Undergraduate Education

To receive a baccalaureate, a student must satisfy requirements related to credits, grade point average, program of study, and courses. The University maintains some of these requirements in concordance with nationally recognized expectations of academic performance and achievement. Other requirements, such as the General Education program, have the additional purpose of identifying elements that give coherence to undergraduate education on campus. Through General Education requirements, the major courses of study, and the offering of elective courses, the University provides both breadth and depth of study with the aim of fostering in students an appreciation of learning as a lifelong process.

Increasingly, undergraduate programs aim to provide students not only with state-of the- art disciplinary knowledge but also with the skills and flexibility to flourish in a rapidly changing world. Recent trends include the increasing numbers of undergraduates engaged in supervised research in faculty members’ laboratories and the growing popularity of community service learning to complement academic study.

A number of programs provide support and counseling to minority students to assist them during their undergraduate experience. Any undergraduates experiencing difficulty in their academic or personal lives may avail themselves of an array of campus support services. Specialized services offer support to students with physical, psychological or documented learning disabilities.

Undergraduates have many options in reaching their academic goals. The following programs provide examples of opportunities open to qualified applicants.

Commonwealth College

The campus-wide honors college, Commonwealth College offers a variety of educational, service, social, and advising opportunities to support its more than 2,600 academically talented students. Its curriculum emphasizes inquiry, critical analysis, independent research, collaborative work, effective communication skills, and engagement with society. In addition to academically demanding components such as entirely enriched honors courses, colloquia, independent study, and interdisciplinary seminars, the program incorporates various complementary components such as internships, co-ops, experiential learning courses, leadership training, and community service learning courses.

Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration

The Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) program offers highly motivated and self-directed students the opportunity to design their own major under faculty supervision. The area of study for a BDIC concentration must be interdisciplinary, drawing from at least two fields or disciplines, and it may not duplicate an existing major. Internships, Independent Studies, and study abroad are strongly recommended for most majors.

University Without Walls

University Without Walls (UWW), the University’s adult degree program, offers students the opportunity to earn flexible, individually designed B.A. or B.S. degrees which can be interdisciplinary in nature. In addition to individualized courses of study and a variety of flexible enrollment options, UWW allows students to develop an experience-based portfolio to present for academic credit. A large number of UWW graduates go on to earn higher degrees.

Residential Academic Programs

Residential Academic Programs, in conjunction with academic departments and Housing Services, offers a variety of academic programs in the residence halls to aid academic adjustment of first-year students and allow upper-class students to pursue more specialized academic interests, including foreign-language acquisition.

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

The Department of Aerospace Studies and the Department of Military Science offer ROTC programs leading, upon graduation, to commissioned officer status (as second lieutenants) in the United States Air Force or the United States Army. Cadets pursuing a commission participate in physical fitness and basic military skills training, and receive classroom instruction coupled with practical experience designed to develop their leadership potential both in and outside the military.

National Student Exchange Program

The University belongs to the National Student Exchange Program, a consortium of more than 170 state colleges and universities throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Exchanges are available for one semester or an entire academic year. Students accumulate University residency credits and pay no more than their regular tuition and fees.

Study Abroad

The University offers more than seventy international exchange and overseas study programs to more than 700 students each year. Destinations include Australia, China, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, India, Ireland, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Many University departments encourage their majors to study abroad, and in many instances students fulfill requirements for their major while overseas. Credits earned abroad may also be approved for General Education or minor requirements.

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