51³Ô¹ÏÍø

For its entire history, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has been committed to the liberal arts as the best educational preparation for life. At various points in the College’s past, the faculty has reassessed the curriculum, revising it in the light of changes in our society, and in student needs and aspirations. In this same tradition, the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø curriculum today is designed to reaffirm—and to demonstrate—the continuing fundamental value of liberal education as a preparation for life, for personal success, and for collective civic welfare in the 21st century.

The academic program is structured by five goals: a shared understanding of liberal arts education in a community of like-minded learners (First Year Experience), cultivating the skills of human inquiry (Elements), developing expertise in a field of study (Specialization), appreciating the local and global contexts in which we learn and act (Civic Engagement), and deep engagement with learning in context through hands-on experiences (Immersion/Active Learning). The advising system engages students in a four-year dialogue with faculty through which they develop personalized plans addressing these five goals, but tailored to their own unique aspirations, values, and talents.

In addition to addressing 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's five broad academic goals, each student's academic program is enriched by special opportunities, such as off-campus study, internships, independent research, the ASSET Program, the Honors Program, the McNair Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program, immersive terms such as Repertory Term and Start-Up Term, or other special departmentally-sponsored projects (see the Special Programs and Opportunities section of this catalog).

Aspirations for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Graduates

In keeping with the mission of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, our aspirations for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø graduates reflect the College’s commitment to individuals, their communities, and their roles and responsibilities in a global society.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø graduates will:

1. Live personal and professional lives characterized by integrity, intellectual curiosity, creativity, imagination, thoughtful reflection, and critical thinking.
2. Engage effectively with the challenges and opportunities of the wider world in order to contribute to the lives of others, whether locally, nationally, or globally.
3. Live their lives with competence, confidence, and a sense of proportion.

The Honor System

Academic and intellectual integrity is the fundamental principle that guides 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. All academic work at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is conducted under the Honor System, which was established by student initiative at the College in 1951. The system is based on individual integrity and concern for the welfare of the academic community.

By accepting admission to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, each student affirms that the primary responsibility for academic honesty rests with them. All students are morally responsible for the integrity of their own work.

The Honor System is overseen by the Honor Board, which consists of at least three seniors, three juniors, three sophomores, and three faculty members. Cases of dishonesty in academic matters are referred to the Honor Board, whose obligation it is to investigate all cases of alleged violation of the Honor System, to determine guilt or innocence, and to specify penalties.

See the publication, The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Honor System, for further details.

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science

Students who satisfy the degree requirements as outlined in the next section earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts. However, students who chose to complete additional courses in certain majors in the sciences may elect to receive the degree of Bachelor of Science. The Bachelor of Science is available for students who major in the following specializations: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, and Psychology. The Bachelor of Arts is also available in these majors. Normally, students indicate their intention to complete the Bachelor of Science when they declare their first specialization (major) at the end of the second year. Students must declare their choice of the Bachelor of Science major with the Registrar no later than the term prior to their final term at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Requirements for Graduation

Students may fulfill the graduation requirements in effect when they first matriculate, or any set subsequently in effect while they are continuously candidates for a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø degree (enrolled or "on leave" status). Students who withdraw may be required to fulfill the requirements that are in effect after they are readmitted. Students seeking a substitution for or an exception to graduation requirements must submit a petition to the Curriculum Committee at least one term prior to graduation. Students requesting exceptions to this rule must petition the Curriculum Committee and, if an exception is granted, the student will incur a late petition fee.

The requirements for graduation with a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø degree include the satisfactory completion of 36 credits (Credit requirement), including a minimum of 13.5 credits earned at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø (Residence requirement). Additional details on the Credit and Residence requirements are listed in the Academic Rules and Regulations section of this catalog.

The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø educational program is organized into two broad categories: the General Education Program and Specialization.

