The Academic Program
Educating the whole student is the goal of the liberal arts curriculum at Washington College. It is a goal that calls for active participation on the part of both faculty and students. The College values its role as a microcosm for today's students who seek a liberal arts education.
Washington College's size lends itself to educating the whole student in intensely personal, important ways. With one professor for every 12 students, teachers know their students by names rather than social security numbers.
The College's commitment to the liberal arts and sciences encourages students to explore many areas of interest and to develop the capacity to reason, to appreciate literature and the arts, and to make the connection between courses of study and their implications in society.
Student participation is crucial to the success of a liberal arts education. That is why students are expected to design—with the help and guidance of faculty advisors—an academic program best suited to their individual interests and talents. To help in charting the course, Washington College has established a set of guidelines concerning its General Education and Distribution Requirements, which are designed to ensure a broad intellectual foundation in the arts and sciences. In addition to these general requirements, students are expected to complete writing requirements, course requirements for the major, and a Senior Capstone Experience, which usually takes the form of a thesis, performance, or comprehensive exam.
Washington College operates on a two-semester academic calendar year. The majority of courses are worth four credits; however, the College also offers one-, two-, and three-credit courses. It is customary to complete sixteen credits for each of eight semesters and to graduate at the end of four years with 128 credits. Students who transfer one or more 3-credit classes may be allowed to graduate after completing 126 or 127 credits. Please check with the Registrar for full details.
Full-time student status is defined as being enrolled for at least twelve credit-hours per semester. The total credits for which a student is enrolled in a given semester is planned by the student and the academic advisor, but must not exceed 22 credits.
The curriculum is designed to provide for a thorough and intensive study of the material selected. Like other leading national liberal arts colleges, Washington College asks students to devote considerable time to each course—normally between ten and twelve hours a week for a four-credit course. Since less than a third of that time is actually spent in the classroom, courses emphasize the importance of outside work—independent research, additional reading and writing, laboratory research, creative projects, as well as service learning opportunities and participation in the many cultural events hosted by the College.
The Bachelor's Degree
Washington College awards the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. For the degree to be awarded, a student must complete satisfactorily 128 credithours, two writing-intensive courses, and the Senior Capstone Experience. A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 overall and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 within the major. No more than six D's overall and two D's within the major can be counted for graduation. In most cases, the last eight courses leading to a degree must be taken in residence at Washington College.
Faculty advisors, the deans, and the Registrar are freely available to answer questions and offer guidance in selecting and planning a course of study. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the ultimate responsibility for meeting all requirements for the degree rests entirely with the student.
Programs, Policies and Regulations
Goals of the Liberal Arts Education
A fundamental goal of a liberal arts education is to encourage and to further individual self-development. Beyond this goal, the liberal arts college shares with other academic institutions an obligation to preserve, to transmit, and to advance the accumulated wisdom of civilizations. The scholarly tradition, in turn, provides the substance of what we can offer to further an individual's intellectual development. As a special kind of liberal arts college, one that stresses the value of close interpersonal relations, we strive to assist the student not only in enlarging his or her intellectual and aesthetic capacities, but in achieving a social and personal maturity as well. Two of the several purposes of higher education listed by the Carnegie Commission describe our situation very well:
- The provision of opportunities for the intellectual, aesthetic, ethical, and skill development of individual students, and the provision of campus growth.
- The transmission and advancement of learning and wisdom.
Every aspect of the College should, of course, contribute to its basic goal. We are here concerned, however, primarily with the curriculum, the intellectual means by which we serve student self-development. Our Mission Statement identifies the goals of the academic program.
The Curriculum
Within the general guidelines of the curriculum at Washington College, you will take major responsibility for shaping a program of study to broaden and deepen your intellectual development. During your years here, members of the faculty will work closely with you to design a program to help you meet your personal goals. Close interpersonal relations are highly valued at Washington College, and the faculty and staff will assist you not only in making the most of your intellectual and aesthetic capacities, but also in achieving personal and social maturity as well.
Other aims of the curriculum may be grouped into four broad classes:
- Acquisition of Information: Acquiring information involves learning how to look for, to read, and to listen for form and structure, coherence and cogency.
- Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation: Analysis and synthesis require a reasoned, contemplative approach to problems, the patience to do research and gather information, and the ability to go beyond rationalization and emotionally charged arguments to discern good and fair bases for judgment and action. Evaluation demands an awareness of your own values and value commitments; an awareness that other individuals and cultures hold contrasting values which must be understood and to some extent accepted for satisfactory interactions with them; a sense of responsibility; defensible grounds of morality; and an ability to distinguish ideas of lasting value from those which are ephemeral.
- Articulation and Action: Action and its consequences require that students learn and practice writing and talking with greater accuracy, grace, and persuasiveness. Students are thus encouraged to act on their knowledge.
- Responsiveness to Individual Needs: Because the College recognizes that not all people learn in the same way, it provides alternative educational experiences for students. The College also recognizes that different groups hold contrasting values and thus provides models for various styles of life. In addition, the College offers students opportunities to work with others to achieve common goals. In these ways, the College works to foster the physical, mental, social, and aesthetic development of students.
A liberal arts education is only secondarily and indirectly vocational. The primary purpose of a liberal arts education is to foster the process of self-development which finds an ideally encouraging environment in a small, residential college such as Washington College. Students should expect to play an active role as partners in an intellectual dialogue with instructors and fellow students. While the curriculum provides guidance and ensures coherence in the educational process, students should find sufficient flexibility to permit the growth and development of specific needs and interests. In short, sound structure and necessary flexibility are the foundations of the course of study at Washington College.
Academic Policy
Academic policy is formulated by the faculty, who determine the requirements for admission, promotion, and graduation; the organization of the curriculum; and the provisions covering probation and dismissal.
Administrators interpret and apply the rules so as to carry out the intentions of the faculty, subject to the policies established by the Board of Visitors and Governors. Students play an important role in determining these policies. They serve as voting members on both the Curriculum Committee and Committee on Academic Standing and Advising, where major academic policies are formulated, subject to faculty approval.
The primary objective of the College's academic policy is to support the direct relationship between student and instructor. The instructor's judgment is final, and his/her records are authoritative in all matters of course requirements, grades, and class attendance. The College does not normally accept appeals of instructors' decisions in these matters. Any questions should be directed first to the instructor, then to the Department Chair, and, as a final resort, to the Dean of the College.
The Academic Program
The four-course plan at Washington College involves eight semesters of study with four courses generally taken every semester. A total of 128 credit hours is required for graduation. Decisions to take coursework beyond the required 128 credits will be made at the student-advisor level. Students may take up to five years to complete their coursework, subject to the usual requirements for acceptable academic progress.
The intent of this plan is to provide for a more thorough and enriched study of the material of each course than is possible in a system of three-credit courses. When this plan was first introduced, it was envisioned that each course would require a student to do approximately ten to twelve hours of work per week. Since the usual number of class hours was not increased, a major portion of work for a course should take place outside of the classroom. Such outside work places a strong emphasis on activities such as independent research, additional reading and writing, laboratory work, and creative work. This requires the student to take a more active role in his or her education.
While the nature of any particular course is a matter to be determined by its instructor, that instructor has the responsibility for defining the nature of work to be done outside of the classroom and for demanding that it be successfully completed. Satisfactory grades are given only to students who demonstrate a mastery of the material as intended.
An Overview of the Academic Requirements
There are three kinds of requirements at Washington College: Graduation Requirements, General Education Requirements, and Major Requirements. Graduation Requirements ensure that all graduates of Washington College take an equivalent number of courses and fulfill certain common general education obligations. General Education Requirements ensure that students get a balanced introduction to a variety of liberal arts and sciences. Major Requirements ensure that students concentrate sufficiently in at least one liberal art or science to become proficient in that area. In sum, Graduation Requirements are for uniformity, Major Requirements are for concentration, and General Education Requirements are for variety.
Graduation Policies
Graduation Requirements
Washington College awards the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. A candidate must complete at least 128 credit hours, of which a minimum of 56 hours must be taken at Washington College or in a Washington College-administered program. Students must satisfy the general education requirements which include completion of two Community, Nation, and World seminars, the Writing Obligation, and distribution courses. Students must also complete a major, which includes a minimum of eight courses in the major and fulfillment of a senior project known as the Senior Capstone Experience (a comprehensive examination, thesis, research project, or the like as specified by the major department).
Students must attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in the major. No more than a total of six D's and no more than two D's in the major can be counted for graduation. A student's last eight courses must also be taken at Washington College or in a Washington Collegeadministered program.
