Undergraduate Information
THE LIBERAL ARTS AS A CAREER BASE
Study in the liberal arts can provide an excellent basis for a wide range of careers. A liberal arts program acquaints students with many different areas of human thought, behavior and experience. It can provide communication skills, analytical abilities and flexibility necessary for success in many fields of endeavor. Although some careers require specialized undergraduate training (for example, nursing and accounting), many others rely on a broad base of skills and knowledge. It has been predicted that today’s college graduates will change careers an average of four times during their working lives. Such changes will involve not only new jobs but also entirely new responsibilities and duties. Changes of this sort require flexibility and adaptability. One of the most important functions of a liberal arts education is to provide a broad knowledge base to make such flexibility and adaptability possible. Students with a sound background in the liberal arts will have the knowledge base required to shift directions and adapt thinking skills learned in one discipline to a variety of work fields.
Certain majors and minors provide specific preparation for particular careers. For example, a major in justice studies can prepare students for work in corrections, police administration, the court system or other related fields. The writing program (minor) provides skills of particular use in any career that requires written communication. Work in geology, geography or cartography can prepare students for certain jobs with government agencies. Most programs in the liberal arts, however, are not tied to specific, individual careers. Instead, they provide the background upon which the career is built.
The liberal arts also provide a good basis for advanced study. Students who pursue a major in the liberal arts may go on to graduate work in that or a related discipline. Many students pursue professional training through graduate programs in medicine, law, business and other areas upon completing a liberal arts degree. A liberal arts undergraduate program can provide both the preparation for such specialized advanced training and a general, broad background that supports and enhances professional work.
In addition, study in the liberal arts provides the foundation for lifelong learning. A broad knowledge base promotes intellectual curiosity and continued intellectual growth. Students with a good liberal arts education have a foundation for enriching their lives immeasurably with interests that go far beyond the demands of a particular career. GO TO TOP
ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLEGE
The college consists of 16 academic departments. The departments in the area of the humanities include English, History, Modern and Classical Language Studies, Pan-African Studies and Philosophy. Departments in the social sciences include Anthropology, Geography, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. The natural and mathematical sciences include the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematical Sciences and Physics.
In addition to these academic departments, the college also houses the School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program and a number of centers and institutes, including the Center for Applied Conflict Management, the Lyman L. Lemnitzer Center for NATO and European Union Studies, the Water Resources Research Institute and the Center for Applied Linguistics. Numerous interdisciplinary curricular programs are also contained within the college. GO TO TOP
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The college offers three undergraduate degree programs: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of General Studies. In addition, the college offers five graduate degree programs: Master of Arts, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science, Master of Liberal Studies and Doctor of Philosophy. Information on these programs can be found in the Kent State University Graduate Schools Catalog.
Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is the traditional liberal arts degree. It emphasizes a broad background in the liberal arts, with a focus in a major field of study. The college currently offers 32 departmental and interdisciplinary majors within the B.A. degree.
The B.A. is designed to impart intellectual breadth and educational diversity. Students who graduate with the B.A. have achieved competence in a major field of specialization within the traditional liberal arts. Such students also have become acquainted with a broad range of human ideas, cultures and institutions.
Departmental Majors
Most students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree select one of the traditional departmental majors as their field of specialization. These traditional majors focus on one particular discipline within the humanities, social sciences or natural and mathematical sciences. Most of the coursework required for a departmental major will be taken within the department that houses the major discipline.
Most B.A. departmental majors allow for a fairly large number of elective hours within the undergraduate program. These elective hours may be effectively used to pursue intellectual interests outside the major or for personal enrichment; study abroad can work well in such programs. Students often find it rewarding to apply their elective hours to a second major or a minor. Such combinations of programs can generally be accommodated within the 121 hours required for graduation. Students may also choose to combine a departmental major within the B.A. degree with another degree program, either the Bachelor of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences or another degree in another college.
Whether students pursue a single field of specialization or a combination of such fields, the liberal arts degree with a departmental major can provide the analytical and communications skills needed for success in a wide range of careers. Students with departmental majors enter the professions, business and industry, government and civil service, and secondary and higher education.