The General Education Program has four components:

1. First Year Experience: First-Year Preceptorial and other curricular and co-curricular opportunities.
2. Elements: seven areas of study that cultivate the skills of liberal learning.

3. Civic Engagement: appreciation for the local and global contexts for learning.
4. Immersion/Active Learning: out-of-classroom, hands-on learning experiences.

Specialization: Every student must complete a major field of study, plus a second field of concentration (a second major, or a minor, or two minors).

1. First Year Experience

The first year of a student’s 51³Ô¹ÏÍø career is crucial in establishing the range of both opportunities and responsibilities that inform liberal learning. The First Year Experience (FYE) offers a robust year-long program marked by intentional connections between curricular and co-curricular experiences that build on the opportunities a residential campus offers. The goals of the FYE are to support students in becoming authors of their own education, in making the transition from prescribed to active learning, and become engaged members of their community and the larger world.

The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø FYE program provides many opportunities to pursue these goals, including:

• an enhanced advising system to more fully develop students’ ownership of their educational program,
• First-Year Preceptorial (FP), a required course designed as an introduction to liberal arts learning,
• a residential curriculum, which cultivates the varied skills and strategies for success in college including the ability to communicate within a diverse community,
• courses that are composed mostly or even entirely of first-year students,
• options for 0.5 credit co-requisite or skills development courses to support student success,
• an option to participate in a living-learning community, a single suite dedicated to a particular course or theme,
• availability of tutoring and peer mentoring from fellow students.

First-Year Preceptorial is the cornerstone of the FYE. Students must pass this interdisciplinary course in the first term of the first year. Students who enter in the winter or spring and who are classified as first-year students must pass First-Year Preceptorial in the fall term immediately following their enrollment.

Students who transfer to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø with a year of on-campus coursework or who do not pass First-Year Preceptorial will meet with the Associate Dean of the College to determine an appropriate substitution. The Curriculum Committee may set guidelines for these substitutions.

Learning Goals for the FYE
At the end of the first year, students will be able to:

• Display habits of sound critical thinking in discussion and written and oral communication through effective listening, oral presentation, and writing skills.
• Understand their college as a place to explore new ideas and a safe environment in which to take intellectual and creative risks, encountering differing points of view with civility and respect and engaging with issues of power, inequity, and social justice.
• Articulate a sense of belonging at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and demonstrate a sense of responsibility toward others and their community.
• Develop individual strategies for academic success and resilience, including time management skills and self-care skills based on an awareness of what constitutes wellness.
• Engage in meaningful interactions with students, faculty, or staff through contribution to collaborative learning and team projects, through meaningful participation in collaborative learning projects with faculty, staff, or other students.
• Articulate the value of an intentionally conceived education and show an understanding of what constitutes academic integrity.

2. Elements

The Elements are perhaps our deepest connection to the liberal arts tradition, representing the broad learning our students pursue to shape themselves as multifaceted and well-informed critical thinkers. Each Element is just one facet of an interconnected approach to knowing about the world. By learning to view the world from each elemental perspective, students become critically aware and active participants in the evolution of thought and culture. While each Element brings its own perspective to knowledge, the elements combine to lead students to a greater understanding than can be achieved by each in isolation from the others.

Learning Goals for the Elements
Graduates of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø will be able to participate as informed agents in the 21st century by using the skills, critical practices, and perspectives associated with the liberal arts. This multifaceted and critical perspective will be evidenced by students’ ability to:

1) Communicate in a second language
In our global, multilingual, and international society, individuals with knowledge of more than one language are able to engage dynamically among transnational and local communities. Through their study of language, students will gain cultural insights.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Interpret, interact, and present in the language of study at the novice level or above.
• Use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the practices, products, and perspectives of the culture(s) studied.

2) Analyze social, economic or political aspects of human behavior
The human experience cannot be understood without studying social systems. This Element engages students in the exploration of social organization and structures, the behavior of groups, and/or the behavior of individuals in a social context.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Analyze historical or contemporary patterns of individual or group behaviors and/or the social structures in which these behaviors are embedded.
• Use recognized disciplinary methodologies to understand human behavior.

