Changes in Catalog Information
Caution: The course offerings, requirements, and policies of Washington and Lee University, including the College, the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, and the School of Law, are under continual examination and revision. This catalog is not a contract; it merely presents the offerings, requirements and policies in effect at the time of publication and in no way guarantees that the offerings, requirements and policies will not change. The University specifically reserves the right to change requirements for any major during any particular year.
Whenever changes in undergraduate course offerings or requirements occur, students are notified by the Office of the University Registrar via postings on the University Registrar website (registrar.wlu.edu). Whenever changes in Law School course offerings or requirements occur, students are notified by the Dean of the School of Law. Changes to the current catalog requiring faculty approval are posted as they are approved. The individual student assumes full responsibility for compliance with all academic deadlines and requirements. Current course offerings are available on the University Registrar’s website. Current major and degree requirements may be obtained from the University Registrar; the Dean of The College; the Dean of the Ernest Williams II School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics; or from the head of the appropriate department.
The following academic regulations have been approved by the faculty. In certain circumstances, a student may wish to appeal for an exception to a regulation. The Committee on Courses and Degree handles petitions for mostly academic-policy exceptions; the Faculty Executive Committee handles petitions for mostly late submissions of registration or other declarations. The committees’ charges and memberships are described at www.wlu.edu/provosts-office/resources-for-faculty/committees. The procedures for petitioning a committee are described at www.wlu.edu/university-registrar/policies-and-procedures/petitioning-faculty-committees/.
Degree Requirements
Students enrolled in either The College or the Williams School must conform to a number of general requirements for degrees and to related regulations.
Residency requirement
Unsuccessful Degree Candidates
Foundation and Distribution Requirements
Experiential-Learning Requirement
Majors and Minors
The Baccalaureate Degree
The curriculum at Washington and Lee University permits students flexibility and individual responsibility in their choice of courses. With the help of a faculty adviser, students choose a series of courses that will lead them along one of several routes to earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. The Board of Trustees awards degrees upon the recommendation of the faculty.
Liberal Education
The freedom to explore unfamiliar and dissimilar fields of study is a hallmark of a liberal arts education. Washington and Lee University offers nearly 800 distinct undergraduate courses each year. Students should broaden their experience by exploring these courses, whether or not they contribute directly to a major or minor. For a liberally educated person, no opportunity to learn should be considered a waste.
Students should plan on using elective, foundation, and distribution coursework to explore the curriculum. Courses outside majors and minors contribute significantly to the formation of the liberally educated person. Students earn a degree from Washington and Lee that is made up of study in elective credits, FDR requirements, and a major.
Students may choose up to three declarations, from the following array of options:
• one major
• one major, one minor
• one major, two minors
• two majors
• two majors, one minor
Rarely, exceptions to these options may be granted by the faculty.
Requirements for a Degree
A student may earn one undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee, either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science, by completing the following requirements of the faculty:
A candidate for any undergraduate degree after June 1, 2019, must present a minimum of 120 credits with passing grades.
To graduate, a student must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.000 in all of the following three categories: in all work attempted at Washington and Lee; in all Washington and Lee work used to meet degree requirements; and in all work used to meet major requirements.
One of the requirements for receiving a degree is to complete at least one major leading to that degree. A list of all majors associated with the Bachelor of Arts degree is posted below. A list of all majors associated with the Bachelor of Science degree is posted below. Permission to substitute courses in major requirements may be granted, in exceptional circumstances, by the department or interdisciplinary major or program advisory committee through its head.
All students must also complete Foundation and Distribution Requirements and Experiential Learning along with enough elective credits to reach the minimum number of credits required.
Residency Requirement
The residency requirement has two components. With the exceptions of some transfer students and all continuing education students, degree-seeking students must be enrolled full-time at W&L:
1. for a minimum of six terms, typically on campus, and
2. during the senior year (three terms prior to graduation), except for a Spring Option term.
Spring-term courses taught in other locations by W&L faculty and approved study abroad count toward full-time enrollment. Spring Option terms do not contribute toward meeting the six-term requirement. Students who transfer to W&L with 50 or more credits may use one fall, winter, or spring term of W&L-approved study abroad in fulfillment of this residency requirement. Other transfers must study on campus for at least six terms. Continuing education students may fulfill this requirement as part-time students.
