Requirements for a Degree

Rhodes College offers a four-year program of study in the liberal arts and sciences leading to the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree. Candidates for either degree must complete the Foundation Requirements. Students majoring in a science may earn the Bachelor of Science degree. Rhodes also offers a Master of Science degree in Accounting.

The Bachelor’s Degree

The Bachelor’s degree is granted to students who have completed the required 128 credits and the appropriate degree requirements. The degree requirements under the Foundations Curriculum include at least thirteen courses (52 credits) and as many as sixteen courses (64 credits) as described below. Although 52 total credits are required, several of these credits will be satisfied by courses taken in a particular major. Moreover, the total number of credits required to satisfy the writing and language requirements may vary because the foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of a proficiency exam. In addition, some courses satisfy more than one foundation requirement, effectively decreasing the number of required courses. Thus, the number of credits available for electives is dependent upon several factors: the major, whether the degree is the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science, how many courses a student must take to satisfy the writing and language requirements, and how many courses outside the major a student must take to satisfy the foundation requirements.

Once the degree is conferred, no additional course work may be taken and applied to that degree. Additional course work may be applied toward a second degree or taken in a non-degree seeking status, however.

Bachelor of Arts. The Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded to those students who complete the degree requirements as stated above and more fully described below, including the completion of the requirements for a major as outlined in the appropriate section of this catalog.

Bachelor of Science. The Bachelor of Science degree may be earned by students who complete the appropriate requirements for a degree with a major in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Neuroscience, or Physics. Self-designed interdisciplinary majors may earn a Bachelor of Science degree if all of the departments involved offer a BS degree or if at least one of the departments involved offers a BS degree, the major requires at least 28 credits of natural sciences and math, and the student completes a total of at least 36 credits of the natural sciences and math. Please see the Interdisciplinary Studies section of the catalogue for a fuller description of self-designed interdisciplinary majors.

Although the College, through various advising methods, assists a student in planning and following a program of study which will lead to a degree, the student is ultimately responsible for keeping track of progress toward a degree, for knowing and fulfilling all degree and major requirements, and for arranging a course of study accordingly.

Total Credits for the Degree

A total of 128 credits are required for the Bachelor’s degree. A student must earn at least 50 percent of these credits at Rhodes. The senior year, defined as 32 credits or the last 25 percent of the total credits required, must be spent in residence. No more than eight (8) of these credits may be transfer credits.

A student must earn a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.00 (C) to qualify for the degree. A student may apply toward a degree a maximum of eight (8) credits in internships.

A maximum combined total of credits equaling 25 percent of the degree requirement may be earned through Advanced Placement, Cambridge Pre-U, International Baccalaureate, and Option International Baccalaureate examinations. A student earning both transfer credits and Advanced Placement, Cambridge Pre-U, International Baccalaureate and/or Option International Baccalaureate credits may apply those credits to a Rhodes degree up to a maximum combined total of fifty percent of the total credits required for a degree.

Concentration of Study in a Major Discipline

Students’ majors may be directly related to an anticipated vocation, but that is not their primary purpose in a liberal arts curriculum. The qualities of mind and abilities that will serve students best in their careers are developed within the curriculum as a whole. The major is a refinement of intellectual discipline and a deepening of understanding of an area of study. The academic enrichment gained through a major affords access to other disciplines as well as an appreciation of the complexity of other fields of study. Students should consider carefully how all of the courses they select can enrich and complement work done in the major.

The Choice of Elective Courses

The Rhodes curriculum is designed specifically to offer students opportunities to combine a carefully structured and intense study of at least one subject with the broad and diverse understanding that is characteristic of an education in the liberal arts and sciences. Although required to meet certain objectives, the Foundation courses may be selected from a wide range of course offerings. These are only the beginning of a student’s exploration of the fields of human knowledge and creativity. In selecting courses beyond these requirements and outside the major discipline, students should consider the ways in which their education can be broadened, complemented, and enriched.

Participation in Co-Curricular Activities

A comprehensive liberal arts education includes regular engagement with cultural activities and diverse perspectives not only in the classroom, but also in the college community and in communities beyond the college. Students become full participants in the campus community as they join others in a variety of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. These include student government, music ensembles, athletics, campus publications, theatre productions, and many others. Service-learning opportunities, international education opportunities, and undergraduate research provide students and faculty with ways to integrate classroom and laboratory work with out-of-class experiences, and a student’s experience in a course can be enriched in significant ways by the selection of complementary co-curricular activities.

The Major

A student must complete any one of the department-based majors, one of the interdisciplinary majors listed elsewhere in this catalogue or an approved interdisciplinary major formulated in consultation with faculty members.

