BACCALAUREATE DEGREE: REQUIREMENTS

 Specific requirements for each degree will be found in the catalog descriptions under the appropriate colleges and departments. 1,2

All students who wish to earn a bachelor's degree must complete the following university-wide requirements:

Complete all the General Education requirements.

1. Complete all the General Education requirements.
2. Earn a minimum grade point average of 2.0
a. on all work attempted at LSUS
b. on all work attempted at LSUS and elsewhere
c. in a major subject or, for the General Studies student, an area of concentration
d. in the courses of the major subject taken at LSUS or, for the General Studies student, an area of concentration.
(Grades of P, NC, W, or I are not included in determining the grade point average)
3. Complete the college and departmental requirements for degree.
4. Earn a minimum of 128 hours of credit, exclusive of English 005 and Mathematics 007. Not more than 9 hours in mathematics courses numbered below 150 may be counted in the minimum. At least 60 of total hours must be from a four-year college or university.
5. Earn in residence at LSUS a minimum of 25 percent of the semester hours required in the student's degree program, including 9 or more in the major or field of concentration, unless authorized in writing by the student's dean.
6. Complete a minimum of 30 of the last 40 semester hours in residence at LSUS.
7. Complete proficiency requirements. (See  "General Education Proficiency" for additional information.)
8. Complete the following procedural requirements for graduation:
a. During the semester immediately prior to the semester in which the degree is to be awarded, a degree candidate's academic record must be evaluated for compliance with degree requirements by the dean of the candidate's college. The candidate must obtain a checkout form signed by the dean, present it to the Office Admissions and Records, and then make application for a degree.
b. The diploma fee must be paid before the application is processed. A candidate who has previously paid a diploma fee but failed to graduate at the time expected must pay an additional diploma fee.
c. At least three days prior to graduation, the candidate must clear any financial indebtedness to the University.
d. The candidate is encouraged to participate in commencement ceremonies. Persons wanting to graduate in absentia should notify the Office of Admissions and Records in writing prior to graduation.

Degrees are granted at the end of each regular semester and at the end of the summer semester.
 

While the student who earns a baccalaureate degree at LSUS will have specialized in a major field and pursued personal interests in elective studies, the pursuit of a degree would have been incomplete without a foundation in the common knowledge that unites us in our humanity.

The subject distribution requirements below provide that foundation and are integral to every degree program at LSUS.

They encourage the student

• to think logically, critically, and creatively
• to communicate effectively when speaking and writing
• to read extensively and perceptively, exploring human values through major works of literature
• to examine patterns of human behavior and of the development of human institutions political, economic, and social
• to study varying cultures in both historical and geographical context
• to understand mathematics as a means to express, define, and logically explore questions about the world
• to use acquired facts, concepts, and principles of the biological and physical sciences in applying the scientific process to natural phenomena
• to appreciate the fine and performing arts
• to become familiar with the language and literature of other cultures
•  to perceive the importance of values in human life

The following minimum subject requirements totaling 45 semester credit hours (SCH) must be satisfied by any student awarded a baccalaureate degree. Courses to satisfy these requirements are also designated. No course numbered lower than those listed may be used to satisfy the requirements. Exceptions or equivalencies to courses listed require permission from the appropriate deans. Exceptions to requirements are in the purview of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs only.

I. English Composition (6 hours) including credit for English 115 and English 105.

II. Oral Communications (3 hours): Communications 135.

III. Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 hours): Three courses, each from a different discipline.

Choose from the following disciplines:

Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology

Approved courses:

Anthropology 205 or 210
Economics 200, 201, 202
Geography 105, 106, 251, 252, 257
Political Science 101, 151, 256
Psychology 152, 206
Sociology 105, 142, 250, 255, 256

IV. Mathematics (6 hours): Six semester hours of mathematics, college level algebra and above.
Approved courses:

(1) Math 121 and (2) any mathematics course numbered higher than 121.

V. Science (9 hours): Six hours of a two-semester sequence from the biological sciences or physical sciences. The remaining three hours must be selected from the other area.
 

