Types or Components

of Academic Programs

Definition

Example

Degree

An award by the Board of Trustees as official recognition of the completion of a prescribed course of study following matriculation.

Doctor of Juridical Science

School or College

See policy 01.20.03

College of Liberal Arts

Academic Department

See policy 01.20.03

Department of Political Science

Major

A cohesive combination of courses including introductory, intermediate, and advanced coursework that designates a student’s primary area of undergraduate study.  Majors can be established or restructured to include required or optional tracks/concentrations. A major is typically 36-76 credit hours.* Majors are designated on University transcripts at the time the degree is awarded.

Major: Tourism and Hospitality Management

Track / concentration

(within a major)

A coordinated grouping of courses, typically one-third of a major, representing a sub-specialization or emphasis within a major field available for students majoring in that discipline. Track/Concentrations may be offered at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level.  Majors with track/concentration are designated on University transcripts when the degree is awarded.

Note: Track /concentration are the only approved terms for transcripting a sub-specialization or sequence within a major.  Terms such as “option,” “sequence” or “specialization” should no longer be used (even for academic advising or marketing purposes) to denote specializations within a major.

Major: Tourism and Hospitality Management

Track/concentration: Destination and Event Management

Collegial Requirements

A set of courses or specific requirements as defined by the individual school or college that are a required component of a student’s academic program.

Business Foundation Courses

Types or Components

of Academic Programs

Definition

Example

Course

A course is a unique combination of title, course number, credit hours, and other course attributes that may include terms offered, cross listed courses, contact hours, pre- or co-requisites, credit type, level.

Academic Honors (Latin Honors)

Recognition of outstanding achievement by a degree recipient, according to standards established by the Board of Trustees and as noted on the diploma and transcript

Latin Honors

Program Honors

Recognition of outstanding achievement by a degree recipient, according to established standards and as noted only on the transcript

University honors, collegial honors, department honors

Co-Major

When the primary major requires declaration of a second major. The total of the two majors plus general education should not exceed 124 credit hours for a four-year degree program.  Both majors are designated on University transcripts when the degree is awarded.

Major: Secondary Education / Math Education

Major: Math

Double Major**

(across schools or colleges)

A student who meets the major requirements of two departments may declare, and have recorded on the transcript, a double major.  The students must obtain prior approval from both schools and colleges.  One major must be declared the primary major and degree type for the purpose of registration and degree requirements. Students who graduate with a double major across two colleges are required to complete all University requirements and the requirements of both majors, but only one set of collegial requirements. 

Major: Journalism

Major: Political Science

Double Major

(within a single college)

A student who meets the major requirements of two departments may declare, and have recorded on the transcript, a double major. One major must be declared the primary major and degree type (when a college awards more than one degree type) for the purpose of registration and degree requirements. Students who graduate with a double major within a college are required to complete all University requirements and the requirements of both majors, but only one set of collegial requirements. 

Major: History

Major: English

Types or Components

of Academic Programs

Definition

Example

Dual Degree

Designated programs arranged between graduate and professional  schools and colleges.  Students apply separately to and must be accepted by both programs.  The curricula of dual degree programs are not integrated.  Students complete all curricular requirements of each program.  The programs may allow special coordination of scheduling or allocation of electives.  Upon successful completion of each component of the dual program, the students will receive the degree specific to that component, E.G. M.D., M.B.A., Ph.D.

M.D. / Ph.D.

M.D. / M.P.H

J.D. / M.B.A

Dual Degree – Accelerated Program

Designated programs arranged between undergraduate and graduate or professional  schools and colleges.  Students apply separately to and must be accepted by both programs.  The curricula of dual degree programs are not integrated.  Students complete all curricular requirements of each program.  The programs may allow special coordination of scheduling or allocation of electives.  Upon successful completion of each component of the dual program, the students will receive the degree specific to that component, E.G. B.S., DPT

B.S. / M.S. (3+2)

B.A. / M.Ed. (4+1)

Joint Degree

A program established, coordinated, and awarded jointly between two schools and colleges.

No current examples

Minor

A designated sequence of courses in a discipline or area of undergraduate study. Like the major, it is expected to have coherence and increasing sophistication.    A minor is typically 18-24 credit hours (or approximately half of the major) and is independent of the student’s major.

Minors are designated on University transcripts when the degree is awarded

Major: History

Minor: English

Types or Components of Academic Programs

Proposed Definition

Example

Certificate of Specialized Study***

An academic program in which the student completes a prescribed course of study, typically 12-17 credits.  Like a minor, it is offered to students outside of the major. It may also be offered to non-degree seeking students. This may be at the undergraduate, graduate or professional level.   For matriculated students, this type of certificate is designated on University transcripts when the degree is awarded. For non-matriculated students the certificate is designated on University transcripts upon completion.

Major: Accounting

Minor: English

Certificate: Management Information Systems

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Major: J.D. in Law

Certificate: Certificate in Business Law

Certificate of Advanced Study

An academic program in which the student completes a prescribed course of study, typically 12 or more credit hours.  Certificates of advanced study are offered at the post-graduate or professional level to non-degree seeking students. The certificate is designated on University transcripts upon completion and a formal diploma is awarded.

Post-MBA Certificate in Accounting

Certificate of Completion

(non-credit)

A certificate offered by the school or college, such as Continuing Education Units (CEU)  or other certificates of attendance.  These students are not currently recorded in the official student information systems and all records are kept by the offering unit. These programs do not involve for credit courses.

Certificate in Website Design

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Certificate in Database Management

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Certificate in Interior Design