Detailed descriptions of the department-based majors are given under the departmental descriptions in the section entitled “Courses of Instruction.” The Interdisciplinary majors are described in the section “Interdisciplinary Study,”

No major may require more than fifty percent of the total credits required for the degree. At least fifty percent of the course requirements for a major or minor must be Rhodes credit. All majors require a capstone experience that gives the students an opportunity to demonstrate their progress towards the educational goals established for their majors. This capstone experience usually includes demonstrations of proficiency in writing and speaking and a familiarity with the foundations and contemporary concerns of the major discipline.

A 2.00 (C) grade point average in the major is required for graduation. The major grade point average is determined by computing the grade point average of all courses required for the major as described in this catalog and any other courses taken in the declared major. The computation of a major grade point average for an interdisciplinary major shall include all courses described as required and as elective courses.

A student pursuing a double major or a second Bachelor’s degree may use no more than four (4) of the same courses to satisfy requirements in both majors unless specified as required by one or both of the majors.

In the case of changes in the requirement for a major, students may follow the requirements stated in the catalogue that defines their general degree requirements or in any later catalogue except in cases where changes in departmental course offerings makes the original major requirements impossible to meet.

Declaration of a Major. Students must declare an intended major or majors no later than mid-term of the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students in good standing will be accepted as majors by any department they may choose but must first discuss their suitability for work in the department with the department’s chairperson. At the same time the prospective major should make a tentative plan of course work to be completed in the student’s remaining semesters. A faculty advisor from the major department is assigned or selected by each new major to aid in this planning. Forms for declaring a major are available online here. Students declaring two majors will have an advisor in each major department, but one advisor will be designated as the primary advisor. Students who are delinquent in filing a declaration of major will not be allowed to register for classes until the appropriate form is received by the Registrar. While students may change majors, changes made after the sophomore year may be difficult to accommodate in the remaining semesters.

Interdisciplinary Major. Some students prefer to study in an area that can best be covered by combining the work in two or even three academic departments. Interdisciplinary majors are important ways in which the faculty can meet the special academic needs of these students.

The section listing titled “Interdisciplinary Study” summarizes existing interdisciplinary major requirements for pre-approved curriculum structures. Students who wish to declare any of the established interdisciplinary majors may do so by filing the normal Declaration of Major form with the Office of the Registrar. Any deviation from the program of study outlined in the description must be approved by the chairpersons of the departments involved.

Students who wish to declare an interdisciplinary major that does not have a program of study already defined should follow the appropriate steps in order to secure the necessary approvals within a reasonable time and to ensure an adequate review of the proposed program of study. Those steps are detailed in the “Interdisciplinary Studies” section of this catalogue. The proposed program of study must include specific provisions for a senior seminar or integrating senior experience. The “Declaration of Interdisciplinary Major” form, available online, is used to record the approvals and to advise the Registrar of the College.

Intent to Graduate Form

All candidates for degrees must submit to the Registrar an “Intent to Graduate” form at least two semesters prior to the intended date of graduation.

The College expects all students to conduct themselves as responsible citizens of our academic community. Persistent or extreme departures from this standard may be sufficient cause for suspension or expulsion at any time prior to graduation. Students under academic or disciplinary suspension are not permitted to graduate from Rhodes until eligible for readmission. Students under academic or disciplinary expulsion are permanently separated from the College and not permitted to graduate from Rhodes. Expulsion may occur at any time before a diploma is awarded. 

If a student is the subject of a pending College investigation at the time of graduation, the student may not be eligible to graduate. Rhodes also reserves the right to exclude from graduation persons who are the subject of an ongoing state or federal criminal process at the time of graduation. In such cases, no refunds of tuition, fees, or room and board will be made, and the College, its students, faculty, administrative judicial committees, and officers shall not be under any liability. 

Commencement

Rhodes requires attendance at the May commencement exercises by all candidates for a degree including candidates whose work was completed in December and candidates whose work will be completed in August. Students who complete degree work in December are included in the graduating class in May of the next calendar year. Rhodes will recognize students who complete degree work in August as members of the preceding May’s graduating class. In order to participate in commencement exercises, August candidates must be within near-expectation of completing the requirements for a degree and have the approval of the Faculty Standards and Standings Committee or the Dean of the Faculty, if the Standards and Standings Committee cannot be convened in a timely manner. The College confers degrees (signified by the date of the degree of the diploma and in official records) at the end of each regular semester (December and May) and in August, but diplomas are awarded only at the May commencement.

Academic Minors

Academic minors are available to students who wish to supplement their major field of study with another academic area, giving both more depth and breadth to their course work. In addition to departmental minors, interdisciplinary minors are available within the established interdisciplinary programs in the curriculum.