Approved courses:
A. Biological Sciences

Biology: (one course)101; (two-course sequence) 101-105, 101-106, 101-107, 101-108

Chemistry: (one course) 110 or 106; (two-course sequence) 110-112, 106-121, 106-110, 121-112
Physical Science: (one course) 105 or 106; (two-course sequence) 105-106
Astronomy: (one course) 105; (two-course sequence) 105-106

VI. Humanities and Fine Arts (12 hours, three semester hours to be at the sophomore level or above)

1. Three semester hours of English or American Literature:

English 205, 206, 207, 215, 216
2.  Three semester hours to be selected from these areas:

English, Foreign Language (above the introductory level), Philosophy, Religion, Humanities

Approved courses:

English - any 200 or 300 level English course
Foreign Language - any course numbered 200 or above
Philosophy 105, 206, 250
Religious Studies 481, 482, 483, 484, 490
3. Three semester hours to be selected from one of these areas:
Dance, Drama, Fine Arts, Music
Approved courses:
Health and Physical Education 112, 125, 141,
Communications 260, 261
Fine Arts 100, 140, 240, 241
Music 120
4. Three semester hours of History: History 105, 106, 145, 146

The Louisiana Board of Regents' "General Education Requirements in Associate and Baccalaureate programs," dated April 24, 1986, sets forth the following requirements:

1. " . . .each institution shall require the successful performance of each student on a mandatory English Competency examination."
2. " . . .each institution shall require the successful performance of each student on a mandatory competency examination in mathematics."
3. ". . .each public college and university in Louisiana shall employ an appropriate testing procedure to measure the effectiveness of its general education program."

Major Field Mastery
Each student receiving the bachelor's degree from LSUS must satisfactorily demonstrate mastery of a major field as defined by the faculty in that field. For many degrees, the student must take a major field achievement test.

Requirements for a Second Bachelor's Degree
In order to qualify for a second bachelor's degree, regardless of whether the first was granted by LSUS or by some other college or university, the candidate must earn at least 33 semester hours beyond those counted in fulfilling previous degree requirements. These additional hours may not have been earned prior to the date of certification of the last degree. The candidate must also fulfill all department and college requirements for the second degree.

Catalog Use
The University catalog prescribes the requirements for each degree. The catalog is published annually and becomes effective at the opening of the summer term. (See also "UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS.")

A student must meet all the requirements for a degree outlined in an issue of the catalog in effect during the student's continuous residence at the University. A student whose study has been interrupted for 12 consecutive months may not elect a catalog earlier than the one in force at the time of re-entry. A student changing from one curriculum to another may not elect to follow a catalog in force earlier than the date on which the change is made. A student may not elect a catalog more than 10 years old unless permission is given by the appropriate dean.

Student Responsibilities
Close adherence to the curriculum will assure that students complete all general degree and major requirements within the normal four-year period. The student should know all the requirements of the degree program and should consult with the faculty adviser when necessary. Each student is held responsible for knowing degree requirements, for enrolling in courses that fit into the degree program, for taking courses in the proper sequence to ensure the orderly progression of work, and for knowing University regulations regarding the standard of work required to continue in the University, as well as the regulations on scholastic probation.

Requirements for Multiple Majors
A student who wishes to increase career options by demonstrating broader education than is normally suggested by a single major may earn a degree with two majors. The two majors may be in the same or different colleges as long as

1. all general baccalaureate degree requirements are fulfilled
2. all requirements for each separate major are fulfilled
3. the dean of the college in which the degree will be granted approves
4. the dean of the other college approves

Degree with Honors
The baccalaureate degree is awarded with honors to students who earn a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit at LSUS and who maintain a high grade point average. To be eligible for honors, students must have a grade point average, including course grades eliminated through the Repeat/Delete option and the Bankruptcy Policy, that falls within the ranges shown below, both for courses taken at LSUS and for all courses:
 

 Students may graduate with honors as many times as they meet the requirements.
 

In the spring of 1986 the Louisiana State Board of Regents authorized the awarding of a Certificate of Excellence to those graduating students who have successfully completed more than the minimum general education courses and who have completed all requirements for the degree with a grade point average of 3.0. The student who wants to earn this certificate should take the following additional courses in general education:

Sciences (2 additional hours of laboratory)

Two-semester science sequence should be met by taking courses required for majors including laboratory courses.

Six credit hours of a foreign language above the introductory level must be a part of the total 15 hours of humanities.

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Final authority resides in the printed version of the catalog.
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