Only students who have completed all graduation requirements are eligible to participate in commencement. Students who complete their graduation requirements prior to the first day of fall classes will receive diplomas dated the previous academic year and have the option of participating in the next commencement.
Graduation Checklist for Seniors
For further explanation of the following items, consult the appropriate sections of this handbook.
- Coursework: Completed 128 credit hours. A student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and at least 2.0 in the major. No more than six D's total, or two D's in the major may be counted toward graduation.
- General Education Requirements: Completed courses from the "Community, Nation, and World" and the distribution requirements.
- Writing Requirement: Received passing grades in two recognized writing-intensive courses (indicated as such by an asterisk in the course schedule).
- Major Course Requirements: Completed all major requirements as described in this catalog. Students who have questions about major requirements should consult the Chair of their departments.
- The Senior Capstone Experience: Comprehensive Exam, Thesis, or Project
For those majors which require or allow the comprehensive exam:
- Fulfilled all departmental requirements (methodology courses, review sessions, etc.) designed to prepare students for the exams.
- Passed the comprehensive exam.
For those majors which require or allow a Senior Thesis or Project:
- Selected paper or project topic no later than the fourth week of classes of the first semester of senior year.
- Submitted outline (if required).
- Submitted rough draft of thesis or project by the deadline established by the department.
- Submitted final draft of thesis no later than the last day of classes of the semester in which the student is graduating.
Because each department establishes its own deadline for submission of #2 and #3 above, students should refer to their department's established guidelines or consult with the chairs of the departments.
Application for Graduation
Normally in the spring of the student's junior year, the Registrar will provide the student with a graduation audit showing the major and distribution courses presented to meet requirements and also indicating any deficiencies to be made up before graduation. Seniors who expect to graduate at the end of the year should apply to the Registrar's Office no later than the end of September of their senior year.
General Education Requirements
To ensure a broad foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, all students entering as freshmen are required to take the following General Education requirements: two semester-long seminars in the first year relating to the theme of Community, Nation, and World (CNW), and the other distribution courses from the categories listed below.
Students entering Washington College with Advanced Placement credit may apply that credit toward Distribution courses up to a total of 32 credit hours; however, this credit does not exempt students from CNW seminars.
Requirements for First-Year and Transfer Students
First-year students and transfer students with fewer than 16 transferable credits:
- 2 CNW seminars
- 9 Distribution courses
- Foreign Language Requirement
Transfer students with 16-31 transferable credits:
- 1 CNW seminar
- 9 Distribution courses
- Foreign Language Requirement
Transfer students with 32 or more transferable credits:
- 0 CNW seminars
- 9 Distribution courses
- Foreign Language Requirement
- CNW Seminars
All first-year students must be enrolled in a CNW seminar each semester. While students may change from one seminar to another, they are not permitted to withdraw from a CNW course unless a number of specific criteria have been met (see below).
In Community seminars, first-year students are introduced to the political, social, artistic, economic, and environmental communities that exist in the Chesapeake region. In Nation seminars, students explore a topic or issue of significance to the American community. Freshmen select either a Community or Nation seminar in the fall semester and enroll in a World seminar in the spring. In World seminars, students explore diverse traditions and cultures from around the world.
CNW seminars include competency components in writing, research methodology, and the use of the computer as both a writing and information-gathering tool.
Students may withdraw from a CNW course only if all of the following three conditions are met: 1) The instructor of the course agrees that the student made a strong effort to succeed in the course. 2) The student, in spite of these efforts, is in danger of failing the course. 3) The advisor and instructor agree that it is in the best academic interest of the student to withdraw from the course. Students who withdraw from a CNW course must enroll in an appropriate CNW seminar in the next possible semester. Withdrawals from CNW courses need to follow the College's course withdrawal procedure.
Writing Requirements
The Writing Obligation
In addition to fulfilling their writing requirements in the CNW seminars, students at Washington College must successfully complete two writing-intensive courses. At least one of these courses must be completed in the sophomore year. A student shall not register for second-semester courses in the sophomore year unless he or she has either already successfully completed or is currently registering for one writing intensive course. Likewise, a student shall not register for second-semester courses in the junior year unless he or she has either already successfully completed or is currently registering for the second writing-intensive course. A student not taking on-campus courses during the relevant semesters shall meet these requirements in the first subsequent on-campus semester, unless he or she can show that a course taken at an off-campus location meets the guidelines of writing-intensive courses. Writing-intensive courses taken during the first year do not satisfy the Writing Obligation.