The Committee on Courses and Degrees may make exceptions to this residency requirement for educational reasons to allow students to complete their remaining requirements at another approved institution. Courses taken under such an exception during summer school are still subject to the restrictions listed under Summer School Credit.
Unsuccessful Degree Candidates
The Committee on Courses and Degrees may make exceptions to the Residency Requirement in order to permit unsuccessful degree candidates to complete their degree requirements by taking no more than two term courses at another approved institution and, if required, by counting those grades in their cumulative grade-point average at Washington and Lee. Courses taken under such an exception during summer school are still subject to the restrictions listed under Summer Transfer Credit.
Application
Applications for degrees must be filed with the University Registrar on or before the end of the official drop-add period (1st week) of fall term if the degree is to be taken in May, and by the end of the first week of spring term if the degree is to be taken in December. Late applications may be made only on payment of a penalty fee of $50 and will not be accepted after the end of the official drop-add period (1st week) of winter term for May candidates.
Postponement or Withholding of Degree
In the case of any student against whom the state has preferred criminal charges, and for whom the University has not been able to complete disciplinary procedures, the faculty may postpone a decision as to whether a degree should be awarded. The Board of Trustees may also postpone or withhold approval of a degree (see Board of Trustees Policy on Withholding of Degrees).
The Bachelor of Arts Degree
The candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts must, before graduation, complete the requirements of the faculty, as listed above under The Baccalaureate Degree.
The Bachelor of Arts degree is given with majors in the following disciplines:
Art History
Biology
Chemistry
Classics
Cognitive and Behavioral Science
Computer Science
East Asian Languages and Literatures
Earth and Environmental Geoscience
East European and Russian Studies
Economics
English
Environmental Studies
French
German
History
Independent Work
Journalism
Mathematics
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Music
Philosophy
Politics
Religion
Romance Languages major, with a French emphasis
Romance Languages major, with a Spanish emphasis
Sociology and Anthropology
Spanish
Strategic Communication
Studio Art
Theater
The Bachelor of Science Degree
The candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Science must, before graduation, complete the requirements of the faculty, as listed above under The Baccalaureate Degree.
The Bachelor of Science degree is given with majors in the following disciplines:
Accounting
Biology
Biochemistry
Business Administration
Chemistry
Cognitive and Behavioral Science
Computer Science
Engineering
Earth and Environmental Geoscience
Independent Work
Integrated Engineering
Mathematics
Music
Neuroscience
Physics
Foundation and Distribution Requirements
The goals of a liberal arts education include both breadth of knowledge (foundation and distribution) and competency in a specialized discipline or field of knowledge (the major). The Foundation and Distribution Requirements seek to expose students to various modes of thought and to the variety of ideas and values in today’s world. Students need to demonstrate particular proficiencies to assure their education and have a reasonable degree of choice in making course selections to meet these requirements and to pursue their major course of study. Requirements can be satisfied either by W&L coursework, by students’ placement examinations, or by transfer credit approved by the faculty.
Based on the content and pedagogy of a course, the department recommends to the Undergraduate Faculty which FDR area a course may meet. That designation, once approved by the entire Undergraduate Faculty, appears in the catalog (catalog.wlu.edu) in both the course description and the Degree Requirements listing of FDR areas. In no case may the course simultaneously meet more than one FDR requirement for an individual student or be used to meet a different category.
Foundation Requirements
Foundation requirements prepare students with the skills they need to pursue the full variety of college-level academic disciplines available to them at W&L.
Writing (FW)
3 credits or competency
The ability to write clearly, persuasively, and elegantly is a skill necessary for all college-level academic work. In the writing courses, students
- are introduced to rhetorical conventions governing appropriateness and persuasiveness in writing;
- learn the conventions of standard English;
- learn to choose words more precisely, to write clear sentences and effective paragraphs;
- argue a workable thesis;
- integrate the work of others into their own work through proper citation techniques; and
- increase their confidence with written language.
