The senior year in residence is defined as registration at St. Olaf College, 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-credit courses.
The Grade Point Average is based upon all coursework taken on a graded basis at St. Olaf; on a cooperative basis with Carleton College; under certain restrictions, through the Minnesota Intercollegiate Nursing Consortium.
Grades earned on St. Olaf-sponsored off-campus programs appear on the transcript but are not computed into the Grade Point Average except in cases where a grade is given by a St. Olaf professor accompanying the off-campus experience.
Grades earned under the S/U and P/ N options are not included in the Grade Point Average.
Transfer credits and Advanced Placement credits are not included in the Grade Point Average.
A course can earn only its assigned level. It cannot be raised in level as the result of extra studies, assignments, or performance.
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 at St. Olaf must be graded. Sophomore transfer students need a minimum of 18 graded courses, and junior transfer students a minimum of 12 graded courses. Details are available from the Office of the Registrar.
Paracollege students transferring to the regular college should be especially aware of this requirement. 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 Book: The St. Olaf Student Planner and Official Handbook for details about how this graduation requirement is affected by off campus programs.
Twenty-one full courses must be completed outside of the department or program which certifies each major.
In the case of double majors taken in separate departments or programs, courses included in one major count toward the 21 "outside" courses satisfying the second major.
The maximum number of course credits in any one department allowed toward the minimum 35-course graduation requirement is the equivalent of 14 full courses.
Only one course in the major may be taken S/U.
A minimum of 6 courses with grades above C- (C or higher) must be completed in the major.
At least 50 percent of the minimal major must be taken through St. Olaf. No more than 4 full-credit courses in a minimum, 8-course major may be acquired through the transfer of course credits from another college or university. Of the 4 or more remaining courses in the major which are taken through St. Olaf, 3 full courses must receive grades above C- (C or higher), and at least 3 of the transferred full-credit courses likewise must have grades above C- (C or higher). Transfer students to St. Olaf and St. Olaf students considering courses from other colleges or universities should consult the appropriate St. Olaf Department Chair about credits applicable to a major.
A graduated senior may add a second major to the St. Olaf record if not more than two courses from another institution are subsequently applied.
Requirement: Satisfactory completion of English 111 during the first year. English 111 must be completed before credit for the Advanced Writing Component can be earned in another course. The two cannot be taken simultaneously. Students in need of improving basic skills must complete English 110 the first semester of their first year and English 111 the second semester.
Satisfactory completion of the Advanced Writing Component: The Advanced Writing Component, ordinarily an adjunct to selected courses in many departments, consists of a minimum of three expository essays. The AWC course may satisfy a distribution or general requirement as well as the Advanced Writing Component. In exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the director of the writing program, the AWC requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with an IS/IR course.
Requirement: A Level I course during the first year; two additional courses, either Level II or III, during the sophomore, junior, or senior years.
No more than one course in non-Christian religions may be counted toward the requirement.
Not more than one Interim course may be counted toward the three courses required.
Sophomore and junior transfer students are required to take two Level II or III religion courses at St. Olaf unless two or more religion courses, both of which are considered upper level, are transferred to St. Olaf.
Requirement: Demonstration of proficiency at the St. Olaf intermediate level either through a St. Olaf examination, satisfactory completion of the third semester of a foreign language at St. Olaf, or transfer of credit of a third semester course of a single or the same foreign language judged equivalent to the St. Olaf intermediate course by the relevant St. Olaf foreign language department and the Registrar.
Students with previous language experience will be placed in the first, second, or third course, and may fulfill the requirement by successful completion of a course numbered 231 or higher; or be exempted from the requirement by passing the Foreign Language Proficiency Test.
Proficiency reports from persons not known to St. Olaf must be based on documented exposure or training by the student in a foreign language equivalent in length to three college semesters, or demonstration of a sufficient length of time in a non-English speaking culture to give credence to a proficiency report. As a rule, proficiency reports from persons outside of St. Olaf are not acted upon until the student arranges for a final proficiency exam by persons and methods agreed to by members of the foreign language faculty, the Registrar and, if deemed necessary, the Dean of the College. Such exams may involve an expense charged to the student.
Students fulfilling the foreign language requirement with courses transferred from an American institution should first consult with the Registrar. In a quarter-course system, four quarters of the same language fulfills the requirement; four terms are required through term colleges such as Carleton.
Alternatives to the foreign language requirement are rarely considered, and only if strict adherence to course requirements and class attendance are met. Students experiencing special language difficulty should consult the Registrar as soon as difficulties arise.
Requirement: Satisfactory completion of one approved CCC course.
Requirement: One course each in History, Literature (American, English, foreign), and Philosophy.
Requirement: Two courses (with no more than one full course in each) of Art, Music, Speech-Theater, or Dance. Any fractional courses applied must total one full-course credit in a single department.
Requirement: Two courses (with no more than one full course in each) of Economics, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology. Some departments restrict distribution credit to Level I courses.
Requirement: Two courses (with no more than one full course in each) in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics. One course must be a laboratory science.
Neither senior status, number of courses attempted, time spent in college, delays in submitting off-campus or transfer work, nor other circumstances or miscommunication eliminate the 33 full-course requirement. The 33 credits must be fulfilled and recorded before the day of Commencement.
The responsibility for understanding and meeting graduation requirements rests entirely with the student.