Academic Policies and Procedures

The Bachelor of Arts (120 hours) will be conferred upon students who fulfill degree requirements with majors in anthropology, Asian studies, classical studies, communications sciences and disorders, criminology, economics, East Asian languages and literatures, English, French, German, history, Jewish studies, linguistics, philosophy, political science, Portuguese, religion, Russian, sociology and Spanish.

The Bachelor of Science (120 hours) will be conferred upon students who fulfill degree requirements with majors in astronomy, botany, chemistry, computer and information sciences, microbiology, psychology and zoology.

The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science will be conferred upon those students who fulfill the requirements for the degree with majors in geography, geology, mathematics, physics, quantitative sciences, statistics, or interdisciplinary studies. Students should consult the undergraduate coordinator in their major department to discuss the appropriate curriculum for each of these degrees.

First-year students select a major and enter the college when they begin UF. Students selecting a CLAS major should start planning their major early in their UF careers by speaking with a general adviser in 100 Academic Advising Center (AAC) and a department adviser in the major department.

Three temporary categories are provided to facilitate exploration of academic alternatives for students who are unsure about a choice of major: 1) Exploring Humanities and Letters 2) Exploring Social and behavioral science, or 3) Exploring Sciences and/or Engineering. Students select the exploring category that most closely fits their academic interests.

The advisers in the AAC help students select an appropriate program of study. Students can reside in "exploring" registration categories for the first three fall/spring terms only. Students must be admitted to a major other than "exploring" before registering for their fourth term.

Students who wish to transfer directly to UF from a Florida public community college must have completed the A.A. degree and met the same standards for admission to the major that native students meet to be considered for admission to this college.

Space in the college is very limited for applicants transferring from four-year, private or out-of-state institutions. Such students will be held to a higher standard for admission.

Once admitted, transfer students are required to attend orientation and are responsible for meeting with their major department and an adviser in 100 AAC to ensure that their transfer credits are evaluated for the UF degree.

Transfer students with 60 or more credit hours are expected to graduate in the major to which they are accepted. Changing majors after transferring may not be possible.

• Students wishing to change to a CLAS major in terms 1-4 must meet with an adviser in the AAC. Students who meet the minimum tracking criteria for their real tracking term will be permitted to change majors, provided they meet all other CLAS progression standards. Students who do not meet the UT criteria for their real tracking term may be permitted to change majors, provided they (1) can get on track in a reasonable number of terms, (2) have shown promise in the desired major, and (3) meet all other CLAS progression standards.

• Students who want to change majors after term four should apply to do so before acquiring 96 hours (including current enrollment). In addition, students must (1) meet the Critical Tracking Criteria (pre-professional GPA and minimum cumulative UF GPA) listed for semester five for the major, (2) meet all other CLAS progression standards for the desired major and demonstrate potential for success in the major (successful completion of major and major-related courses without excessive Ws, grades less than C, or multiple repeats), (3) have demonstrated a well-articulated educational goal for which the change of major is necessary.

Students wishing to change to a major in CLAS should meet with an adviser in the AAC. They must submit a program plan identifying the courses they intend to complete for the new major as well as a statement explaining their educational goals. The department offering the desired major must support the student’s admission to the major. Students can only pursue the major to which they have been admitted.

Every student is expected to make satisfactory progress toward graduation each semester. Students who fail to make satisfactory progress may be required to seek advisement, denied further registration or mandated to meet specific conditions in order to continue in the major and/or CLAS.

Students in terms 1-5 are required to meet the critical tracking criteria for their majors in each of the first five terms. The critical tracking criteria for CLAS majors are listed in the major information that follows in this section of the catalog. CLAS counts all attempts of critical tracking courses when calculating pre-professional GPA for a major. For more information about Universal Tracking policies, consult the Academic Advising portion of this catalog.

All CLAS students must meet the following standards or may be denied further registration:

• Maintain an overall UF cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
• Not falling below a 2.0 termly GPA for two or more consecutive terms.
• Successfully complete (with a grade of C or better) at least one course in the major each term during the junior and senior years until major course requirements are completed. A student can only pursue the major to which he or she has been admitted.
• Earn a grade of C or better within two attempts (including the grade of W) in each course in the major. Certain majors may require grades higher than C in specific courses. Students must meet department requirements.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 for courses required in the major.
• Not withdraw from the university more than twice while enrolled in this college.
• Fulfill the requirements for the degree in a reasonable number of semesters; additional study is permitted only with dean’s approval and is usually limited to fulfillment of unmet degree requirements.
• Graduate in a timely fashion. Any student who has completed all of the academic requirements for the degree, but who has not obtained the degree, will be denied further registration in the college.

It is to a student’s advantage to begin work on the foreign language requirement during the first two years, unless the major department indicates otherwise.

CLAS offers several additional ways, beyond the major, that students can pursue their academic interests. Students may opt to pursue a minor, certificate, double major, dual degree, second major or combined bachelor's/master's program.

Each of these supplemental programs of study is described below. The college must approve a student’s pursuit of any of these options.

The minor affords a traditional, well-accepted way to recognize that a student has completed a significant body of work outside the major. Students may wish to follow-up on long-time personal interests, to satisfy intellectual curiosity generated by introductory courses, to differentiate their program of study from those of fellow students or to enhance their opportunities for employment or for admission to graduate or professional schools. Minors offered by CLAS are listed at the front of this section and described in the appropriate department sections of the catalog.

College Requirements for Minors: Requirements for individual minors are available from the departments.

