Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.
Requirements for B.A. Degree Candidates
See also: Comprehensive Graduation Requirements (General Education)
General Graduation Requirements
1. Courses
The equivalent of 35 full course credits through a combination of full-credit and fractional-credit courses.
2. Residency Requirement
- Seventeen of the 35 full course credits required for graduation must be taken through St. Olaf College. This may include St. Olaf-sponsored off-campus programs.
- The senior residency requirement consists of registration through St. Olaf either (a) during the last two semesters and Interim preceding the conferring of the degree or (b) for at least nine of the last 12 full course credits. For instance, seniors may spend one of their last terms at another institution only if a maximum of three full course credits are applied to the St. Olaf degree. A senior may spend the final semester on a St. Olaf-sponsored off-campus program. See, however, PARTICIPATION IN COMMENCEMENT.
At least three of the required 35 full-course credits must be earned in three separate January Interims. An Interim may be taken on campus, through a St. Olaf off-campus Interim program, or through an approved Interim exchange with another 4-1-4 college. Transfer students admitted with at least sophomore standing must complete two Interims. After having successfully completed two Interims, senior participators may satisfy the third Interim requirement by means of registering for a summer course taken during a St. Olaf summer session after graduation.
4. Grade Points and Grade Point Average
An average grade of C (2.00 on a 4.00 system) for all courses taken for the usual letter grades. See GRADE POINT AVERAGE for details.
5. Course Level
Satisfactory completion of 18 full course credits above Level I, courses numbered 200 and higher.
A course can earn only its assigned level. It cannot be raised in level as the result of extra studies, assignments, or performance.
A minimum of 24 full course credits out of 35 must be graded.
A sliding scale is used if not all work is taken at St. Olaf or if credit is earned through special programs such as Advanced Placement. As a rule, two-thirds of the courses taken to fulfill the degree must be graded. Sophomore transfer students need a minimum of 18 graded courses and junior transfer students a minimum of 13 graded courses. Details are available from the registrar.
All students should be aware of the restrictions on S/U and P/N grades.
Students studying on St. Olaf off-campus programs should refer to GRADED AND UNGRADED COURSES in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog for details about how this graduation requirement is affected by off-campus programs.
7. Major — 8 or More Full Course Credits
One completed major is required for graduation. Depending on the department or interdisciplinary program, the number of courses required for a major ranges from eight to twelve courses, with some departments recommending course work in other departments. Departments and interdisciplinary programs may require comprehensive examinations or special research projects. (See MAJORS AND MORE.) Consult the department or interdisciplinary program listing in this catalog for specific requirements. Students must declare a major no later than the time of registration for interim and semester II of their junior year by filling out a form available at the registrar’s office. Students are allowed to change this declaration or add a second major at a later date. Only this catalog defines the specific requirements for each departmental or interdisciplinary major.
Other regulations are:
- Of the full (1.00) course credits counting toward the minimum requirements for a major, six must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
- Only one full-course equivalent taken S/U may count toward the minimum requirements for a major. Some departments have more stringent regulations.
- At least 50 percent of the minimum major must be taken through St. Olaf. Students should consult the registrar and the appropriate department chair or program director about counting toward a major courses taken at other colleges. The chair should sign the student’s transfer of credit form (available from the Registrar’s Office) if work from other institutions is accepted in advance. Likewise, courses taken through St. Olaf off-campus programs should be approved by the chair/director and the off-campus program advisor in advance if credit toward a major is desired. (See TRANSFERRING CREDITS TO ST. OLAF )
- Certification of a completed major is the responsibility and prerogative of the department chair or program director, not the registrar.
- Graduation requirements for majors within the Bachelor of Music degree may vary widely. Students should consult this catalog and the Music Department chair.
- See below, Credits Outside the Major.
Multiple Majors:
Attaining two or three majors within the confines of 35 courses is often difficult. The student should consult frequently with his/her advisor and the chair or director of the major departments and programs. Three regulations are important:
- 21 full-course credits outside of the department or program certifying the major are required for graduation. Courses applied to an additional major, as well as Education Department courses attending a major, count toward the 21 “outside” credits. 21 credits outside of each of the second or third majors are required in order to certify those majors as complete and recorded on the student’s transcript.
- A graduate may add an additional major to the St. Olaf record if no more than two courses from another institution are subsequently applied to the additional major.
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Certification of a completed major is the responsibility and prerogative of the department chair or program director, not the registrar.
While the maximum course credits in any one department allowed toward the 35.00 full course credits graduation requirement may vary, 21 full-course credits must be completed outside of the department or program certifying the major. In order for a student to be certified in a second or third major, 21 credits also must be taken outside of those majors as well. If a student has a double major, courses taken in the second major count toward the 21 credits outside of the first major. Credits outside the major department or program include full (1.00) credit courses plus partial (.25 and .50) credit courses.
9. Completion of Incomplete Grades
A student with an incomplete on his/her academic record may participate in Commencement if all other requirements for graduation have been met (see PARTICIPATION IN COMMENCEMENT). Only after a final grade has been recorded for the course, however, will a degree be conferred and a diploma issued.