3) Critically examine questions of power and inequity
An educated citizenry requires an understanding of the dynamics and consequences of social power and inequalities, and the relationship of these issues to the representation and production of knowledge. Through their immersion in this Element, students will become more conscientious and self-aware.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Recognize and discuss issues of power and inequity in diverse human societies.
• Articulate ways that specific cultural perspectives and personal experiences shape individual reality.
• Examine and critique cultural perspectives, including their own.

4) Engage in artistic creation
Artistic expression is universal to human experience, and creativity is essential to imagining and shaping the future. Students will pursue creative expression through the manipulation of an artistic medium - written word, performance, or visual product. Through this experience, students are empowered to develop creative works and become more critically aware makers and consumers of culture.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Engage in the creative process.
• Evaluate creative works in dialogue with peers and in light of critical and cultural frameworks.
• Communicate about the artistic process while developing strategies to further one’s creative work.

5) Interpret human experience through text, sound, visual image or performance
This Element acknowledges the value and significance of human creation and culture. Through their engagement with this Element, students will expand their awareness of the human experience.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Articulate questions of ongoing human significance that arise from the study of cultural products.
• Critically analyze productions of human creativity and thought.
• Defend their analysis using evidence and interpretation.

6) Conduct scientific inquiry
In the 21st century, responsible citizenship requires understanding the ways in which we learn about the natural world and our place in it. Scientific inquiry is a fundamental way in which we gain such knowledge. Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Articulate an understanding of important concepts and theories about the physical or natural world.
• Formulate and test hypotheses.
• Analyze and interpret data.

7) Apply quantitative analyses or symbolic reasoning
The ability to use logical reasoning to solve quantitative problems and to understand the meaning of the vast amount of data that is now available is essential.  This Element explores the ways in which problems can be represented, approached, or solved through logical reasoning and the manipulation of symbols - including numeric and mathematical representation.

Students who satisfy this Element will be able to:

• Form quantitative or symbolic models.
• Solve problems using quantitative analyses, logical reasoning, or both.
• Construct arguments to verify their work.

Courses satisfying the Elements requirement

One credit can be taken from any of the following courses, with each course to count only once in satisfaction of the Elements requirements.

