Mar 19, 2024  
2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Degree Requirements


 

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

  1. Complete BCC 099 or BCC 100 satisfactorily during the first term of enrollment.
  2. 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 general education activity courses may count toward the 124 hours.
  3. Earn at least a 2.0 overall GPA for their Berry College coursework.
  4. Be in good standing with the college and receive faculty approval for the degree.
  5. Complete the General Education, major, minor, and general degree requirements specified in the catalog in effect during the semester of first enrollment.
  6. Complete an online application for graduation two semesters prior to graduation (typically the second semester of teh 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

  1. Complete the requirements for the major or minor specified in the catalog in the first semester of enrollment.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 general-education 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Complete the assessment(s) within the major and general education as required in the final term of enrollment.
  7. 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

  1. Complete a minimum of 62 hours in residence at Berry College.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Berry College Courses


Berry College Courses are those extending beyond the disciplinary boundaries of any one department and representing educational opportunities made available to students by the college as a whole. In this category are educational-growth and thematic courses.

BCC courses may not be used in satisfaction of general-education requirements, other than electives. Only with the written permission of the appropriate school dean may BCC courses be used in the major or the minor. The Dean of Academic Services is the director of Berry College Courses, and further information about these offerings may be secured from that office.

Required Basic and General-Education Courses


General Education Courses


The courses required for the bachelor’s degree at Berry College are designed to assist students in becoming literate, cultured and creative individuals who are also responsible citizens of a democracy in a changing world and who are prepared for lifelong learning. Students will engage in learning that fosters clear and analytical reasoning, effective communication, appreciation of artistic excellence, understanding of scientific and mathematical inquiry, and the ability to make informed and morally responsible choices. They should also acquire that breadth of vision that comes with a historical consciousness and an awareness of cultural and global diversity. The proper cultivation of such a vision emphasizes the best thought and greatest achievements of humankind throughout the course of recorded history.

The courses in the general education curriculum are designed to provide a foundation of liberal learning and to expose students to a breadth of academic disciplines. Students should work with their advisors to select courses that may be needed as prerequisites for advanced work; freshmen and transfer students with fewer than 30 credit hours are strongly urged to complete RHW 102  during their first two terms of enrollment.

Total General Education (18 courses): 51 - 52 hours


Total General Education (18 Courses): 51 - 52 hours


Students must complete courses as designated in each group.  Courses approved to meet the specific General Education requirements are noted with a GE designator after the course title.

Behavioral and Social Sciences (3 courses): 9 hours


Courses with a GE designator will be selected from three of the four behavioral-science areas. For students in the Honors program taking HON 203 H , two additional courses will be selected from two of the four behavioral and social science areas.

Humanities (5 courses): 15 hours


One course with the GE designator will be selected from each of the four humanities areas. A fifth course will be selected from one of the humanities courses listed below.  For students in the Honors program taking HON 201H , one course will be selected from three of the four humanities areas.  (If a student enrolls in HIS 120 , they may not choose HIS 205  or HIS 206  for this fifth humanities course.)

Literature:

Any 200-level literature course with the GE designator.

Religion or Philosophy:

Any 100-level course with a GE designator.

Mathematics and Natural Sciences (3 courses): 11-12 hours


Mathematics (3-4 hours)

Any 100 or 200 level math course with a GE designator. Students should consult with their advisor regarding math requirements for the various majors.

Science (8 hours)

Two different laboratory-science courses noted with the GE designator chosen from different sciences- Biology (BIO), Chemistry (CHM), Geology (GEO), Physics/Astronomy (PHY or AST), or ANS 105 .  For students in the Honors program taking HON 205 H , students will complete one additional laboratory science from the approved list.

Health and Physical Education (3 KIN courses): 3 hours


(KIN 221  may count as activity or classroom course, but not both). A maximum of four KIN activity courses may be applied toward degree requirements.

One course from the following:

Elective (2 courses): 6 hours


Any two 3 credit (or higher) courses selected outside the student’s major discipline, or the minor, if one is chosen. (Students may use foreign-language courses to fulfill this requirement.) Students with double majors are exempt from this requirement.