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B.A. interdisciplinary majors combine coursework from several traditional disciplines. Although drawn from several disciplines, the courses in any interdisciplinary major will have a common factor that reflects the focus of the program. In the interdisciplinary programs, courses in the various divisions of the college—humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and math—and courses offered in the other colleges of this university are integrated to provide a comprehensive view of the complexities of the field of specialization. This integration of academic disciplines can provide a more coherent interpretation of certain areas of study than is possible through any one traditional field.
Like the departmental majors, the interdisciplinary majors may be combined with a second major, a minor or a separate degree. With the exception of earth science and the individualized major, the college’s interdisciplinary majors require that students combine social and cultural study. For this reason, the interdisciplinary majors combine particularly well with majors or minors in the humanities, foreign languages and the social sciences.
Such interdisciplinary study provides the same liberalizing qualities as the traditional departmental majors. It also provides a background appropriate to careers in many fields, including government and education.
The interdisciplinary majors with an international focus are particularly adaptable to various forms of study abroad. Kent State University students may participate in a variety of overseas study and foreign exchange programs operated by the university; they may also, with permission, participate in similar programs offered by other colleges and universities.
Because the interdisciplinary majors are not housed within specific departments, students interested in an interdisciplinary major should consult the coordinator of that program. Interdisciplinary majors in the B.A. program in the College of Arts and Sciences are:
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Bachelor of Science
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree places emphasis on specialization in a chosen field. The college offers 18 fields of concentration as well as several preprofessional advising programs involving coursework in the natural sciences within the B.S. program.
The B.S. degree encourages intellectual breadth and educational diversity. Students who graduate with the B.S. have acquired a firm basis in the traditional liberal arts, along with substantial preparation in a field of concentration. In the process, the students have become acquainted with the content and methodology of these disciplines.
Fields of Concentration
Major areas of study within the B.S. program are referred to as fields of concentration. A field of concentration within the B.S. degree usually encompasses several allied disciplines. It is designed to provide intensive study in one area, with supplemental study in related areas.
Students who intend to pursue graduate study or advanced research in a scientific discipline often choose the B.S. degree because of its intensity of specialization. For some students, however, the B.A. degree may be preferable because of its greater flexibility.
Because of the number of hours required in a field of concentration, students cannot always combine a field of concentration with another area of specialization within the 121 hours required for graduation. In some cases, however, combining areas of specialization can be particularly rewarding. Students who wish to combine programs should seek advice early from the relevant department or college office to plan their schedules carefully.
Fields of concentration in the B.S. program in the College of Arts and Sciences are:
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The college offers an interdisciplinary B.S. in Biotechnology.
Students who choose to pursue Three-Plus-One programs take three years of preprofessional study at Kent State University, followed by a year or more of intensive professional training at an accredited professional school or clinical facility. Upon the satisfactory completion of this professional training, the B.S. degree from the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University is awarded. Students must earn 97 credit hours in a university. Appropriate transfer credit from other institutions may be included in these 97 hours, but the students must complete at least 42 credit hours in-residence at Kent State University, including the last 32 credit hours of the 97-hour requirement.
Students must have a minimum 2.00 GPA in all work taken at Kent State University. They must also complete with at least a 2.00 average all off-campus work taken to fulfill fourth-year requirements. In some fields, students may also be required to present other evidence of the satisfactory completion of the off-campus professional training.
Students must satisfy all degree requirements, including the B.S. General Requirements and field of concentration requirements, by a combination of credits earned at Kent State University and the professional school. The only exception is that the college’s foreign language requirement is waived for students who successfully complete a Three-Plus-One program.
Three-Plus-One programs are designed for students with a well-defined, specific, professional career goal. Currently, the College of Arts and Sciences offers a Three-Plus-One program in Medical Technology. Because of the intensive, professional focus of these programs, students pursuing them should work closely with their faculty advisors. Students who are interested in this program should consult the Department of Biological Sciences, 256 Cunningham Hall, for further information.
Please see the program requirements for the Medical Technology program offered under the College of Arts and Sciences.
Pre-medical Programs
The College of Arts and Sciences offers programs for students who wish to pursue professional careers in medicine. These pre-medical programs are designed to provide a sound basis in biology and chemistry, along with coursework in physics and mathematics. The pre-medicine/pre-osteopathy, pre-veterinary medicine, pre-dentistry and pre-pharmacy programs are intended to prepare students for advanced, professional study in the medical sciences.
