2.1.9 Baccalaureate Degree Programs at Illinois State University
Policy
Undergraduate degrees available at Illinois State University include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. When applying for graduation, the student indicates the specific degree which he or she is qualified to receive. Other requirements are specified for each degree below.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree: The Bachelor of Arts degree provides for the acquisition of written and oral communication skills, creative thinking, abilities in the critical analyses of texts, the understanding of cultures, and a working knowledge of social, political, and historical contexts. The degree is typically pursued by those students whose academic emphasis in their major area of study is directed toward the humanities, arts, and selected areas of the social sciences disciplines.
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree will acquire knowledge of a foreign language as demonstrated by successful completion of FOR 115 (or the equivalent).
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree: The Bachelor of Science degree provides for the acquisition of oral and written communication skills and the acquisition of analytical skills for examining and solving problems. The degree is typically pursued by those students whose academic emphasis in their major area of study is directed towards the natural sciences, mathematics, statistics or a technological field.
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree will acquire increased knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, and/or technology as demonstrated by the successful completion of a three-hour course, beyond those required for General Education. The course is to be selected from an approved list of courses from natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, and technology.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) Degree: The Bachelor of Science in Education degree encourages acquisition of communication skills, development of analytical skills for examining and solving problems, and the understanding of cultures with special emphasis on application to the art and science of teaching. The degree is typically pursued by those students interested in the teaching profession
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. in Ed.) Degree: Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education degree will acquire increased knowledge and develop skills related to professional standards established by NCATE through the successful completion of General Education requirements; professional education requirements; approved teacher education major requirements; and general requirements for graduation.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Degree: The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree provides graduates with knowledge and skills in communication, critical thinking for analyzing and solving problems, and an understanding of the societal changes that impact on health care. Courses from the Humanities, Psychology, Physical and Social Sciences, as well as the use of technology, provide a foundation for scientific inquiry and application of nursing knowledge and theories to diverse populations and settings
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Degree: General Education requirements; general requirements for graduation; and nursing field of study requirements.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Degree: The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree encourages the acquisition and display of talent in the theatre and art arenas, with special emphasis on aesthetic performance and understanding. The degree is typically pursued by individuals interested in the creative and fine arts.
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Degree: General Education requirements; general requirements for graduation; and Art or Theatre field of study requirements for B.F.A. degree.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Music (B.M.) Degree: The Bachelor of Music degree encourages the acquisition and display of talent in music, with special emphasis on aesthetic performance and understanding. This degree is typically pursued by individuals interested in music performance.
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Music (B.M.) Degree: General Education requirements; general requirements for graduation; and music field of study requirements for B.M. degree.
- Statement of Purpose for the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) Degree: The Bachelor of Music Education degree encourages the acquisition and display of talent in music, with the special emphasis on teaching music. This degree is typically pursued by individuals interested in teaching music.
Statement of Requirements for the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) Degree: General Education requirements; general requirements for graduation; music field of study requirements for B.M.E. degree; and professional education requirements.
General Requirements for Graduation
The following graduation requirements apply to all students. Meeting graduation requirements is the individual responsibility of each student. The student and adviser should check the student’s program of courses frequently to assure that the student is fulfilling the following graduation requirements (all references to hours are to semester credit hours.)
- Total Hours: The actual hour requirement for an undergraduate degree varies by the program or combination of programs that a student elects. A student must have a minimum of 120 hours of credit acceptable toward graduation. Some courses may not count toward graduation. These restrictions are noted in the course descriptions. Some curricula or combinations of fields require additional hours. If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 120 hours, a student must elect sufficient course work to total at least 120.
- Specific B.A./B.S. Requirements: There are a variety of baccalaureate degrees. Students graduating from B.A. or B.S. degree programs must meet specific requirements beyond major and other graduation requirements. Students pursuing the B.A. degree will acquire knowledge of a foreign language as demonstrated by successful completion of FOR 115 (or equivalent). Students pursuing the B.S. degree will complete one, three-hour natural science, mathematics, statistics, or technology course
- General Education: There are three ways to complete General Education requirements at Illinois State University. The first way is to complete Illinois State’s General Education Program. The General Education Program requires 15 courses and 45 semester hours within a structured, three-tiered system. The Inner Core requires completion of 6 courses; the Middle Core requires completion of 5 courses; and the Outer Core, 4 courses.
