RPI+Degree+Requirements

=RPI Bachelor’s Degree Requirements=

The bachelor’s degree is awarded to students who have pursued successfully, as evaluated by the faculty, a plan of study that encompasses several disciplines. Each plan of study has at least two objectives: first, to reach a preprofessional standing or fundamental mastery in a selected discipline; second, to develop some grounding in knowledge found in liberally educated persons, an appreciation of technology and science, and an openness to ongoing learning.

The requirements of each baccalaureate program are outlined as follows:


 * The number of courses and credit hours is prescribed by each curriculum. Minimum requirements are124 credit hours for science and for humanities and social sciences majors, 124 for management, 128 for engineering, and 168 for the professional degree in the School of Architecture.
 * The minimum grade point average (GPA) is 1.80.
 * To receive a baccalaureate degree, a student must have been admitted to the curriculum corresponding to the degree, must have satisfied the curriculum requirements, and must be enrolled in that curriculum at the time the degree is granted.
 * The course content in physical, life, and engineering sciences must total a minimum of 24 credit hours, including at least eight credit hours of mathematics. For information on additional requirements see the School of Science section of this catalog.
 * The course content in humanities and social sciences must total a minimum of 24 credit hours, including at least eight credit hours in the humanities and eight credit hours in the social sciences. For information on additional requirements see the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences section of this catalog.
 * Every student is required to take at least two communication-intensive courses. At least one of these must be in the students’ major and at least one of the courses must be writing-intensive and taught in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
 * The minimum course concentration in the area of the selected discipline is prescribed by each curriculum but cannot be less than 30 credit hours.
 * At least 24 credit hours are to be elective, of which no less than 12 credit hours are unrestricted electives.
 * The student must be registered full-time for a minimum of four semesters. Two semesters of part-time study at Rensselaer will be considered equivalent to one semester of full-time study. In addition, the student must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours at Rensselaer, all of which will be applied to the baccalaureate degree. If a transfer student elects to study abroad or enroll in the co-op program, no more than 12 such credits may apply to the 48 needed for the bachelor’s degree. The student’s Plan of Study at Rensselaer must include at least 16 credits of courses above the 1000 level in the major field, or in an approved concentration.

The Institute requires a degree candidate to earn the last 30 credits in courses completed on this campus or through a program formally recognized by the Institute. Transfer courses are limited to two courses or eight credits counting toward the student’s last 30 credits and require approval of the director of the Advising and Learning Assistance Center.

Baccalaureate candidates must have passed all of the prescribed academic work and have satisfied the fee requirements. Candidates must also be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Undergraduate students on probation at the time of completion of course work may be required to meet certain stipulations for removal from probation. However, such requirements may be waived for those students whose cumulative GPAs satisfy the baccalaureate degree requirements. In general, a term’s work with grades of not less than C will be required in programs arranged by the Committee on Academic Standing. The director of the Advising and Learning Assistance Center will state requirements to the students in writing.

Degree candidates must be registered during the semester in which they intend to graduate and must file a degree application with the registrar by the dates specified in the academic calendar. Students who previously applied for graduation but did not complete all their requirements on time must submit a new application specifying the new date of graduation.

Double Degrees

A student may become a candidate for a second baccalaureate degree when he or she has completed: (1) the equivalent of at least two terms (30 credit hours) of additional work beyond the requirements of a single degree, and (2) the courses in the department in which the student is registered and such other courses as are required for the second degree.

Dual Majors

Undergraduate students who fulfill all the degree requirements for two curricula and who have met the conditions below will have completed a dual major. They will receive one diploma noting both majors. (1) The student must designate a first-named and second-named major in writing at least one semester prior to graduation, and have the appropriate department(s) approve this designation prior to filing the dual major form with the registrar. (2) Each student will be assigned an adviser in each department who will monitor progress towards degrees in that department. (3) The degree clearance officer in the department will certify that the student has met the degree requirements in that department. (4) The 24- credit-hour mathematics/science requirement and the 24-credit-hour humanities and social sciences requirement will satisfy the Institute requirements for both majors.

Minors

Within the distributional requirements described, the student may elect any courses that meet his or her personal or professional needs. Courses can be chosen to form a minor-that is, a set of courses coherent based on subject, methodology, or other factors. Many departments offer one or more such minors; several of the minors are interdisciplinary. A student wishing to complete a minor should consult with the adviser for that minor before completing the second course in it (departmental secretaries have this information). Minors vary in their requirements from 15 to 21 credit hours. Courses for the minor may not be taken on a Pass/No Credit basis. No course which is required for a major can be used for a minor requirement. No course which is required for one minor can be used for another minor requirement.