Graduation

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BACHELOR’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Since receiving its statewide liberal arts and sciences mission in 1985, Truman’s faculty, staff, and students have studied and deliberated over the necessary elements of quality liberal arts and sciences education as part of a goal of continuous improvement in their programs. The recommendations of two sources have been particularly influential: Truman’s Liberal Arts and Sciences Task Force and the national publications of Phi Beta Kappa for evaluating essential characteristics of a liberal education. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Task Force identified two important models of the liberal arts tradition and recommended that any Truman curriculum embrace them both as necessary and interdependent learning paths for the whole, liberally educated person. The artes liberales model emphasizes social virtues, community and good citizenship through the study of established knowledge and norms while the liberal free model emphasizes individual freedom through independent intellectual exploration and development of critical and integrative thinking skills.

From Phi Beta Kappa, the University’s curriculum adopted the following standards to help clarify the characteristics of liberal arts and sciences courses and a liberal education:

1. “In acquiring a liberal education, the undergraduate will study primarily subjects which illuminate the human condition, subjects which explore aspects of taste and feeling, of the reasoning process, of the physical and moral worlds, of individual and group responsibility, of the meaning of life as a whole”;
2. that “a liberal education is not primarily vocational”;
3. that “a liberal education seeks to quicken the mind and spirit by encouraging the full development of human capacities”; and
4. that “it is true that often a liberal education may have a definitive market value and may in that sense be considered vocational. It is true also that vocational programs sometimes contain liberal content. Nevertheless, the main lines of cleavage can, in practice, be seen. It is not difficult to distinguish between broad cultivation and technical competence.” (Phi Beta Kappa: The Founding of New Chapters, 1985, pp. 3-4)

These objectives remain as important in 2020 as they were in 1998, and so Truman State University has introduced The Dialogues curriculum that commits Truman 1) to helping students develop the skills needed for life-long learning and an engaged future, 2) to supporting breadth of inquiry across the traditional liberal arts and sciences, and 3) to emphasizing interconnecting perspectives that stress interdisciplinary thinking and multiple cultural perspectives regardless of a student’s academic major. Students are also encouraged to supplement these requirements by taking advantage of some of the other opportunities the University offers such as academic minors, the Honors Scholar Program, undergraduate research, study abroad, internships, service learning, and numerous academic organizations.

GRADUATION POLICIES

A graduation application is required for a student to be eligible for graduation and to be included in the commencement ceremony at the end of each semester. An undergraduate student may apply for graduation any time after the completion of 90 credits and no later than December 1 for expected Spring graduation, May 1 for expected Summer graduation, July 1 for expected Fall graduation. Students are encouraged to get their applications on file early, i.e., immediately following registration for their last term. 

Students do not need to wait until all items on their degree audit are met to apply to graduate when items in progress such as approval of substitutions, waiver of 28 hour residency requirement, receipt of transfer credit, etc. show not met as long as the in-progress items are resolved. For example, if a requirement is going to be met by a substitution that is in the approval queue, the application for graduation may be submitted.

All problems cited by the Registrar’s Office after review of the graduation application must be resolved within the time period specified, or the student is removed from the graduation list.

Students having questions concerning graduation requirements should consult this catalog and speak with their academic advisor. In addition to the items stated above, candidates should also take note of the following:

1. Off-campus courses taken during the final semester must be cleared with the advisor, the Department Chair, Dean of School and the Registrar’s Office.
2. All courses substituted or waived must be submitted through the Registrar’s Office using a Substitution Form or Waiver of Graduation Requirements Form. To be used in degree requirements, a substitution or waiver must be approved by the Department Chair and Dean of School.

All graduating students have successfully completed a minimum of 42 credits derived from the Dialogues offerings, and a major program of study that reinforces liberal studies objectives and culminates in a capstone experience. Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degrees have demonstrated intermediate proficiency in one foreign language, and candidates for the Bachelor of Science degrees have an elementary proficiency in one foreign language. Additionally, Bachelor of Science graduates have at least six credits of quantitative coursework.