Normally, a student is required to complete at least five specified courses to earn a minor. At least four of the courses in the minor must be outside the requirements of the student's major or majors and any other minors. Forms for declaring a minor are available online and should be completed no later than the beginning of the fall semester of the senior year.

A student must earn a grade point average of 2.00 in the courses required for an academic minor in order for the minor to be posted to the final academic record.

Undergraduate Certificates

Undergraduate certificate programs at Rhodes College provide additional, often interdisciplinary undergraduate coursework beyond the major/minor. Each certificate program offers a carefully designed sequence of courses focusing on an area supplemental to the student's discipline, which may encompass multiple disciplines and help build knowledge and skills in a specific area. Certificates can enhance student credentials and offer additional career opportunities.

An undergraduate certificate program offers a focused form of study. These programs are appropriate for graduate study preparation or professional development. Certificate offerings can respond with agility to the evolving needs of the professions, student preferences, and funding opportunities.

Requirements for enrollment in an undergraduate certificate program:

1. Students must be currently enrolled Rhodes degree-seeking undergraduate students.
2. Additional criteria for admission, such as GPA and prerequisite course work, may be established within individual program guidelines.

Second Degree

A student may earn a second Bachelor’s degree upon earning at least 32 credits beyond the total credits required for the first degree and completion of all requirements for a second major. A student may not earn two Bachelor of Arts degrees or two Bachelor of Science degrees. A student planning to earn a second degree must declare that intention no later than the beginning of the last semester of enrollment. All academic work for both degrees is included in the cumulative grade point average of the double degree recipient.

A Rhodes graduate who wishes to return to the College to earn a second undergraduate degree must earn an additional 32 credits beyond the number of hours earned for the first degree as well as complete the second major. For a returning student, a second cumulative grade point average will be computed using only the additional hours earned for the second degree.

Changes in Degree Requirements

A student may satisfy the requirements for a Rhodes degree as described in any catalogue that has been in effect during the student’s enrollment. Students readmitted to Rhodes may graduate under requirements in effect during the original period of enrollment or by following a program incorporating features of the current catalog, including the number of credits required for graduation, and the earlier degree requirements and approved by the Standards and Standing Committee. Students may not declare a major if it has been dropped from the College’s curriculum, even if the major was available at the time of enrollment. In addition, degree and/or major requirements may have to be modified in order to fit current curricular offerings.

Academic Achievement

The candidate for the degree who attains a cumulative grade point average of 3.95 in all Rhodes work will be recommended for the degree summa cum laude.

The candidate for the degree who attains a cumulative grade point average of 3.85 in all Rhodes work will be recommended for the degree magna cum laude.

The candidate for the degree who attains a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 in all Rhodes work will be recommended for the degree cum laude.

The major with honors requires special independent study work in the major field during the senior year. The Honors Program is described under Opportunities for Individualized Study. Rhodes does not rank its graduates.

Awarding of Posthumous Degrees

A posthumous degree may be awarded to a deceased undergraduate student who was within 16 credits of the completion of the requirements for graduation or to a deceased graduate student who was within 6 credits of the completion of the requirements for graduation. The student must have been enrolled during the past two regular semesters. The remaining credits would have completed all degree requirements, and the cumulative and major GPA requirements must be met. The appropriate degree may be awarded posthumously on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty with the approval of the Faculty Standards and Standing Committee and the President. The student’s transcript will show a notation that the degree was awarded posthumously.

The Master's Degree

A master's degree at Rhodes requires at least 32 graduate credits in a coherent field of study. Rhodes courses numbered 500 or higher are graduate-level courses.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Post-baccalaureate certificate programs at Rhodes College provide additional, undergraduate or graduate coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree and major/minor. A post-baccalaureate certificate at Rhodes requires 12 to 24 undergraduate or graduate credits taken after an undergraduate degree has been earned. Undergraduate courses counting towards a baccalaureate degree cannot be used as coursework towards completing the post-baccalaureate certificate. Each certificate program offers a carefully designed sequence of courses focusing on an area supplemental to the student's discipline, which may encompass multiple disciplines and help build knowledge and skills in a specific area. 

Unlike masters programs, post-baccalaureate certificates are not degree programs. Certificate curriculum may be composed of undergraduate or graduate courses. Post-baccalaureate certificates also differ from majors and minors in that they are undertaken after the awarding of the baccalaureate degree. Moreover, certificate programs may include a significant experiential component directed toward professional development. Certificate offerings can respond with agility to the evolving needs of the professors, student preferences, and funding opportunities.

