Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Students must meet the following requirements to earn a baccalaureate degree from the College at Geneseo.

1. Earn a minimum of 120 credits. A maximum of 60 credits can be transferred from two-year institutions, and a maximum of 90 credits are transferable from a four-year institution. In addition, a maximum of 10 credits in health and physical education courses (with no more than four credits in activity courses), a maximum of 8 combined credits in MUSC 160 , MUSC 165 , MUSC 271 , DANC 265 , DANC 365 , and THEA 260 , a maximum of 8 credits in ROTC, and a maximum of 15 credits in internships can be included within the 120 credits required for the degree. (Please also see section titled Credit Restrictions )
2. Attain at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at Geneseo.
3. Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative average in all courses in their major department applied toward completion of the major, and a 1.67 average or better in required related courses (i.e., any courses required by the major department which are outside its own academic discipline). (In addition, students seeking recommendation from the College for New York State initial certification must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.) Note that some majors require a cumulative average higher than a 2.0 to continue in their programs (see School of Business  and School of Education ). 
4. Complete satisfactorily all courses required for the major (as specified by the descriptions of majors, minors, and courses in “Academic Programs”).
5. Complete successfully the department writing requirement in the major (or first major, for students with multiple majors). Consult individual department offices for details.
6. Complete satisfactorily the requirements of the General Education Curriculum. Approved courses in each of the General Education areas are described on the following website: gened.geneseo.edu
7. Complete satisfactorily at least 45 credits `toward graduation in courses at or above the 200-level.
8. Offer toward graduation a minimum number of credits outside the major department or outside professional preparation areas, as indicated below:

9. Complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at Geneseo. Credit earned in Geneseo intersession, summer sessions, or in on-campus evening courses counts as residence credit.
10. File a Graduation Application form with the Dean of Academic Planning and Advising, Erwin 106 no later than deadlines posted on the Academic Calendar.

The College Curriculum

Principles and Goals of a Geneseo Undergraduate Education

The Principles and Goals of a Geneseo Undergraduate Education sets forth the College Community’s vision for the best education Geneseo can provide. The document reflects goals and precepts embraced in the current curriculum as well as those to which the College aspires.

Geneseo students should develop enduring habits of intellectual inquiry. They should experience the joys of discovery for its own sake and the self-development that comes from continuing intellectual curiosity.

They should develop a sense of intellectual complexity that reflects the complexity of the world. In order to flourish in such a world, students must master theories, methodologies and content in various disciplines and demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge in both disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts.

As part of their discovery, they should acquire an understanding of the diversity and commonality of human cultures, both others and their own, along with knowledge of how these cultures developed. They should also acquire an understanding of the complexity and unity of the natural world.

They should recognize and appreciate the aesthetic dimension of the world, especially the arts, and understand how it enriches their lives.

Recognizing the responsibilities that knowledge entails, they should be prepared to participate ethically and intelligently as informed citizens of the communities in which they live and work.

Program Outline

General Education Curriculum

A liberal arts education requires a thoughtful combination of General Education courses, a major, and electives. These should be chosen to complement each other meaningfully.

All students must complete the General Education Curriculum. The curriculum consists of nine areas: Mathematics, Basic Communication, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, American History, Western Civilization, Other World Civilizations, Humanities, The Arts, and Foreign Language.

1. Mathematics (R/)

One three-credit or four-credit course designed to increase the student’s understanding of complex mathematical and logical reasoning. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation R/ in their titles.

General Education courses in Mathematics emphasize logical reasoning conducted in a numeric or other symbolic language. Such courses will foster the student’s ability to reason analytically, solve problems, apply theoretical concepts, and construct sound arguments; they may, in addition, enhance the student’s ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and reason from quantitative data. Courses approved for the requirement emphasize the connection between methods of problem-solving (numerical, formulaic, algorithmic) and the logical and mathematical foundations that justify them.

2. Basic Communication

One three-credit course emphasizing skill in analyzing texts, evaluating rational arguments, and writing well.

