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Graduation Requirements
Major fields of study leading to a bachelor degree are offered in accounting, agriculture business, art, art education, biology, business education, chemistry, computer science, creative writing, early childhood education, economics and finance, electrical engineering, emergency administration and management, engineering, engineering physics, english, fisheries and wildlife biology, foreign language, general studies, geology, health and physical education, health information management, history and political science, hospitality administration, international studies, journalism, management marketing, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medical technology, middle level education, music, music education, nursing, physical science, psychology, recreation and park administration, rehabilitation science, sociology and speech.
Associate degrees are offered in early childhood education, general studies, industrial electronic technology, industrial plant maintenance, industrial systems, information technology, medical assistant and nuclear technology.
Students have a choice of the catalog under which they may complete graduation requirements. Nontransfer students must choose to complete requirements for graduation under the provisions of the Arkansas Tech University catalog in force at the time they enter Tech or in any subsequent Arkansas Tech catalog provided they were enrolled at the University during the year the catalog was in effect. Transfer students must choose to complete graduation requirements under the provisions of the Arkansas Tech catalog in force at the time they first enrolled in any college or any subsequent Arkansas Tech catalog, provided the Tech catalog was not over four years old at the time they entered Arkansas Tech, and they were enrolled in college either at Tech or elsewhere during the year in which the catalog was in effect. Students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree must use the Arkansas Tech University catalog in effect at the time they first enroll subsequent to receiving the first degree or any subsequent Tech catalog provided they were enrolled at the University during the year the catalog was in effect. The catalog a student selects to use to complete degree requirements may require departmental approval and approval of the Registrar's Office if significant curriculum changes have occurred. For effective use of the results of its constant reexamination of student needs and as a means for improving its total educational program, the University reserves the right to make effective immediately any change in graduation requirements for students whose studies have not advanced beyond the level at which the change becomes operative.
Degree Audit and Application for Graduation
Candidates for graduation must complete a degree audit and an application for graduation. Seniors completing graduation requirements at the end of the fall semester must submit to the Registrar's Office a request for a degree audit and an application for graduation on or before the end of the eighth week of the previous fall semester. Seniors completing graduation requirements at the end of the spring semester or either of the following summer sessions must submit a degree audit request and an application for graduation on or before the end of the eighth week of the previous spring semester.
Students who file an application for graduation but fail to complete all graduation requirements as planned must submit a new degree audit and new application for graduation.
Graduation Fee
A graduation fee, payable at the Student Accounts Office, is assessed when the application for graduation is approved. If the student fails to complete all graduation requirements, an additional graduation fee will be assessed for the next semester or term in which graduation is planned.
Financial Obligation
Before any degree is conferred, the candidate must have paid any debt owed the University.
Graduation Honors
The bachelor's degree with honors will be conferred upon candidates who at graduation have earned a minimum grade point average on all courses taken (both transfer and residence credit) as follows: Summa Cum Laude-3.900 - 4.000, Magna Cum Laude-3.700 - 3.899, Cum Laude-3.500 -3.699. A minimum of 30 hours of residence credit at Tech is required to qualify for a degree with honors. Students qualify for honors based on their grade point average on all college-level hours, including transfer hours whether or not accepted for credit. Graduation honors will be determined by work taken at Arkansas Tech if the cumulative grade point on work at Arkansas Tech is lower than the cumulative grade point on all college work. The associate degree with honors will be conferred upon candidates subject to the grade point average criteria listed above in the science programs only. This policy is effective to new students enrolling in the first summer term, 2000, and subsequent terms. Previously enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar for clarification of the policy.
Commencement Participation
Students will participate in the commencement ceremony held at the end of the fall or spring semester during which they complete all degree requirements. Students who are within seven(7) semester hours of completing course work for degree requirements during the summer term(s) will participate in the preceding Spring commencement ceremony. Students in excess of seven(7) semester hours will participate in the following December ceremony.
Participation in commencement is required of all candidates for degrees except in cases involving hardship. The student may officially petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs for the degree to be awarded in absentia.
Students who do not have a minimum grade point of 2.00 in the major and overall will not be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony.
Diplomas are mailed to graduates following commencement.
Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees
- 1. The last 30 semester hours of work toward a degree must be done in residence.
- 2. No more than a total of 30 semester hours of correspondence, extension, and credit by examination work may be applied as credit towards a degree.
- 1. At least 124 semester hours (excluding pre-college level courses) must be successfully completed.
- 2. The cumulative grade point average must not be less than 2.00. No more than 25 percent of the semester hours required at Arkansas Tech to satisfy graduation requirements may carry the "D" grade. Students must have a 2.00 grade point in courses in their major.
- 3. At least 40 semester hours must be in junior and senior courses, preferably more.