Requirements for Enrollment in a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

• Student must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
• Students applying for a Rhodes post-baccalaureate program must have a 2.5 minimum undergraduate GPA in order to be accepted. Additional criteria for admission, such as a higher GPA, standardized test scores, and prerequisite coursework may be established within individual program guidelines. 
• Undergraduate courses counting towards a baccalaureate degree cannot also be used as coursework towards completing the post-baccalaureate certificate.
• To remain enrolled, students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in all coursework and be satisfactorily attentive to their responsibilities in experiential components of the program.

AP/Cambridge Pre-U/IB/OIB Credit Evaluation

A maximum of 32 credits may be earned through Advanced Placement, Cambridge Pre-U, International Baccalaureate, and Option International Baccalaureate examinations. It is the responsibility of the student to have official reports of examination scores in Advanced Placement, Cambridge Pre-U, International Baccalaureate, and/or Option International Baccalaureate sent to Rhodes College. Student copies of score reports are not acceptable for formal evaluation. Receipt of official score reports and formal evaluation of AP/Cambridge Pre-U/IB/OIB score reports must be completed by the first day of a student's first semester of enrollment as a degree-seeking student at Rhodes.

Transfer Students

Students who transfer to Rhodes have their previous college work evaluated for transfer credit upon their acceptance for admission. Credit will be awarded following the guidelines outlined below for the evaluation of academic work for transfer credit. Transfer students are responsible for having final copies of transcripts sent from each institution attended. Official evaluation of transfer credit will not be completed until these final transcripts have been received in the Office of the Registrar.

As degree candidates, transfer students must satisfy all of the degree requirements outlined in this catalogue. Of the total credits required for a Rhodes degree, a minimum fifty percent must be earned at Rhodes and a maximum of fifty percent may be accepted as transfer and Advanced Placement credit.

Transfer credit for students who transfer to Rhodes will be evaluated following these guidelines according to the Foundation requirements:

1. Courses presented with two or three semester hours or less than six quarter hours will be given the appropriate and corresponding number of credits of transfer credit.
2. Credit from several courses may be combined to total four or more credits and therefore satisfy a foundation requirement.
3. A three-credit course may be used to satisfy a Foundation requirement if the corresponding course in the Program of Study meets that same requirement.
4. A three-credit course may be used to satisfy a major requirement if the corresponding course in the Program of Study meets that same requirement unless specifically disallowed by the Program of Study chair where the course is offered.

Transfer Credit

Credit from Other Institutions. Rhodes students may enroll in courses at other colleges and universities and transfer credits to Rhodes. A student who desires to have a course transferred from another institution must have the course approved in advance of course enrollment. Courses not receiving prior approval may not be accepted for transfer credit at the discretion of the Program of Study chair and the Registrar. Transfer courses require the following approvals:

• A transfer course that has a Rhodes equivalent (including Foundations courses) must be approved by the appropriate chair.
• A transfer course that does not have a Rhodes equivalent and does not satisfy Foundation requirements must be approved by the appropriate chair.
• A transfer course that does not have a Rhodes equivalent and can potentially satisfy Foundations requirements must be endorsed by the appropriate chair first and then approved by the Foundation Curriculum Committee.

Students seeking concurrent enrollment at another institution during a regular semester must have permission from the Standards and Standing Committee prior to registering at the other institution. Concurrent enrollment credits are included in the computation of the total credits permitted in one semester but are not included in the determination of full-time status. Course credit earned at another institution during non-approved concurrent enrollment may not be accepted for transfer credit.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that an official transcript from the other institution is forwarded to the Registrar at Rhodes. Final evaluation of transfer work must be completed within twelve (12) weeks of the completion of the course(s) in question. In some programs of study, a proficiency examination must be passed in order for the transfer credit to be accepted.

Credit from Study Abroad/Away. Rhodes students who study abroad/away in an approved program or Maymester will normally satisfy the F11 requirement, unless the program has been noted by the Buckman Center for International Education’s Director as particularly unsuitable for this purpose.

In addition, students may, satisfy up to one additional Foundation requirement in a summer program, up to two additional Foundation requirements in a semester program,  and up to three for a year-long-program. The Director of the Buckman Center in consultation with the Registrar and the Foundations Curriculum Committee as necessary will determine the appropriateness of the course(s) taken abroad/away for Foundations credit.

Credit Conversion. Credits awarded for courses vary by institution and by international program. Rhodes adheres to the credit conversion guidelines specified below.

