Section 2.03.01: Majors and Minors
SUBJECT: Majors and Minors
SOURCE: Board Policy Manual 308.01 & 308.02; Memorandum from the Vice Chancellor
to the Presidents, 8-19-91; Memorandum from the Senior Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs to Chief Academic Officers, 6-5-96
POLICY
308.01 IN GENERAL
The faculty shall recommend to the president of the institution the candidates for degrees which the institution has been authorized by the Board to confer. A record of all degrees awarded shall be filed in the office of the Registrar of the institution conferring the degree. Absent the approval of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, no bachelor's degree program shall exceed 120 semester credit hours (exclusive of physical education activity/basic health or orientation course hours that the institution may require) (BR Minutes, 1980-81, p. 49; December, 1995, p. 47).
308.02 GRADUATE DEGREES
Graduate schools of the University System shall award only such graduate degrees as may have been authorized by the Board of Regents. Other institutions of the System shall not offer work leading to a graduate degree unless approved by the Board upon recommendation of the Chancellor (or the Chancellor's designee) and the Committee on Education, Research and Extension. Absent the approval of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, no masters degree program shall exceed 36 semester credit hours. (BR Minutes, 1953-54, pp. 51-52; 1953-54, pp. 220-221; December, 1995, p. 47).
PROCEDURES
Major Programs
A baccalaureate degree must contain a minimum of 120 semester hours. Baccalaureate degree programs also have a maximum of 120 semester hours (exclusive of physical education activity/basic health or orientation course hours that the institution may require).
A baccalaureate degree program must require at least 21 semester hours of upper division courses in the major field and at least 39 semester hours of upper division work overall.
All majors must be authorized by the Board of Regents.
Exceptions to the degree length requirements indicated above may be made only with approval of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Minor Programs
A minor must contain 15 to 18 semester hours of coursework with at least 9 hours of upper division coursework. Courses taken to satisfy Core Areas A through E may not be counted as coursework in the minor. Courses taken in Core Area F may be counted as coursework in the minor.
Institutions whose policies governing minors have been approved by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may initiate and discontinue minors under those policies and provisions, keeping the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs apprised of all such changes.
In no instance shall an institution establish a minor in a curricular area where it does not have an authorized major, without approval by the Chancellor.
Last Updated: 04/16/2002
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