College Requirements
Degree Requirements (B.A., B.S.)
Double-Majors and Second Degrees
General Education Requirement
Foreign Language Requirement
Humanities Area Requirement
Social Sciences Area Requirement
Natural Sciences Area Requirement
Level of Study Requirement
Single Application of Credit
Degree Requirements for Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
General requirements for a B.A. or B.S. are:
- A minimum of 120 semester hours for the B.A. or B.S. degree,
- 60 hours of Arts and Sciences coursework at the 2000 level or above,
- A minimum of college level foreign language at the 2120 level or the equivalent for the B.A. and, for the B.S., a minimum of college level foreign language at the 1120 level or equivalent (see further explanation of the differences between the B.A. and B.S. requirement in the “Foreign Language Requirement” section below),
- At least 9 semester hours each of humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences coursework for a total of 33 semester hours for the B.A. degree and 27 semester hours for the B.S. degree,
- Complete the General Education requirements— Tiers I, II, III or OHIO BRICKS (based on your catalog of entry).
- All requirements stipulated by the department for the chosen major.
Double-Majors and Second Degree
The College of Arts and Sciences awards a B.A. or B.S. only once, regardless of the number of majors completed within that degree designation. If you complete two or more majors for the B.A. (e.g., Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and African American Studies), it is considered a double major, and you will receive one diploma. A second bachelor’s degree requires completion of a B.A. and B.S. (e.g., Spanish and Biological Sciences) or a B.A. or B.S., and a different degree from one of our other colleges (e.g., B.B.A. from the College of Business). In this case two diplomas are awarded.
University policy requires the completion of a minimum of 135 semester hours for the second or dual degree (an additional 15 hours beyond the 120 required for the first degree), including all specific requirements for both degree programs. If you have met the requirements for two degrees, as stated above, and want to have the degrees conferred in successive semesters, you may do so without further credit requirements. For example, one degree may be conferred at the end of one semester and an application made for the second degree in the subsequent semester. For more information about earning a second degree, see the Graduation Requirements - Universitywide section of the catalog.
General Education Requirement
The OHIO BRICKS requirements are similar to, but lesser in scale than, the Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements. You may select courses that, while fulfilling OHIO BRICKS, can partially satisfy Arts and Sciences distribution requirements in foreign languages, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and courses at the 2000-level or higher. The lists for humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences indicate specifically, and without exception, the courses that fulfill the three Arts and Sciences areas. Many of these courses also satisfy OHIO BRICKS requirements.
Some courses designated as quantitative skills or freshman composition (including any skills courses needed as prerequisites) apply only to hours for graduation and do not apply to Liberal Arts and Sciences distribution requirements. Other courses, such as MATH 1350 and PSY 2110 may fulfill multiple requirements. Liberal Arts and Sciences courses that fulfill the advanced composition requirement may apply to the humanities distribution area and in certain cases, to your major.
Courses designated as BRICKS capstone do not fulfill Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements, except those designated as capstone equivalents, or capstone courses, when they are taught by Arts and Sciences faculty. In either case, the course contributes to the hours-above-2000-level requirement. Courses designated as capstone equivalent may count both for capstone and toward the major.
Transfer students whose credit is equated as comparable to BRICKS written communication or to quantitative reasoning courses are considered to have met that requirement. Transfer students without comparable transfer credit in written communication and/or quantitative reasoning courses must complete the requirement. In addition, transfer students are responsible for completing their remaining general education requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement
The College of Arts and Sciences requires that all candidates for a B.A. degree successfully complete the 2120 college level of foreign language or equivalent. Equivalent credit can be Advanced Placement (AP) www.ohio.edu/admissions/transfer-credits/credit-examination or college transfer credit www.ohio.edu/admissions/transfer-credits/credit-another-institution. Students, who have prior knowledge of one of the languages listed below, must take the placement test before enrolling in these courses. (The placement exam does not count as college credit.) If you test into the 3000-level or above, the foreign language requirement is considered fulfilled. Students who place at or above the 3000-level are encouraged to take that course for college credit. Language courses at this level will count both in the humanities academic area and in the A&S 2000-level or higher requirement, as well as towards a minor, or a language major.