• A minor shall consist of no fewer than 15 semester hours of course work, earned with a grade of C or better, in a recognized discipline or specialty outside the major. At least three courses (none can be individual work) of no fewer than three credits each must be at the junior-level or higher (3000-level or above). Of the total credits, no more than three may be individual work.
• CLAS students should make written application for admission to the minor in 100 AAC after 45 and before 96 hours earned. Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements for the minor and will be certified by the unit offering the minor when all requirements are completed. Applicants must complete the minor within a reasonable number of semesters; additional study is permitted only with dean’s approval. Students are limited to two minors. Students may use 3000-level minor courses to fulfill the college elective requirement. Students should plan the minor so that the courses do double duty.
• Award of a minor will occur upon certification by the department that the applicant has completed the requirements. Such award(s) will be noted on the UF transcript. A student must complete the requirements and be certified for the minor at the same time he/she is completing the bachelor’s degree.

Students can obtain a minor or a certificate in African studies, Asian studies, classical studies, gerontology, Jewish studies and linguistics. Students should consult an adviser in the appropriate department for the requirements for each certificate. Students can obtain certificates in African American studies, environmental studies, Greek studies, humanities and agriculture, Latin American studies and Russian and East European area studies. These are described after the majors’ sections.

Double Major: To complete two majors for which the degree is the same (both Bachelor of Arts or both Bachelor of Science), students must first be approved to pursue a double major. Courses used for one major can fulfill College of Liberal Arts and Sciences electives for the other major and vice versa.

A student completing two majors that have the same degree, i.e., B.A. or B.S., will receive a single degree. The transcript will identify the degree and the two majors.

Dual Degree: To complete two majors for which the degree is different (one a Bachelor of Arts and the other a Bachelor of Science; or if one major is in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the other is in another college), students must first be approved to pursue dual degrees.

A student completing two CLAS majors that have different degrees or major and college requirements in two different colleges will receive two degrees. The transcript will identify each degree and the appropriate major.

Second major: Students may opt to complete a second major in CLAS rather than a dual degree. In this case, only the major requirements for the second major need to be completed, not the college requirements.

A student completing major and college requirements in one college and major requirements only in CLAS will receive a degree from the first college. The transcript will identify the degree from the first college and the majors from both colleges.

• already be admitted to one of the majors and should have at least 45 hours but fewer than 96 hours;
• meet all admission requirements set by the college for the second major if the second degree is within CLAS. If the second degree is outside CLAS, applicants must get approval for the second degree from the appropriate college;
• meet all other CLAS progression standards for the desired major and demonstrate potential for success in the major (successful completion of major and major-related courses without excessive Ws, grades less than C, or multiple repeats);
• be able to complete the degree within a reasonable number of semesters; additional study is permitted only with dean’s approval;
• have demonstrated a well-articulated educational goal for which the double major or dual degree is necessary.

To apply for a double major, dual degree, or second major, students should obtain an application from 100 AAC. They must submit a program plan identifying the courses they intend to complete for both majors, as well as a statement explaining their educational goals. Students approved for a double major, dual degree or second major must follow the program plan outlined in their application or the approval for the supplemental program of study is voided. Students can pursue a double major, dual degree or second major only if approved by the college.

The combined bachelor's/master's programs allow students to complete two degrees more quickly. Outstanding advanced undergraduate students can apply for admission to this program. Departments can verify whether they offer a combined-degree program and can provide a description. Currently, CLAS offers combined-degree programs in botany, geography, geological sciences, history, mathematics, political science, religion, sociology and statistics.

Some graduate courses taken while an undergraduate count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and shorten the time required for both degrees. Students on financial aid should check with that office. In general, students on financial aid should retain their undergraduate status as long as possible. The program requires admission to the Graduate School.

Postbaccalaureate status (6LS) is for students who have a bachelor’s degree and wish to continue their studies in this college without seeking immediate admission to the Graduate School. These students can apply for postbaccalaureate study in the college as follows:

• Under the supervision of the Graduate School and the appropriate department within the college, students can apply to a department to pursue prerequisites for graduate study (or to pursue a graduate certificate in women’s studies).
• As a matter of UF policy, the college no longer admits students to post-baccalaureate status to pursue a second bachelor’s degree or to meet prerequisites for admission to a health professions program. Students are encouraged to pursue these at other institutions.
• The college does not admit students to postbaccalaureate status if they are seeking to "expand academic background." Applicants should not choose this option on their application.

The first priority of the college is to meet the educational needs of undergraduate and graduate students. Therefore, postbaccalaureate admission is necessarily limited.

Students seeking postbaccalaureate status to pursue prerequisites for graduate study should contact the graduate coordinator in the department with questions about admission and academic regulations.

CLAS has significantly limited non-degree registration. It is only considered on a case-by-case basis for students enrolling for the purpose of teacher certification, UF employees utilizing the Employee Education Program, and transient students who are place-bound in Gainesville (provided the courses are not offered at another local institution). Students wishing to take courses for any other reason are encouraged to pursue them at other institutions.

CLAS students are advised about their major requirements by the department offering the major. Students are encouraged to explore their department’s Web site and meet with a departmental adviser periodically to review their progress.

The CLAS Academic Advising Center (AAC) helps CLAS students understand college and university degree requirements and regulations. In addition, the AAC helps undecided students identify potential majors. The Office of Health and Legal Professions Advising (OHLPA) provides guidance to students interested in pursuing professional study in health care and law upon completion of the bachelor’s degree. The Learning Services Center, mentioned above, is located in the AAC next to the lobby on the first floor.