Undergraduate Degree Programs

1. Undergraduate degree programs are designed to give students a substantial and coherent introduction to the broad areas of human knowledge, their theories and methods of inquiry, plus in-depth study in at least one disciplinary or interdisciplinary area. Programs have an appropriate rationale; their clarity and order are visible in stated requirements in official publications and in student records. Curricula are appropriate, within the context of collegiate education, to the abilities and scholastic preparation of the students admitted to the programs.
2. While these criteria apply to all undergraduate programs, specific expectations for associate's and bachelor's degree programs, as expressed through the Commission's accreditation processes, will reflect program degree level. Distinctions made in such expectations may concern such matters as the level, scope, and dimension of degree requirements, and expected outcomes.
3. Each undergraduate program includes a general education requirement and a major or concentration requirement. Curricula include requirements above the introductory level with appropriate prerequisites. Wherever possible, the institution also affords undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue knowledge and understanding through unrestricted electives. All undergraduate programs require the use of information resources in addition to course texts and formal instruction.
4. The general education requirement is coherent and substantive, and it embodies the institution's definition of an educated person. The requirement informs the design of all general education courses, and provides criteria for its evaluation.
5. The general education requirement in each undergraduate program - general, specialized, or professional - ensures adequate breadth for all degree-seeking students by showing a balanced regard for what are traditionally referred to as the arts and humanities; the sciences including mathematics; and the social sciences. General education requirements include offerings that focus on the subject matter and methodologies of these three primary domains of knowledge as well as on their relationships to one another.
6. The institution ensures that all undergraduate students complete one-third of their studies (or the equivalent of forty semester hours in a bachelor's degree program, or the equivalent of twenty semester hours in an associate's degree program) in general education. If the institution offers any program which does not include at least one-third of its requirements in general education, it is able to demonstrate that the program meets the goals expressed in Paragraph 4.19 of this Standard. In no case, however, does the general education component of an undergraduate program constitute less than one-quarter of its degree requirements (or the equivalent of thirty semester hours in a bachelor's degree program, or the equivalent of fifteen semester hours in an associate's degree program).
7. The major or area of concentration affords the student the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in a specific disciplinary or interdisciplinary area above the introductory level, through properly sequenced course work. Requirements for the major or area of concentration are based upon clearly defined and articulated learning objectives, including a mastery of the knowledge, methods, and theories pertinent to a particular area of inquiry. Through the major or area of concentration, the student develops an understanding of the complex structure of knowledge germane to an area of inquiry and its interrelatedness to other areas of inquiry. For programs designed to provide professional training, an effective relationship exists between curricular content and current practice in the field of specialization. General studies associate's degree programs designed to provide the foundation for later specialization through transfer into baccalaureate programs are exempted from the requirements of this paragraph.
8. Graduates successfully completing an undergraduate program demonstrate competence in written and oral communication in English; the ability for scientific and quantitative reasoning, for critical analysis and logical thinking; and the capability for continuing learning. They also demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific, historical, and social phenomena, and a knowledge and appreciation of the aesthetic and ethical dimensions of humankind. In addition, graduates demonstrate an in-depth understanding of an area of knowledge or practice and of its interrelatedness with other areas.