Students taking the Writing Foundation requirement will
- write persuasive essays that contain a clear and debatable thesis, appropriately developed claims, and logical organization of argument;
- analyze supporting evidence fully and convincingly, integrating the writer’s ideas with those from appropriate primary or secondary sources;
- demonstrate knowledge of audience appropriate documentation conventions and mastery of sentence-level skills, including precision in grammar, mechanics, and style; and
- reflect on and apply the stages of the writing process including pre-writing, drafting, reviewing, conferencing, editing, and revising to develop polished final products.
Successful completion of WRIT 100 satisfies this requirement.
World Language (FL)
up to 16 credits or competency
Competency in languages, other than English, and familiarity with cultures of nations or regions, other than the United States, are necessary elements of a college education in our increasingly international and interconnected world. In world language courses, students
- acquire oral and written skills in at least one world language;
- begin to define the differences between their own culture and a foreign culture;
- acquire basic tools that will provide access to broader cultural knowledge; and
- gain a deeper and more thorough knowledge of their own language and culture.
Entering students who demonstrate, on placement tests administered by the language departments or through transfer or advanced placement credit, that they are qualified to enter third-year language courses have met this world language requirement. Native speakers of a language other than English who wish to be exempted from this requirement may present to the appropriate W&L language department or the Committee on Courses and Degrees evidence of their ability.
All others meet the requirement by completing satisfactorily one of the following courses—Arabic 162 or 164, Chinese 262, French 162 or 164, German 262, Greek 202, Italian 163, Japanese 262, Latin 202, Portuguese 163, Russian 262, Sanskrit 202, or Spanish 162, 164,or 165 .
Mathematics/Computer Science (FM)
1 course
A solid foundation in analytical, quantitative, and computational modes of thinking and problem solving with applications to real-world problems is a cornerstone of many disciplines throughout the curriculum. In courses designated FM, students will:
- recall theoretical concepts and results and/or apply appropriate tools to solve problems in computer science, mathematics and/or statistics;
- apply analytical thinking and problem-solving skills and strategies; and
- communicate their ideas and thought processes in a clear and coherent fashion.
The following courses may be used to meet this requirement when completed successfully.
Computer Science 101, 111, 121
Mathematics 100, 101, 102, 118, 121, 175, 180 (when approved), 260
Music 260
Physical Education (FP)
4 skills courses
Washington and Lee University expects students to achieve a level of health and fitness through participation in a variety of skill- and sports-based courses. In physical education courses, students
- improve physical fitness and dexterity;
- develop skills in various sports and activities; and
- acquire knowledge or skills useful in the pursuit of physical fitness, recreation, and overall health after college.
A student is required to complete successfully four terms of physical education activity classes selected from Physical Education 101 through 215. Students who have completed a 200-level course (e.g., varsity swimming) may not register for a corresponding 100-level course (e.g., beginning swimming, aerobic swimming). Student-athletes may use up to two terms of a varsity sport toward this requirement, up to a maximum of three total terms for varsity participation. All students may accumulate a maximum of six credits from 100- and 200-level courses toward degree requirements. Credits taken in excess of these limits will be treated as repeats of the earliest unrepeated credit of this kind. (See Physical Education for additional information.)
Distribution Requirements
Distribution requirements offer the opportunity for students to explore a wide range of academic disciplines in the liberal arts and sciences. Coursework in these areas exposes students to the varied modes of thought, types of questions, methodological approaches, forms of scholarly and creative expression, and fields of knowledge represented by the many academic disciplines at W&L. Such breadth of academic experience prepares students to make informed choices about their advanced coursework and their major field of study.
Arts and Humanities
at least 12 credits from 4 courses, with at least 1 course in each of the following three groups (HU, HA, HL)
In the humanities, students learn about the spectrum of human experience and expression, with a focus on fundamental questions about value and purpose which ask “What does it mean to be human?” Through a full range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches, students develop the analytic skills to approach these questions for themselves and gain a critical appreciation of the great variety of answers to these questions across time, place, and cultures.
Humanities (HU)
at least 3 credits
Courses in a variety of disciplines focus on aspects of human experience and on methods of addressing the basic questions of meaning in humanistic study. Courses in history, philosophy, religion, or other departments or interdepartmental programs may fulfill this requirement. For example:
In History, students
- learn about the past while practicing the methods of studying history;
- read primary sources and secondary texts critically; and
- find, use, and evaluate historical evidence in order to reach conclusions and make historical arguments.