1. Communicate in a second language: CHIN 103, FREN 103/A, GERM 103, GRK 103, JAPN 103, LAT 103, SPAN 103/A/Q, all 200-level language classes except for those taught in English. A student who reads, writes and speaks a language other than English may request a proficiency waiver and determine an appropriate course substitution for this requirement by contacting the Associate Dean of the College. Appropriate replacement courses must address cross-cultural communication and are subject to approval by the Curriculum Committee. Such replacement courses may include, but are not limited to, modern languages courses taught in English and cultural and area studies courses in ANSO, ASIA, CLAS, FILM, and HIST.
2. Analyze social, economic or political aspects of human behavior: AFST 122, AFST 122B, AFST 208, AFST 278, AFST 301, AFST 346, ANSO 102, ANSO 103, ANSO 201, ANSO 212, ANSO 223, ANSO 229, ANSO 247, ANSO 249, ANSO 275, ANSO 276, ANSO 346, ART 204, ASIA 141, ASIA 142, BUS 280, CLAS 104, CLAS 110, CLAS 111, CLAS 204, CLAS 232, CLAS 271D, ECON 110, ECON 120, EDUC 201, EDUC 202, EDUC 203, ENVS 110, ENVS 115, GERM 332, GERM 332E, GERM 334, GERM 334E, GWST 101, GWST 167, GWST 205, GWST 227, GWST 231, GWST 332, HIST 104, HIST 105, HIST 106, HIST 107, HIST 110, HIST 111, HIST 113, HIST 115, HIST 122, HIST 122A, HIST 122B, HIST 133, HIST 142, HIST 160, HIST 161, HIST 167, HIST 181, HIST 202, HIST 226, HIST 229, HIST 232, HIST 281, HIST 363, JOUR 123, JOUR 223, LAST 122, LAST 227, LAST 231, LAST 275, PHIL 215, PJST 205, PJST 211, PJST 223, PJST 229, PJST 249, PS 101, PS 122, PS 125, PS 128, PS 135, PS 206, PS 210, PS 220, PS 227, PS 231, PS 234, PS 236, PS 237, PS 240, PS 245, PS 268, PSYC 205, PSYC 234, PSYC 268, PSYC 278, RELS 101, RELS 113, RELS 221, RELS 230, RELS 232, RELS 247, RELS 249, RELS 399, RELS 399A-C,
3. Critically examine questions of power and inequity: AFST 101, AFST 122, AFST 122B, AFST 208, AFST 210, AFST 227, AFST 228, AFST 254, AFST 278, AFST 301, AMST 227, AMST 241, ANSO 102, ANSO 103, ANSO 201, ANSO 212, ANSO 229, ANSO 231, ANSO 241, ANSO 247, ANSO 249, ANSO 276, ASIA 221, ASIA 320, ASIA 321, CHIN 221, CHIN 320, CHIN 321, CLAS 203, ECON 295QQ, EDUC 201, ENG 242, ENG 245, ENG 245E, ENG 261, ENG 286J, ENG 386E, ENVS 228, ENVS 231, FILM 227, FILM 261, FREN 110E, GERM 155, GERM 332, GERM 332E, GWST 101, GWST 167, GWST 205, GWST 222, GWST 227, GWST 231, GWST 261, GWST 322, GWST 332, GWST 333, GWST 334, HIST 113, HIST 122, HIST 122A, HIST 122B, HIST 133, HIST 160, HIST 161, HIST 167, HIST 181, HIST 226, HIST 227, HIST 228, HIST 229, HIST 281, HIST 363, IDIS 120, IDIS 220, IS 155, LAST 122, LAST 227, LAST 230B-E, LAST 231, LAST 326, LAST 334, MUS 104, MUS 130, MUS 195C, MUS 210, MUS 216, MUS 254, PJST 100, PJST 120, PJST 130, PJST 205, PJST 211, PJST 220, PJST 228, PJST 229, PJST 241, PJST 243, PJST 245, PJST 249, PJST 326, PJST 333, PJST 334, PS 122, PS 125, PS 128, PS 227, PS 231, PS 236, PS 237, PS 241, PS 243, PS 268, PS 326, PS 333, PS 334, PSYC 278, RELS 113, RELS 203, RELS 221, RELS 230, RELS 247, RELS 249, SPAN 230A-E,