These programs meet the coursework requirements for admission to most medical schools. Students who wish to pursue a pre-medical program would be well advised, however, to check carefully the admissions requirements of the professional schools they wish to enter. Students also should seek advice regularly from their faculty advisors.
Students may pursue pre-medical programs under the Bachelor of Arts degree, the Bachelor of Science degree or a carefully designed Bachelor of General Studies degree. The pre-medical programs serve as advising programs for students in the B.A., B.S. and B.G.S.programs.
See the program for the pre-medical programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Minor Programs
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences may undertake, in addition to the primary major or field of concentration, a secondary area of specialization or minor program. In addition, students pursuing the Bachelor of General Studies may incorporate minors within their self-designed programs. Minors provide one way of balancing and integrating an undergraduate course of study. Other routes to the same goal include double majors, dual degrees and single majors with carefully selected electives. Because there are many ways of planning an effective undergraduate program, minors are entirely voluntary. If they wish to do so, students may elect a minor, or more than one minor.
A minor is intended to provide an area of specialization that is less detailed and less extensive than a major program. For this reason, minors require less to complete than majors. They usually provide a general introduction to the discipline or field of study, along with a few more specialized upper-division courses. Students should be aware that a minor generally will not prepare them for advanced study or research in the field without further undergraduate coursework.
Minors may be chosen to complement the major field of study; that is, they may be in a field closely related to the major. However, minors that too closely relate to a major may be prohibited for that major. Students may also choose minors that are in no way related to the major program. In such a case, the minor usually is chosen because of serious personal interest in the field. Minors allow students to pursue their own interests within a structured context.
Two types of minor programs are offered within the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may pursue minors within individual departments, or they may elect interdisciplinary minor programs that include coursework from several departments. Certificates of achievement are awarded to students who successfully complete the interdisciplinary minors; these certificates are described more fully below.
All of the minor programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences are available to any student pursuing a baccalaureate degree at Kent State University. Students who are pursuing a major degree program outside the College of Arts and Sciences should contact their school or college for further details and to declare these minors.
Departmental Minors
In a departmental minor, coursework is taken entirely or almost entirely within a single department. Students pursuing such a minor will take many of the same courses that majors in the discipline take, but the courses will be fewer in number and may be different in their distribution. Departmental minors provide a detailed introduction to a traditional discipline, but they do not provide the depth supplied by a major program. A departmental minor may be combined with any major or field of concentration within the college except for the major and/or field of concentration that bears the same title.
Departmental minors in the College of Arts and Sciences are:
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Interdisciplinary Minors
Like departmental minors, interdisciplinary minors may be elected in addition to the required major or field of concentration. They may also be incorporated within a B.G.S. program. Like departmental minors, interdisciplinary minors provide a limited specialization in a particular field of study. Interdisciplinary minors require coursework drawn from several disciplines. These courses have an element in common that reflects the focus of the program. Because the interdisciplinary minors include coursework from several disciplines, they can provide a clearer view of certain areas of study than is possible through any one traditional field. The interdisciplinary minors may be combined with any major or field of concentration within the college.
A certificate is awarded upon completion of an interdisciplinary minor indicating that the students have completed a focused course of study in the area. The certificate does not indicate the equivalent of preprofessional training, nor does it imply that the students have met the standards for professional certification of an external professional body.
Interdisciplinary minors in the College of Arts and Sciences are:
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Minors in Other Colleges
In addition to the minors available within the college, arts and sciences students may also select from a large number of minor programs offered by the other colleges and independent schools at Kent State University. Please see the information concerning the minors available to arts and sciences students in the College of the Arts, the College of Business Administration, the College of Communication and Information and the College of Education, Health, and Human Services in this catalog. It is essential that students interested in these programs seek advice from both the office of the College of Arts and Sciences and the office of the college responsible for the minor. To successfully complete a minor in another college, arts and sciences students must meet the cumulative GPA requirement for that minor or that college.