In Philosophy, students
- learn about political and ethical theory or about fundamental questions in metaphysics or epistemology;
- develop abstract reasoning skills, including the ability both to identify faulty reasoning and to make sound arguments; and
- develop the ability to scrutinize their assumptions about reality, the right and the good, and the sort of life they ought to live.
In Religion, students
- learn about the thought, beliefs, institutions, worship, and ethical implications of one or more of the historic or living religious traditions;
- examine the interaction of religion with other social and cultural forms; and
- learn to think about religious ways of life sympathetically, yet critically.
Students taking courses in the humanities will
- analyze and/or interpret texts and/or cultural artifacts using appropriate discipline-specific terminology and methods;
- demonstrate competency in analysis and interpretation of texts and/or cultural artifacts; and
- write interpretive studies of specific texts and/or cultural artifacts.
The following courses may be used to meet this requirement when completed successfully.
Africana Studies 130
Arabic 220, 225
Biology 195 (when approved)
Classics 111, 221, 223, 224, 225, 241, 287, 295 (when approved), 326, 345
Digital Culture and Information 180 (when approved)
East Asian Languages and Literatures 175, 180 (when approved)
English 387
Environmental Studies 203, 207, 288
French 280, 281, 282, 283, 385 (when approved)
Greek 302
History —all courses below the 400 level except HIST 190, 212, 230, 238, 239, 286, and 322
Interdepartmental 301
Journalism and Mass Communications 180 (when approved), 150, 303
Latin American and Caribbean Studies 101
Law, Justice, and Society 345
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 110
Middle East and South Asia Studies 250, 252, 395
Philosophy —all courses below the 400 level except PHIL 335, 365
Poverty Studies 101, 103, 241, 243, 245, 247, 249, 296 (when approved)
Religion —all courses below the 400 level except REL 222, 273, 299, and 399
Romance Languages 297 (when approved)
Sociology and Anthropology 256, 285
Spanish 211, 212, 214, 216, 308
Studio Art 222
Theater 227
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 120, 180 (when approved), 220, 235, 242, 244, 246, 254, 295
Fine Arts (HA)
at least 3 credits
Study in the history and forms of the creative, visual, and performing arts—and the opportunities to develop artistic, musical, or creative talents—is the central element of an education that prepares students for a lifetime of enjoyment and participation in cultural activities. Courses in studio and performing arts, creative writing, art, music, dance, theater, or other departments or interdepartmental programs fulfill this requirement. In fine arts courses, students
- acquire historical knowledge about artistic, musical and theatrical traditions;
- study works representative of both historical and contemporary traditions;
- receive training to develop their own abilities in the visual, musical, literary, and theatrical arts;
- acquire skills to analyze past and contemporary art, music, and theater; and
- learn ways to express personal creativity and employ their imaginations.
Students taking courses in the arts will
- demonstrate historical and cultural understanding of representative creative, visual, and performing arts;
- analyze and interpret representative examples of creative, visual, and performing arts, using discipline-specific terminology and methods; and
- create and revise original works and/or performances of art, where appropriate.
The following courses may be used to meet this requirement when completed successfully.
Art History and Studio Art - all courses below the 400 level except ARTH 246, 395 and ARTS 222, 327, 328, 329, 346
Biology 229
Business Administration 125
Classics 200, 214, 288
Dance 120, 215, 220, 233, 235, 240, 250, 330, 340 , 390 (when approved)
East Asian Languages and Literatures 215
Environmental Studies 214
English 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 210, 214, 215, 304, 306, 307, 308, 309, 391
Film Studies 195, 220, 238, 251, 255, 285
German 332
Mathematics 239
Music - all courses below the 400 level except MUS 102, 108 through 116, 195, 361, 362, 365, and the applied music courses
Sociology and Anthropology 243
Theater - all courses below the 400 level except THTR 109, 121, 211, 215, 216, 226, 227, 286, 309, 397
Literature (HL)
at least 3 credits
Literary study aims to understand the human condition and experience as expressed by the individual imagination through language. Through such study, students acquire an aesthetic interest to pursue throughout their lifetimes. Courses may focus on literature written in English, in a world language, or in translation. In literature courses, students
- acquire knowledge about the cultural and historical context of literature;
- learn to analyze various literary forms and complex and difficult language;
- learn to read with imagination; and
- respond critically to literature orally and in writing.
