In general, a minimum of 120 credits are required for most Millikin undergraduate degrees. Certain curricula in the University require more. Please refer to specific majors and programs to determine the minimum number of credits required for the degree.
A minimum of 39 credits must be earned in courses numbered 300 or above, at least 12 of which must be in the major department or area.
Students who have completed all of the requirements for University Studies and all the requirements for their selected major must also still meet the minimum number of credits for their degree. When completing the additional hours required, students may opt to earn a minor, complete an area of concentration which compliments their major, enroll in elective classes either within or outside their major department, or some combination of these choices. Students should make decisions regarding minors and elective credits in consultation with their advisors and with consideration of their personal interests and professional goals.
For most programs, degree candidates must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses attempted at Millikin. Exceptions to this are as follows:
Education majors (for secondary, elementary, and early childhood) must maintain an overall GPA of 2.7 and a 2.7 in their major. Some secondary areas permit a lower GPA. Please see the School of Education section for more information.
Nursing (undergraduate) majors must maintain an overall GPA of 2.5
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree requires successful study of a modern language. High school transcripts of all incoming students are examined and the modern language faculty makes a recommendation concerning placement. Students may not enroll in a course numbered above or below the language placement recommendation without written permission of the placement officer of the Modern Languages Department. However, any student may start the study of a new language at the beginning level. Students needing the complete three-semester sequence are strongly urged to begin the study of their chosen language no later than fall semester of their sophomore year. The requirement for the B.A. degree (0-12 credits.) is a matter of proficiency equivalent to three college semesters of a single modern language. Students may demonstrate required proficiency by successful completion of a modern language course numbered 223 or above, or by passing a proficiency exam administered by the Department of Modern Languages. Note: Placement at the 300 level does not meet the requirement. The student must either complete the course(s) or take the proficiency exam. All students for whom English is not a native language, including international students, must demonstrate proficiency in English by passing English 181 and 281, or by successfully completing two semesters of English composition courses including one with a research paper emphasis at another university or college. Bachelor of Arts degree students particularly those planning to go to graduate school or planning to work in industry, business or government, may want to choose science or mathematics courses as electives. Evidence of proficiency in the student’s native language or language other than English must be submitted to the University Registrar.
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree has a science distribution requirement. All students are required to complete 4 credits in science for University Studies. Candidates for the B.S. degree are required to complete a minimum of 10 additional credit hours, including at least one laboratory science course, from at least two different departments in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics, in addition to the University Studies requirements. Courses offered by the major department that are not required for the major may be used to satisfy this requirement. Credit earned in Mathematics 098 count toward graduation, but do not count toward the Science Distribution requirement. Bachelor of Science degree students, particularly those planning to go to graduate school or better prepare themselves for international awareness, may want to choose modern language courses as electives.
Commencement
Degrees are granted at the close of the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Degrees are voted on by faculty and the Board of Trustees at the end of each term. Two formal Commencement Ceremonies are held in May and December. There is no Summer Commencement ceremony. Students who complete their degree in time for one of these ceremonies or who have no more than 2 courses left to complete their degree are invited to participate in one of the two ceremonies dependent upon when they complete their degree. It is important to note that participation in commencement ceremonies does not obligate the University to confer a degree unless all requirements have been satisfactorily completed.
Application for degree
All students must complete the Application for Degree indicating the term of graduation with the Office of the Registrar as soon the student has completed a total of 80 credits but no later than the beginning of the semester the student plans on completing the degree(s). The application for degree is available in muOnline under the Student Profile. A graduation fee ($150) is charged to all graduating students whether they participate in ceremonies or not and must be paid prior to the day of Commencement.
Petition to Participate in Commencement Policy
A student in the last semester of studies, but who will not complete all degree requirements in time to receive the diploma at the next scheduled commencement, may petition to participate in commencement ceremonies. This form is available in the Office of the Registrar or online.
The student must have the petition approved by their advisor, academic Dean and the Registrar. The petition may be approved if the student has no more than eight credits or no more than two courses left to complete the degree. The student must show evidence on the petition that all course work will be completed no later than the start of the next term immediately following the last term at Millikin. The Registrar must approve transfer of courses taken at another institution in advance.
Individual degree audits can be obtained by scheduling an appointment with the Office of the Registrar. Millikin University also provides students with the ability to perform their own degree audits on-line through the Banner Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) program. All currently registered Millikin students have access to the degree evaluation tool via MU online and their personal secure account. All new students receive training on Degree Evaluation and many other electronic support systems at Millikin during their orientation. Additional resources on electronic support systems can be found online.