Undergraduate degree requirements may not be satisfied by graduate credits except those programs approved for concurrent enrollment in Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Programs. To be eligible to apply graduate credit toward the completion of an undergraduate degree, students must: (1) be admitted to a Truman graduate program or partnership with a graduate institution which has been approved by the University for concurrent enrollment. (2) Have earned at least 90 credits toward their baccalaureate degree. (3) Receive the approval of their undergraduate advisor and the graduate director or department chair of their chosen graduate program, whichever is applicable. See Graduate Studies for further details.

MULTIPLE BACCALAUREATE DEGREES

The University confers five types of baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students may earn only one of each type of baccalaureate degree. For example, a student may earn a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree, but not two Bachelor of Arts degrees. A student may still, however, earn a single degree with multiple majors, such as a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in English and Modern Languages.

Students may receive more than one degree from the University only when the following requirements are met:

1. To earn more than one degree, students must complete at least twelve credits in addition to those required by the degree with the highest cumulative credit requirement.
2. Students may not earn a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in the same major.

POST-BACCALAUREATE MAJORS AND ADDITIONAL DEGREES

A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree and who wishes to pursue further undergraduate work may complete a post-baccalaureate major and have it noted on the transcript with the date of completion, or earn a second degree if it is different from the first degree (for example, earn a Bachelor of Science degree if the first degree earned was a Bachelor of Arts).

When a person returns to the University to pursue an additional major or degree after stopping out, he or she must file for admission through the Admission Office. The student is required to earn an additional 12 credits in residence after awarding the first degree, and complete all requirements for the post-baccalaureate major or degree, including all Dialogues, Required Support, and BA/BS requirements.

COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES

Commencement exercises are held at the end of the fall and spring semesters. To participate in the commencement ceremony, students must have an approved graduation application on file in the Registrar’s Office, and must have been cleared to graduate pending the satisfactory completion of final degree requirements.

May and December degree candidates should be present for commencement except under unusual circumstances, and should usually participate in commencement at the end of the semester during which they complete their degree. May and December degree candidates must notify the Registrar’s Office if they wish to participate in a later commencement ceremony. May and December degree candidates may not participate in the commencement ceremony in a semester earlier than their semester of graduation. In order for a candidate’s name to be included in the commencement program, degree candidates must have an accepted graduation application on file by April 1 for May and August commencement and by November 1 for December commencement.

August degree candidates can participate in the May commencement ceremony immediately prior to their August graduation if a graduation application is accepted by the Registrar’s Office, or in the December commencement ceremony following their August graduation. August degree candidates must notify the Registrar’s Office of the commencement ceremony in which they wish to participate.

The Bachelor’s degrees granted by Truman State University are:

BA		Bachelor of Arts
BFA		Bachelor of Fine Arts
BM		Bachelor of Music
BS		Bachelor of Science
BSN		Bachelor of Science in Nursing

For information about graduate degree requirements, see the Masters Programs in the Academic Programs section of this catalog, or see the Graduate Studies section for general graduate information.

“Major” refers to the primary area of specialization for which recognition is given by the conferring of a degree. Course requirements of the major are given in each major’s description in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

“Area of Concentration” refers to additional coursework in the major which allows a student to explore an area of interest in greater depth.

“Minors” provide contrasting and parallel study to the major. Serving to complement the major and help students further expand and integrate knowledge, academic minors are offered in a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary subjects. Students who choose to pursue minors should seek advice from faculty members in their minor disciplines as well as from their advisors in their major program(s).

HB 1606

HB 1606 is intended to provide a single place where students and their families may access consumer information in a consistent form.  The link, https://scorecard.mo.gov/scorecard/ provides consumer information about program costs, employment and wage outcomes.

UNDERGRADUATE AREAS OF STUDY:

MAJORS OFFERED (BY SCHOOL)

Any student may apply “pre-law,” “pre-medicine,” “pre-Master of Arts in Education,” “pre-dental,” “pre-occupational therapy,” “pre-medical technology,” “pre-pharmacy,” “pre-physical therapy,” “pre-physician’s assistant,” or “pre-veterinary” to almost any major. These are not majors and students should consult their advisors as soon as possible when choosing one of these designations.

