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2018-19 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
General Degree Requirements
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Requirements for All Undergraduate Degrees
Although administrative and faculty advisors are ready to help the student in planning and checking the progress of the degree program, the final responsibility for completing all requirements for a degree rests with the student. If a student has not satisfied all the requirements, her or his degree will be withheld pending adequate fulfillment. The catalog in effect during the student’s first semester of enrollment will be used to determine the requirements for the major, minor, general education, and all other components of the degree. The catalog used may not be more than seven years old at the time of graduation. Students are encouraged to track their progress toward graduation and degree completion by using the Degree Audit Report on VikingWeb. In cases where students complete two majors, they will be assigned an academic advisor for each major.
To be eligible for graduation, all students must meet the following:
General Degree Requirements
- Complete BCC 099 or BCC 100 satisfactorily during the first term of enrollment.
- Successfully complete at least 124 credit hours. If a student repeats a course, only one attempt will count towards the required 124 hours. No more than 4 hours KIN Foundations activity courses may count toward the 124 hours.
- Earn at least a 2.0 overall GPA for their Berry College coursework.
- Be in good standing with the college and receive faculty approval for the degree.
- Complete the Foundations, major, minor, and general degree requirements specified in the catalog in effect during the semester of first enrollment.
- Complete an online application for graduation two semesters prior to graduation (typically the second semester of the junior year). Before the beginning of the next term, the Registrar will provide a degree audit to the student and advisor indicating all requirements remaining to earn the degree. Students who fail to complete an application for graduation by the deadline may be withheld from graduation until the next term.
Writing Across the Curriculum Requirement
Complete a minimum of two writing-intensive (I) courses totaling six semester hours at the 300 level or above (or in some approved instances, at the 200 level or above) for each major. Ordinarily, these courses are to be completed within the major. Students enrolled in any of the dual degree nursing program must complete two writing-intensive (I) courses totaling a minimum of six semester hours from any of the writing intensive courses offered at Berry College.
Major/Minor Requirements
- Complete the requirements for the major or minor specified in the catalog in the first semester of enrollment.
- Complete at least 15 hours in the major or 9 hours in the minor in courses at the 300/400 level taken at Berry College.
- If pursuing the B.A. degree, successfully demonstrate competence in a foreign language at the intermediate level of study. Majors in one of the foreign languages take two other courses of at least three credits each in a second foreign language (or the equivalent by examination), or three courses in the humanities approved by the major department, in addition to courses counted toward the Foundations requirements or humanities courses in the major. Foreign-language majors who complete a second major and/or an education minor are exempt from this requirement.
- If pursuing the B.S. degree, complete successfully a minimum of six courses of at least three credits each (including courses counted toward the general-education requirements) that support the character and intent of the B.S. degree (here defined as quantitative, mathematical, empirical, statistical or laboratory-oriented). Courses meeting this requirement are noted by the department offering the course; the Registrar maintains a list of all approved courses.
- Earn at least a 2.0 overall average in the major field (including all coursework whether or not taken at Berry). Note that some majors require a minimum grade for certain coursework within the major.
- Complete the assessment(s) within the major and Foundations curriculum as required in the final term of enrollment.
- In cases where courses may be used to satisfy more than one degree requirement, at least 15 hours in courses numbered 300 or above counted toward the major must be used solely for that requirement. At least 9 hours in courses numbered 300 or above must be used solely to satisfy the requirements for each minor, unless otherwise specified by the discipline.
Residency Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 62 hours in residence at Berry College.
- Complete the last two semesters in residence at Berry College. No more than three courses (9 hours) of the last 30 hours may be taken off campus.
- Complete 15 hours in the major in residence at Berry College. These 15 hours must be in courses numbered at the 300 level or above.
- Complete 9 hours in the minor in residence at Berry College. These 9 hours must be in courses numbered at the 300 level or above.
Cultural Events Requirement
Attend a minimum of 24 cultural events in the four-year program, or an average of 3 cultural events per semester if enrolled less than four years. Cultural events must be completed no later than the last day to withdraw from a course in the semester the student intends to graduate.