Students taking courses in literature will
- analyze and interpret texts (literature, film, mixed media) using appropriate terminology and methods;
- demonstrate historical and cultural understanding of texts (literature, film, mixed media); and
- write interpretive studies of texts (literature, film, mixed media).
The following courses may be used to meet this requirement when completed successfully.
Africana Studies 286
Chinese 312, 403 (when approved)
Classics 180 (when approved), 201, 203, 204, 210, 215, 295 (when approved)
English - all courses below the 400 level except ENGL 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 210, 215, 290,305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 311, 370, 385, 387, and 388
Film Studies 121,196, 233, 236, 241
French 273, 331, 332, 341, 342, 343, 344, 397
German 313, 314, 315, 316, 318,321 (when literary), 347, 349,
Greek 301, 303, 306, 395
Italian 295 (when approved), 403 (when approved)
Japanese 312
Latin - all 300-level courses
Latin American and Caribbean Studies 256, 257
Law, Justice, and Society 259, 296
Literature in Translation - all courses
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 111, 252
Middle East and South Asian Studies 295 (when approved)
Religion 219, 273, 351
Romance Languages 296 (when approved)
Russian 315, 316, 395
Spanish 220, 240, and all 300-level courses except 392, 393
Theater 121, 210, 211, 215, 216, 286
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 210, 259, 264
Sciences and Social Sciences: 4 courses
Natural and Physical Sciences: at least 6 credits from 2 courses
One laboratory course (SL)
1 course
The advancement of human society depends on liberally educated citizens who understand the natural world and have informed views about the impact of scientific endeavors on the quality of life. Observing natural and physical phenomena, formulating hypotheses, and testing those hypotheses with empirical methods are the essential aspects by which knowledge in the experimental sciences is advanced. Courses in biology, chemistry, earth and environmental geoscience, physics, or other departments or interdepartmental programs may fulfill this requirement. In a laboratory science course, students
- learn science as it is practiced in order to understand the operation of natural processes and phenomena;
- learn the basic language and procedures of one of the sciences; and
- formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and gather, analyze, and interpret data.
Students taking courses in the sciences will
- identify and explain the basic principles, terminology, and theories used in the particular discipline of the course;
- apply quantitative and/or qualitative reasoning skills to solve problems posed in these disciplines;
- demonstrate proficiency in the collection, interpretation, and/or presentation of data; and
- demonstrate proficiency in formulating hypotheses and designing experiments, where appropriate.
The following courses may be used to meet this requirement when completed successfully.
Biology 101, 105, 111 with 113, 150, 160, 220 with 221, 241, 282
Chemistry 100, 106, 110, 150, 155, 160
Cognitive and Behavioral Science 110
Earth and Environmental Geoscience 100, 101, 102, 105, 198; and 373 (when approved)
Music 102
Physics 102, 111, 112, 150, 151, 180 (when approved), 195 (when approved)
Sociology and Anthropology 210 , 211
One additional course (with or without lab) (SC)
3 credits
By completing one additional course in science, mathematics, computer science, or select interdepartmental disciplines, students broaden and deepen their knowledge of the natural or physical world or further develop their ability to gather, analyze, and interpret quantitative information.
Students taking courses in the sciences and mathematics will
- identify and explain the basic principles, terminology, and theories used in the particular discipline of the course;
- apply quantitative and/or qualitative reasoning skills to solve problems posed in these disciplines; and
- demonstrate proficiency in the collection, interpretation, and/or presentation of data.
Any course listed in the FM or SL categories not used to fulfill those requirements may be used to fulfill this requirement. In addition, the following courses in the sciences, mathematics, and computer science are designated as fulfilling this requirement.
