Academic Policies
- Earning a Second Degree
- Earning a Second Major
- Foreign Language Deficiency
- Late Adding a Course and Late Registration
- Maximum Registration
- Special Course Prerequisites
- Student Responsibility
Earning a Second Degree
A student who wants to earn a second baccalaureate degree must meet all requirements of the university, college, and department for the second degree and must earn a 2.00 GPA or better for those hours taken to apply to the second degree. The student may receive both degrees by applying and paying the graduation fee for each.
To earn a second baccalaureate degree, a student whose first baccalaureate degree was earned at another institution must complete all degree requirements of Cleveland State University, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and the major-field department. Also, the student must fulfill the minimum credit-hour requirement and distribution for the university's Residency Requirement. (See chapter on University Regulations.)
A student may not earn the same baccalaureate degree twice: e.g., two B.A. degrees with different major fields. (See Earning a Second Major.) Also, a student majoring in Music cannot be awarded both the B.A. and B.Mus. degrees.
A student who seeks to earn a second degree in business, engineering or science must first apply to and be admitted into the College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering, or the College of Science. In such a case, a student will be matriculating in two colleges and will be subject to all of the requirements and regulations of each college.
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Earning a Second Major
Students may elect to complete the requirements for two major fields, provided both majors lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree and are offered by departments in either the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences or the College of Science.
In order to have both majors recorded on the transcript, both majors must be listed on the student's Graduation Application. Only one baccalaureate degree will be conferred.
Students who wish to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree, need to earn a second degree. (See Earning a Second Degree.)Return to Academic Policies menu | Return to top
Foreign Language Deficiency
The Foreign Language Requirement applies to all undergraduate students, including those who are not native speakers of English and students for whom English is a second language (unless specifically exempted in the policy on Foreign Language Requirement; for example, post-baccalaureate students). Such students, if deficient in foreign language studies credits upon admission to Cleveland State University, may remove the deficiency by completion of appropriate courses at Cleveland State (see policy on Foreign Language Deficiency) or by verification of appropriate knowledge of the language through the Department of Modern Languages at the university.
Verification of the student's knowledge of language and culture to remove the deficiency status will be assessed by a faculty member of the Department of Modern Languages who is proficient in the applicable language. In the event no faculty member is proficient in the student's non-English language, the student may request assessment by an individual outside the Department of Modern Languages who has been deemed qualified by said department to assess the student's knowledge of language and culture. Students should consult with the Department of Modern Languages for more information about criteria and guidelines for language and culture assessment.
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Late Adding a Course and Late Registration
Students must complete the late registration process by the end of the first week of classes in the semester in which enrollment is sought. Also, students can add courses to their registration only through the second week of classes in the semester in question.
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Maximum Registration
The privilege of carrying a maximum load of as high as 18 semester credits per term without petition is granted to any student below the rank of senior who has a grade-point average of 3.25 and to any senior who has a GPA of 3.00.
Students who have less than the required grade-point average, or who wish to take more than18 credit hours, must submit a petition through the CLASS Advising Center in Chester Building, Room 279.
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Special Course Prerequisites
Courses at the 300- and 400- level in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences may not be taken by freshmen except with the written permission of the course instructor.
Undergraduate students may be granted permission to take one or more graduate courses if all of the following conditions are met:
- The student must be within 30 semester credit hours of graduation
- The student must maintain an overall grade-point average of 2.75 or better through the preceding semester
- The student must have a 3.00 grade-point average in the major field
- The student must submit, at the time of registration, a completed Permission for an Undergraduate Student to Take a Graduate Course form
- Postgraduate students should discuss the requirements for taking a graduate course with the College of Graduate Studies.
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Student Responsibility
Each student is solely responsible for meeting all curricular requirements and for knowing and following all academic regulations and policies of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the university, and the major-field department. Students are urged to review all appropriate sections of this catalog, in particular the chapters on University Regulations and Academic Procedures and Academic Policies for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Petitions for a waiver of a requirement or for an exception to a regulation (either for the college or university) can be obtained from the CLASS Advising Office located in the Chester Building, Room 279.
Although students must assume responsibility for knowing and fulfilling graduation requirements and for knowing and following policies and regulations, advisers are available to assist them. Whenever in doubt, a student should consult with an academic adviser for assistance.