Double Majors, Double Degrees, Dual Majors and Dual Degrees
A student is typically awarded one of four degrees at graduation: B.A., B.MUS., B.S., or B.S.N. A double major is earned when a student completes all the major requirements for two majors. If the majors do not lead to the same degree, the student must specify which degree they wish to receive and meet all degree requirements for that degree.
A student may earn double degrees (some combination of a B.A., B.S., B.S.N., or B.MUS.) by meeting all requirements for both majors and both degrees including 32 independent hours earned solely for the second degree (a total of 156 credit hours). Both degrees must be listed on the application for graduation.
The secondary education major is a dual major that cannot be completed independently; it must be completed in conjunction with a second approved major. Students must complete the degree requirements for the second chosen major.
Berry College has three dual-degree options with Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University (Engineering) and Emory University (nursing). Students should complete the degree requirements for these special programs. Upon completion of the necessary components, and receipt of the transcript from Georgia Tech., Kennesaw State University, or Emory, Berry College will award the Bachelor of Science degree. Students will earn the second degree from Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University or Emory upon completion of their degree requirements.
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Required Foundations Curriculum
Foundations Curriculum
Berry College’s Foundations Curriculum furthers the college’s mission to nurture students’ intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth and offers students the skills and knowledge to be actively engaged in the life of their community, to navigate a diverse and rapidly changing world, and to partake in lifelong learning. The Berry College Foundations Curriculum does this by preparing students to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts, engage in mathematical inquiry, understand issues and events through multiple cultural perspectives, and have rich experiences employing the varied modes of expression and inquiry that comprise a liberal education. These broad experiences encourage intellectual curiosity and a breadth of vision that is shaped by the best thought and greatest achievements of humankind.
Foundations Learning Goals and Course Requirements:
Foundations Learning Goals:
1. Effective Communication
The ability to express concise and methodical arguments clearly and precisely is essential to students’ success at Berry and in their future vocations. Students who communicate effectively will formulate and articulate a thesis or overarching idea using well-developed sentences and paragraphs, be clear in expression, develop an argument, and identify and appropriately use evidence from a variety of sources. Effective communication includes both oral, and written skills, and visual skills, including composition, and public speaking, and visual literacy.
Students take 2 courses to fulfill this goal (6-7 hours). One course must fulfill the written communication and critical literacy (F1a) learning outcomes and one course must fulfill the oral and visual communication (F1b) learning outcome. Typically, this learning outome would be met by completing RHW 102 and COM 203 or COM 204 .
Written Communication and Critical Literacy
- 1a Written communication and critical literacy. Students will demonstrate effective written communication through their ability to articulate complex theses, structure and develop essays, and use rhetorical appeals that demonstrate an understanding of context, purpose, and audience with appropriate use of evidence. Students will demonstrate critical literacy through their ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and create content using information technologies. Evaluating the quality and suitability of the sources, documenting and crediting the sources correctly, and demonstrating awareness of the economic, legal, social, and ethical issues surrounding the use of information are expected outcomes of acquiring critical literacy.
Students choose one course from the following list to fulfill the written communication and critical literacy learning outcomes:
Oral and Visual Communication
- 1b Oral and visual communication. Students will demonstrate effective oral communication through their ability to effectively communicate sources of information and evidence, as well as demonstrate control of syntax, and proper use of mechanics of style and conventions. Students will demonstrate effective visual communication and literacy through their ability to interpret and create visual and digital texts.
Students choose one course from the following list to fulfill the oral communication or visual communication learning outcomes:
2. Mathematical Inquiry
Mathematics is essential to the study of all disciplines that draw conclusions from observed patterns. A student with college-level skills in mathematical inquiry will have a general understanding of how mathematics is developed and implemented; in particular, students will be able to identify patterns and relationships in observed data, use mathematics to verify the observed phenomena, and draw conclusions based on the results.
Students will take 1 course to fulfill this goal (3-4 hours). Typically, this goal can be fulfilled by completing any MAT or CSC course with a Foundations designation in the Berry College catalog.
Identify Mathematical Patterns and Relationships
- 2a. Identify mathematical patterns and relationships. Students will identify mathematical patterns and relationships, model and manipulate relationships and draw conclusions based upon the results.