Questions or changes to the degree audit must be directed to the Registrar by e-mail or in person. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up to date on their progress towards their degree. Millikin University provides both personal and electronic means to do so.
It is important to note…
Students are ultimately responsible for knowing University, College/School, and School Graduation requirements for their degree(s).
While the University is committed to advising, it is the responsibility of the student to seek out the advisor in a timely fashion, provide information on personal and academic issues relevant to the student-advisor interaction and to be familiar with appropriate sections of the University Bulletin, including but not limited to the requirements for graduation., Section 1.2.3.1 Teaching, General and Academic Advising.
Advisors and students have access to electronic degree evaluations via MU online.
Confirmation and Awarding a Degree
Degrees are awarded at the official close of the Fall, Spring and Summer terms. Degrees are granted by vote of the faculty and the Board of Trustees. To be granted a degree all degree requirements must be complete and confirmed by the Registrar by: February 1 for a degree awarded in Fall term; July 1 for a degree awarded in Spring term; or September 1 for a degree awarded in Summer term. Once a deadline for awarding has passed, no further degrees will be awarded for the respective term except for errors in administrative processing. In cases where course work is completed after the deadline, students may petition the Registrar for a letter confirming the completion of degree requirements and confirmation of pending degree to be awarded at the end of the next term.
A Millikin University diploma as of December 2014 consists of Academic Degree, Student Name, and Latin honors. Detailed information regarding Major, Minor, Concentrations (tracks, emphasis, or endorsements), Academic Certificate(s), and scholarly designations are found on a student’s individual transcript.
Graduation Honors
Graduation Honors are based on the student’s final overall grade point average (GPA). Honors designations are as follows: Cum Laude - 3.500 to 3.649; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 to 3.799; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 and above. Millikin University does not round to the nearest tenth but displays the GPA out three places past the decimal. Millikin University does not rank students.
Residency Rule
Candidates for all degrees in the traditional program must earn at least 33 of their last 45 credits in residence at Millikin, including work taken in Summer Session. Students can transfer an unlimited number of credits and grades from affiliated programs such as the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), the Urban Life Center in Chicago, the Washington Semester, or other university approved off campus study programs. Students completing their degree in these programs are exempt from the Residency Rule. The grades received in these programs are calculated in the overall Millikin GPA.
Students completing work off campus in an accredited Allied Health Program (medical technology and physical or occupational therapy), after earning 96 credits at Millikin, are exempt from this rule. Students who enter medical, dental, or veterinary schools after their junior year at Millikin are also exempt from this rule but must complete 64 of their last 96 credits in residence at Millikin.
Completing the Degree Off-Campus
Degree candidates approved to complete graduation requirements elsewhere, either in residence, by correspondence or on-line, must confirm their plans with the Registrar at least six weeks prior to commencement. No more than 12 credits may be transferred back to complete a degree off-campus. This rule applies to the last 45 credits in the traditional student’s degree program.
Academic Definitions
Academic Program
A Millikin University Academic Program, for degree seeking students, consists of University Studies course requirements and all courses meeting requirements for a selected major. Millikin University requires a minimum number of 120 credits of baccalaureate course work to earn a degree, though individual major requirements may require a higher number of total credits as determined appropriate.
A Millikin University Academic Program, for non-degree seeking students, consists of course work required for a Millikin Academic Certificate, course work required for completion/entitlement for licensure, or course work requested by a student for a specified term of enrollment.
Academic Degree
Millikin University offers five undergraduate degrees. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees, conferred on some graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Professional Studies, and the Tabor School of Business. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and the Bachelor of Music (B.M.), conferred on some graduates of the College of Fine Arts. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), conferred on some graduates of the College of Professional Studies.
An Undergraduate Academic Degree:
- Requires 120 credit hours of Baccalaureate level course work;
- Contains no less than 39 credits of upper-level course work;
- Requires course work in the student’s chosen academic major of study;
- Requires departmental and divisional requirements and/or restrictions to be met;
- May contain course work in optional minor or concentration area of study.
Degree requirements are effective according to the date of entry to the University. A student may elect to adopt new degree requirements. By doing so they must adopt any new major requirements in effect for that Bulletin as well. Students must fulfill the degree/major requirements described within one Bulletin.
Double Degrees
Students seeking a second degree must meet all degree requirements as listed in the current Bulletin for both degrees and earn no less than 33 additional credits at Millikin to qualify for the second degree. Students may complete more than one degree program simultaneously. Students must meet all GPA requirements and complete all of the work required for both degrees as described in the Bulletin. Two diplomas are awarded in the case of double degrees.