The College of Arts and Sciences requires that all candidates for a B.S. degree successfully complete the 1120 college level of foreign language, or the equivalent. Equivalent credit can be Advanced Placement (AP) www.ohio.edu/admissions/transfer-credits/credit-examination or college transfer credit www.ohio.edu/admissions/transfer-credits/credit-another-institution. Students with prior knowledge of one of the languages listed below, must take the placement test before enrolling in these courses. (The placement exam does not count as college credit.) If you test into the 2000-level or above, the foreign language requirement is considered fulfilled. Students who place at or above the 2000-level are encouraged to take that course for college credit. Language courses at this level will count both in the humanities academic area and in the A&S 2000-level or higher requirement, as well as towards a minor, or a language major.
Students who have prior knowledge of one of the following foreign languages should contact the academic departments listed below for testing and placement information:
Akan (Twi), Hindi/Urdu, Indonesian, Khmer, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, or Wolof - Contact: Center for International Studies - international.studies@ohio.edu - 740.593.1840 - Yamada International House, 56 East Union Street
American Sign Language: Contact: Communication Sciences and Disorders - csd@ohio.edu - 740.593.1407 - Grover Center W218
French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, or Russian: Contact: Office of Undergraduate Student Affairs - cas.undergrad@ohio.edu - 740.593.2846 - Gordy Hall, first floor
Greek or Latin: Contact: Classics and Religious Studies - Dr. Brian Collins - collinb1@ohio.edu - 740.597.2103 - Ellis Hall 234
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili: Contact: Linguistics - Dr. Michelle O’Malley - haugh@ohio.edu - 740.593.4321 - Gordy Hall 375
A&S students who have prior knowledge of a foreign language not offered at Ohio University can opt to take the NYU Foreign Language 12-Point exam (approximate cost $350) to complete their foreign language requirement: www.sps.nyu.edu/homepage/academics/divisions-and-departments/center-for-publishing-and-applied-liberal-arts/proficiency-testing.html. Students must earn 12 Points to waive 2 years of foreign language (BA-2120). Students must earn 6 Points to waive 1 year of foreign language (BS-1120).
Please contact the A&S Undergraduate Student Affairs Office at cas.undergrad@ohio.edu or 740.593.2845 for additional information.
Choice of Degree Options
For the limited number of majors that offer a choice of either the B.A. or B.S. degree (see listings in the Curricula – Certificates, Major Programs, Minors section of this catalog), you may choose which degree to pursue. Be certain to consider the appropriate language requirement. See above section for the respective B.A. or B.S. language requirements.
International Students
For international students whose first or native language is not English, and who completed high school where the first or native language was the one primarily used for instruction, the foreign language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating competence in English. This must be approved by the Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, and it generally requires the successful completion of at least one or more courses in English as a foreign language, specifically ENG 1610.
You may also satisfy the foreign language requirement by taking a foreign language other than your own first language at Ohio University, or by successfully completing the NYU foreign language exam.
Enrollment in the beginning or intermediate level (under 3000) of your own first language(s) will be considered a noncredit course, where permitted.