Students will choose one course from the following list to fulfill the mathematical inquiry learning outcomes:
3. Intercultural Knowledge
The individual of today’s world must be able to understand issues and events through multiple cultural perspectives by developing abilities that facilitate intelligent and respectful cultural interactions. These abilities include recognizing, understanding, and articulating the similarities and differences of cultural contexts, including one’s own. Students who excel in intercultural learning will identify their own cultural patterns, compare and contrast them with others, and adapt flexibly to unfamiliar ways of being.
Students take 1 course to fulfill this goal (3-4 hours). Certain Foundations of Knowledge courses may also concurrently satisfy this requirement.
Each course must fulfill at least one of the following learning outcomes:
- 3a Cultural Self-awareness. Students will recognize new perspectives regarding their own cultural rules and understanding.
- 3b Knowledge of Cultural Worldview Frameworks. Students will demonstrate understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
- 3c Intercultural Communication. Students will recognize and participate in cultural differences in communication and begin to negotiate a shared understanding based on those differences.
4. Foundations of Knowledge
In Foundations of Knowledge courses students will examine complex problems through diverse methods of inquiry, understand how different kinds of knowledge are generated, and identify appropriate standards for evaluating knowledge in different realms. Students must complete courses from five areas to fulfill the college’s Foundations requirements. Courses must have different prefixes and be offered by different departments or interdisciplinary programs not associated with a formal department, unless otherwise noted. Interdisciplinary courses are categorized according to the principle means of inquiry employed.
4a Humanities
Courses in the humanities aim to provide the analytical tools, knowledge and perceptiveness to study the place of humans in the world and to document, interpret and evaluate humanity’s experiences, understandings, and achievements. The disciplines that traditionally constitute the humanities include history, literature, language, philosophy and religious studies. The modes of inquiry of the humanities deepen and expand our knowledge and appreciation of humanity in its variety and complexity in the past or present and prepare us to better address perennial human concerns as well as new problems that may confront humanity. Courses in the humanities are intended to help students understand and interpret texts and their concerns, and to reason and communicate clearly about history, texts, or fundamental concerns. Students take 3 courses (9 hours).
Learning outcome: Students will be able to understand and interpret texts and their concerns, and to reason and communicate clearly about history, texts or fundamental human concerns.
4b Arts
Courses in the arts are intended to provide the skills and knowledge to create, experience, and comprehend art. Learning in the arts fosters aesthetic development, self-discipline, imaginative insights, and the ability to make connections between seemingly disparate ideas and issues.
Courses in this area may provide insight into the discipline, craft, and creative processes that go into making a work of art or may focus on analyzing and interpreting the products of that creativity. Students take 3 hours (one course or three semesters of participation in a major ensemble) from the list of courses and ensembles below.
4c Social and Behavioral Sciences
Courses in the social and behavioral sciences are intended to provide students with the factual and analytical tools to be an informed citizen in a world characterized by institutions, cultures, and social structures that human beings have created, whether knowingly or unknowingly, and which markedly affect their lives. Social science approaches traditionally include economics, anthropology, political science, psychology, and sociology.
Courses in this area are intended to help students recognize, analyze, and evaluate humans in their social relations in order that they may better understand themselves and the social world in which they live. Students take 3 courses (9 hours) to fulfill this requirement.
4d Natural Sciences
Courses in the natural sciences are intended to provide students with multiple scientific perspectives and knowledge needed to make informed decisions as socially responsible citizens in a world deeply influenced by scientific thought and technological accomplishment. The ability to make these decisions hinges not simply on knowledge of scientific facts, but also on understanding the powerful an diverse methods by which this knowledge is obtained.
Courses in this area are designed to help students understand the process scientists employ when presented with a problem or question or a proposed solution to problem. Because science requires critical skills of observation, measurement, and communication of experimental results, courses that satisfy this requirement must include a significant hands-on laboratory experience. Students take 2 natural science lab courses (8 hours) with two different prefixes (except PHY/EGR) to fulfill this requirement.
4e Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is the result of making informed decisions concerning physical health as it relates to quality of life and longevity.
Courses in this area are designed to help students learn about and participate in activities that improve quality of life and promote lifelong physical fitness. Students take 1 classroom course and 1 activity course (2 hours).
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