The student must be registered full-time for a minimum of four semesters. Two semesters of part-time study at Rensselaer will be considered equivalent to one semester of full-time study. In addition, the student must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours at Rensselaer, all of which will be applied to the Baccalaureate degree. If a transfer student elects to study abroad or enroll in the co-op program, no more than 12 such credits may apply to the 48 needed for the Bachelor's degree. The student's plan of study at Rensselaer must include at least 16 credits of courses above the 1000 level in the major field, or in an approved concentration.

The Institute requires a degree candidate to earn the last 30 credits in courses completed on this campus or through a program formally recognized by the Institute. Transfer courses are limited to two courses or eight credits counting towards the student's last 30 credits and require approval of the director of the Advising and Learning Assistance Center.