Credit from Special Programs. Students wishing to participate in special programs at other collegiate institutions are required to obtain permission and approval in advance from the appropriate academic officer acting on behalf of the Faculty Education Program Committee. In most cases, this approval will come from the Director of the Buckman Center, the Registrar, and the chair of the department at Rhodes in which the coursework will be pursued. The Registrar, in consultation with department chairpersons and the Dean of the Faculty, must approve all work at other institutions in advance of beginning the work. In some cases it may be necessary to postpone approval until course syllabi, papers, and tests are examined.

All credit earned on study abroad programs, exchange programs, and cooperative programs such as Washington Semester is evaluated as transfer credit.

The Transfer Credit Guidelines. The following guidelines are used in evaluating academic work from other institutions for transfer credit:

• To be accepted for credit, each course must be judged comparable in terms of content and quality to a course in the curriculum at Rhodes or be consistent with the liberal arts and science curriculum and of comparable quality to that expected of courses at Rhodes. Chairs make these judgments prior to the student enrolling in the course; in many cases the Registrar can act with the authority of chairs. In some Programs of Study, a proficiency examination must be passed in order for the transfer credit to be accepted. The chairs and the Registrar assign credit toward a degree in such a way as to match comparable work at Rhodes.
• The course work must be taken on the campus of a regionally accredited college or university or while on a study abroad program approved through the Buckman Center for International Education.
• For courses taken online prior to matriculation, up to 8 credits may count towards the 128 credits required for a bachelor's degree. After matriculation, up to 8 online transfer credits may be used for degree requirements with the preapproval of the chair in the relevant program of study. If the discipline is not represented at Rhodes, the student can request that the Registrar, in consultation with the Associate Provost review the course for credit. The student will provide requested documentation.
• Rhodes students who study abroad/away in an accredited long-term program that has been pre-approved through the Buckman Center for International Education will normally satisfy the F11 requirement. Students may satisfy up to one additional Foundation requirements while abroad/away in summer, up to two additional Foundation requirements in semester-long programs, and up to three additional Foundation requirements for a year-long program. The Director of the Buckman Center will recommend to the Foundations Curriculum Committee, in consultation with the Registrar, and chairs as necessary, the appropriateness of the course(s) taken abroad for Foundations credit. This recommendation will be done in accordance with guidelines as provided by the Foundations Curriculum Committee.
• No more than eight transfer credits may be earned in any one summer.
• All course work taken at other institutions for which Rhodes receives a transcript will be evaluated for transfer credit, and if pre-approved for transfer credit, will be posted to the student’s record.
• When a program of study course transfers as three (3) credits, the Registrar and Department/Program Chair may adjust the program of study requirement by no more than one (1) credit, though the student must still complete 128 credits to graduate with a bachelor's degree.
• A maximum of 64 credits or fifty percent of the total credit required for a degree may be accepted towards a Rhodes degree. No student may earn additional transfer credit once that credit limit has been reached.
• Transfer credits based on a quarter system are converted to the Rhodes credit basis using the formula that one quarter-hour equals two-thirds credit. Fractional transfer credits will be credited.
• Students earning both transfer credits and Advanced Placement, Cambridge Pre-U, International Baccalaureate, and/or Option International Baccalaureate credits may apply a maximum combined total of fifty percent of the total credit required for a degree to the Rhodes degree. A student with such credit must earn at least fifty percent of the total credit required for a degree in residence at Rhodes.
• Of the 32 credits earned to qualify for the senior year in residence, a maximum of eight credits may be transfer credit.
• Transfer credits are accepted if the grade is C- or higher. However, all grades earned by Rhodes students participating in study abroad/away programs with affiliated partners will be recorded on the transcript  regardless of whether credit is earned. If the term grade point average at the end of any semester abroad or away falls below a minimum standard articulated in the Academic Probation and Suspension section of the catalogue, it is subject to review by the Standards and Standing Committee upon receipt of the official transcript. 
• Transfer courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis must be passed with a grade of C or better. Confirmation of such a grade must be received by the Registrar before the course will be accepted for transfer credit. Transfer credits are credited to the Rhodes transcript as credits only; they are not computed in or used to determine the grade point average. With the exception of F11, courses taken Pass/Fail cannot be used to fulfill Foundations requirements.
• Courses taken on a college campus prior to matriculation by accepted students, including those which are taken in conjunction with a dual enrollment program at the secondary school level, will be accepted for credit under the same guidelines as stated above, including review by the appropriate chair at Rhodes, only if such coursework does not satisfy high school graduation requirements or requirements for admission to Rhodes. Such courses must be taken on a college campus, not in a high school even if taught by collegiate faculty. Credit for such courses must be requested during the summer prior to enrollment at Rhodes. Students who have not graduated from high school who present such courses for transfer credit are not considered transfer students.