4. Engage in artistic creation: ART 110, ART 112, ART 113, ART 114, ART 115, ART 116, ART 117, ART 119, ART 214, ART 218, ART 284, DANC 145, DANC 152, DANC 252, ENG 104, ENG 205, ENG 206, ENG 207, ENG 208, ENG 209, ENVS 284, ENVS 384, JOUR 112, JOUR 119, MUS 100, MUS 125, MUS 145, MUS 176, MUS 257, MUSL 100*, THTR 121, THTR 131, THTR 209, THTR 222, THTR 224, THTR 233, THTR 271
5. Interpret human experience through text, sound, visual image, or performance: AFST 101, AFST 210, AFST 227, AFST 285, AMST 227, ANSO 223, ART 105, ART 106, ART 202, ART 204, ASIA 114, ASIA 221/321, ASIA 225, CHIN 221, CHIN 225, CHIN 321, CLAS 104, CLAS 110, CLAS 111, CLAS 202, CLAS 203, CLAS 204, CLAS 232, CLAS 270, DANC 132, DANC 260, ENG 105, ENG 120, ENG 123, ENG 124, ENG 125, ENG 126, ENG 200, ENG 204, ENG 205, ENG 223, ENG 227, ENG 231, ENG 232, ENG 245, ENG 245E, ENG 247, ENG 251, ENG 252, ENG 253, ENG 261, ENG 286J, ENG 351, ENG 352, ENG 353, ENG 386E, ENVS 118, ENVS 126, FILM 124, FILM 151, FILM 225, FILM 227, FILM 240, FILM 261, FILM 337, FREN 110E, FREN 215, FREN 240E, FREN 330D, GERM 151, GERM 152, GERM 155, GERM 235, GERM 337/337E, GRK 211/311 through 218/318, GWST 222, GWST 261, GWST 322, HIST 104, HIST 110, HIST 111, HIST 227, HIST 232, IS 155, JOUR 223, JOUR 241C, LAST 235, LAT 211/311 through 218/318, MUS 101, MUS 103, MUS 104, MUS 116, MUS 131, MUS 132, MUS 195C, MUS 210, MUS 216, MUS 244, PHIL 114, PHIL 115, PHIL 116, PHIL 118, PHIL 123, PHIL 125, PHIL 130, PHIL 142, PHIL 195F, PHIL 206, PHIL 207, PHIL 210, PHIL 211, PHIL 212, PHIL 218, PHIL 228, PHIL 230, PHIL 244, PHIL 245, PHIL 247, PHIL 270, PHIL 276, PHIL 284, PHIL 306, PHIL 307, PJST 118, PJST 131, PJST 212, PJST 223, PJST 230A, PJST 230B, PJST 245, RELS 114, RELS 125, RELS 203, RELS 230, RELS 232, RELS 241/241D, RELS 284, RELS 399, RELS 399C, SPAN 235, THTR 151, THTR 251, THTR 281, THTR 351, THTR 352, THTR 353, THTR 381
6. Conduct scientific inquiry: ANSO 203, BIOL 110, BIOL 120, BIOL 130, CHEM 100A, CHEM 102A, CHEM 205, CHEM 211, CHEM 273, ENVS 101, ENVS 125, ENVS 170, PHYS 110, PHYS 120, PHYS 130, PHYS 130A, PHYS 161, PHYS 163, PHYS 165, PHYS 167, PHYS 205, PHYS 242, PSYC 100, PSYC 201, PSYC 202
7. Apply quantitative or symbolic reasoning: BIOL 331, BUS 333,CHEM 205, CS 141, CS 142, CS 208, ECON 110, ECON 120, ECON 333, ENVS 188, MATH 121, MATH 123, MATH 131, MATH 145, MATH 146, MATH 151, MATH 152, MATH 175, MATH 185, MATH 205, MATH 225, MUS 245, PHIL 202, PHYS 110, PHYS 120, PHYS 130, PHYS 130A, PHYS 205, PS 200, PSYC 281, STAT 200, STAT 225