SCHOOL OF ARTS & LETTERS

Art (BA)
Art (BFA) with concentrations in:
        Design
        Studio Art
Classics (BA)
Creative Writing (BFA)
English (BA)
Linguistics (BS)
Modern Languages (BA)
Music (BA) (General)
Music (BA) (Pre-Certification)
Music (BA) with concentration in: Liberal Arts
Music (BM) with Emphasis Groups
Music Therapy (BS)
Theatre (BA)

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Accounting (BS)
Business Administration (BA/BS) with concentrations in:
        Finance
        International Business (BA only)
        Management
        Marketing

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES & EDUCATION

Communication Disorders (BA/BS)
Exercise Science (BS) with concentrations in:
        Applied/Pre-Athletic Training
        Physical Education/Health
        Pre-Medical Sciences
        Sport/Recreation Management
        Truman ES/AT 3+2
Health Science (BS) with concentrations in:
        Community, Worksite, and Public Health
        Pre-Community, Worksite Public Health/Individualized
        Pre-Medical Sciences
        Pre-Occupational Therapy/Pre-Athletic Training
Nursing (BSN)

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

Agricultural Science (BS)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BS)
Biology (BA/BS)
Chemistry (BS)
Computer Science (BS)
Mathematics (BA/BS)
Physics (BA/BS)
Statistics (BA/BS)

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL & CULTURAL STUDIES

Communication (BA) with concentrations in:
        Communication Studies
        Journalism
        Public Communication
Economics (BA/BS)
History (BA/BS)
Justice Systems (BS)
Philosophy & Religion (BA/BS)
Political Science and International Relations (BA/BS)
Psychology (BA/BS)
Sociology/Anthropology (BA/BS)

INTERDISCIPLINARY

Interdisciplinary Studies (BA/BS)

MINORS OFFERED (BY SCHOOL)

A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for all coursework within each Academic Minor Program. A minimum of nine credits of the coursework for Academic Minor Programs must be taken through Truman unless the discipline specifies a greater number of credits at Truman. A student cannot pursue a minor and a major in the same area.

SCHOOL OF ARTS & LETTERS

Applied Linguistics
Art History
Art Studio
Chinese
Creative Writing
Design
English
French
French Minor for the Professions
French Minor in Translation
German
Greek
Italian Studies
Japanese
Jazz Studies
Latin
Linguistics
Music
Musical Theatre
Musicology
Pre-Art Therapy
Spanish
Spanish Minor for the Professions
Theatre

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Business Administration

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND EDUCATION

Education

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

Actuarial Science
Agricultural Business
Agricultural Studies
Animal Science
Astronomy
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Equine Studies
Information Systems
Mathematics
Physics
Statistics

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL & CULTURAL STUDIES

Anthropology
Communication
Economics
History
Justice Systems
Military Science
Philosophy & Religion
Political Communication
Political Science and International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology

INTERDISCIPLINARY

African and African Diaspora Studies
Asian and Asian American Studies
Child Studies
Classical Studies
Cognitive Science
Disability Studies
Environmental Studies
Film Studies
Folklore
Foreign Language Teacher Preparation
Forensic Science
International Studies
Mathematical Biology
Medieval Studies
Museum Studies
Women’s and Gender Studies

1. Grade Point Average Requirements
2. Total Credit Requirement
3. Course Level Requirement
4. Residency Requirement
5. Self & Society Seminar and Symposium Requirement
6. Dialogues Requirement
7. Writing-Enhanced Course Requirements
8. Missouri Statute 170.011 Requirement
9. Civics Exam SB 807 170.013 Requirement
10. Requirements for Specific Bachelor Degrees
11. Major Component Requirement
12. Assessment Requirements
13. Clearance Materials

Grade Point Average Requirements
A 2.0 minimum cumulative grade point average (unless a higher requirement is specified in the Academic Programs section of this catalog), a 2.0 minimum cumulative grade point average in all coursework completed at Truman State University, and a 2.0 minimum major grade point average (unless a higher requirement is specified) are required to graduate from Truman State University.

Total Credit Requirement
Students must complete and pass a minimum of 120 total undergraduate credits to earn a Bachelor’s degree at Truman State University.

Course Level Requirement
Students must complete and pass at least 40 credits in 300-, 400-, and 500-level courses in order to meet graduation requirements for all baccalaureate degrees.