Humanities Area Requirement*
The humanities requirement may be met by selecting 9 semester hours from the following:
- African American Studies: AAS 1060, 1100, 1500, 2100, 2110, 2500, 3100, 3170, 3500, 3520, 3530, 3550, 3560, 3570
- Academic and Global Communication: AGC 1300
- Art History: AH****
- Classics and Religious Studies: CARS**** except CARS 2010, 2020, 3040, 3410
- College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 1110, 2300, 2411
- Communication Studies: COMS 3601, 3602, 3603
- Dance: DANC 2550, 2700, 4710, 4750
- English: ENG**** except ENG D150, D160, 1510, 1510L, 1610, 4510, 4520, 4911, 4912
- Fine Arts: FAR 1500
- Foreign language courses other than those used to complete the foreign language requirement and except FR 1199, FR 2930, FR 4640, GER 2930, ITAL 2930, JPN 3410, RUS 2930, SPAN 1199, and SPAN 2930
- History: HIST 1210, 1220, 2270, 2530, 2540, 2600, 2700, 2755, 2950, 3111J, 3140, 3141, 3144, 3146, 3147, 3148, 3224, 3290, 3291, 3292, 3293, 3390, 3465, 3520, 3521, 3531, 3532, 3533, 3540, 3541, 3542, 3550, 3560, 3562, 3600, 3792, 3840, 3860, 3861, 3864, 3900, 4536
- Humanities: HUM****
- Interdisciplinary Arts: IART****
- International Literature: Linguistics, and International Literature: Modern Languages except ILL 3890
- Jewish Studies: JS 1000, 2100, 2900
- Modern Languages: ML 2300, 2701, 2950, 3210J, 3270J, 3280J
- Music/Music Literature: MUS 1220, 1240, 1250, 1625, 2240, 3210, 4210, 4211, 4212, 4213, 4214, 4215, 4216, 4270
- Philosophy: PHIL**** except PHIL 1200
- Portuguese: PORT 3110, 3120, 3180, 3190, 4110, 4120
- Theater: THAR 2710, 2711
- University Professor: UP 1901, 1901U, 4901U (class subjects vary; check Course Offerings for more information)
- Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: WGSS**** except WGSS 2900, 3910
Social Sciences Area Requirement*
The social sciences requirement may be met by a selection of 9 semester hours from the following:
- African American Studies: AAS 1010, 1900, 2020, 2200, 2250, 2540, 3400, 3410, 3450, 3460, 3680, 3691, 4400, 4820
- Academic and Global Communication: AGC 1300
- Anthropology: ANTH**** except ANTH 2010, 3460, 3550, 3600, 4470, 4480, 4740, 4960
- Business Law: BUSL 2000, 2550, 3400
- Classics and Religious Studies: CARS 2010, 2020, 3040, 3410
- College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 1120, 1415, 1425, 1605, 2300, 2410, 2411, 2600, 4410, 4911
- Economics: ECON**** except ECON 2890
- Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO 2170
- Geography: GEOG**** except GEOG 1100, 2060, 2680, 2710, 3010, 3020, 3031, 3040, 3050, 3150, 3160, 3580, 3650, 4035, 4060, 4070, 4080, 4090, 4110, 4130, 4170, 4660, 4670, 3712, 4730, 4760, 4770, 4941, 4942, 4943, 4944
- History: HIST**** except those listed under Humanities (see above)
- International Studies: INST****
- International Literature: ILL 3890
- Japanese: JPN 3410
- Law, Justice, and Culture: LJC 2000, 3915, 4945
- Linguistics: LING****
- Modern Languages: ML 2400
- Political Science: POLS****
- Psychology: PSY**** except PSY 1110, 1110L, 2110, 2111, 2112, 2210, 3110, 3230
- Social Work: SW****
- Sociology: SOC****
- University Professor: UP 1901S, 4901S (class subjects vary; check Course Offerings for more information)
- Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: WGSS 3910
Natural Sciences Area Requirement*
The natural sciences requirement may be met by selecting 9 semester hours from the following:
- Anthropology: ANTH 2010, 3460, 3550, 3600, 4470, 4480, 4740, 4960
- Astronomy: ASTR****
- Biological Sciences: BIOL 1010, BIOS**** except BIOS 1100, 1500
- Chemistry: CHEM**** except CHEM D015, 1100, 1150, 1151, 1152, 3005, 3006
- College of Arts and Sciences: CAS 1415, 2000, 2405, 2411, 2600
- Computer Science: CS 3000, 4160
- Economics: ECON 2890
- Environmental and Plant Biology: PBIO**** except PBIO 2170
- Geography: GEOG 1100, 2060, 2680, 2710, 3010, 3020, 3031, 3040, 3050, 3150, 3160, 3580, 3650, 4035, 4060, 4070, 4080, 4090, 4110, 4130, 4170, 4660, 4670, 3712, 4730, 4760, 4770, 4941, 4942, 4943, 4944
- Geological Sciences: GEOL****
- Mathematics: MATH**** except MATH D004, D005, 1060, 1090, 1101, 1102, 1200, 1300, 1321, 1322, 1500, 4100
- Physical Science: PSC****
- Physics: PHYS**** except PHYS 1021, 1022
- Psychology: PSY 2110, 2111, 2112, 2210, 3110, 3230
- University Professor: UP 1901N, 4901N (class subjects vary; check Course Offerings for more information)
* May only count in one area.