- 4. No more than four semester hours of activity credit (basic military science and those courses that may be used to meet the General Education activity requirement) may be counted toward graduation. The only exception is that a student may have the standard allowance of military credit (three hours of military science and three hours of PE credit) and four other hours of activity credit for a total of ten semester hours. A student registering for an activities course in excess of these limits receives no credit for the additional course and the grade is not included in the computation of grade point.
- 5. Only six hours of freshman English composition may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
- 6. Credit earned from technical courses is meant for use only in Technical Degree Programs and can not be used as credit earned toward a baccalaureate degree.
- 7. A transfer student must present a minimum of six semester hours in juniorsenior courses taken at Arkansas Tech University in the major in which the degree is to be granted.
- 8. A student finishing two baccalaureate degrees concurrently must successfully complete a minimum of 154 semester hours (excluding precollege level courses) and all requirements for each degree. An additional $25.00 graduation fee will be charged for the second diploma.
C. General Education Requirements
To meet the need for all students to have educational experiences which broaden their knowledge of the arts, humanities, and sciences, all curricula are designed to include basic courses in these areas. See "General Education Requirements" on page82.
D. Competence in English, Mathematics, and Reading
Each candidate for a baccalaureate degree is required to demonstrate the ability to write English clearly and correctly by completing the freshman composition courses (ENGL 1013 or 1043 and ENGL 1023 or 1053) with a grade of "C" or better. A student who receives a grade of "D" or "F" in English 0303, 1013, or 1043 must repeat the course to earn a grade of "C" or better before enrolling in the next course of the English sequence. The same criteria apply to transfer students.
A student who is placed in READ 0103 must earn a grade of "C" or better in the course or receive a departmental waiver to complete the reading requirement.
Students showing evidence of deficiency in mathematics will be counseled to enroll in appropriate remedial courses. All students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in the course used to satisfy the general education mathematics requirement.
E. Examination for Education Majors or Teacher Candidates
Section 1 (b) of Act 5 of the first Special Extraordinary Session (1983) of the Arkansas General Assembly stipulates: "After July 1, 1984, all colleges and universities in this State shall require persons who are education majors or teacher candidates to take the examination prescribed by the State Board of Education for initial certification as a teacher in the public schools of this State and to report the results of the examination to the college or university prior to graduation. All colleges and universities in this State shall report the results of the examinations to the Department of Education upon request."
F. Complete all assessment activities required by the University.
G. An official record of any correspondence or transfer work completed at another institution must be on file in the Registrar's Office prior to the end of the semester or term in which graduation is planned.
Requirements for Associate Degrees
The requirements for medical assistant are outlined under the statements of the School of Physical and Life Sciences; requirements for the associate degrees in information technology and nuclear technology are outlined under the statements of the School of Systems Science; and requirements for the associate degree in early childhood education, associate of applied science in industrial plant maintenance, industrial electronic technology and industrial systems are outlined under the statements of the School of Community Education and Professional Development. The requirements for the associate degree in general studies are outlined under the statements of the School of Liberal and Fine Arts. In addition to completing the necessary hours prescribed, candidates for associate degrees must meet the following requirements:
1. The last 30 semester hours of work toward a degree must be done in residence.
2. The cumulative grade point average must not be less than 2.00 and not more than 25 percent of the semester hours may carry the "D" grade.
3. Six semester hours of freshman English must be completed. Refer to major field of study for additional requirements.
4. Credit earned from technical courses is meant for use only in Associate of Applied Science Degree Programs and can not be used as credit toward other associate degrees.
5. At least 20 semester hours of course work above the 1000 level are required for the degree of Associate of Arts in General Studies.
6. Complete all assessment activities required by the University.
7. An official record of any correspondence or transfer work completed at another institution must be on file in the Registrar's Office prior to the end of the semester or term in which graduation is planned.
Requirements for Additional Degrees
Baccalaureate Degrees
To complete an additional baccalaureate degree, the following must be completed: (a) a minimum of 30 semester hours (18 of which must be upper division) at Arkansas Tech in addition to the hours earned for the first degree, (b) all University catalog requirements for the major field of study with the exception of the university-wide general education requirements, (c) applicable requirements specified under "Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees".
Associate Degrees
To complete an additional associate degree, whether the first degree is a bachelor or associate, the following must be completed: (a) a minimum of 30 semester hours at Arkansas Tech in addition to the hours for the first degree, (b) all University catalog requirements for the major field of study, (c) applicable requirements specified under "Requirements for Associate Degrees".
The catalog a student selects to use to complete degree requirements may require departmental approval and approval of the Registrar's Office if significant curriculum changes have occurred.
