Texas A&M University Undergraduate Catalog

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Degree Information

Requirements for a Baccalaureate Degree

The diploma of the University, with the appropriate degree, will be granted to the student who has made formal application for the degree by the published official deadline, has all grades on record in the Office of the Registrar, including grades pertaining to graduation with honors, by no later than 5 p.m., Friday, the first week of classes of the succeeding semester or summer term following commencement and has satisfied the requirements outlined in the following:

1. A curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree shall contain a minimum of 120 credit hours including the required physical activity courses.
2. The undergraduate student must complete with at least a 2.0 grade point ratio all undergraduate course work attempted at Texas A&M University (see 6).
3. The undergraduate student must complete with a 2.0 grade point ratio all courses included in the major field of study (see 7).
4. The student is required to successfully complete one semester of KINE 198 and one semester of KINE 199 (taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory except Health and Kinesiology majors), unless a substitution for this requirement is petitioned through the student’s dean.
5. The undergraduate student must satisfy all areas of the University Core Curriculum as outlined in the student’s catalog.
6. The total number of grade points earned at this institution in courses must be at least twice the number of hours the student carried in courses at this institution. Grades of F and U shall be included.
   1. The number of credit hours associated with grades of S in courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis are not included in this computation.
   2. The number of credit hours associated with grades of U in courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis are included in this computation.
   3. With the approval of a student’s dean, grades in courses not applying to the degree may be waived for the purpose of graduation only.
   4. The waiver of grades in courses as indicated in item c. will not affect the student’s official grade point ratio or entitlement to graduation with honors.
   5. The provisions of item c. will not affect a student’s probationary status prior to graduation.
7. The total number of grade points earned at this institution in courses in the student’s major department must be at least twice the number of hours that he or she carried at this institution in his or her major department.
8. Grades made in courses elected in excess of a student’s degree requirements shall be counted, but if failed, such courses need not be repeated.
9. First year grade exclusion cannot be invoked after a baccalaureate degree has been conferred upon the student. First Year Grade Exclusion request for degree candidates must be received in the Office of the Registrar not later than 5 p.m. the day midterm grades are due when the student is graduating in a fall or spring semester or not later than 5 p.m. Friday of the third week of class for the second summer session when the student is graduating in August.
10. The student must be formally recommended for graduation by the Faculty Senate after consideration of his or her complete record.
11. The student must have settled all financial obligations to the University.
12. Graduate and undergraduate students who plan to attend a commencement ceremony must do so the semester they apply for graduation and complete the degree requirements.
13. To be a candidate for a degree at the end of the semester or summer term, a student must be registered for or have completed all degree requirements by the 50th class day in the fall and spring semesters, the 15th class day for summer I and II and the 35th class day for the 10-week summer term of the academic calendar of Texas A&M University either in residence or at another college or university. Proof of registration must be provided to the Office of the Registrar, Degree Audit, by the deadline. A student must be enrolled in his or her degree-granting college(s) and major(s) at the beginning of the student’s last semester or summer term at Texas A&M to be a candidate for a degree from that college.
14. Foreign Language: A year of foreign language is required in many degree programs from Texas A&M. This degree requirement can be satisfied by the satisfactory completion in high school of two units of the same foreign language or one year of college work.
    1. International students are not permitted to enroll in courses to satisfy this degree requirement if those courses are taught in their native language.
    2. Bachelor of Arts degrees from the College of Liberal Arts require an additional 6 semester hours at the 200-level.
    3. Students who wish to demonstrate foreign language proficiency without taking acceptable high school or college courses may do so through the existing credit by examination process. In cases where students wish to demonstrate proficiency in a language not taught at Texas A&M, the following procedures shall apply. The student shall request an examination from the Head of the Department of Hispanic Studies or the Head of the Department of European and Classical Languages and Cultures. This department will coordinate the administration of special examinations to demonstrate foreign language proficiency. This will include finding an appropriate examination to test the student’s proficiency, informing the student how to arrange to take that examination and certifying the results to the student’s advisor. All arrangements shall be made and fees paid by the student.
    4. American Sign Language (ASL) may be used to fulfill the foreign language degree requirement unless otherwise specified by the student’s college or department. Students may either transfer ASL credits or arrange to be tested at another institution. (Texas A&M does not offer courses in ASL.)
15. All students must take at least one course in their major that is designated as writing intensive (W). The requirement may not be met by any course listed as a University Core Curriculum communication requirement, nor may it be met through credit-by-examination. It may be met by a course transferred from another institution of higher learning, with the approval of the dean of the student’s college and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Provost for Academic Services. Upon request, students will provide their dean with a course description, syllabus or writing sample from the course being transferred.