Biology 180, 195 (when approved), 240, 240S, 267
Chemistry 156
Cognitive and Behavioral Science 111, 112, 118, 150, 216 , 295 (when approved)
Computer Science 112, 250, 318
Digital Culture and Information 110
Earth and Environmental Geoscience 104, 141, 150, 152, 155, 197
Engineering 178, 267
Environmental Studies 201
Mathematics 100, 180 (when approved), 201, 221, 225
Neuroscience 120
Physics 120, 125, 180 (when approved), 195 (when approved)
Sociology and Anthropology 219, 222
Social Sciences (SS)
at least 6 credits in 2 different areas
Learning about human behavior, both individually and collectively, and the social structures that have developed historically and regionally is the goal of the requirement in social science. Courses in anthropology, economics, politics, psychology, sociology, or other departments or interdepartmental programs may fulfill this requirement. In social science courses, students
- acquire knowledge about human beings and their economic, political, and social institutions;
- employ the analytical skills and methods of one or more of the social sciences; and
- acquire knowledge and techniques to discuss and evaluate a variety of topics and problems in the social sciences.
Students taking courses in the social sciences will
- apply theories to social phenomena;
- apply quantitative and/or qualitative reasoning skills to solve problems posed in these disciplines;
- generate potentially testable explanations of social phenomena;
- evaluate the arguments of other scholars using logic and evidence; and
- communicate arguments about or analysis of social phenomena.
A student must complete satisfactorily at least six credits chosen from the following, which must include courses from at least two of the following five areas.
- Economics 100, 101, 102, 180; Environmental Studies 202
- Law, Justice, and Society 101, 230, 232; All Politics courses below the 400 level except POL 245, 246, 268; Sociology and Anthropology 258 (POV 258)
- Cognitive and Behavioral Science 113, 114, 213, 214, 215, 223, 296, 300; Sociology and Anthropology 266
- Classics 338; Economics 246, 286; Religion 220, 222, 246; Sociology and Anthropology 101, 102, 180 (when approved), 181 (when approved), 202, 206, 207, 225, 227, 228, 230 (HIST 230), 238 (HIST 238), 240, 245 (POL 245), 246 (POL 246), 247, 250, 252, 253 (POV 253), 261, 263, 264, 265, 268 (POL 268), 270, 271, 277, 278, 280, 281, 286, 288, 290 (when approved), 291 (when approved)
- Education 200, 230, Journalism 180 (when approved); Poverty and Human Capability 296 (when approved); Sociology and Anthropology 267, 269
Experiential-Learning Requirement (EXP)
Students must present at least four credits of experiential work taken at W&L toward degree requirements or complete a minimum of 12 credits in an approved study abroad program and earn a Satisfactory grade in the associated assessment course overseen by the Center for International Education.
In experiential-learning courses, students will do one or more of the following:
- perform as individuals, ensemble, and/or team members in expressive and skillful presentations before audiences, or demonstrate understanding of collaborative performance and production by designing, crafting, managing, publicizing, and/or directing events that have scholarly, artistic, or practical significance.
- conduct and share independent or collaborative research to advance scholarly inquiry beyond the classroom, to extend or apply classroom learning in the field of inquiry, or to develop reasoned recommendations for sponsoring organizations or community partners.
- explore interests and build skills through work in the world, and reflect upon and articulate how the activities expand, redirect, alter, or confirm their intellectual, personal, and/or professional development.
- build cultural competence, perspectives, and understanding through international immersion beyond the classroom, such as homestays, internships, academic site visits, field work, community engagement, or service learning.
Courses meeting this requirement will be designated as EXP on the listing of each term’s course offerings. Additionally, three credits are awarded for participation in the Virginia Program at Oxford as meeting the Experiential Learning requirement, retroactive to Fall 2016. Transfer credit awarded at the 100 and 200-level in military science meets Experiential Learning, retroactive to Fall 2016.
The W&L EXP courses have been reviewed by the faculty for compliance with one of the learning outcomes. In the same way, a course from another institution or from an approved study abroad program would also need to be reviewed. Students may appeal to have an external course reviewed by following the following process.
- First, the course must have already been approved by the appropriate department or program head for transfer to W&L, based on the course content and appropriateness to the W&L degree. You do this using either the Study Abroad approval process (go.wlu.edu/transferabroad) or the U.S. transfer-credit approval form (go.wlu.edu/transferUS).
