Catalogs & Handbooks

Degrees, Majors, Minors

Degrees, Majors, Minors Policy

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Bachelor's Degree Requirements

Washington College awards the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees to undergraduate students, depending on their major. Students may earn a Bachelor of Arts and/or a Bachelor of Science degree.

  1. Minimum 2.0 cum. GPA
  2. Minimum 2.0 Major GPA
  3. Minimum of 128 credits
  4. A minimum of 56 credits from Washington College, or in a Washington College-administered program.
  5. Complete the General Education requirements which include the Writing Program and Distribution Requirements
  6. Complete a minimum of eight courses (32 credits) in the major including the Senior Capstone Experience.
  7. A maximum of six 6 courses with D grades may count toward the degree; a maximum of two D graded courses may count toward the major.

Students may declare an additional major, up to three minors, or a concentration within the major.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

Transfer students may transfer up to 72 credits, and thus must complete 56 WC credits at WC, or a WC program to reach the 128 credits required.  Transfer students who have earned a bachelor’s degree elsewhere must complete all WC General Education, Distribution and Major requirements.

Alumni who have completed a WC bachelor’s degree and want to earn a second WC bachelor's degree must be readmitted by Admissions and complete a minimum of 32 additional credits. The second bachelor’s degree may be a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science, regardless of which degree the student has already earned. The student must complete all requirements for the major for the second bachelor’s degree, including the proper sequencing of courses in the major and a second Senior Capstone Experience, which might require more than 32 credits and/or more than two semesters.   No additional General Education credits are required for a second bachelor’s degree.

Alumni may not repeat courses already counted toward the first degree. Grade changes are not possible after a degree has been posted.

Dual Degrees are listed in the Professional Programs area

Major Requirements

Normally, students declare a major before the end of the sophomore year, in time for advising the following fall. Students should discuss the selection of their major with their faculty advisor. To declare a major, students submit the Major-Minor Declaration Form for their Department Chair’s signature and advisor assignment, then forward the form to the the Registrar’s Office.  Departments may, but are not required to permit students to declare a major provided they have completed at least 16 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. Transfer and Advanced Standing credit cannot be counted toward the 16-credit requirement.

The concentrated focus of the major balances the broader focus of the distribution requirement and enables students to master a discipline. 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 declare a major before the end of the sophomore year (59 earned credits), to prepare for advising the following Fall Semester. Prior to each semester’s registration period, undeclared students receive information about declaring a major. Students should discuss the selection of their major with their current faculty advisor. To declare a major, students submit the Major-Minor Declaration Form to the chair(s) of their major department(s) to obtain the appropriate signature(s), then sign and return the form to the Registrar’s Office.

Departments may, but are not required to, permit students to declare a major provided they have completed at least 16 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. Transfer and Advanced Standing credit is not counted toward this 16-credit requirement. Students may declare a major early, assuming the Major Department Chair agrees.

  • Majors range from 34 to 78 credits
  • Major minimum GPA of 2.0
  • A maximum of two D graded courses may count toward the major.

Students may declare a maximum of two majors (double-major) simultaneously.  Students who double-major are assigned two faculty advisors, one from each subject, and are expected to complete a 2-credit Senior Capstone Experience for each major, although a joint SCE is permitted if both Departments approve.

The Communication & Media Studies and the Human Development majors allow students to declare a concentration within the major. Students should declare the concentration at the time that they submit the Major-Minor Declaration Form, but they can declare it later.

Minor Requirements

Minors require a minimum of 20 credits. Students may not minor in the same area as their major; (for example a student can not major in biology and minor in biology, but a student could major in Business Administration and minor in International Business).

Students declare a minor using the Major-Minor Declaration form with their major advisor’s signature and submission to the Registrar’s Office. Departments may, but are not required to, permit students to declare a minor provided they have completed at least 16 credits hours and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher. Transfer and Advanced Standing credit cannot be counted toward this the 16-credit hour requirement.

  • Minors require a minimum of five courses (20 credits).
  •  A maximum of three minors is allowed.

No additional majors, minors, or concentrations can be added after the degree has been posted unless the student applies for readmission or reinstatement. 

Students can never earn a minor by itself; it must be earned simultaneously with the major(s).