Basic Communication (INTD 105 ) emphasizes analytical writing and textual analysis. The skills involved in close reading require sensitivity to the subtleties of carefully constructed prose and the ability to recognize, construct, and assess arguments in written form. This requirement emphasizes both form and content in the written work; ideas should be expressed clearly, coherently, and grammatically, and reflect thinking that is critical and constructive. The focus of the course will be on significant complex works that come from a variety of disciplines. The course will be offered by members of different areas of the academic curriculum. This requirement must be met in the first year. (Students transferring to Geneseo from another college or university may petition the Dean of the Academic Planning and Advising for approval of equivalent or comparable coursework to meet this requirement.)

3. Natural Sciences (N/)

Two laboratory courses in the natural sciences which emphasize the scientific procedures employed in the development of the theoretical structure of science. See restrictions described below. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation N/ in their titles. The General Education courses in Natural Sciences allow students to study factual information and the theoretical structure of the natural sciences and also engage them in the scientific process through which discoveries are made. Lectures emphasize fundamental concepts in the natural sciences while laboratory assignments address the techniques used to collect, analyze and interpret data. Given the powerful and constantly growing impact of science upon current society, these courses serve the important purpose of allowing all students to have a basic intellectual understanding of natural science and the scientific process.

4. Social Sciences (S/)

Two three-credit courses in the social sciences designed to increase the student’s understanding of the human condition and of human institutions. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation S/ in their titles. See restrictions described below.

The General Education courses in Social Sciences are designed to deepen students’ understanding and awareness of important aspects of human behavior and social organization, to increase students’ understanding of the human condition and human institutions, and to introduce them to the different approaches and methods used by the various social science disciplines. These goals are pursued through theoretically and empirically based course work.

5. American History (U/)

One three-credit course examining the distinct, overlapping, and shared histories of individuals and groups in the United States, with attention to the way identities and experiences relate to categories such as race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation U/ in their titles. General education courses in American History place the varied experiences of individuals and groups-including the experience of inequality-within the context of a common narrative that encompasses not only social, political, economic, and legal structures at home but also the changing relationship between America and the rest of the world.

6. Other World Civilizations (M/)

One three-credit course examining non-western ideas and traditions. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation M/ in their titles.

General Education courses in Other World Civilizations focus the student’s attention on ideas, experiences and concepts existing outside the Western world. The wide variety of applicable courses from across the academic departments offers students numerous perspectives from which to investigate non-Western cultures and ideas. These areas include, but are not limited to, culture, music, history, philosophy, religion, social structures and politics. This requirement encourages in students the development of a well-rounded understanding of the various ideas, experiences and concepts in the world in which they exist and interact.

7. The Arts (F/)

Two three-credit courses in the arts designed to heighten aesthetic awareness. At least one course must approach the arts from a historical or theoretical perspective. (That is, both may not be studio or performance courses.) For one of the three-credit courses, students may substitute sustained participation (three semesters, totaling three credits) in one of the following performance courses: MUSC 160 , MUSC 165 , MUSC 271 , DANC 265 , THEA 260 . See restrictions described below. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation F/ in their titles.

The General Education courses in The Arts are designed to enhance the capacity of students to respond sensitively, imaginatively, and intelligently to aesthetic events and art objects. This enhancement of aesthetic sensibility is accomplished through the study of theoretical and/or practical dimensions of the arts. Theoretical exploration seeks to develop students’ skills in the perception, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of existing artwork as produced by performing, visual, or cinematic artists. Practical exploration seeks to develop skills in the creation of new, or the performance of existing, artwork. Both avenues of study serve to develop an understanding of, and facility with, the specialized language and knowledge base of the arts as well as to guide students to an understanding of the arts and aesthetic response within an historical or theoretical framework.

8. Foreign Language (L/)

Courses offered at Geneseo that fulfill this requirement have the designation L/ in their titles.

