Undergraduate Bulletin, 2002-2003

Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree

The University awards the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) to those matriculated students who have completed an approved sequence of courses and study totaling a minimum of 120 credits and who, by vote of the faculty, are certified as having fulfilled all degree requirements. Matriculated students may fulfill their degree requirements while classified as either full-time or part-time students for individual academic semesters. The following B.A. and B.S. degree requirements must be fulfilled by all students matriculating in 2002-2003:

Bachelor of Arts Requirements

  1. A minimum of 120 credits.

  2. At least 90 credits in the liberal arts and sciences.

  3. The completion of the general education requirements. [The specific general education requirements are determined by the student's matriculation date and basis of admission to the University-see the General Education section of this bulletin.]

  4. The completion of a writing requirement whereby students must satisfactorily complete with grades of C or higher [for students matriculating Fall 1997 or thereafter; otherwise C- or higher], or S, two writing intensive courses, including at least one at or above the 300 level (courses meeting this requirement as identified in the course description).

  5. 30-36 credits in a major that has been registered with the education department of the state of New York.

  6. The completion of a minor consisting of 18-24 graduation credits which must include a minimum of 9 graduation credits in course work requiring one or more prerequisite courses or courses at or above the 300 level. The minor requirements may be combined with the major requirements but the total may not exceed 60 graduation credits.

  7. 24 credits in professional courses for the candidate desiring state certification in education.


Bachelor of Science Requirements

  1. A minimum of 120 credits.

  2. At least 60 credits in the liberal arts and sciences.

  3. The completion of the general education requirements. [The specific general education requirements are determined by the student's matriculation date and basis of admission to the University-see the General Education section of this bulletin.]

  4. The completion of a writing requirement whereby students must satisfactorily complete with grades of C or higher [for students matriculating Fall 1997 or thereafter; otherwise C- or higher], or S, two writing intensive courses, including at least one at or above the 300 level (courses meeting this requirement as identified in the course description).

  5. 30-42 credits, in a major which has been registered with the education department of the state of New York.

  6. The completion of a minor consisting of 18-24 graduation credits which must include a minimum of 9 graduation credits in course work requiring one or more prerequisite courses or courses at or above the 300 level. The minor requirements may be combined with the major requirement but the total may not exceed 66 graduation credits.

  7. 24 credits in professional courses for the candidate desiring state certification in education.


Grade Point Average Required for Degree

To be eligible for graduation from the University, matriculated students must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 in all course grades earned at the University.


Grade Point Average in the Major

For students matriculating Fall 1997 and thereafter:  Students must achieve a minimum grade point average of at least 2.0 in all University at Albany course work used to fulfill requirements in the major, combined major/minor, or departmental major.


Grade Point Average in the Minor

For students matriculating Fall 1997 and thereafter:  Students must achieve a minimum grade point average of at least 2.0 in all University at Albany course work used to fulfill requirements in the minor(s).


Residence Requirements

The University requires degree candidates to earn a minimum of 30 of their last 60 graduation credits in courses at the Albany campus. Degree candidates who approve two approved study abroad semesters during their junior or senior year must earn a minimum of 30 of their last 69 credits in courses at the Albany campus. An "approved" study abroad program is any program from which the University accepts credits.

Major and Minor Residence Credits

Major Residence
For the B.A. and B.S. degrees, a minimum of 18 graduation credits, including 12 credits at or above the 300 level, must be completed in the major on the Albany campus, or through a State University of New York sponsored Study Abroad Program sponsored by a university center or four-year liberal arts college. Study abroad course work completed at SUNY Community, Agriculture, or Technology Colleges may not generally be used to satisfy this requirement.

Minor Residence
For the B.A. and B.S. degrees, a minimum of 6 graduation credits of advanced courses (courses at or above the 300 level or courses which require a prerequisite) must be completed in the minor on the Albany campus, or through a State University of New York sponsored study abroad program sponsored by a university center or four-year liberal arts college. Study abroad course work completed at SUNY Community, Agriculture, or Technology Colleges may not generally be used to satisfy this requirement.

Combined Major/Minor Residence
For the B.A. and B.S. degrees, a minimum of 24 graduation credits, including 12 credits at or above the 300 level, must be completed in a combined major and minor program on the Albany campus, or through a State University of New York sponsored study abroad program sponsored by a university center or four-year liberal arts college. Study abroad course work completed at SUNY Community, Agriculture, or Technology Colleges may not generally be used to satisfy this requirement.