Residency Requirement
The minimum residence credit required for a Bachelor’s degree is 45 credits, 28 of which must immediately precede completion of requirements for the degree. At least 15 of the 45 credits must be for courses which count toward the student’s major requirement. These requirements may be waived only with approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Students are advised that an official transcript for coursework completed from another college or university must be received by the Truman Registrar’s Office prior to the first day of classes of the last 28 credits immediately preceding completion of degree requirements, or an approved waiver of the residency requirement is required. If a student is participating in a Truman sponsored Study Abroad program, a waiver of the last 28 hours is not required. If a student has reached senior status with earned hours (90+) prior to their Study Abroad experience, they may apply to graduate before leaving for their program. (Due to the delay in receiving grades, it is typically not possible to graduate in the semester concurrent with a Study Abroad program).

Self & Society Seminar and Symposium Requirement
Students must complete a Self and Society Seminar and Symposium during their first semester at Truman. The purpose of this course is to cultivate the habits of curiosity, good scholarship, ethical consideration, and community engagement needed for students to grow as liberally educated lifelong learners. Students will explore the notion of the self and how each individual’s role is influenced within the broader context of relevant groups, the local community, and society. The courses serve as an introduction to critical, multidisciplinary, and intercultural thinking.

Dialogues Requirement
Students must complete the Disciplinary Perspectives and Interconnecting Perspectives requirements outlined for the Dialogues to total 42-61 credits.

Writing-Enhanced Course Requirements
All students must complete one writing-enhanced Junior Interdisciplinary Seminar (JINS) course and two additional writing-enhanced courses. (Preferably one writing-enhanced course should be completed in the major and one writing-enhanced course should be completed outside the major.) Selected courses may fulfill other requirements, including Disciplinary Perspective. Specific sections and specific instructors of writing-enhanced courses are designated in each Open Course List.

Missouri Statute 170.011 Requirement
All students receiving baccalaureate degrees must comply with the provisions of Missouri Statute 170.011. Students may meet the requirements of this law by taking a course at Truman.  

Transfer students who have completed an American History course including the Constitutional Period and the Missouri Constitution at another Missouri institution may be certified for graduation. AP credit, CLEP credit, and transfer courses from institutions outside Missouri do not meet this requirement.

Transfer students who have completed an American History or American National Government course including the Constitutional Period outside the State of Missouri may qualify by taking one of the following courses:

• HIST 298 - American Institutional History   
• HIST 326 - History of Missouri  
• POL 262 - American State and Local Government  

Civics Exam SB 807 170.013 Requirement
As a result of Missouri Senate Bill 807, all new degree-seeking students (first-time and transfer) effective July 1, 2019, must pass the Missouri Higher Education Civic Achievement Examination with at least a score of 70 percent correct in order to graduate. 

SB 807 - 170.013.

1. Any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution. The examination shall be known as the “Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination”. 

2. The examination required under this section shall consist of at least fifty questions, but shall not exceed one hundred questions, and shall be similar to the one hundred questions administered to applicants for United States citizenship by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services division of the Department of Homeland Security. Subject matter on the examination shall include the United States Constitution, the United States Bill of Rights, governmental institutions, historical manifestations of federalism, and history of constitutional interpretation and amendments. 

3. The examination required under this section may be included within any other examination that is administered on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Missouri, and on American history and American institutions, as required in subsection 3 of section 170.011. 

4. Institutions of higher education may use online testing to comply with the provisions of this section.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

1. Dialogues. 42-61 credits.
2. Foreign Language. Intermediate proficiency (0-8 credits) in ONE foreign language must be earned in addition to the Dialogue requirements. As a proficiency requirement, courses used to demonstrate proficiency may be used to satisfy other degree requirements. For further information, please see the foreign language sections of Transferring In and Testing Out and Academic Policies and Procedures in this catalog as well as requirements of the desired degree major.
3. Major Subject. A major consists of no fewer than 30 credits. The sequence of courses for each major is found in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.
4. Electives to bring the total to a minimum of 120 credits.