- Next, articulate the rationale for EXP credit in terms of one of the four student-learning outcomes above, linking it specifically to your experience in the course and including a syllabus or detailed description of the work from the instructor or employer.
- Obtain written support from a W&L faculty adviser or department or program head specifically for the experiential aspect of the credit.
- Submit all materials to the faculty’s Committee on Courses and Degrees (CD@wlu.edu) for consideration.
Majors and Minors
The Major
The “major” is defined as a group of no fewer than 30 credits and typically no more than 50 credits required and/or optional credits designated by a department or an individual and subject to the approval of the Committee on Courses and Degrees. The “major subject” is the group of courses within the specific discipline(s) named by the major and submitted to satisfy degree requirements for the major (e.g., economics courses satisfying requirements of the economics major).
A list of all majors associated with the Bachelor of Arts degree is posted above. A list of all majors associated with the Bachelor of Science degree is posted above.
Once a major is declared, it must be completed or removed formally prior to graduation.
Permission to substitute courses in major requirements may be granted, in exceptional circumstances, by the department or interdisciplinary major advisory committee through its head.
The requirements for majors are described in the appropriate section of the >>> Degrees, Majors, Minors, Areas of Study section.
Students may major in more than one area by completing the requirements of each area. Those who find the option of an additional major more attractive should recognize the costs in constrained breadth of education (i.e., fewer electives) and consider the option of a secondary emphasis, perhaps in the form of a minor or other group of courses, without fulfilling formally the requirements of an additional major.
Students may choose up to three declarations, from the following array of options: >>> Degrees, Majors, Minors, Areas of Study section.
• one major
• one major, one minor
• one major, two minors
• two majors
• two majors, one minor
Rarely, exceptions to these options may be granted by the faculty.
One of the many requirements for receiving a degree is to complete at least one major leading to that degree. Any additional major completed is a “bonus” added to that same degree. For example, a student may earn a Bachelor of Science degree, with majors in chemistry and art, or a Bachelor of Arts degree, with majors in music and business administration. The University Registrar must be informed of the student’s preference as to degree and major for official listings. The first major listed by the student is used in determining the degree to be received at Commencement.
Independent Work Major
Students, who have achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.750 by the end of the sophomore year and who believe they would benefit educationally from a major not outlined in this catalog, may prepare a proposal for a major of independent work, for approval by the Committee on Courses and Degrees. The Dean of The College has guidelines and models for preparing such a proposal. Working with faculty advisers from at least two disciplines, the student should develop a clear and coherent plan of study that promises benefits unobtainable from an established major. Such a major may be used for either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. The program should consist of 30 to 50 credits and must be the only major the student is pursuing. An “independent work major” program application should be submitted to the Committee on Courses and Degrees prior to the beginning of the junior year, but in no case later than October 15 of the junior year. Once approval is granted, any subsequent changes must be approved by the Committee on Courses and Degrees.
Students majoring in independent work are allowed to apply for an honors program. The major will be noted on transcripts as, for example, “Independent Work (International Affairs).” Additional information on the process of developing a proposal is available at go.wlu.edu/independent-work-major.
The Minor
A minor is defined as a group of at least six courses designated by a department or program and approved by the faculty. Students are not required to declare a minor and may declare no more than two minors. A minor may not be declared until at least one major has been declared. Once a minor is declared, it must be completed or officially removed prior to graduation. A student must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.000 in the work of the minor. The requirements for minors are described in the appropriate section of the >>> Degrees, Majors, Minors, Areas of Study section. Students should review the requirements of each minor carefully for restrictions on using credits for more than one curricular area of study.
The following minors are available:
Africana Studies
Animal Biology
Archaeology
Art History
Chinese
Classics
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies
Dance
Data Science
Data Science - Business Analytics
Digital Culture and Information
East Asian Studies
Ecology
Education
Education Policy
Entrepreneurship
Environmental Studies
Film and Visual Culture
French
German
Japanese
Journalism and Mass Communications
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Law, Justice, and Society
Mathematics
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Middle East and South Asia Studies with Language Emphasis
Middle East and South Asia Studies without Language
Molecular/Cell Biology
Music
Philosophy
Physiology
Poverty and Human Capability Studies
Quantitative Biology
Religion
Russian Language and Culture
Studio Art
Theater
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Honors in the Major
In order to encourage independent work and scholarly investigation by students and to foster their intellectual curiosity, a number of departments have established programs leading to a degree “with honors” in the major. Such programs provide an enhancement of the regular program for departmental majors and also for interdepartmental and independent majors. Featuring a special profundity and intensity and characterized by a close rapport between student and mentor, the honors programs are designed as an enrichment opportunity for students who demonstrate superior aptitude and self-discipline in the pursuit of their major study.
