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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2016-2017
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proposal a brief statement establishing the rationale for the major that indicates why
existing majors and minors fail to meet the student’s academic objectives. The proposal
shall also be accompanied by an endorsement by the committee chair. Before approving
the program, the committee will advise the student and make any necessary revisions.
The program is then drawn up into a contract. Once the committee as well as the
Exploration Term and Contract Learning Committee have approved it, the contract is sent
to the Provost for final approval.
Students interested in individualizing a major should submit the completed proposal,
signed by the student’s faculty committee, by the end of the sophomore year. All
negotiations for the major should be completed prior to the end of the junior year. Any
changes made in the major after it has been approved must be initialed by the committee
chairperson. An individualized major does not exempt students from the degree
requirements of the College. For further information contact the Office of Exploration
Term and Contract Learning or a faculty member in one of the areas of the individualized
major.
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
Dual degree programs allow students to begin academic work at the College, with a
degree from Birmingham-Southern College awarded upon successful completion of
further requirements at a partner institution, which also confers a degree.
Dual Degree Programs
Engineering
Environmental Studies
Nursing
ACADEMIC MINORS
Students may concentrate additional studies in any of the areas listed below. Minors are
not required for graduation, but students who pursue a minor should do so thoughtfully,
and should declare it prior to the end of the sophomore year. Students must maintain at
least a 2.000 grade point average in the minor, and none of its course requirements may
be evaluated “S” or “U.” In addition, no course counted toward the major may also be
counted toward a minor unless specifically exempted from this exclusion. Exemptions
appear in the descriptions of majors found in this catalog.
A student who elects to pursue a minor is encouraged to spread his or her elective courses
over the remaining disciplines in order to gain the benefits of a broad liberal arts
education.