Writing-intensive courses are noted in the course schedule by an asterisk. Such courses will incorporate frequent and regular writing experiences and will make provisions for appropriate review and revision exercises. Faculty members offering writing- intensive courses will explain on their syllabi the relevant course expectations and activities. Writing-intensive courses may involve specified interactions with the Writing Center.
Students complete their Writing Obligation by receiving passing grades in two writing-intensive courses.
Distribution Requirements
Students are required to take courses from the five categories listed below, unless an exception is granted through advanced placement. An exception is the distribution requirements required of transfer students with 16 or more transferable credits (refer to the section 'Requirements for First-Year and Transfer Students' for more information).
The requirements are:
- CNW Seminar Requirement
- Foreign Language Requirement
- Natural Science and Quantitative Requirement
- Humanities and Fine Arts Requirement
- Social Science Requirement
1. Community, Nation, and World Seminars (Students complete two courses.)
- One Community or Nation Seminar taken in the fall of the first year.
- One World Seminar taken in the spring of the first year.
2. Foreign Language Requirement (Students must complete one or two courses.)
- For students starting a new language or students placed on the 101 or 102 level, two semesters in the new or placement language or one semester of study abroad in a non-English-speaking country, including appropriate language instruction.
- For students placed on level 201 or above in French, German or Spanish, one semester of study or one semester of study abroad in a non-English-speaking country, including appropriate language instruction.
- Students who have achieved a score of at least 4 on the Advanced Placement test and those students whose native language is not English may be exempted from this requirement.
- Students who present appropriate documentation qualifying them for a foreign language accommodation may be allowed to substitute two ILC courses to satisfy this requirement.
3. Natural Science and Quantitative Requirement (Students must complete three courses—at least one of which must meet the Quantitative Requirement and at least one of which must meet the Natural Science Requirement.)
- Natural Science Requirement: Any course in biology, chemistry, or physics. Students choosing to fulfill the Natural Science and Quantitative Requirement by taking two courses in the Natural Science area may do so by completing either of the following:
- Students who: 1) plan to major in biology, chemistry, environmental studies, physics, or psychology or 2) plan to attend medical school must complete one of the following two-course sequences.
Students who are seeking teacher certification or those who have a strong interest in the sciences may complete any one of the following two-course sequences:
- BIO 111, 112. General Biology
- CHE 111, 112. General Chemistry
- PHY 111, 112. General Physics
- Students who plan to major in a discipline other than those listed in "a" above may complete any combination of two science courses chosen from those listed above and/or the following courses:
- BIO 100. Genes, Nature, and Society
- BIO 104. Society, Ecology, and the Chesapeake Bay
- CHE 100. Introduction to Contemporary Chemistry
- CHE 110. Chemistry of the Environment
- PHY 100. Introduction to Gravity and Space-Time
- PHY 110. Astronomy
- PHY 140. Exploring the Solid Earth
- PHY 141. Atmosphere, Ocean, and Environment
- Students who: 1) plan to major in biology, chemistry, environmental studies, physics, or psychology or 2) plan to attend medical school must complete one of the following two-course sequences.
Students who are seeking teacher certification or those who have a strong interest in the sciences may complete any one of the following two-course sequences:
- Quantitative Requirement: Any of the following courses:
- MAT. Any course in Mathematics or CSI. Any course in Computer Science
- BUS 215. Quantitative Methods I
- ECN 215. Data Analysis I
- MUS 131. Elementary Music Theory I
- MUS 231. Advanced Music Theory I
- PHL 108. Logic
- PSY 309. Statistics and Experimental Design
Students choosing to fulfill the Natural Science and Quantitative Requirement by taking two courses in the Quantitative area may take any of the following pairs:
- MAT. or CSI. Any two courses in Mathematics or Computer Science
- BUS 215, 216. Quantitative Methods I and II
- MUS 131, 132. Elementary Music Theory I and II
- MUS 231, 232. Advanced Music Theory I and II
Note: The other courses listed above (PHL 108 and PSY 309) as fulfilling the Quantitative Requirement may not be paired and are offered only to students choosing to fulfill the Quantitative Requirement by taking one course in this area.