Bachelor of Music Degree Requirements

1. Dialogues. 42-61 credits including MUSI 340 and MUSI 341.
2. Foreign Language. Intermediate proficiency (0-8 credits) in ONE foreign language must be earned in addition to the Dialogue requirements. As a proficiency requirement, courses used to demonstrate proficiency may be used to satisfy other degree requirements. For further information, please see the foreign language sections of Transferring In and Testing Out and Academic Policies and Procedures in this catalog as well as requirements of the desired degree major.
3. Major Subject. The Bachelor of Music (BM) degree constitutes the initial professional collegiate degree in music. Truman’s BM performance concentration provides a course of studies designed expressly for students who possess superior capabilities and demonstrate sustained, outstanding achievement in applied performance. Both a junior and a senior public recital are required. The course sequence for the performance concentration is listed under the Academic Programs offerings.
4. Electives to bring the total to a minimum of 120 credits.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Requirements

1. Dialogues. 42-61 credits.
2. Foreign Language. Intermediate proficiency (0-8 credits) in ONE foreign language must be earned in addition to the Dialogue requirements. For further information, please see the foreign language sections of Transferring In and Testing Out and Academic Policies and Procedures in this catalog as well as requirements of the desired degree major.
3. Major Subject. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree represents the first professional degree step in creating and contextualizing art. Therefore, the BFA Creative Writing degree has a heavy program of writing and literature courses. The BFA Studio Art and the BFA Design degrees have heavy programs of studio and art history courses; these two programs normally require an extra summer for completion. Course sequences for all three BFA degrees are listed under the Academic Programs offerings.
4. Electives to bring the total to a minimum of 120 credits.

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

1. Dialogues. 42-61 credits.
2. Additional required math and science-based courses, minimum 6 credits.
3. Major Subject. A major consists of no fewer than 30 credits. The sequence of courses for each major is found in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.
4. Electives to bring the total to a minimum of 120 credits.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Requirements

1. Dialogues. 42-61 credits.
2. Major subject. A major in Nursing consists of 50 credits. The sequence of courses for the program is listed in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.
3. Each student must complete 24 credits of discipline directed and BS degree Dialogue requirements. The requirements and sequencing of these courses are listed in the Nursing (BSN) degree description under Academic Programs.
4. Electives to bring the total to a minimum of 122 credits.

Major Component Requirement:
Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in a Truman-designated major. Fifteen of those credits must be earned at Truman, unless a major specifies a higher minimum requirement.

Assessment Requirements:

1. Portfolios: Undergraduate students are required to maintain a portfolio containing representative pieces of work from their in- and out-of-class experiences at Truman. The purpose of the portfolio is fourfold: (a) to provide students with a record of their academic growth and achievement; (b) to encourage self-reflection on what has been learned; (c) to give advisors useful information about what their advisees are learning; and, (d) to allow the University to ascertain what knowledge and skills are promoted by a variety of courses and University experiences across the curriculum.
2. Senior Tests: All students are required to complete a nationally-normed or licensing exam in their major or a designated alternate senior exam during the senior year and prior to graduation.
3. Graduating Student Questionnaire: As part of the graduation clearance process, students are required to complete an exit survey online during their final semester at Truman.
4. Health and Wellness: Students will be required to complete a minimum of three submissions to the University Portfolio work-life balance prompt: two in their first year (fall and spring), and one in their final year as part of their Senior Portfolio submission. Additional work-life balance submission spaces will be available should a student desire to complete them, or should a student’s major advisor recommend or require their completion. 
5. Civics: As a result of Missouri lawmakers wanting students to receive a better civic education at the higher education level, Senate Bill 807 was passed. SB 807 requires all new degree-seeking students (first-time and transfer) beginning July 1, 2019 (fall 2019) to pass the Missouri Higher Education Civic Achievement Examination with at least a score of 70 percent correct in order to graduate.  Students who begin at Truman in the summer of 2019 and are enrolled as degree-seeking in fall 2019 are classified as new students for the fall term and will be required to pass the exam.

Clearance Materials
Each student must complete the clearance materials to be cleared for graduation. This includes the graduation fee, other outstanding fees, exit interviews, Graduating Student Questionnaire, Senior Test(s), Employment/Graduate School Plans Questionnaire, Health & Wellness and Portfolio submissions, and pass the Missouri Higher Education Civic Achievement Examination.