Degree and Graduation Requirements

Introduction

This chapter reviews the requirements for undergraduate degrees. The requirements for each major are presented in separate sections of the Catalog. Students should review with care the degree requirements listed in this section as well as the requirements for the major(s) and minor(s) they wish to complete.

Undergraduate Degrees

The University offers undergraduate programs that lead to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Social Work. Majors offered within these degrees are as follows. Specific requirements for these degrees are outlined in the appropriate colleges and divisions in the following chapters.

Click here to view  degrees.

Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree

University Requirements

To receive a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, students must complete the requirements listed below. Some degree programs have additional requirements. The following chapters list the specific requirements for each undergraduate major. Students should review with care the degree requirements listed in this chapter as well as the requirements for the major(s) and minor(s) they wish to complete.

Completion of the Bachelor’s degree requires that students complete the following 12 requirements:

1. Complete all degree requirements (majors and minors) within the same valid catalog year and complete all major and related curriculum requirements outlined in the valid catalog year for the specific major(s).

Major Requirements
Students must complete the requirements specified by their major(s) including study in related areas as specified by the department, within a valid catalog year.

Foreign Language Requirement
The B.A. degree requires completion of the second college year in one foreign language, or equivalent through placement. The faculty of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures encourages students to begin or to continue foreign language study during their first year at the University or upon declaring a major that includes a foreign language requirement.

Students whose native language is not English pursuing a B.A. degree will fulfill the foreign language requirement by meeting the English requirements for foreign students. The courses are: ENGL 1610 , ENGL 1620 , ENGL 1011  and ENGL 1020 . Students testing out of English 1610 and 1620 will fulfill this requirement upon successful completion of ENGL 1010  or ENGL 1011  and ENGL 1020 .

Students pursuing a B.A. or B.S. degree, whose native language is not English, may also test out of the language requirement by taking a proficiency test in one of the following languages: Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. Special arrangements must be made with the Department Head to determine if testing in other languages is possible.

Developmental Requirements
Developmental courses completed at another institution to meet specific course prerequisites do not apply to the hours required for graduation, major requirements, general education requirements, or electives. The grades earned in these courses are not included in the calculation of the grade point average for graduation or honors.

Minor Requirements
All students seeking the B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the requirements for a minor in the same valid catalog year as the major(s). Students completing the requirements for two majors satisfy the requirement for a minor. For students seeking the B.A. and B.S., the B.S. major will satisfy the minor requirement.

Students may complete an established minor requiring a minimum of 18 credit hours with at least 8 credit hours at the 3000/4000 level. Students must earn a GPA of 2.0 for courses attempted for any minor. Higher standards than these may be required for some minors. Specific requirements for minors are listed with the departmental offerings.

Students cannot major and minor within the same discipline. No more than 6 hours of credit in the major department may be applied to the minor.

Students receiving one minor in a given department may receive a second minor from the same department provided that the second minor includes at least 12 credit hours of course work not included in the first minor. The University considers Philosophy and Religion; Modern and Classical Languages; and Sociology, Anthropology and Geography as separate departments for the purpose of this policy. Students majoring in Art may also minor in Art History.

Deficiency Credit
Deficiency credit does not increase the number of credit hours required for graduation. These credit hours may apply toward the major, minor, general education and required minimum degree credit hours. Deficiency credit hours and quality points count in the institutional and overall cumulative GPA

Total Credit Hours
A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for a bachelor’s degree. Some degree programs require additional credit hours. Each description of major requirements lists the credit hours required.

Graduate Credit
Courses taken for graduate credit cannot be applied toward an undergraduate degree.

2. Complete all General Education Requirements as described in the valid Catalog year for the specific major(s).
   Click here to view  requirements.
3. Comply with the state law that one unit of American history at the high school level or 6 credit hours of collegiate work be satisfactorily completed.

4. Complete at least 25 percent of the minimum credit hours under the direction of UTC faculty.
5. Complete 60 credit hours at an accredited senior (4-year) institution.
   Students who have attended a junior or community college must complete at least 60 credit hours at a four year college or university with the last 24 credit hours completed at UTC.
6. Complete the last 24 credit hours at UTC.
   The last 24 credit hours must be completed at UTC. With prior approval by the Department Head of the student’s major department, one course completed at other University of Tennessee campus may be counted as part of the last 24 credit hours.

Non-traditional Credit Limitations
Students may earn no more than 60 semester hours of non-traditional credit.  Student may earn no more than 24 semester hours of non-traditional credit for each of the following: Advanced Placement, CLEP, Correspondence and Extension Credit, DANTES, IB, Credit by Special Examination, Military Service Credit, Practical Training.

Normally, non-traditional credit will not apply toward the last 24 hours of residency. However, students who have completed their previous 24 hours of traditional coursework at UTC and earn Practical Training credit or credit for the NCLEX in the Gateway Program in their final semester need not petition for an exception to the final 24 hour residency requirement.

Except for credit by special examination, credit earned by these non-traditional means is elective. Exceptions to this principle occur only with the written approval of the respective departments, indicating specifically the amount and type of credit to be applied to a major degree program.