General Education courses in Foreign Language help students achieve proficiency in listening, reading, speaking, and writing as well as familiarity with other cultures. Not all students will require the same number of courses to achieve proficiency. The various options for demonstrating proficiency are:

1. Successful completion (70% or above) of four complete years in the same language of a high school level foreign language, including American Sign Language. Language study prior to high school is not accepted.
2. A score of 4 or above on the Advanced Placement Examination, 6 or above on the IB standard exam; 4 or above on the IB advanced exam; or 60 or above on the CLEP, Level 2 exam in a foreign language.
3. Placement beyond the second elementary level on Geneseo’s language placement examination.* This exam is offered at orientation, at designated times during the semester (see the department’s website for dates), or online (this option may require a pre-approved proctor and a fee may be assessed by the testing agency).
4. Completion of college-level work in a foreign language through the second elementary level. 
5. Effective Fall 2019, students may meet the language requirement by demonstrating proficiency through the first intermediate level in American Sign Language.
6. This policy will be effective Fall 2021 and applies to students entering during the 2017-18 catalogue year and thereafter.

*As language proficiency declines without continued use, the placement exam score is valid for one academic year (September to May); therefore, it is highly recommended that students complete the sequence (101-102) within one year of taking the exam. If a student wishes to continue with a language after one year, they must retake the placement exam to demonstrate proficiency. Effective Fall 2017, the placement exam is mandatory for any student who wishes to enroll in courses offered by the Department of Languages and Literatures.

9. & 10. Humanities (H/) and Western Civilization (W/):

For students with Catalog Year 2014-15 or later:
All students must complete one four-credit course which emphasizes the search for moral, social, and political alternatives and meaning as embodied in the institutions, culture, and literature of Western civilization.

The Western Humanities curriculum focuses on the major moral and political questions that have been raised in the Western tradition, and serves as a defining component of the College’s liberal Arts program. More specifically, students explore the humanistic tradition with an emphasis on the search for moral, social, and political alternatives and meaning as embodied in the institutions, culture, and literature of Western civilization. In addition to building students’ factual and theoretical knowledge base of Western civilization through the use of reading taken primarily from the “great books” tradition, the Humanities courses are designed to extend student abilities in the areas of critical analysis and research skills. This requirement must be met by the time students complete 75 Earned Credits.

Restrictions in Fine Arts, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences

The following restrictions apply only to the Fine Arts, Social Science, and Natural Science areas of the General Education curriculum:

1. In each of these areas, students must apply two courses with different departmental prefixes. (For example: SOCL and ANTH for Social Science.) Transfer students who, upon original matriculation at the College, have completed an associate’s degree or have 53 or more credits accepted as transfer credit are exempt from this limitation if they have previously completed successfully two core-eligible courses with the same departmental prefix. In addition, students who apply three semesters of ensemble or practicum toward the Fine Arts requirement may complete the requirement using a theory or history course with the same departmental prefix. (For example: MUSC 123  and three semesters of MUSC 165 .)
2. Students may not apply a particular course to more than one of these areas.
3. Students may not apply more than two courses with the same departmental prefix toward the three areas collectively.

General Education and Seamless Transfer

SUNY Seamless Transfer is a SUNY-wide program intended to make transferring to Geneseo and other SUNY schools simple and efficient for SUNY students. SUNY’s general education categories list 10 areas:

• Basic Communication (required)
• Mathematics (required)
• American History
• Other World Civilizations
• Foreign Language
• Social Sciences
• Humanities
• The Arts
• Natural Sciences
• Western Civilization

Seamless transfer is available to SUNY transfer students with associate degrees or 60 credits transferred from another SUNY four-year college, prior to matriculation.  In addition, other transfer students with 60 hours, who have completed at least 30 hours of SUNY-approved general education courses in at least seven out of ten of the SUNY categories, including courses that satisfy “Basic Communication” and “Mathematics,” do not need to take any additional general education courses at Geneseo.

All courses approved for other SUNY colleges to satisfy SUNY’s general education categories will transfer to SUNY Geneseo if the student earns a grade of C- or better. Students receiving grades of D in general education courses at other SUNY colleges may not transfer in credit but will satisfy the relevant SUNY general education categories. Students who have not completed the requirements for Seamless Transfer must complete SUNY Geneseo local general education requirements, e.g., laboratory science and Humanities.