All candidates for baccalaureate and associate degrees must fulfill the requirements in this catalog. The basic requirements are as follows:
Completing a minimum of 122 semester credit hours for the baccalaureate degree, comprised of courses in the major program, General Education Core Curriculum, and electives and/or minor field of study.
- Completing a minimum of 60 semester credit hours for the associate degree. Some specific associate degree programs may require 65-75 semester credit hours.
- Completing the Associate or General Education Core Curriculum requirements appropriate to the degree.
- Completing all course requirements of the declared baccalaureate major or associate degree program.
- Completing the last 16 semester credit hours for the associate degree and the last 32 semester credit hours for the baccalaureate degree at LMU.
- Twenty-five percent (25%) of any undergraduate degree awarded by LMU must be earned through instruction at LMU.
- Completing, for the baccalaureate degree, a minimum of 36 semester credit hours of 300/400-level courses. Lower division courses will not equate to 300/400 level (upper division) courses.
- Baccalaureate degree requires completion of the junior and the senior level (SEWS) writing requirements. Completion is noted on the transcript.
- Achieving a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all coursework, a 2.0 cumulative GPA for General Education Program courses, and a 2.0 cumulative GPA for all courses earned at LMU.
- Achieving a minimum 2.0 GPA for coursework within the declared baccalaureate major or associate degree program, unless more stringent requirements are stated in this catalog under the academic department head note or program notes in the sections “Undergraduate Academic Programs” and “Undergraduate Course Descriptions.”
- Obtaining official certification for graduation verified by the assigned academic advisor, chair of the appropriate academic department, and the University Registrar.
- Participating in all outcomes assessment testing (e.g., general education assessment, major field assessment, etc.) and activities when requested. Students may be required to complete one or more questionnaires and to take one or more standardized tests to determine general educational achievement as a prerequisite to graduation. Unless required in a particular program, no minimum score or level of achievement is required for graduation or type of degree awarded. Participation may be required of all students, students in certain programs, or those selected on a sample basis. Additional requirements may appear explicitly or implicitly in policy, procedural, and program statements throughout this and other sections of the catalog and on the website.
Writing Requirement:
Sequential Enhancement of Writing Skills (SEWS)
LMU requires that each student demonstrate minimum competency in writing and information literacy each year of his/her degree program. The freshman year requirement is met by satisfactory completion of ENGL 101. The sophomore requirement is met by satisfactory completion of ENGL102. Thereafter, selected courses at the 300 and 400 levels in each major program include source-based writing assignments that must be successfully completed in order to satisfy SEWS requirements. The student must pass the writing assignment not the course alone to receive SEWS credit. All SEWS requirements must be completed in order to graduate with a baccalaureate degree.
Language Requirement (Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degrees only)
The following standards should be met (or actions taken):
- Students enrolled in a BA program will complete 2 semester-long courses (6 credits minimum) in the same foreign language or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.
- The courses currently offered that will be accepted in fulfillment of this requirement are Spanish 111 & 112 (Beginning Spanish I & II); Spanish 211 & 212 (Intermediate Spanish I & II); and French 111 & 112 (Beginning French I & II). Other foreign languages may be offered and approved by the EVPAA to fulfill this requirement.
- Students may demonstrate an equivalent proficiency to satisfy this requirement through the completion of an approved dual credit course, a passing grade on a CLEP exam, or an acceptable AP exam score (a score of three for exemption from three hours of the requirement, or a score of four for exemption of 6 hours of the requirement).
- Final approval of foreign language proficiency will be approved by the Chair of the Department of Literature and Language , and the Dean of the Paul V. Hamilton School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Majors and Minors
The LMU major, minor, or concentration is defined as a coherent field of study comprised of the following semester credit hour allocations:
| Minor: | 15-18 semester hours of coursework |
| Concentration: | 24-27 semester hours of coursework |
| Major: | 30-68 semester hours of coursework |
The term “major” refers to a chosen primary program of study within a baccalaureate degree; the term “minor” refers to a chosen secondary field of study within a baccalaureate degree. As previously summarized, LMU offers a large variety of majors and minors. For details of those fields of study, see Undergraduate Academic Programs and Course Descriptions.
Several majors and minors, especially those interdisciplinary in nature, include courses found in academic departments other than that which houses the field of study.