3. Civic Engagement

Since its inception, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has held that an education should have social relevance. Throughout the curriculum and residential life, students are encouraged to develop broad interests in the social impact for their intellectual work. Whether in engagement with political institutions and matters of justice, the environment and sustainable impact of human activity, issues of power and equity as they relate to our diverse 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community, and understanding social change in the wider world in which we operate, a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø education emphasizes the importance of placing knowledge in local and global contexts.

In consultation with their academic advisors, students will have numerous opportunities to take courses or engage in other activities in pursuit of this goal. These may include:

• courses that explore the operation of human society and ramifications of collective action, as one finds in the social sciences,
• courses that expose one to the diversity of cultural and historical experience, as one finds in many humanistic fields, foreign languages, cultural and area studies, and the arts,
• courses that consider the consequences of science and technological progress, including their ethical components. Courses throughout the sciences, but also throughout the other areas of the curriculum, study these questions.

There is not a specified catalogue of courses that support students in pursuit of this requirement. Instead, in conversation with academic advisors, students can identify courses that allow them to reflect on these issues in the context of their specific educational programs while satisfying their interests.

Coursework is not the only way to explore the local and global contexts for a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø education. Community service, internships, off-campus study, and advanced research can lead students to enhance their understanding of how to apply their knowledge in the other contexts. Four centers–Bastian Family Center for Career Success, Kleine Center for Community Service, Stellyes Center for Global Studies, Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study–have been established to guide you in pursuit of these endeavors. (See the Special Programs and Opportunities section of this catalog.) These activities may earn academic credit, subject to the approval of a sponsoring faculty member. Academic credit, however, is not essential to achieve the goals of this requirement.

4. Immersion / Active Learning Experiences

Immersive and active learning experiences are quintessential features of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø education. When operating within these environments, students can apply what they are learning, address real-world problems, and develop the abilities to which 51³Ô¹ÏÍø graduates should aspire. These experiences are available both on and off campus. The Power of Experience can make a wide variety of immersive and active learning experiences possible. Students may complete multiple qualifying experiences.

Students who fulfill this requirement will:

• Apply their educational experience in a student-initiated, non-traditional, or intensive learning environment
• Develop their ability to navigate complex and unpredictable situations
• Reflect upon their experience and make connections to their academic program at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

51³Ô¹ÏÍø offers multiple pathways for completing the Immersion / Active Learning Experience requirement:

• On-Campus Courses and Credit-Bearing Opportunities: Certain on-campus courses and other formally designated immersion programs have been pre-approved by the Curriculum Committee as satisfying this requirement when completed with a passing grade.Qualifying experiences currently include Clinical Psychology Term, Green Oaks Term, Japan Term, Repertory Theatre Term, Start Up Term, ANSO 255/ENVS 255, ANSO 399, ART 390, BIOL 381 + BIOL 381-384, EDUC 340, ENG 399, HIST 347, PHIL 399, PHYS 242, PHYS 245, PLCY 399, SPAN 221, SPAN 349, STAT 361, and one year working as a tutor for the Center for Teaching and Learning. Additional options may be approved.
• Off-Campus Study: Off-campus programs equivalent to at least one 51³Ô¹ÏÍø credit will fulfill this requirement. Students should work with the Stellyes Center to identify and apply for relevant programs, which may include study abroad opportunities during the academic year and the summer.
• College Honors: Students engaging in year-long independent research, scholarship, or creative work under the guidance of an interdisciplinary faculty committee will fulfill the graduation requirement upon successfully completing the Honors defense.
• Other Immersive Experiences and Internships: Students may apply to count an internship, independent research, or other active / immersive learning experience toward the graduation requirement. These experiences must be at least 100 hours in length. Pre-approval by the Immersion Coordinator is necessary. As part of the approval process, the Immersion Coordinator will require that a reflection component take place before the experience is considered complete. Students must be in good academic standing when requesting that such an experience satisfy the requirement.

Students are permitted to complete multiple qualifying experiences.

Specialization: Majors and Minors

Completion of a major is required for graduation. Students declare a major before pre-enrolling for their junior year, so that the junior and senior years may be planned with an advisor from the major field. As a general rule, students are discouraged from declaring a major until their second year of residence. Students are encouraged to explore several fields during their first two years, in order to prepare fully for choosing a major field. Forms for declaring a major are available from the Office of the Registrar. Students present this form to the chair of the major department or program, who designates the student’s academic advisor for that major.

If a student decides to change or add a major, that change must be submitted to the Registrar's Office no later than 8 weeks before the end of the term in which the student will graduate.

Students must complete Writing and Oral Presentation requirements for each major. Writing and Oral Presentation requirements for the majors shall be approved by the Curriculum Committee.

