degree requirements OVERVIEW The College awards three basic degrees, the Bachelor of Arts (AB), the Bachelor of Science (BS), and the Bachelor in General Studies (BGS). The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees require competent use of the modes of thought which characterize each major area of knowledge, and a deep understanding of at least one subject area. Each student is required also to achieve competency in the use of the English language, to acquire second-year college-level proficiency in a language other than English, must receive credit for an approved course addressing questions on race & ethnicity, and must fulfill the quantitative reasoning requirement. Beyond these general requirements, which serve not to limit but rather to enhance the value of the educational experience, students are free to choose elective courses to complete a minimum of 120 credits. The difference between the AB and BS degree is that the BS degree requires 60 credits of approved courses in the physical and natural sciences and/or mathematics. The Bachelor in General Studies degree encourages students to take responsibility for structuring their own multidisciplinary academic program within guidelines emphasizing upper-level courses elected in three or more departments. This degree also requires a minimum of 120 credits and includes the College Composition requirements, the Race & Ethnicity requirement, and the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Common Requirements for the AB, BS, and BGS Degrees Credits and Grade Point Average A student must complete a minimum 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) or better. At least 100 of these credits muct come from LS&A courses. English Composition Requirements Part I. First-Year Writing Requirement (Introductory Composition). All students entering the University must satisfy the First-Year Writing Requirement. They may do so by taking a two-credit Writing Practicum their first term and a four-credit first-year writing course their second term or by completing a first-year writing course alone. Choosing which path to follow is based on student self-assessment. This voluntary placement system is designed to allow students to select the course that will most appropriately challenge them. Academic advisors and Sweetland Writing Center faculty are available to help students make this choice. **The Introductory Composition Requirement should be completed in the first year. English Composition Requirements Part I. First-Year Writing Requirement (Introductory Composition). All students entering the University must satisfy the First-Year Writing Requirement. They may do so by taking a two-credit Writing Practicum their first term and a four-credit first-year writing course their second term or by completing a first-year writing course alone. Choosing which path to follow is based on student self-assessment. This voluntary placement system is designed to allow students to select the course that will most appropriately challenge them. Academic advisors and Sweetland Writing Center faculty are available to help students make this choice. **The Introductory Composition Requirement should be completed in the first year. Part II. Upper-Level Writing Requirement. Once a student has satisfied the First-Year Writing Requirement, he/she may elect a course that meets the Upper-Level Writing Requirement. When a student feels ready to complete this requirement, he/she makes a selection from a special list of courses that have been approved for that particular term. While a few departments require that their students take a course in their concentration to satisfy this requirement, most allow students a free choice. Race & Ethnicity Requirement Students choose one course from a list of approved courses that cover issues relating to race & ethnicity, racial and ethnic intolerance ,and inequality. The goal is to prepare students to live and work in a multi-ethnic, multi-racial environment. Quantitative Reasoning Requirement Students are required to take one or two courses from an approved list which focus on the methodology of quantitative analysis. The goal is to ensure that students achieve a level of proficiency in using and analyzing quantitative information. Requirements Particular to the AB and BS Degrees The Language Requirement Students are required to complete fourth-term proficiency in a language other than English most often by earning credit for the fourth term of a University of Michigan language course. The goal is to offer a means of access to the cultural and intellectual heritage of the world's non-English speaking majority as well as to provide reflective understanding of the structure and complexity of the English language itself. LS&A offers over 30 different languages that meet this requirement. Area Distribution Students must complete 30 credits outside of their field of concentration distributed over the following six categories: Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis, Creative Expression, and Interdisciplinary. Through this requirement the student gains an understanding and appreciation of the major areas of learning and a coherent view of essential concepts, structures, and intellectual methods which typify these disciplines. Concentration An LS&A concentration provides students the opportunity to pursue a thorough investigation of a particular subject or discipline. Course requirements for concentrations vary from 24 to 48 credits. In addition to the more than 60 concentrations offered by the College, a student has the option to develop his or her own Individual Concentration Plan (ICP). Minors Option AB/BS students have the opportunity to complete a minor as part of the degree program. Departments have the option of offering academic minors, and although some departments will not offer any minor, others may develop several. As departmental minors are created and approved, students may choose to add an academic minor to their academic plan. A complete list of minors can be found on the web at: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/minors.html Credits and GPA in AB and BS Candidates for the AB or BS degree must complete a minimum of 100 credits of LS&A courses, thus allowing 20 credits of non LS&A course work in the 120 required for the degree. Requirements Particular to the BGS Degree To receive a BGS, students must fulfill the First Year Composition, Upper Level Writing, Race and Ethnicity (R&E), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) requirements. They need to complete at least 120 credits. Half (60) of these credits must be at the 300 level or above with no more than 20 credits from any one department.

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