Nondegree Programs
Those who wish to take coursework for personal enrichment or to enhance professional skills but do not seek a degree may be admitted to the university as a special “nondegree student.” Nondegree students may enroll for one year or 32 hours. If nondegree students wish to become candidates for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, they must formally declare their intended major and promptly begin to complete requirements omitted from the previous coursework. GO TO TOP
ACADEMIC ADVISING
The College of Arts and Sciences provides a comprehensive advising system that is designed not only to help students reach their academic goals but also to assist them in achieving the greatest benefit from their academic programs. Appropriate academic advice can make a major contribution to students’ academic success. Students should actively seek out and use the advising resources available.
Student Success
The Undergraduate Catalog is the authoritative advising document for academic programs at Kent State University. In addition to being familiar with this chapter that focuses on arts and sciences programs, students in the College of Arts and Sciences are expected to familiarize themselves with the general university regulations and procedures described in the chapter titled General Information. Further general information about all programs offered through the College of Arts and Sciences is available in the college office (105 Bowman Hall). Students who do not complete their requirements in a timely fashion may find their graduation delayed. For these reasons, students are urged to check their progress regularly with their major faculty advisors and with the college office. The initiative for checking requirements and the responsibility for meeting them rests with the students.
Advising for Transfer Students
Students transferring into the college from another university should consult with the college office for information on the applicability of their transfer coursework to the general requirements of the college and the program requirements of their major and minor programs of study.
Advising for General Requirements
Each of the undergraduate degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences requires the completion of both general and program-specific requirements. Students with questions regarding the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences should visit the college office in 105 Bowman Hall to meet with an advisor.
Advising for Majors
General information about programs and college degree requirements is available to all students in the college office, along with help in planning class schedules, advising for students on probation and help in developing appropriate study skills and habits. Students may also seek advice from the advising coordinators in the various departments and from the coordinators in the interdisciplinary programs. These coordinators can provide information about requirements, programs and other matters pertaining to the academic departments.
Students who have chosen a major in the College of Arts and Sciences must visit the college office to formally declare that major. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences are expected to formally declare a major no later than the beginning of their junior year (60 semester hours). Students are encouraged to declare a major as early as possible. After this formal declaration, students are assigned faculty advisors by their major departments. In addition to their assigned faculty advisors, students may also seek academic advice from departmental chairpersons, departmental advising coordinators and the coordinators of the various interdisciplinary programs.
Students who select the individualized major within the B.A. or the B.G.S. are advised exclusively in the college office. Both of these programs require that students design their own courses of study; students who wish to pursue these programs must work closely with the college office in preparing to apply for admission to the programs.
Major advisors are members of the faculty. They can provide a wide range of information and help for undergraduate students. Students are urged to see their faculty advisors regularly, not only for schedule planning but also for advice about the discipline in general and for help in preparing for graduate study and eventual career advice. Students should contact their faculty advisors at least once each semester to ensure that they are making adequate progress, to learn about changes in programs and to discuss their ongoing education with an interested and knowledgeable person in the field.
Advising for Minors
Although minors are not required in the College of Arts and Sciences, undergraduate students may include one or more minors in their academic program. All of the minor programs available to Arts and Sciences students are listed in this catalog. Some of these programs also award certificates of completion. Information about these programs is available from the college office. Minors as well as majors must be formally declared in the college office.
Students who elect an interdisciplinary minor should seek advice from the coordinator of that interdisciplinary program. Students who choose a departmental minor should seek advice from the advising coordinator of that department. Students pursuing a degree in Arts and Sciences who choose a minor in another college of the university (see the section Minors in Other Colleges) should first visit the office of the College of Arts and Sciences for information; they then will be referred to the appropriate college for further advice. In any case, students who elect minors should consult with their major advisors to select courses that will best complement their major programs. GO TO TOP
GENERAL INFORMATION
Lower-Division/Upper-Division Coursework
Students are required to take a certain number of courses in specific categories to meet University and College General Requirements. These requirements vary according to the degree sought; they are described in the section titled General Requirements for each degree. During the freshman and sophomore years, most of the courses students take will be at the lower-division level. Lower-division courses are numbered 10000-29999 and generally presume that the students have little or no specific background in the discipline. The principle purpose of the lower-division coursework is to lay the foundation of the students’ general education and to introduce students to the field of specialization. Transfer students admitted to the college with 64 or more semester hours of credit should complete all remaining freshman and sophomore requirements within one academic year following their first registration.