Assessment Program
Two assessment plans were developed by the Arkansas Tech University Assessment Committee during the 1994-95 academic year. The first plan related to the assessment of General Education as required by Act 874 of 1993 and guidelines of the State Board of Higher Education. The second plan was required by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and outlines a comprehensive assessment program for the University.
The first assessment of General Education was conducted by the administration of tests to eligible students in the spring of 1995. All students enrolled at the University in programs requiring the State Minimum Core of 35 hours are required to take the tests for assessing General Education. These tests must be completed no earlier than accumulating 45 college-level credits (excluding developmental education credit) and no later than completing 60 college-level credits. Students who have already earned 61 or more credits as of January 1, 1995, are exempt from this assessment. Failure to complete this testing requirement will interrupt enrollment at the next registration period.
Assessment is conducted university-wide to measure student progress toward educational goals, to improve teaching and learning, and to evaluate institutional effectiveness. A number of instruments and techniques are used in the assessment process. In addition to the General Education testing and the normal procedures for grading, undergraduate students may be asked to complete surveys, participate in focus groups, or participate in other assessment activities designed to ensure the continued improvement in the quality of learning. Details concerning the assessment of General Education through the use of the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) and other standardized examinations can be obtained by contacting the Learning Assistance and Testing Center. Information regarding other aspects of the University's assessment efforts can be obtained by contacting the Director of Institutional Research and Assessment.
General Education Requirements
The general education component is the common requirement of all baccalaureate students at Arkansas Tech University. The knowledge and skills acquired in the general education component enable students to analyze problems, to arrive at intelligent conclusions, and to make reasoned choices in their professional and personal lives. A well rounded, liberal education should increase the choices available to Arkansas Tech University's graduates, thereby improving the quality of their lives and the lives of those whom they influence.
Many of the general education courses were designed to deal primarily with processes rather than simply with facts, to help students to develop individually and as members of a group, and to instill in students the desire to continue to learn throughout their entire lives.
Students who earn degrees at Arkansas Tech University should:
1. Be able to listen attentively, and read, write, and speak clearly and effectively.
2. Show competence in reasoning and handling of abstract and quantitative ideas and be able to create mathematical models and use mathematical techniques to solve the problems which they encounter.
3. Demonstrate a basic competency in the accessing, processing, and presenting of information through computer technologies.
4. Have a knowledge of the history of Western and Non-Western cultures and recognize the interdependent nature of the global economic, political, and social institutions and systems.
5. Have a basic knowledge of a foreign culture or language and an appreciation of the differences in thought processes, methods of communication, and value systems from culture to culture.
6. Understand the nature and function of the arts, explore and learn to enjoy the possibilities of artistic creation, and discover how the full range of human experience is given expression in works of art.
7. Comprehend the basic principles, philosophy, and methodology of science and the influence of science and technology on society.
8. Have an understanding of the history and culture of the United States and of the development and change of American social, political and economic systems.
9. Have a basic knowledge of some of the great philosophical concepts and ideas of the world and develop the capacity to comprehend moral and ethical issues.
10. Understand and appreciate the importance of the factors that contribute to personal health and wellness.
To accomplish the above goals, Arkansas Tech requires the completion of the following general education curriculum. Students should refer to the curriculum in their major area of study for specific courses either recommended or required by the academic department to fulfill the general education requirements.
General Education Requirements
English - 6 hours
- Three hours from one of the following:
ENGL 1043 Honors Composition I
- Three additional hours from one of the following:
ENGL 1053 Honors Composition II
Mathematics - 3 hours
- Three hours from one of the following:
MATH 1103 Algebra for General Education
Any higher level mathematics course
Science - 8-12 hours
- Four hours of a biological science with laboratory from one of the following:
BIOL 1014 Introduction to Biological Science
Any higher level biology course that includes a lab (Note that BIOL 1014 is specifically designed to meet general education objectives and is highly recommended unless you meet the prerequisites for a different course specified by your major).
- Four additional hours of a physical science with laboratory from one of the following:
PHSC 1013 Introduction to Physical Science AND
PHSC 1021 Physical Science LaboratoryPHYS 2014 Physical Principles I
PHYS 2024 Physical Principles II
PHSC 1053 Astronomy AND PHSC 1051 Observational Astronomy Lab OR
PHSC 3053 Astronomy AND PHSC 3051 Observational Astronomy LabPhysical Activity - 2 hours
- Two hours from the following:
Physical education activity courses
Recreation (RP) coeducational activity courses
Wellness science activity courses
Appropriate military science courses completed through cross-enrollment agreement with UCA.