(Students must complete three courses—at least one of which must meet the Fine Arts Requirement and at least one of which must meet the other Humanities Requirement.)
- Humanities Requirement: Students choosing to fulfill the Humanities Requirement by taking one course in the humanities may do so by taking any course in the humanities listed below. Students choosing to fulfill the Humanities and Fine Arts Requirement by taking two courses in the Humanities may do so by taking any of the following pairs:
- AMS 201, 202. Introduction to American Culture I, II
- ENG 101, 102. Forms of Literature and Composition I, II
- ENG 205, 206. Shakespeare I, II
- ENG 207, 208. History of English Literature I, II
- ENG 209, 210. Introduction to American Literature I, II
- ENG 211, 212. Introduction to American Culture I, II
- ENG 213, 214. Introduction to African American Literature I, II
- ENG 215, 216. Foundations of Western Literature I, II
Note: Cross combinations among ENG 209-214 are permitted.
- ILC ___, ___. Any two courses in International Literature and Culture
- PHL ___, ___. Any two courses in Philosophy (except PHL 108)
- FRS/GRS/HPS Any two literature courses in the same language
- Fine Arts Requirement: Students choosing to fulfill the Fine Arts Requirement by taking one course in the fine arts may do so by taking any course selected from:
- Art (all courses)
- Drama (all courses except DRA 105 and DRA 200) or
- Music. Any four-credit history/literature course (i.e., MUS 100, 203, 204, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, or 311 ).
Students choosing to fulfill the Humanities and Fine Arts Requirement by taking two courses in the fine arts may do so by taking any of the following pairs:
- Any combination of two courses in art.
- Any combination of two courses in drama, except DRA 105 and DRA 200.
- Any combination of two four-credit courses in music history/literature listed above.
- Any combination of one four-credit course in music listed above plus two two-credit courses in applied music (two semesters of voice or two semesters of the same instrument), or four courses in one music ensemble.
5. Social Science Requirement: (Students must complete three courses—selected from two departments as outlined below.)
To fulfill the requirement for two courses in the same department any of the following sequences may be taken:
- ECN 111, 112. Macroeconomics and Microeconomics
- ECN 111 or 112. Macroeconomics or Microeconomics plus any one of the following:
- ECN 117. Environmental Economics
- ECN 218. Economic Development
- ECN 219. Human Resources Economics
- EDU 301, 302. Principles of Education/Educational Psychology
- HIS 101, 102. Early Origins of Western Civilization I, II
- HIS 103, 104. Modern World History I, II
- HIS 201, 202. History of the United States I, II
- POL 101, 102. Intro. to Poli. Science/American Gov't & Politics
- POL 101, 104. Intro. to Poli. Science/Intro to World Politics
- PSY 111 , 11 2. General Psychology I, II
- SOC 101, ___ Intro. to Sociology, plus any one of the following:
- SOC 212. The Family
- SOC 213. Gender
- SOC 221. Social Inequalities
- SOC 240. Criminology
- SOC 250. City and Suburb
- SOC 341. Variant Behavior
- ANT 105, ___. Introduction to Anthropology, plus any one of the following:
- ANT 215. Sex, Gender, and Culture
- ANT 235. Cultures of Latin America
- ANT 320. Race and Ethnicity
- ANT 355. Myth, Ritual, and Symbolism
- ANT 107, ___. Introduction to Environmental Archaeology, plus either of the following:
- ANT 137. Cultures and Environment of the Chesapeake
- ANT 208. Doing Archaeology
Note: Sociology and anthropology courses are offered by the same department and may not be combined to fulfill the Social Science Requirement.
Alternatives to General Education Requirements
Students who wish to plan their general education outside of the normal guidelines may write a proposal to this effect and submit it to their advisor as a basis for discussion of the feasibility of the plan. After consultation with the advisor, the student should send the proposal to the Committee on Academic Standing and Advising for final judgment. Approval of such proposals depends on convincing demonstration that the desired scheme provides an alternate way of adequately meeting the broad aims of the distribution requirement. Proposals must make provisions for meeting such specific goals as the following: promotion of cultural breadth, introduction to empirical investigation, provision of some basis for aesthetic appreciation or creativity, acquaintance with the nature of language (natural or symbolic), and opportunity to view complex phenomena.