Most undergraduate specialization is pursued through upper-division coursework. Upper-division courses are numbered 30000-49999. These courses require both greater familiarity with the subject matter and greater intellectual sophistication. Students are required to have completed the appropriate prerequisites in specified lower-division courses before entering upper-division courses. All degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences require the successful completion of at least 42 upper-division hours of coursework.
Double Majors/Dual Degrees
A program that combines two major fields of study in the same degree program is referred to as a double major program. An example of a double major program would be the combination of the English and history majors in the B.A. program in arts and sciences. Completion of a double major requires that students complete a minimum of 121 hours.
A program combining two majors in distinct degree programs is referred to as a dual degree program. An example of a dual degree program would be the combination of a philosophy major in the B.A. program with a chemistry major in the B.S. program in arts and sciences. Any combination involving degree programs in more than one college is considered to be a dual degree program even if both degrees bear the same title. For example, the combination of an English major in the B.A. program in arts and sciences with an art history major in the B.A. program in the arts is considered a dual degree program. Completion of a dual degree program requires that students complete a minimum of 140 total hours.
The College of Arts and Sciences generally will approve double majors and dual degrees within the college as long as there are at least 21 hours of coursework exclusively applied to each major or field of concentration. Certain major and degree combinations are specifically prohibited based upon departmental recommendations.
The option to pursue double majors and dual degrees continues subsequent to earning a B.A. or B.S. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences. For example, students who have earned a B.A. degree with an English major at Kent State University can have the completion of a second major such as sociology added to their transcript at a later time.
Requests for dual degrees between arts and sciences programs and programs in other colleges are considered on a case-by-case basis by the college office in consultation with the departmental units involved. Combinations involving programs in arts and sciences with related programs in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services generally are restricted.
Elective Credits
For most programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, general requirements plus field of specialization requirements will not exhaust the 121 hours required for graduation. The remaining hours are elective credits and may be chosen at will, including courses in other colleges of the university, provided students possess the necessary prerequisites for the courses selected. Students may, of course, elect to take more than the minimum 121 hours required.
Electives should be carefully chosen to satisfy the students’ intellectual interests or to complement and enhance the field or fields of specialization. Students are urged to seek faculty advice in selecting elective courses.
Sequential Coursework
In certain subject fields, such as mathematical sciences, foreign languages, English composition and some of the basic natural sciences, knowledge is sequential or cumulative at the lower levels of study, and courses are structured in clear sequences. Students who already have received credit for, or established proficiency at, one level in such a sequence of courses may not receive academic credit counting toward graduation for a prior course in the sequence or for a course in a lower sequence.
ENGLISH COMPOSITION, MATHEMATICS AND CRITICAL REASONING, FOREIGN LANGUAGE*
The following sections contain specific information concerning the English composition, mathematics and critical reasoning, and foreign language requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students who are uncertain as to the applicability of sequential coursework in these or other areas should consult the office of the College of Arts and Sciences, 105 Bowman Hall.
*Throughout this website, the term foreign language includes American Sign Language. GO TO TOP
English Composition
All programs in the College of Arts and Sciences require the successful completion of the basic College English sequence. The College English sequence consists of ENG 11001 Introduction to College Writing Stretch, followed by ENG 11011, College Writing I and ENG 21011 College Writing II. The initial placement in the college writing sequence is determined by proficiency as established by ACT English or SAT verbal scores. Students must begin the sequence with the course into which they are placed. Students may not receive credit for a course prior in the sequence to the one into which they are placed, nor may students receive credit for a course prior in the sequence to one that already has been completed satisfactorily.
Alternative Means of Fulfillment
Students admitted into the Honors College are required to take the 8-credit hour Freshman Honors Colloquium, regardless of ACT/SAT placement scores. Satisfactory completion of this 8-credit hour sequence also constitutes fulfillment of the College English requirement.
Students may earn College English credit through the subject examination in English Composition of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP); students who earn credit equivalent to ENG 11011 through this program are then placed into ENG 21011. Credit may also be earned through the university’s Credit-By-Examination (CBE) program, described elsewhere in this Catalog.