Fine Arts - 3 hours
- Three hours from one of the following:
MUS 2003 Introduction to Music
TH 2273 Introduction to Theatre
*ENGL 2173 Introduction to Film
*JOUR 2173 Introduction to Film
- Art Majors:
Any of the above course options, except ART 2123
- Music Majors:
Any of the above courses options, except MUS 2003
Humanities - 3 hours
- Three hours from one of the following:
*ENGL 2003 Introduction to World Literature
ENGL 2013 Introduction to American Literature
PHIL 2003 Introduction to Philosophy
Social Sciences - 12 hours
- Three hours from one of the following:
HIST 2003 U.S. History to 1865
HIST 2013 U.S. History from 1865
- Nine additional hours from the following:
*HIST 1503 World Civilization I
*HIST 1513 World Civilization II
HIST 2003 U.S. History to 1865
HIST 2013 U.S. History from 1865
ECON 2003 Principles of Economics I
SOC 1003 Introductory Sociology
*ANTH 1213 Introduction to Anthropology OR
*ANTH 2003 Cultural Anthropology
*GEOG 2013 Regional Geography of the World
- *Of the above 18 hours in Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Science, three hours must be from one of the following:
ENGL 2173 Introduction to Film
JOUR 2173 Introduction to Film
ENGL 2003 Introduction to World Literature
HIST 1503 World Civilization I
HIST 1513 World Civilization II
ANTH 1213 Introduction to Anthropology OR
ANTH 2003 Cultural Anthropology
GEOG 2013 Regional Geography of the World
State Minimum Core
The courses that comprise Tech's general education curriculum also constitute the University's State Minimum Core, established in accordance with Act 98 of 1989, for implementation the fall semester of 1991. Act 98 requires colleges and universities to identify "a minimum core of courses which shall apply toward the general education core curriculum requirements for baccalaureate degrees at state supported institutions of higher education and which shall be fully transferable between state institutions."
Credit By Examination
Information concerning the following tests may be obtained from the Arkansas Tech University Learning Assistance and Testing Center or from the appropriate department.
AP (Advanced Placement) Program
High school students who participated in The College Board's AP Program may receive college credit by attaining Tech's AP qualifying score. Credit earned through AP may satisfy general education requirements; however, to be awarded credit students must complete with passing grades one regular semester of work at Arkansas Tech University. Following are the AP examinations that Tech will accept, the corresponding qualifying score required, and credit awarded.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP allows students to earn credit toward graduation by attaining Tech's qualifying score on either the general and/or subject examinations. A student may acquire a maximum of 30 hours of college credit through CLEP. It is possible to earn 29 semester hours of credit through the CLEP General Examinations and 18 semester hours of credit through the CLEP Subject Examinations. Credit earned through CLEP may satisfy general education requirements; however, to be awarded credit students must complete with passing grades one regular semester of work at Tech. Credit may be earned either before or after enrollment as long as a comparable or more advanced course in that area has not been completed (received course grade of passing, failing, or audit). No more than one subject examination may be taken in a particular departmental area, and students must have prior approval from the department in which they are majoring to count the hours toward graduation.
It is recommended that an ACT sub-score of 24 or above or an SAT sub-score of 500 or above be used as a guideline for attempting to earn credit through CLEP. Following are the CLEP examinations that Tech will accept, the corresponding qualifying score required, and credit awarded.
Foreign Language Advanced Placement and Credit
Students with previous foreign language experience may petition the Department of Foreign Languages and International Studies for advanced placement and credit. Petitioners will be given written and/or oral examinations by a foreign language faculty member, who will then recommend an appropriate foreign language placement level. This placement level will not exceed FR 3013, GER 3013, GRK 2023, JPN 2024, LAT 2023, or SPAN 3013, and will be approved by the department head. Students who have omitted one or more courses in the basic language sequence will receive credit for omitted courses when they have validated their advanced placement by passing the course into which they are placed with a grade of "C" or better.
Challenge Subject Examinations
Students who have had extensive experience in health care and industrial settings may elect to attempt to earn credit through an institutional challenge examination in the following subjects or technical programs:
HIM 3024 Introduction to Health Information Management
HIM 3033 Basic Coding Principles
HIM 3133 Alternative Health Records
HIM 3132 Health Data and Statistics
Lab-based courses in Industrial Plant Maintenance and Industrial Electronic Technology (Advisor recommendation required).
Nursing Examinations
Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and/or licensed psychiatric technician nurses seeking admission to Arkansas Tech University's nursing program may elect to demonstrate and validate previous collegiate-quality nursing education. This may be accomplished by successfully completing certain ACTPEP, CLEP, and National League for Nursing examinations. See the "Department of Nursing" on page187 in this catalog.
Internships
Arkansas Tech University endorses the internship approach to learning and has adopted universitywide guidelines. This approach can help students understand the reality of certain careers and supplement academic instruction with practical, realistic implementation in a work environment. Academic credit can be earned for internships in several degree programs. Please see individual programs for availability of specific degree credit.
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