies (18 hours)
- Criminal Justice (18 hours)
- Geography (18-19 hours)
- GIScience Geography (19 hours)
- Human Geography (18 hours)
- Physical Geography (18 hours)
- Military Science (18 hours)
- Political Science (15 hours)
- Psychology (18 hours)
- Sociology (18 hours)
- Women’s Studies (18 hours)
- Education
- Preschool Development (21 hours)
The Regents Bachelor of Arts degree is a general studies bachelor’s degree, which provides a sound foundation to pursue many career paths. RBA graduates also choose to go on to professional schools, law school and graduate school at a variety of institutions, including Marshall University.
Since the average age of an RBA student is 35, most graduates of the program want to earn a credential to get a promotion with their current employer or to change career paths with a bachelor’s degree.
Marshall RBA graduates have held a variety of professional positions, including:
- CEO, Steel of West Virginia
- Bank inspector, FDIC
- Vice president, Marshall University
- Fire department chief and one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Huntington, West Virginia
- Vice president of communications, Ford Europe
- Former interim Marshall University president
- Physicians and lawyers also have earned RBA degrees.
The West Virginia Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System (WVROCKS) is a statewide portal designed to facilitate the completion of the RBA degree for all students enrolled in the program at any state institution of higher learning. All courses are taught by faculty employed at one of West Virginia’s colleges or universities. Because participating colleges and universities will cross-list the courses in their schedules, you will receive credit toward the completion of your degree no matter which state institution hosts the course.
WVROCKS offers important benefits, including:
- Accelerated courses that can be completed in eight weeks instead of 16.
- Complete flexibility since WVROCKS delivers education directly to your computer, 24/7, at home or work — anyplace internet access is available.
- Affordability at $250 per credit hour.
- Connect with our staff and learn more about the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree.
- Meet some of our current students and hear about their favorite Marshall moments.
- Discover different RBA careers and where you can go with this type of degree.
- Ask questions and obtain any help you need with the application and enrollment process.
- Explore whether you’d prefer to earn your RBA online or in person.
Technology: Free technology courses are available to help prepare R.B.A. students for online courses and necessary computer proficiency. For information about technology resources and recommendations, please contact the IT Service Desk or visit the IT website.
Libraries: Marshall University Online students can access online databases, web-based digital collections and other library resources from anywhere, both on and off-campus, by using their student ID number. The libraries’ online catalog and more than 90 web-based databases provide citation-level searching and full-text retrieval of articles accessible from the Libraries’ website. Students who are completely off-campus should check out Off-Campus Library Services.