International Students
Students for whom English is a second language are required to complete the special sequence ENG 10205 Advanced ESL Writing II, ENG 10101 College English I for Foreign Students and ENG 21011 College Writing II (the concluding course in the basic college writing sequence).
Entering international students must register for ENG 10205. During the first week of the semester, the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency will be administered and the results compared to the students’ scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Based on these scores, the students will either remain in ENG 10205 or be immediately advanced to ENG 10101.
Students who are placed into ENG 10205 must receive passing grades both in the course and on a final test of language competency before being eligible to enroll in ENG 10101. Upon satisfactory completion of ENG 10101, the students will proceed to ENG 21011 in order to complete the college writing requirement.
Progress Toward Fulfillment
Because College English involves basic skills that are essential to academic progress and academic success, students must begin their College English coursework in the first year of full-time enrollment and continue taking College English until the full requirement is completed. Entering transfer students with junior standing must undertake outstanding portions of the requirement within two semesters.
Mathematics and Critical Reasoning
Students pursuing the B.A. or B.S. in the College of Arts and Sciences must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 3 credit hours in mathematics, computer sciences or logic. Entering freshmen are placed in mathematics coursework based on a mathematics placement test, their ACT math scores and their mathematics coursework in high school. The courses that may be taken to fulfill this requirement are listed under the individual degree requirements. In addition, many programs require that students complete a sequence of courses in mathematics. Because the various introductory mathematics sequences overlap somewhat in content, and because specific programs require specific sequences, students should carefully examine their program requirements before enrolling in mathematics. Arts and sciences students are referred to the college General Requirements for each degree for restrictions on the applicability of MATH 14001 and 14002 toward this requirement.
Students with previous credit in mathematics earned at another institution, through CLEP or through the Advanced Placement Program, may enter the next higher mathematics course in the sequence required in their majors.
In some cases, students may be given a mathematics placement examination upon entering the university. Students may not receive credit for a prior course in any mathematics sequence to one which has already been completed satisfactorily.
Further information about appropriate entry courses may be obtained from the Department of Mathematical Sciences in Room 233 in the Mathematical Sciences Building, 330-672-2430.
Foreign Language
The College of Arts and Sciences’ foreign language requirement is stated in terms of proficiency. Students seeking the B.A. degree must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to Intermediate II (or up to 14-15 hours of coursework) in one foreign language; students seeking the B.S. degree must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to Elementary II (or up to 8-10 hours of coursework) in one foreign language. Successful completion of a language-based course at a higher level than the minimum required also will satisfy the requirement.
In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies or the Department of Pan-African Studies. However, certain majors, fields of concentration and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, the students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.
The Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies offers courses of study beyond the minimum needed to meet the foreign language requirement in Arabic, Chinese, Greek (classical and modern), Italian, Japanese and Portuguese; however no major is available for them at this time.
Progress Toward Fulfillment
Arts and sciences students are required to begin meeting the foreign language requirement by their third semester of full-time enrollment (that is, no later than upon completing 30 semester hours) and are required to continue to enroll for foreign language courses until the requirement has been completed. Students who transfer to the College of Arts and Sciences from other universities or from other programs at Kent State University with sophomore status are required to begin meeting the foreign language requirement by their second semester of full-time enrollment in the college and must continue to enroll for foreign language courses until the requirement has been completed. Students who fail to meet these stipulations risk unnecessary delays in the completion of their degree programs. The stipulation that arts and sciences students begin meeting the foreign language requirement by their third semester of full-time study applies not only to students with declared majors but also to undeclared students. This includes those students seeking admission to selective programs in other colleges who do not achieve admission to the selective program at the time they achieve sophomore status. GO TO TOP
LIMITATIONS ON APPLICABILITY OF CREDITS
The following policies impose restrictions on the applicability of credit earned in certain categories of coursework toward meeting graduation requirements for arts and sciences students. Hours restricted under these policies will not be counted toward the 121 total hour or 42 upper-division hour graduation requirements.
Variable Title Courses
Students may earn credit toward graduation through special topics courses, Honors colloquia, seminars and other variable title courses. Such coursework may not be applied toward the general requirements of the college’s degree programs. Variable title coursework may not be counted toward major, field of concentration or minor program requirements unless specifically and formally allowed by the academic unit responsible for the program.
