Ferrum College awards the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degrees, depending on the major that students pursue. All degree candidates must complete at least 120 hours of coursework, of which 30 hours must be at the 300-400 level, with at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average within their academic major. At least 25% of the hours required for a major or a minor must be completed at the College. (This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the program coordinator in association with the School Dean.) Please refer to the detailed listing for graduation requirements.
The undergraduate program of study consists of two complementary parts: General Education requirements and Major requirements. Students must complete both sets of requirements to earn the Bachelor’s degree. Some Majors may require the completion of a Minor as well. Students may also meet a Minor requirement by completing a second Major.
General Education Requirements
The General Education Curriculum
The General Education Curriculum is required of all Ferrum College graduates. It is composed of 30 credits divided into two main parts: Common Competencies (first-year courses 100 and 200-level courses), and Discipline Competencies (first year and beyond).
Core Competencies
The General Education Curriculum rests on a foundation of four “Common Competencies”: Written Communication (WC), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), and Global and Social Responsibility (GSR), and Oral Communication (OC). All students are required to take three (3) credits in each of these four competency areas as well as ENG-112. Additionally, all entering students with less than 24 credits are required to fulfill six (6) credits of Professional Development. This includes GWS-101 (or HON-101), FER-202 and FER-203. Those with more than 24 credits are not required to take GWS-101. Students transferring in with an Associate’s degree meet the Professional Development requirements. A listing of courses to fulfill these requirements can be found (here).
Discipline Competencies
Students select one course (3 or 4 credits) from each of the following categories: the humanities, history and fine arts (HHFA), the social and behavioral sciences (SBS), and the natural sciences and mathematics (NSM). Courses required in a student’s major may not be used to meet this requirement. A listing of courses to fulfill these requirements can be found (here).
Graduation Requirements
Students must utilize online Eight-Semester plans and assistance of faculty advisors in the formulation of an acceptable course of study leading to a degree. Students should review their progress frequently by using the Panther Portal Academic Planning link and Program Evaluation link to be sure they are in compliance with all degree requirements. Both the student and the advisor will review the catalog, program evaluation and academic planning tool each semester and adjust the academic plan based on the course rotations and schedule of offerings. Prior to registration, all second semester sophomore and junior students will be provided with an audit and pre-graduation clearance from the Office of the Registrar.
Students reaching Senior status will be required to complete an Application to Participate in Commencement. The student and the advisor will update the student’s academic plan in the student planning tool. The student is ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with all degree requirements.
To graduate, a student must:
- successfully complete 120 credit hours, with 30 of these hours at the 300-400 level, maintaining a grade point average of at least 2.0 for hours earned at Ferrum College. Students must also maintain a 2.0 grade point average within their academic major.
- meet the appropriate general education requirements and major/minor requirements
- be enrolled for at least one academic year or its equivalent at Ferrum College.
- have completed at least 25% of total hours required for a major at Ferrum College.
- have completed at least 25% of total hours required for a minor at Ferrum College.
- complete the last semester of academic work at Ferrum College.
- clear all financial obligations to the College.
Commencement Participation (Walk Policy)
To participate in commencement, a student may not fall short of the required minimum of 120 credit hours by more than one course or an internship. Also students must have attained at least a 2.0 cumulative and major grade point averages. Students lacking a course or internship must complete the work prior to the beginning of the next fall term. All degree candidates are encouraged to participate in commencement exercises.
Programs of Study (Majors)
A major is a focused, disciplinary or interdisciplinary program of academic concentration. There are two kinds of majors at Ferrum College: those which require a minor and those which do not. If a program of study requires a minor, a student may choose to satisfy that minor by completing a second major. Every bachelor’s degree candidate must complete a major. Programs of more than 39 hours are normally interdisciplinary with significant content drawn from two or more disciplines. A major may require up to 60 hours. Note: At least 25% of the required courses for any major must be completed at the College.
Minors
Minors are groups of related courses totalling between 18 and 30 credit hours with at least 12 hours at the 300-400 level. At least 25% of the required courses for any minor must be completed at Ferrum College.
Declaring/Changing Programs Majors/Minors
Students may declare a major or a minor in consultation with their academic advisor. Students can request program changes by emailing the Office of the Registrar (registrar@ferrum.edu).
The catalog for the year in which a student enters Ferrum College is the governing document for requirements for graduation. However, students who change their program of study after their first year of enrollment must apply the regulations in the current year’s catalog.
Earning a Second Degree
A student currently working on a first baccalaureate may acquire a second major or minor by completing the courses and hours required. If a student wishes to earn two different degrees simultaneously (i.e., seeking a B.A. and a B.S.), instead of one degree with multiple majors, he or she must meet the conditions listed below.
To earn a second degree, the student must meet the following requirements:
- All Liberal Arts Requirements in effect at the time of the second degree must be completed (either by current or previous coursework);
- The student must meet all prerequisite and course requirements in the major field of the second degree, with at least half of the required courses in the major taken at Ferrum College;
- The student must earn a minimum of 150 credits to meet the requirements of both degrees;
- The student must complete at least 30 hours of additional coursework at Ferrum College beyond the earned hours of the first degree;
- The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher in coursework completed for the major and second degree;
- A person seeking a second degree must be admitted through the regular admissions process.
A second baccalaureate degree may also be earned by persons who already hold a bachelor’s degree from Ferrum College or from another accredited institution.
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