Graduation Application

Degrees are awarded during the fall, spring and summer terms. The student must file a degree application with the Registrar's Office (CC B 25) in accordance with the date specified in the official University academic calendar for the term in which all degree requirements will be completed. All incomplete grades and grades not reported must be resolved before the degree can be awarded. If reasonable attempts to contact the instructor fail, the student with an incomplete or "blank" (not reported) grade may appeal to the Committee on Academic Standing or, if that body is unable to meet to resolve the issue in timely fashion, to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

A degree review will be conducted at the end of each term for those students who have properly applied for graduation. The Registrar's Office will notify the student in writing if the degree is not awarded because the degree requirements have not been met. If the student has completed all requirements for the degree, a confirming postcard will be sent verifying the diploma has been ordered.


Waiver of Requirements

In rare and exceptional cases, a waiver of the requirements listed in this section may be granted to an individual student. Petitions for waiver of major or minor requirements should be addressed to the academic unit offering the major or minor. Petitions for waiver of any other requirements in this section should be addressed to the Committee on Academic Standing of the Undergraduate Academic Council and submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Studies, LC 30.


Degree Credits in Physical Education

A maximum of 6 credits in physical education activity courses below the 300 level may be applied toward the minimum requirements for the bachelor's degree. The University no longer offers physical education courses for academic credit.


Graduation Credits

A student must earn a minimum of 120 acceptable graduation credits to be eligible for graduation from the University. Acceptable graduation credit is as follows:

  1. Credit accepted by transfer.

  2. Credit earned through approved proficiency examinations. Such credit may be awarded on the basis of a student's performance on such external examinations as CLEP, RCE, AP, USAFI, etc., or an examination established for this purpose by a University at Albany department, school or program. Proficiency examination credit shall be clearly distinguished as such on a student's academic record, and shall have no bearing on a student's academic average. Proficiency examination credits shall not count within a semester load, hence shall not be counted when determining whether a student is full-time or part-time, and shall not be applied to University, major or minor residence requirements or semester retention standards. Any academic unit at the University may award proficiency credit by examination provided it does so openly and applies standards consistently to all students seeking credit. In no case may award of credit be contingent upon auditing a course (formally or informally), private tutelage (paid or otherwise), or participation in University or extracurricular activities or productions; however, the payment of a modest fee may be charged for administering the examination.

  3. Credit completed with the grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or S. An academic unit may award credit with an A-E or S/U grade only in a University at Albany course for which the student was formally registered in a fall or spring semester or summer session in accordance with established registration and program adjustment procedures and deadlines.

  4. Some transfer D grades, in accordance with the following policies:

    For students who matriculated before Fall 2000, credit earned with a grade of D or the lowest passing grade will transfer only if such credit is balanced by a B or A at the same institution. One credit earned with the grade of B balances one credit earned with the grade of D, and one credit earned with the grade of A balances two credits with the grade of D.

    For students who matriculate Fall 2000 through Summer 2001, prematriculation credit earned with a grade of D or the lowest passing grade will transfer only if such credit is balanced by a B or A at the same institution. D grades earned in courses within the major/minor must be balanced by grades of B or A earned within the major/minor at the same institution. Postmatriculation credit graded D will not transfer.

    For students who matriculate Fall 2001 and thereafter, no credit graded D from another institution will transfer.


    Major and Minor Credits

    For students matriculating Fall 1997 and thereafter:  A University at Albany grade of D- is minimally acceptable for graduation credit in the major and minor. Note, however, that a 2.0 average within each major and minor is a requirement for graduation.

    For credits acquired at other institutions and for University at Albany credits for students matriculating before Fall 1997:  A student may fulfill the requirements of a major or a minor or a combined major and minor by earning graduation credit as defined previously, except that credit with the grade of D may be used to fulfill the requirements of a major, minor, or combined major/minor only if balanced at the same institution by credit with grades of A or B earned within the major, minor, or combined major/minor respectively.

    Students matriculating in Fall 2000 through Summer 2001 can transfer in balanced D's from prematriculation course work, but they cannot transfer any D's for postmatriculation transfer courses.

    Students matriculating in Fall 2001 and thereafter cannot transfer in any grades of D.

    University at Albany