Physical Education and ROTC
No more than 4 credit hours of physical education activity (PEB) courses or lower-division ROTC (ASTU and MSCI) coursework, or of the two combined, may be counted toward the 121 credit hours required for graduation. A maximum of 12 upper-division hours in ROTC (ASTU and MSCI) may be counted toward the 121 hours required for graduation by students actively pursuing the university’s Army and Air Force ROTC programs. These 12 upper-division credit hours may be counted in addition to the 4 lower-division credit hours permitted for ROTC/PEB courses.
Applied Music and Music Ensembles
A maximum of 8 credit hours in Applied Music and Music Ensembles (MUS courses with a second digit of 5, 6 or 7) combined may be counted toward the 121 total hour or 42 upper-division-hour graduation requirement. There is no limit on other music coursework.
Nontraditional Coursework
A maximum of 16 total hours of coursework from the following categories may be applied toward the 121 total hour and 42 upper-division-hour graduation requirements. Moreover, no more than 8 hours of workshop credit may be applied toward this 16-hour limit. Hours earned in HONR 40099, Senior Honors Thesis/Project, are not included within this 16-hour limit.
Internships, Field Placements, Practica
Credit earned in internships, field placements, practica or courses with a similar experiential/applied nature is included within this 16-hour limitation. Such coursework may not be applied toward the General Requirements of the college’s degree programs. The year of clinical training required in the medical technology program, similar training in other Three-Plus-One programs, student teaching and other experiential components of the education minor, and study-abroad programs are exempted from this limitation.
Individual Study
Credit earned in individual study and research coursework is included within this 16-hour limitation. Individual study and research credits may not be applied to major, field of concentration or minor program requirements unless specifically and formally allowed by the department responsible for the major, field of concentration or minor.
Workshops
Credit earned in workshop courses (course numbers ending in XXX93) is limited to no more than 8 hours and is included within this 16-hour limitation. Workshop credit may not be applied to major, field of concentration or minor program requirements unless specifically and formally allowed by the academic unit responsible for the program.
GENERAL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
- Total Hour Requirement
A minimum of 121 hours of applicable coursework must be successfully completed to qualify for graduation. Credit earned in certain prescribed coursework (MATH 10006, 10021, US 10003 and 10006) and hours in excess of the restrictions listed above under Limitations on Applicability of Credit do not count toward the 121 required hours. Depending upon the students’ major and high school preparation, students may need to complete additional hours of prerequisite coursework. There are a limited number of major programs in the College of Arts and Sciences that require more than 121 hours for completion. Further information on these majors can be obtained in the college office.
- Upper-Division-Hour Requirement
The college requires a minimum of 42 hours of upper-division coursework (coursework at the 30000 and 40000 level). Transfer coursework is considered upper-division only if the coursework was taken as upper-division at the transfer institution. Community college coursework is classified as lower-division. - College General Requirements
The General Requirements of the college include the university Kent Core Requirements and diversity requirement as well as any conditional coursework prescribed upon admission, Destination Kent State: First Year Experience and additional coursework in mathematics/logic, foreign language, social sciences and basic sciences. Detailed discussions of the General Requirements for each of the degree programs offered in the college are listed below in the section Degree Program Requirements. - Major/Minor Requirements
The particular requirements of all of the major and minor programs offered in the College of Arts and Sciences are described in detail in the sections Degree Program Requirements and Minor Program Requirements. Requirements for minors offered by the other colleges are described in the appropriate college’s section of the Catalog. - Writing-Intensive Course Requirement
Refer to the Writing-Intensive Course List for specific information on this requirement. - Grade Point Average Requirements
Students must achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 in all coursework taken at Kent State University including Regional Campus coursework. Students must also achieve a 2.00 cumulative average in the fields of specialization, including majors, fields of concentration and minors. Some minors offered by other colleges may stipulate a higher cumulative average requirement.
Students may need to take additional coursework beyond the specified requirements in the major or field of specialization in order to raise the cumulative average in the major or field of concentration to 2.00. In such a case, the course(s) to be used for this purpose must be selected in consultation with the faculty advisor and approved by the dean prior to registration for the course(s). It is generally required that such additional coursework be taken at the upper-division level. - Mandatory Outcomes Assessment
In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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