Descriptions of the honors programs of individual departments or programs may be obtained from the respective faculty heads. Interested students should make inquiry by the time of declaration of major, in order to identify any special admission requirements or related standards that have been set by the department or program for its particular honors program.
Admission into Honors Work
A prospective honors student applies in writing to the department or program head or major adviser. In general, application should be made by May 1 of the junior year; in certain departments, earlier application is required (often to accommodate special coursework in the junior year).
Admission into honors work is subject to availability of advisory staff and assessment of the individual’s ability to profit significantly from the program’s special demands.
Many departments and programs have established eligibility requirements for their own honors programs, such as special academic standing within the department or program.
Students may apply through the faculty’s Committee on Courses and Degrees for interdisciplinary honors for a discipline without an honors program or to combine honors work (two majors, one thesis). See INTR 493: Interdisciplinary Honors.
Requirements for Honors in the Major
All honors programs require an honors thesis during the senior year, involving no fewer than six credits of independent work (numbered in the 490s), such as a significant report based upon field or laboratory research, a creative accomplishment in the arts, or a comparable scholarly undertaking, demonstrating more than simply a mastery of subject matter.
The student must begin work on the thesis at the start of the fall term of the senior year. Background work on the thesis topic normally is expected to be in progress by the end of the junior year, and the subject and approach for the thesis should already be established before the start of the senior year’s thesis work. Work on the thesis is to be accompanied by periodic conferences with the adviser and the submitting of interim reports showing the progress achieved to that point. (Only under extraordinary circumstances—not general practice—may the thesis work be assigned entirely to a single term, and in such an instance the student must be prepared to begin intensive work on the thesis itself by the first week of the term, the subject and approach already having been established in preliminary study.)
The final finished version of the thesis is due by May 1 (or by the end of the Winter term in certain departments or programs). A permanent copy of the thesis must be deposited in the Leyburn Library.
Remaining credits in the major are gained in regular coursework, honors seminars, internships, directed individual study or tutorials, or a combination of these as prescribed in the department’s program. Departments and programs may require a comprehensive examination (written and/or oral) and/or a formal oral presentation and defense of the completed thesis.
Upon successful completion of an approved honors program, the student is awarded a bachelor’s degree “with honors” in the major.
Credits and Grades
Degree credits and grades for the thesis work will be awarded on completion of the thesis and any honors examinations, in the manner customary for completed projects and courses. These credits will be spread over the fall and winter terms of the senior year, under the rubric 493 (3-3), Honors Thesis.
A student’s continuing eligibility as an honors candidate will be determined by subjecting that student’s work to periodic review based on the level of work to that point.
A student who resigns or is dropped from an honors program will not ordinarily be readmitted; completed work would in such cases be translated by the student’s advisers into alternate course credits, with grades, appropriate to a regular major. In this manner, a student not successfully completing all the requirements for the honors citation might still be able to graduate with the class but without receiving an honors citation.
Interdisciplinary Programs
An interdisciplinary program draws upon multiple departments and programs to constitute its area of study and its curriculum. Most interdisciplinary programs offer only a minor, but a few offer a major. Each interdisciplinary program has a program head and both core and affiliate faculty from multiple disciplines who teach and advise in that program.
The current programs are:
Africana Studies (AFCA)
Data Science (DS)
East Asian Studies (EAS)
Education Studies (EDUC)
Environmental Studies (ENV)
Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS)
Law, Justice, and Society (LJS)
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MRST)
Middle East and South Asia Studies (MESA)
Neuroscience (NEUR)
Poverty and Human Capability Studies (POV)
Russian Area Studies (RAS, RUSS)
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS)
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