The second way is to complete the Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum available through the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI). This program, designed for transfer students, is a statewide agreement between participating colleges and universities and some private schools that is designed to facilitate timely degree completion. The Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum structure consists of 12 to 13 courses (37 to 41 semester credits) distributed among five subject areas. Completion of these requirements satisfies General Education requirements irrespective of participating institutions at which courses are taken.
The third way is to complete a baccalaureate-oriented Associates Degree (A.A. or A.S.) from an Illinois community college. The University, in agreement with Illinois community colleges, allows these students to be admitted to Illinois State with junior standing and all General Education requirements completed.
- Major-Minor Options: All students who are candidates for B.S. or B.A. degrees must complete a major field of study. Completion of a second major, a minor, or a second minor is optional unless specified by the student’s major. Teacher education students who are candidates for a B.S., B.A., B.S. in Ed. or B.M.E. degree must complete professional education requirements and a major approved for teacher education. Some teacher education programs require the completion of requirements for a second teaching field. A student may count no more than nine hours from a major program or a second major of study toward a minor or a second minor within the same department.
- Senior College Hours: The senior college hours (courses numbered 200 or above) must total at least 42 hours. Coursework transferred from other colleges and universities is not counted as senior college credit if freshmen and sophomores are regularly permitted to enroll in such work. No credit from two-year colleges may be counted as senior level.
- Grade Point Average: Unless otherwise specified in a specific program, the grade point average for all courses taken at Illinois State University must be 2.0 (C) or higher. In addition, the student must have a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or higher in the courses required in the major and the minor if the student has a minor.
- Removal of Incompletes: Students may not graduate with an incomplete grade on their record. Each Incomplete grade (I) must be removed at least six weeks before December or May commencement or two weeks before August graduation if the course is to be used in meeting graduation requirements.
- Residence Requirements: Unless otherwise specified in a specific program, at least 30 of the last 60 hours completed toward the baccalaureate degree must be earned at Illinois State.
- Because disciplinary knowledge advances and course content changes as a consequence, some courses taken seven or more years prior to an advance registration period will not automatically be accepted as prerequisites for other courses. When a department or school determines that applicability of a course will lapse, it will designate this in the prerequisite listing as "taken within x years." For example, for MAT 146, the prerequisite might read "C or better in MAT 145 taken within 10 years req."
- Constitution Examination: Each student must pass an examination on the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use of the American flag. The examination is given on different dates throughout the year. A student may meet this requirement by successful completion of POL 105 or any course in the middle core: Individuals and Civic Life of the General Education Program at Illinois State University. Students who transfer in a course equivalent to POL 105 from an accredited college or university in Illinois will be considered to have met both the constitution of the United States and the State of Illinois test requirements. Students who transfer in a course equivalent to POL 105 from a United States institution outside of Illinois will be considered as having met only the examination on the Constitution of the United States. That student may meet the requirement of the Illinois Constitution by passing the examination or completing POL 221 at Illinois State, by transferring the equivalent of POL 221 from another accredited Illinois college or university, or by presenting certification of having passed an appropriate examination on the Constitution of the State of Illinois at another accredited Illinois college or university.
- Global Studies Requirement: All students graduating from Illinois State University must have successfully completed a course designated as a course in the cultures and traditions of societies or peoples from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, or Indigenous Peoples of the World. Such designations are located in course descriptions. For students under the Illinois State University General Education Program, this course must be selected from the Outer Core.
- Professional Practice and Independent Study: A student may count no more than 16 hours of professional practice courses (98’s) toward graduation. A student may count no more than 6 hours of independent study (287) credit toward graduation.
Components of Baccalaureate Degree Programs
- General Education Category Requirements
The Illinois State University General Education Program requires 15 courses, totaling 45 semester hours, as outlined below:
- Inner Core (6 courses required)
- three required courses taken by all students (Foundations of Inquiry, Language and Composition, and Language and Communication)
- one course chosen from a four-course mathematics category
- two courses chosen from a four-course natural sciences category (students may substitute alternative science-laboratory courses approved for General Education credit)
- Middle Core (5 courses required)
- five courses, with one course from each of the five Middle Core course categories (Quantitative Reasoning, Language in the Humanities, United States Traditions, Individuals and Civic Life, and Individuals and Societies)
- Outer Core (4 courses required)
- four courses, with one course from each of four discipline groups (Science, Mathematics and Technology; Fine Arts; Humanities; and the Social Sciences). Two of these courses must be from the category, Knowing in the Disciplines, and two from Disciplinary Knowledge in Cultural Contexts. And finally, at least one of the four courses chosen must focus on the cultures of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, or the Indigenous Peoples of the World.