The student pursuing a baccalaureate degree must eventually choose and declare a major and fulfill all course requirements for that program, in addition to the General Education Core Curriculum requirements.
It is not necessary that the student declare his or her major in the earliest phase of college study; however, it is strongly encouraged that a major and/or minor be declared before achieving junior classification. The following double major combinations are not permitted:
- Biology, Pre-Med; and Chemistry, Pre-Med
- Biology and Medical Laboratory Science
- Biology and Conservation Biology
- Medical Laboratory Science and Conservation Biology
- Psychology and Social Work
Any chosen major or minor must be formally declared (and updated in the event of any change) using the Undergraduate Declaration of Major Form and remain in the student’s official advisement file.
A change of major or minor is at the discretion of the student, but the student is encouraged to consult his/her academic advisor before making such a change. The student’s major and minor are noted on the student’s official academic transcript upon completion of the degree.
Restricted Programs
Education, Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing, Social Work, Veterinary Health Science, and Veterinary Medical Technology are restricted programs. Students must seek and receive formal admission to the restricted program before enrolling in courses prefixed:
- EDUC (400-level)
- MEDLS
- NURS
- SOCW (340, 400 level)
- VMT
Consult the program director or department chair for details regarding application procedures.
Catalog Used to Meet Graduation Requirements
Traditionally, most baccalaureate degree programs are designed so that a full-time student may complete all requirements and graduate by the end of the fourth year following initial enrollment. Associate degree programs traditionally are designed for completion by the end of the second year. Most students graduate according to those time frames.
However, a variety of personal, job-related, or academic circumstances may cause others to plan for or need a longer period of time to graduate.
A student will seek to fulfill graduation requirements for the chosen degree program as outlined in the catalog published for the year in which he or she first enrolled.
However, degree and program requirements are subject to change from the publication of one catalog to the next. The LMU policy on “graduation catalog” is:
If the student does not graduate within six years of initial enrollment, he or she must meet the requirements of any single catalog in effect within the six years preceding graduation.
Academic Advisement
The student bears ultimate responsibility for effective planning, progression, and completion of all requirements for the chosen degree. However, good academic advisement may make the difference between just going to college and obtaining a sound, well-rounded education. Therefore, each student is assigned an academic advisor. Students should take full advantage of the knowledge, counsel, and personal concern available from academic advisors.
More Than One Major
All degree requirements must be completed for each major, including research and seminars for each major.
Personal Counseling and Advising
LMU recognizes that academic problems often interrelate with psychological, emotional, and social experiences of the student. A variety of programs, people, and services are available to meet the needs of students. Any one office may serve as a referral point for services outside the expertise of that particular office. The academic advisor, the Tagge Center for Academic Support, and the Office of Student Services serve as an initial contact for the student. The Office of Mental Health Counseling is available for students experiencing mental or emotional distress.
Student Course Load
A full-time student is one who carries at least 12 credit hours per semester. The normal course load for a full-time student is 15-17 credit hours per semester. A student should average 16 semester credit hours per semester in order to complete the baccalaureate degree within the traditional 4-year period. Students registering for more than 17 credit hours in a semester must have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average, approval of the Dean of the applicable school, and complete a Schedule Overload Approval Form (located on MyLMU/ Academics/Registrar/ Forms).
Students on academic probation may register for 12 to 16 hours during their probationary period with schedules approved in the Office of Academic Support.
Combined Degree Completion Pathways
The time to complete the combined degree pathways is accelerated because of “double-counted” courses. Students complete the “double-counted” courses at the higher degree level (or the equivalent degree level if students are pursuing a master’s and master’s combined degree pathway). This preserves the rigor of the higher-level coursework. In addition to restricting enrollment in combined degree completion pathways based on academic merit, LMU limits the total number of "double-counted" credits for each pathway, ensuring that no combined degree pathway falls far short of 150 total credit hours for an undergraduate-graduate pathway or 60 total credit hours for a graduate-graduate pathway.
For combined degree completion pathways with “double-counted” credits, faculty/program coordinators complete LMU’s Transfer Credit Approval Form to accept transfer credit hours in the lower (or equivalent for master’s-master’s pathway) degree program after students complete the appropriate courses in the higher degree program. This ensures all LMU students complete the minimum required credit hours to earn degrees at all approved levels.