The completion of a second area of specialization, either a minor or a second major, is also required for graduation. The second area of specialization must be declared by the end of the Winter Term of the junior year. A grade point average of at least 2.0 is necessary in courses required for a major or minor. Students participating in the Dual-Degree Program in Engineering and the cooperative degree programs in Optometry and Occupational Therapy need not complete a second field (major or minor) at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, since their work at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø together with courses taken during the first year of the cooperating institution will be considered equivalent to a second field. A student who transfers with 15 or more credits or an associates degree or equivalent from an accredited higher education institution may seek a waiver to this second field requirement. Waiver requests must be submitted to the office of the Registrar.

Learning Goals for Specialization

1. Graduates will be able to communicate effectively in both written and oral form, using the genres and conventions of their major area.
2. Graduates will display mastery in their discipline as explicated in the program learning goals for their specific major.

The specifications for each major are listed in the Courses of Study section of this catalog. Exceptions to any of the specifications of the major or minor require approval of the chair of the department or program. All requests for exceptions must be submitted at least one term prior to graduation.

Transfer courses and credits by examination may apply to the requirements of a major or minor only with the approval of the department or program chair. At least four of the courses required for a major and two of the courses required for a minor must be taken at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Students are expected to plan their schedules in advance to take courses required for their majors when those courses are normally offered. Independent study courses may not be substituted for courses regularly scheduled. Exceptions should not be requested by students encountering scheduling difficulties because they wish to graduate in fewer than twelve terms.

Transfer, exam, and off-campus credits can be counted for the major or minor with the approval of the department or program chair and notification of the Registrar. Requests for approval must be submitted prior to the term of graduation.

The chair of the program may approve two courses from other departments to be counted toward the elective courses in the major.

See the Academic Rules and Regulations section of this catalog for rules regarding permissible combinations of majors and minors.

Power of Experience

Knowledge gains value—and power—when it’s applied. Immersion experiences, either in the General Education Program or within your Specialization, help you gain the skills needed—to think critically and creatively, to communicate clearly, to adapt to new technologies, and to navigate today’s interdependent and interconnected world—for success after 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. To assist every student in participating in these transformative opportunities, we created the Power of Experience, which provides a minimum of $2,000 support during your junior or senior year. As you plan your immersion experiences, you should consult with your academic advisors on when and how to access these resources.

Mathematics Proficiency: A Definition for Course Prerequisites

Proficiency in elementary mathematics is necessary for success in many courses and disciplines, not to mention success in a complex global economy. Although math proficiency is not a degree requirement as such, it is listed as a prerequisite for many individual courses. “Math Proficiency” is used throughout this Catalog as defined in this section.

The learning goals for Math Proficiency are:

• (numerical sense) Students will know the nature and properties of the number systems, will understand the use and limitations of numerical data, will be able to perform operations on numbers correctly, and will use the ideas of ratio and proportion in solving problems.
• (geometric sense) Students will demonstrate knowledge of basic facts about simple geometrical figures in two dimensions, such as triangles, rectangles, and circles, and about the meaning of the coordinate plane and graphs of equations in the plane and/or graphs of data.
• (algebraic sense) Students will be able to manipulate and evaluate simple algebraic expressions in one or more variables according to proper mathematical laws, to solve simple equations, and to graph and interpret basic relationships between variables, such as linear and quadratic equations.

Proficiency in elementary mathematics is demonstrated by satisfying one of the following:

1. Obtaining a score of 24 or above on the ACT math component.
2. Obtaining a score of 590 or above on the SAT Level 1 math component. For students taking the SAT prior to 2016, a score of 570 is required.
3. Receiving credit for CTL 120 or a course in the mathematics department at the level of MATH 121 or above, or receiving transfer credit for a course at the level of MATH 121 or above.
4. Receiving a score of 3 or higher on the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Mathematics Placement exam.

Individual courses may require higher levels of mathematical proficiency as a prerequisite. Students who have questions about their level of preparation should consult the course prerequisites, their academic advisors, and course instructors.