- General Education Curriculum Requirements
Each student seeking a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the requirements of the General Education Program. A transfer student who has completed an associate degree based on a baccalaureate-oriented sequence and who is admitted to the University from a public community college in Illinois shall be considered to have attained junior standing and to have met his or her General Education requirements. A transfer student entering from a college or university participating in the Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum may complete these requirements at the participating institution or Illinois State, in lieu of Illinois State General Education requirements. All other students must meet the minimum requirements for each core requirement in the program—a total of 45 hours. The Proficiency and Placement Examinations section of the University Undergraduate Catalog describes how a student may meet some of the General Education requirements through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and other proficiency examinations.
Social Science Major: Any General Education course may be used to meet the 45 hour requirement without regard for courses from a major department for students who are pursuing a Social Science major (an interdisciplinary major).
General Studies Major: Only three hours of General Education courses taken from either the Middle or Outer Core may count in the 36 hours for the Multidisciplinary and Individualized Sequences found within the General Studies Major. Students choosing the Individualized Sequence may count only three hours taken from either the Middle or Outer Core in the 36 hours designated as their major, but may use any other General Education course to satisfy the 96 hours of Arts and Science coursework required to complete this degree.
Teacher Certification: Illinois State University’s General Education program requirements meet the State of Illinois general education requirements for teacher certification.
International Studies: Credit in General Education may be earned through the Study Abroad program.
Definition of Terms
A major is a cohesive combination of courses, including introductory, intermediate, and advanced course work that designates a student’s primary area of specialization. Majors are designated on University transcripts. A minor is a combination of courses designed to provide a cohesive introduction to an area of study beyond the major. Minors are designated on University transcripts. A sequence is a subdivision of a major in which there are specific requirements. Sequences of the same major generally share a common core within a major. Sequences are designated on University transcripts. A concentration is a subdivision of a major without specific requirements that is provided for advisement only. Concentrations are not designated on University transcripts. All informal curricular recommendations made by departments (such as emphases, tracks, areas of study, specializations, etc.) should be considered concentrations. Concentrations are advisory only; no approval process is required.
Requirements and Limitations for Degree Programs, Majors, Minors, and Semester Hours Mandated by a Major Department
All hours that are applicable to graduate within a specific program, including required prerequisites, are included in the calculation of hours mandated by the program. Exceptions to the following guidelines may be approved only by agreement of the University Curriculum Committee and the Academic Senate.
- Undergraduate degree programs should not require more than 124 hours of course work.
- The major in the B.A., B.S, and B.S. in Education degrees should not require more than 55 semester hours in the major department. (This limit does not apply to the B.F.A., the B.M., the B.M.E., and the B.S. of Nursing degrees.)
- The major in the B.A. degree must require successful completion of FOR 115 (or equivalent). The major in the B.S. degree must require successful completion of one, additional, three-hour natural science, mathematics, statistics, or technology course beyond the General Education requirements. These courses must list specific prerequisites from Inner Core Mathematics, Natural Science, and/or Natural Science Alternatives, or courses from Middle Core-Quantitative Reasoning category.
- The major should not mandate more than 76 hours excluding General Education requirements. (The 76-hour limit should be seen not as an ideal, but as a maximum to be approved only in rare cases. A department or college is obligated to make a strong case to the University Curriculum committee for mandating 60 semester hours or more.)
- Students should be given maximum opportunity to exercise individual choice when selecting General Education coursework.
- Major programs may stipulate General Education courses as a part of the major requirements only if such courses serve as prerequisites for other courses required by the major. Minor programs may stipulate General Education courses as part of the minor requirements regardless of whether such courses serve as prerequisites to other courses required by the minor.
- Students may count no more than three semester hours of General Education Middle and Outer core course work from their major department toward General Education credit.
- A minor, including all required prerequisite hours may include 18 to 36 hours. In no case may the minor include more than 24 hours from the major department.
- Academic departments, in consultation with the college deans, may establish for admission to the University and to department programs, supplemental criteria. These may include prerequisites [e.g., previous course work, talent-based competencies, etc.], required levels of previous academic performance, and required levels of test scores.
- The 2.00 grade point average is established as the undergraduate standard for minimum performance in admission of transfer students, admission of re-entering students, probation, reinstatement, continuation in the major, and graduation. Some majors or sequences may have higher requirements
