(B)
Policy
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A baccalaureate degree program enables
students to achieve the intellectual, ethical, and cultural maturity that will
allow them to become responsible participants in our society. Each student's
path toward this goal is unique, reflecting both the student's interests and
talents and the range of opportunities for study. Students make choices among
selected sets of courses while satisfying the requirements of a particular
degree program, and they are encouraged to take other courses (free electives)
to explore individual academic interests.
Students progress toward a
baccalaureate degree by completing courses that satisfy a combination of
university, college, and major/specialization requirements. Some courses may
satisfy more than one requirement, so students should work closely with their
advisors to determine which allowable combination will meet their own needs.
Other courses may meet a student's particular educational needs yet may not be
used to meet degree requirements. These include all developmental courses
(below the 1000 level), some courses retaken for credit (see Retaking a course)
and any courses identified specifically as non-applicable to a degree. Each
student is ultimately responsible for knowing which requirements
apply.
(1)
University requirements Students in all baccalaureate
degree programs must:
(a)
Earn a minimum of one hundred twenty-two semester hours
of credit. At least thirty credit hours must be BGSU courses. There are no
exceptions to either the "one hundred twenty-two total hour" rule or to the
"thirty hours BGSU courses" rule. In addition, to ensure that the program of
study is complete, coherent, and satisfies BGSU standards, specific courses
that are integral to the degree, as identified in the check sheet for the
major, must be taken at BGSU (e.g., capstone courses or similar culminating
experience).
(b)
(b)
Earn an
accumulative grade point average of at least two point zero ("C" average) for
all coursework attempted.
(c)
Complete the BG perspective requirements, including
completion of the first-year English composition sequence, preferably in the
first year. A penalty applies if the sequence is delayed past the second year;
see writing proficiency.
(d)
Complete at least forty hours of credit in courses
numbered 3000 and above.
(e)
Satisfy all requirements for a degree listed in one of
the college sections of this catalog (see "College requirements"
below in this policy
(f)
File an
application for graduation. Forms, available in college offices, should be
completed and submitted to the student's college dean.
(i)
For graduation in
December, an application must be filed by the end of the second week of the
fall semester.
(ii)
For graduation in May, the deadline for filing an
application is the end of the second week of the spring
semester.
(iii)
For graduation in August, the filing deadline is the
end of the first week of the summer session.
A student who does not fulfill all
requirements toward a degree within four weeks after commencement must reapply
for graduation at the next commencement.
(2)
College requirements
The requirements for specific
baccalaureate degrees are described in the appropriate college sections of this
catalog. These may include any of the following:
(a)
Additional study
in particular knowledge domains expected of all students in the college but not
included in the BG perspective program (for example, courses in mathematics,
communications, or language study).
(b)
Completion of a
major or specialization and, in some cases, a minor (see major/specialization
requirements below in this
policy
(c)
Proficiency in specialized skill areas (for example,
aural skills and keyboard proficiency for the bachelor of music
degree).
(d)
Completion of an internship or cooperative education
experience.
(e)
Completion of coursework beyond the one hundred
twenty-two credit minimum required by the university.
(f)
Attainment of a
specified minimum grade in one or more core courses (for example, candidates
for the B.S. in education must earn a "C" or better in COMM 1020).
In addition, colleges may specify
requirements that degree candidates must meet in order to remain in degree
programs. For example, colleges may require a proficiency test, audition,
interview, portfolio review, completion of a specific course, or attainment of
a specified grade point average before admission to upper-level
courses.
(3)
Major/specialization requirements
Most (but not all) degrees include
requirements for an academic major or specialization. The major provides the
student with in-depth practical and theoretical knowledge in one particular
area of study. Many majors or specializations offer students alternative paths
of study, and students are encouraged to pursue personal interests by taking
elective courses related to the major. Study in a major or specialization may
focus on courses taught in a single department or program, but may also include
related courses in other parts of the university. Some degree programs also
require the student to complete a minor, a prescribed set of courses similar to
a major but more limited in scope. Students may also voluntarily complete a
minor offered by another academic unit.
(4)
Minor
A "minor" represents a student's
commitment to a body of knowledge separate from the student's principal area of
study ("principal area of study" refers to a major, specialization, or-in those
cases where a named degree is the sole transcript designation-a named degree).
In recognition of this distinction, a minor will include a minimum of fifteen
hours that cannot be applied toward the student's principal area of study or
another minor.
Any particular minor may or may not be
available to a student, depending on the student's principal area of study. In
those cases where the courses in the principal area of study overlap broadly
with the courses in the minor, such that there are not fifteen hours in the
minor different from the courses in the principal area of study, that minor
cannot be taken in the context of that principal area of study (e.g., students
may not major and minor in the same discipline). Substitutions to course
requirements for a minor are the jurisdiction of the program offering the
minor.
By contrast, a "specialization" is a
requirement for a set of courses representing a sub-discipline within a major
or named degree. "Degree," "major," "specialization," and "minor" are all
official transcript designations. Other designations, such as concentration,
emphasis, option, cognate, or track, do not appear on students' transcripts;
they represent unofficial groupings of courses within a principal area of
study.
(5)
Dual degree programs
A candidate for a baccalaureate degree
who desires to take a second degree from a different college within the
university may:
(a)
Take work in the second college after graduating from
the university or
(b)
Qualify for the dual degree program by meeting the
requirements listed below.
A student desiring a dual degree
must:
(i)
Secure permission of the deans of both colleges before
the end of the junior year,
(ii)
Complete the
requirements of both colleges for the degrees sought, and
(iii)
Complete at
least twenty hours of credit beyond the hours required for a single
degree.
Date: January 2015