The Major
General Information About the Major
The role of concentration, counterbalancing that of the distribution requirement, is most fundamentally to prepare students for discipline mastery. Detailed knowledge of the facts and terminology of a discipline, development of skill in the use of techniques essential to a discipline, sufficient mastery of the structure and methods of scholarly investigation to engage in independent study in a discipline—such are the objectives of the major in a liberal arts curriculum.
Normally, students will declare a major in the semester after completing 40 credits. Prior to that semester's advising days, students will receive information about declaring a major. After discussing their decision about their major with their current advisors, students take Declaration of Major cards to the Chairs of their major departments for signature and then return the cards to the Registrar.
Departments may, but are not required to, permit students to declare a major provided they have completed at least 16 credit hours and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Transfer and Advanced Placement credit cannot be counted toward the 16-credit requirement. Students wishing to declare a major early should obtain Declaration of Major cards from the Registrar, discuss the decision with their current advisors, and make an appointment to meet with the Chair of the major department to discuss the decision and obtain the appropriate signature. The Chair or a member of the major department becomes the student's advisor for the junior and senior years. All majors include a minimum of eight semester courses taken under departmental supervision. Specified extra-departmental courses in related fields may be included in a major program by special permission of the department.
Policies for Construction of Special Majors
Students who wish to pursue a course of major study other than one of those regularly provided may submit a proposal to this effect in their pre-major advising session. After consultation with the advisor, the student sends the proposal to the Dean of the College, who forms a committee of faculty members from appropriate disciplines to supervise the major. One member of the committee is designated major advisor; the entire committee assists in the selection of a senior project and passes on the completed work. The major program agreed on by the student and the committee will be submitted for final approval to the Dean.
Double Majors, Minors, and Concentrations
There are always a few Washington College students who, after sampling a variety of courses during their first two years, find it impossible to limit themselves to a single major—so instead they choose two. Though challenging, pursuing a double major is possible for those who are willing to shoulder a slightly heavier course load. In recent years, Washington College students have successfully teamed majors in mathematics and German, English and political science, and business and French. Those who double-major are assigned two advisers, one from each discipline, and are expected to complete required coursework and senior capstone experience for both majors.
Pursuing one or more minor areas of study is also an option. Minors require a minimum of five courses taken for grade, or, alternately, an area of concentration within a particular discipline. (Math majors, for example, sometimes choose an additional minor in computer science.) The College also offers interdisciplinary programs in American Studies, Black Studies, Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, the Humanities, Human Development, and International Studies.
Senior Capstone Experience
Required of all graduating seniors, the Senior Capstone Experience is intended to demonstrate the student's ability to think critically and to engage in a project of active learning within the student's major field of studies. The experience will integrate acquired knowledge and skills in a senior project designed to produce upon its successful completion a sense of mastery and intellectual accomplishment that goes significantly beyond classroom learning.
Senior Capstone Experiences can take several forms. They might involve research papers, comprehensive exams, professional portfolios, and artistic creations or performances. Whatever the design, Senior Capstone Experiences will be informed by the following expectations:
- Demonstrated student initiative
- Significant preparatory work
- Active inquiry
- Integration of acquired knowledge and skills
- Culmination of previous academic work
Faculty will mentor students intensively as they work on the completion of their Senior Capstone Experiences. As part of the process, students are expected to share with the College community in appropriate ways the results of their Senior Capstone Experience. The Curriculum Committee will review at regular intervals departmental policies regarding the Senior Capstone Experience to ensure compliance with the expectations listed above and overall equality of demands across departments.
The following policies will govern the administration of the Senior Capstone Experience:
- Upon successful completion of his/her Senior Capstone Experience, a student will receive four credits.
- The four credits gained through the successful completion of the Senior Capstone Experience will be part of a student's required graduation credit count of 128. At the same time, the four credits of the Senior Capstone Experience will have a special status because they cannot be replaced by credits gained through course work.
- With departmental approval, students who double major may complete an integrated capstone experience. When such integration is not advisable, double majors will need to complete independent Senior Capstone Experiences for each major. Double majors cannot gain more than four credits in fulfillment of their Senior Capstone Experience.
- Departments will determine whether they will assign a letter grade or designate Senior Capstone Experiences in their department with honors, pass, or fail. Senior Capstone Experiences receiving a grade of A- or above qualify for honors.
Excellent work on the Senior Capstone Experience, along with the quality of work done in major courses, can result in Departmental Honors.