Academic Major
A major is an approved area of concentrated study leading to an academic degree. In some degree programs, major requirements make up a large portion of the requirements for the degree. Requirements for a major are listed in appropriate sections of this Bulletin. Millikin students must declare their major by the time they have completed 60 credit hours.
Substitutions and Waivers
With permission of the relevant department chair or academic program director, academic program requirements can be substituted with other courses either in residence or as a transfer from other institutions. For interdisciplinary majors and minors (e.g., Environmental Services, Criminal Justice, etc.), the relevant coordinator may make substitutions for that academic program. For college distribution requirements, substitution requirements may be made by the relevant academic Dean. For University Studies, substitutions will be at the discretion of the area coordinator. With the permission of the relevant Dean (or the Provost in case of University Studies requirements), program requirements can be waived. The Office of the Registrar must be notified of all course substitutions and waivers upon approval.
Change of Major/Special Programs/Degree Requirements
Students entering Millikin for the first time must meet degree requirements listed in the current Bulletin. Degree requirements (BA/BS specific requirements and University Studies) are effective according to the date of entry to the institution, while major requirements (including any College distribution requirements) are effective according to the date of official declaration of the major. Note that adding a minor or academic certificate does not require updating a student’s Bulletin (degree or major requirements) to the term in which the minor or academic certificate is added. Students may adopt a future Bulletin to meet new (degree/major/minor/concentration/academic certificate) requirements for their particular program of study or degree requirements. Changing to a new major will require students to adopt major requirements for the current Bulletin. Changing to a double major will require the adoption of the current Bulletin for both majors. The degree earned will be the degree attached to the primary major.
Double Majors
- The University provides the opportunity for students to complete multiple majors. One degree is awarded in the case of double majors.
- Student must designate one major as primary.
- Primary major determines the degree and the college home, as well as additional school/college/distribution requirements for the degree.
- Each major change and declaration must be approved by the College/School responsible for the major.
- Students must meet GPA, certification, and core requirements for both majors.
- School and division requirements and/or restrictions must be met for both majors. (e.g. entrance auditions for fine arts or state exams for teacher education, double dipping between the two majors)
- Students must be in good standing to declare a second major. First semester students are not eligible to declare multiple majors.
- It is very rare for a student to complete more than two majors within 8 semesters of study at Millikin University. Students should explore all requirements carefully.
Major requirements are those described in the Bulletin in effect at the time a major is declared.
Academic Concentration (Tracks, Emphases, Endorsements)
Millikin University provides the opportunity for students to specialize in areas of study within a major. A concentrated grouping of course work has been designated to ensure students, who elect to pursue a concentration, receive in-depth knowledge for career aspirations and/or preparation for graduate work identified within the concentration chosen. Concentrations are not offered, nor required for all majors.
An academic concentration cannot be awarded when the courses are a complete subset of another academic concentration.
See concentrations offered under major areas listed in appropriate sections of the Bulletin.
Academic Minor
Millikin University provides the opportunity for students to complete an academic minor in addition to the academic major. The minor consists in most cases of a minimum of 21 credits with at least 9 credits earned in courses numbered 300 or above. Requirements for a minor are listed in appropriate sections of the Bulletin. A minor is not required for students earning a degree from the University. An academic minor cannot be awarded when the courses are a complete subset of the required courses for the declared major.
Undergraduate Academic Certificate
A Millikin University Academic certificate consists of Student Name, an Academic Certificate in [Academic Certificate title], and date on which Academic certificate was granted.
Millikin University provides the opportunity for individuals to complete an Academic Certificate. In most cases, an Academic Certificate consists of 9 to 17 hours of baccalaureate course work. The Millikin University Academic Certificates provide opportunities for individuals to demonstrate focused study in academic area(s) which enhance personal and professional development. Current degree-seeking students, new part-time non-degree seeking students, or community members with a high school diploma, may enroll in an academic certificate program.
A Millikin Academic Certificate:
- Requires 9 - 17 hours of course work;
- Consists of a sequences, patterns, or group of courses;
- Is developed, supervised, and evaluated by the faculty members of the academic area offering the certificate;
- Where 2/3 of the requirements for Academic Certificate must be completed in residency;
- Students earning a degree will not earn Academic Certificates for courses that are a subset of the required course sequence for their declared major/minor.
While some of the Academic Certificate(s) may support individuals’ work toward external certification, licensure, or endorsement goals, the Academic Certificate does not exist for that purpose. Academic Certificate awardees do not participate in Commencement.
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