Application Details
- Complete an Application for Admission.
- Request delivery of the following documents:
- Official and final High School Transcript*
- Official College Transcripts
NOTE – Undergraduate applicants who have previously completed a bachelor’s degree will be requested to provide official collegiate transcripts prior to admittance; high school transcripts and ACT/SAT/CLT test scores will not be required for admittance.
*When requesting delivery of official transcripts, please request that your institution mail your materials to the following address, or email them to [email protected].
Admissions Office
3003 Snelling Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55113
General education and elective courses can be earned through on-site or online courses or transferred from other institutions. Talk to your admission counselor about details specific to your situation.
Degree Requirements
A student must complete at least 125 credits in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. In addition to major courses, there are 31 credits of General Education courses required and between 56 and 58 credits of electives.
A minimum of 30 credits must be completed at the UNW and 50% of major courses must be completed at UNW.
Electives
You will need to earn or transfer 33-58 elective credits, depending on your major. In addition to taking classes at Northwestern you may be able to earn elective credits through the options listed below. Talk to your admission counselor for more information.
- Credit by Examination (e.g., DSST/CLEP)
- Online programs
- Additional college courses
- Vocational or technical credits
- Prior learning essays
- Military training
- Internships
Prior learning refers to formal ways of evaluating informal learning. It is a method whereby an educational institution like Northwestern can apply formal academic standards to learning experiences that occur outside our courses through a professional portfolio submission. By formally evaluating these experiences in a portfolio, we can award college credit that acknowledges the learning as part of a student’s undergraduate curriculum. Your academic advisor is available to support you in this pursuit.
Questions? Connect with an Admissions Counselor!

Justin Otto
Senior Admissions Counselor & Outreach Specialist
Before working at UNW, Justin was a Pastor of Student Ministries for over 20 years where he came alongside…
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Patrick McSpedon
Senior Admissions Counselor & Partnership Specialist
I joined the non-traditional admissions team at the University of Northwestern in February 2024. As a…
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