Pre-professional and Combined Program Residency Requirements
Students in combined or pre-professional programs must complete the last 24 credit hours of undergraduate study at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before entering the professional or combined program. Students can only transfer credit hours from the professional program to fulfill the degree; other transfer coursework will require a petition for an exception to the last 24 credit hour residency requirement.

7. Complete at least 39 credit hours at the 3000-4000 level.
   Students must complete at least 39 credit hours at the 3000-4000 level unless otherwise specified by the major.
8. Complete a minimum of 12 credit hours at the 3000-4000 level in the UTC major department(s) or program(s) offering the degree.
9. Earn a minimum of a 2.0 institutional cumulative GPA unless otherwise specified by the major, a minimum 2.0 GPA overall, and a minimum 2.0 GPA in all required major and related courses (including specified General Education courses) unless otherwise specified.
10. Complete senior exit exam(s).
    Students must participate in evaluative procedures, which may include examinations in general education, the major field of study, or both.
11. File an application for degree with the Records Office.
    Students are responsible for applying for graduation with the Records Office according to the published deadlines. Students who neglect to file an application by the published deadline must apply for the subsequent graduation ceremony. The applicable deadlines are:
    • Spring Graduation Ceremony - October 15
    • Summer Graduation (No Ceremony) - January 15
    • Fall Graduation Ceremony - June 15

Students are eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies upon completion of all requirements for the degree. Students with extenuating circumstances may appeal in writing to the University Registrar for special permission to participate in graduation ceremonies without having fulfilled all requirements for the degree. Students participating in the graduation ceremonies will not receive the degree until they have fulfilled all degree requirements. Students receiving degrees in August may walk in May or December. Refer to the Graduation Participation Guidelines http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Records/gengrad1php#Participation.

The staff of the Records Office certify students as eligible for graduation.

Once the degree has been conferred, the student’s academic record, including grades for courses within the degree, cannot be changed.

12. Satisfy all financial obligations to the University.
    In accordance with State law, the University will not release official transcripts or diplomas to students who have financial obligations to the University.

Special Degree Options

The University allows students to pursue special degree options, such as a second Bachelor’s degree. This section describes the regulations for these options.

Second Bachelor’s Degrees

Students may earn a second bachelor’s degree by simultaneously completing the requirements for more than one bachelor’s degree (e.g., B.A. and B.S.). Students may also earn a second bachelor’s degree after graduating by enrolling for a second post-baccalaureate degree.

Simultaneous Second Degree Requirements

Students may receive a second bachelor’s degree provided under the following conditions:

1. Students must complete the specific requirements for both degrees.
2. The curriculum for the second degree must include at least 25 percent of the minimum credit hours required for the degree not applied to the first required degree credit hours. Students simultaneously completing second degree requirements must complete at least 150 credit hours to earn the second degree. Some degree programs will require more than a total of 150 credit hours for the second degree. These credit hours must consist of courses taken at UTC. A GPA of at least 2.0 is required in these courses unless a higher GPA is specified by the major.
3. The additional credit hours beyond the first degree shall include a minimum of 12 credit hours taken at UTC in the major department of the second bachelor’s degree. A GPA of at least 2.00 is required in these courses unless a higher GPA is specified by the major.

Post Baccalaureate Second Degree Requirements

Post-baccalaureate students with bachelor’s degrees from regionally accredited colleges or universities who are seeking a second undergraduate degree at UTC are not subject to UTC general education requirements. However, they are subject to major requirements, including general education courses required for the major.

Student may receive a post-baccalaureate second bachelor’s degree provided that:

1. Students must complete the specific requirements for both degrees.
2. The curriculum for the second degree must include at least 25 percent of the minimum credit hours required for the degree not applied to the first degree. These credit hours must consist of courses taken at UTC. A GPA of at least 2.0 is required in these courses.
3. The additional credit hours beyond the first degree shall include a minimum of 12 credit hours taken at UTC in the major department of the second bachelor’s degree. A GPA of at least 2.00 is required in these courses.

Changes to Academic Record after Degree Conferral

Once a baccalaureate degree has been awarded, the institutional cumulative grade point average at the time the degree is posted is locked. No changes are made to course work completed prior to the posting of the degree to change the institutional cumulative grade point average at graduation. Subsequent course work and grades earned are calculated into the continuing institutional grade point average.

Course work completed as part of the first degree may be repeated but the subsequent grade will not replace the initial grade. Both courses and grades will be reflected on the record and both will be calculated into the continuing institutional cumulative grade point average.

Course work which repeats credit (earned hours) applied toward the first degree does not count toward the required 30 additional hours in residence for a subsequent degree. Students may repeat course work in the second degree for which they did not earn hours in the first degree. Students may repeat course work in the second degree for which they did not earn hours int he first degree. Students may also repeat credit (earned hours) from the first degree to satisfy a grade prerequisite requirement in the second degree.

Double Major Requirements

Students simultaneously completing a double major must fulfill all requirements for both majors.