Note: Methods courses are not applicable to area requirements.
*These listings must be used as the official guide for the completion of the Arts and Sciences area (distribution) requirements. Exceptions to the 9-hour Arts and Sciences area distribution will be made only under the most unusual of circumstances and by petition only. Consideration for inclusion of courses not listed is not made on an ad hoc basis but requires formal approval of the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee.
Some courses from these categories may also be applied to the University general education requirements. However, the three Arts and Sciences area categories differ in scope from the five OHIO BRICKS groupings. If you wish to select a course that will apply to both the Arts and Sciences and general education requirements, take care to choose a course that has been approved for the desired category in both the College and the University listings. Courses that can fulfill quantitative reasoning and written communication OHIO BRICKS requirements and the capstone requirement do not apply to the Arts and Sciences area distribution requirements. Exceptions include MATH 1350 and PSY 2110.
The list of courses appears in the OHIO BRICKS section of the catalog.
Level-of-Study Requirement
Hours at the 2000 level or above
Within the total hours applied to the degree, at least 60 semester hours of Liberal Arts and Sciences courses must be above the freshman level numbered at the 2000 level or higher. Arts and Sciences courses are defined as courses listed earlier in this section under humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and include foreign languages, courses from the major, and courses taught by faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences intended to meet the advanced writing or capstone requirement. University Professor (UP) courses taught by Arts and Science faculty will count only if they are listed as applicable to any of the three A&S area requirements.
Non–Arts and Sciences courses are usually considered electives and not counted toward the level of study requirement. Rather, they apply toward the 120-hour requirement for graduation.
Single Application of Credit and Exceptions
Excluding the exceptions explained in Hours at 2000-level or above, no course may satisfy more than one of the area requirements in foreign language, humanities, social sciences, or the major requirement. For example, a philosophy major may not apply any courses in philosophy toward the humanities requirement and courses that fulfill freshman OHIO BRICKS requirements or capstone will not apply to the distribution area requirement.
Exceptions to the single application rule include:
- MATH 1350 and PSY 2110 will fulfill the quantitative reasoning requirement, as well as the natural science area.
- Although in general, courses required for a major apply only to the major, capstone courses may fulfill both major and capstone requirements. When there are two majors, courses required for a second major may be used for the area requirements in the other major. Required courses from outside the major department (extradepartmental) will be counted toward the area requirements, except in the case of interdisciplinary majors (i.e., Classics and Religious Studies) where required courses normally may not be applied to the distribution areas.
- Courses required for a minor will be counted toward the area requirements, except for non–Arts and Sciences minors.
- For students majoring in foreign language, language courses at the beginning and intermediate levels (1110 - 2120) of that language may fulfill the language requirement, since the major is defined as including language courses above the intermediate level only.
- Advanced writing courses offered by departments within the College of Arts and Sciences apply to the distribution area requirements, except when they are required for the major (e.g., ENG 3070J or HIST 3111J).
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