Dual Major/Degree – Policy Change
Statement of the Problem:
The current policy is confusing to advisors and students.
In a dual degree situation, students and advisors may focus on one of the degree
progress reports and not the other. The degree progress in one may show liberal studies
complete but the other degree progress may not. In the above example of a dual degree
in forestry and Spanish, it is likely the student will not meet liberal studies requirements
for the Spanish degree because they have not taken courses in cultural understanding.
The Spanish courses counted for the cultural understanding for the forestry degree but do
not for the Spanish degree.
In a dual major situation, the courses which fall into liberal studies can change if
the student changes the position of the majors on the system. In the example of majors in
Spanish and history, if the Spanish major is listed as the primary major, the history
courses fall into liberal studies. If the history major is listed as the primary major, the
Spanish courses fall into liberal studies.
Current Policy:
Students may count courses to meet requirements in both a minor and liberal
studies.
Students earning dual degrees (BS in Geography and BS Ed. in History Education
or BSF in Forestry and BA in Spanish) may count the geography courses in liberal
studies for the history degree and the history courses for the geography degree and the
forestry courses for the Spanish degree and the Spanish courses for the forestry degree.
Students earning dual or triple majors (BA in Spanish and History or Spanish,
History and Philosophy) may utilize courses in one of the majors to fulfill liberal studies
requirements. The courses which fall into liberal studies are the courses in the secondary
major or majors.
New Policy Statement
Students pursuing a dual degree or a dual or triple major at NAU must satisfy the
liberal studies requirements for one of the majors or degrees. Once the liberal studies
requirements for one degree or major is satisfactorily completed, the student is deemed to
have met the liberal studies requirements for all degrees and/or majors.
This policy change is to be retroactive to the 1999-2001 Undergraduate Catalog.
Approved:
Academic Standards Committee - November 21, 2008
Liz Grobsmith, Provost – December 19, 2008