Academic Programs

Course Numbering System

The following classifications are used in reference to courses:

(Note: Descriptions of graduate level courses are available online.)

The following is from the SUNY policy on program requirements (SUNY Provost Office, 9/16/1976):

Minimum Credit Requirement for Undergraduate Degree Programs

The minimum credit requirements apply to existing and proposed undergraduate degree programs offered by the State University of New York or under its academic supervision. The requirements are consistent with State Education Department requirements and regulations. The minimum total requirement for a bachelor’s degree is 120 credits or the equivalent. Major exceptions, such as those for Time-Variable degrees, must be submitted for review to the Provost of the University. No baccalaureate degree program should require more than 126 credits without strong educational justification.

Programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree should require no more than 36 credits of specialization in a single discipline.

Programs leading to the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Science in Education degree should require no more than 44 credits of specialization in a single discipline. To be awarded a baccalaureate degree, a student must successfully complete at least 45 credits in upper division courses. At least 24 credits of the courses taken within the student’s major field should be at the upper division level.

Effective Fall 2018-2019 Catalog Year:

The above SUNY policy as applied to the Geneseo undergraduate curriculum:

• Upper division courses at Geneseo are numbered 200-499.
• The Bachelor of Arts degree should require no more than 36 credits in a single prefix.
• The Bachelor of Science degree should require no more than 44 credits in a single prefix.
• Students must complete at least 45 credits in upper division courses, with at least 24 at the 300-499 level.
• At least 24 of the credits of the courses taken to fulfill the Major and Related Requirement combined should be at the upper division level, with at least 18 credits at the 300-499 level.

Catalog Year

A student’s catalog year is determined by the academic year of matriculation at Geneseo; the student is subject to all graduation requirements, including general education, and programmatic requirements found in the Undergraduate Bulletin for that catalog year. When there is a substantial change in the requirements for a major, minor, or concentration, a student may petition to change the catalog year for only that major, minor, or concentration.

Changes to catalog year for major, minor, or concentration require approval from the academic department and the Assistant Provost for Curriculum and Assessment.

Explanation of Listings

The department (or content) designation which precedes each course is abbreviated to four letters. The same method of course identification is used in other college publications (e.g., class schedules), reports , and forms (e.g., grade reports, class lists). Figures after the description of each course signify (1) the credits which are earned by successful completion of the course, (2) the number of 50-minute-equivalent lecture style class periods per week (i.e., lecture, discussion, and recitation), and (3) the number of 50-minute-equivalent non-lecture style class periods per week (e.g., activity, laboratory, and studio). Thus, the entry 3(2-2) indicates that (1) the course carries three credits, (2) 100 minutes per week occur in lecture style, and (3) 100 minutes per week are spent in non-lecture style class periods. Unless indicated otherwise following the descriptions, courses are normally offered every semester. The College, however, reserves the right to make changes if circumstances require.

Prerequisites

Many courses carry prerequisites, which are published in course descriptions of the Undergraduate Bulletin for 100-, 200- , 300-, and 400-level courses and the Graduate Guide for 500- and 600-level courses. (Prerequisites for experimental courses are published in KnightWeb) The term “co-requisite” means that students must be enrolled concurrently in both courses so designated. Students are responsible for knowing and fulfilling all prerequisites prior to registration. A student who enrolls in a course without completing all prerequisites or receiving permission from the instructor to waive prerequisites may be subject to removal from the course

Experimental Courses

Experimental courses, so designated because they are innovative or unique in content, method of presentation, or staffing, may be offered at the College during any instructional period (i.e., fall and spring semesters, summer sessions) on departmental and interdisciplinary bases. If offered within a single department, as defined by content and instructional staff, these courses carry the regular departmental designation (e.g., ANTH for Anthropology, MATH for Mathematics, PLSC for Political Science). If interdepartmental or interdisciplinary in nature, because of content or instructional staff, the courses carry an INTD designation. Regardless of level, all such courses are assigned a temporary course number (i.e., -88); they do not appear in the course listings in this bulletin. However, they are listed in the online Course Schedule in KnightWeb. Experimental courses are proposed by departments and approved for first offering by the Assistant Provost for Curriculum and Assessment. Departments may offer experimental courses only once without Senate approval. Students may not be able to repeat courses that are offered on a one-time basis.

Slot Courses

Slot courses are those sufficiently general in nature that they may encompass a variety of specific topics. They are easily identified by the format of the titles; after the general title, which is followed by a colon, the subtitle is printed (e.g., ENGL 203 Reader & Text: subtitle).

Directed Study Courses

In order to allow the pursuit of special interests or specialized areas in which the College does not offer regular courses, policy provides an opportunity for students to arrange independent or individualized instruction with faculty who share their interests. Instruction offered under such an arrangement is called a directed study course and is at the discretion of the instructor.

Directed Study courses meet according to schedules agreed upon mutually by instructors and students. Students complete work independently under the guidance and supervision of members of the faculty. In directed study courses, students engage in academic pursuits such as conducting research and reporting results, investigating problems and presenting conclusions, reading intensively in a discipline, and/or studying advanced subject matter relating to a selected subject, special topic, or specific area. Opportunities for directed study are available in most of the content areas and departments listed on the following pages at the discretion of individual instructors. The online Directed Study submission form should include the subject matter of the course, the work required of the student, and the system for evaluation of the student’s work. The levels (i.e., introductory, intermediate, and advanced) at which such study can be undertaken vary, but the numbers of such courses usually end in “99.” The permanent records of students who enroll in these courses are noted with “DS,” followed by a brief, specific title.