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Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts degree is the baccalaureate degree conferred on students in all majors except those in the departments of biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science, and nutrition, for which the Bachelor of Science is awarded, business and management for which the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration is awarded, nursing for which the Bachelor of Science in Nursing is awarded, and social work for which the Bachelor of Social Work is awarded.  In the instance where a student completes a major in both the sciences and in the arts, they may choose either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree. It is not possible to earn two baccalaureate degrees simultaneously.

A candidate for a degree is expected to satisfactorily complete the work of an approved program, including all required courses, within the traditional number of college years. When a student withdraws for a period that would extend the work of her program beyond a traditional length of time, the additional work required for satisfactory completion will be determined by the faculty. A student who temporarily withdraws must meet the degree requirements in effect at the date of their readmission to the University.

Students transferring into Simmons, as well as those working toward a second baccalaureate degree, must spend at least two semesters at Simmons and earn a minimum of 32 semester hours of credit while regularly enrolled in order to be eligible for the Simmons baccalaureate degree.

Current Simmons students who wish to enroll in summer courses at other institutions must first file a petition for transfer of credit in the Office of the Registrar. No more than 16 semester hours of summer school credit from other institutions may be credited toward the Simmons degree. For additional information, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Department or Program Recommendation

Students must be recommended for the degree by their department or program advisor. Students must complete a substantial amount of advanced work while regularly enrolled at Simmons so that the department can adequately evaluate a student’s candidacy for degree recommendation.

 

Course Numbering
Simmons courses are designated by a department or program abbreviation and a course number. These numbers can be understood in the following way:
COURSE LEVEL STUDENT LEVEL AND PREREQUISITES
100 These courses are open to all undergraduate students. Some courses may require specific high school preparation. These courses generally have no prerequisites and are taught at the introductory level.
200 These courses are open to sophomores and above and for first-year students under advisement or placement by the department. Such courses tend to be more focused than the introductory 100-level courses; prerequisites are at the discretion of the department. A prerequisite for a 200-level course is typically one course in the department (or a complementary department or program) at the 100 level. First-year students should be advised that these classes will likely include upper-class students and will therefore be more challenging than 100-level courses.
300 These courses are typically open to juniors and seniors and are typically taken by students majoring or minoring in the field. Such courses are advanced in content and pace and represent a high level of study in the field. Courses at the 300 level generally have prerequisites, typically at least one 100- and one 200-level course.
400 These courses are limited to graduate students in the program or those students approved to enroll by the director of the program offering the course. In general, undergraduates are not permitted to take 400-level courses.
500 Generally, 500-level courses are dually listed with an undergraduate course at the 300 level. Graduate students sign up for the 500-level course, undergraduates for the 300-level.

 

Requirements for the award of the Simmons baccalaureate degree are listed below:

Completion of 128 Semester Hours with a Passing Evaluation

To obtain a broad education, as well as depth of specialization, students must successfully complete a minimum of 128 semester hours for graduation. Most courses in the undergraduate curriculum carry 4 credits. Though a full-time load is a minimum of 12 credits, students typically take four courses (16 credits) per semester. Students must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00, to be calculated from all courses taken at Simmons using the letter grade system in order to graduate. Each student’s program should be a carefully developed plan of study. This plan should include: 1) courses selected to fulfill the overall undergraduate requirements, 2) courses required of and elected by the student in their major, and 3) electives.

A traditional full-time student who takes greater than 18 credits will be charged for any credits over the 18 credit maximum.

Students who are formally admitted to an accelerated degree program (3+1, 3+3, 4+1) may take up to 22 credits under the flat tuition plan. A student formally admitted to an accelerated degree program who takes greater than 22 credits will be charged for any credits over the 22 credit maximum.

Undergraduate students who pay flat tuition and have earned at least 32 credits may elect to take up to 22 credits at the standard flat tuition twice (for two semesters) during their academic program. To be eligible for this higher credit cap, students must have an overall 2.8 GPA and be in behavioral good standing. Students must fill out the UG Overload Form when registering for the semester in which they would like to exercise the 22-credit flat tuition option. (Dix Scholars and CompleteDegree students are not under flat tuition and are not eligible for this overload.)

Any credit in excess of 22 credits must be approved by the Administrative Board.

Students must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 to be calculated from all courses taken at Simmons using the letter grade system in order to graduate. Each student’s program should be a carefully developed plan of study. This plan should include: 1) courses selected to fulfill the all-College requirements, 2) courses required of and elected by students in their major, and 3) electives.

Marks and Evaluations

Every student must obtain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00, to be calculated from all courses taken at Simmons using the letter grade system, to be eligible for the baccalaureate degree. The grading system is based upon the following categories:

A = 4.00

A- = 3.67

B+ = 3.33

B = 3.00

B- = 2.67

C+ = 2.33

C = 2.00

C- = 1.67

D+ = 1.33

D = 1.00

D- =.67

F (Fail) = 0

P (Pass)*

AU (formal audit)*

W (Approved Withdrawal)*

*not included in GPA

Grading Options

A student may select grading options by filling out a form in the Office of the Registrar. This may be done at any time from registration up to (but not after) the day designated as the final day to add a course in each semester. Any student who fails to fill out this form and secure the necessary approvals will automatically receive letter grades.

Pass/Fail

A regularly enrolled Simmons student may take at most one for-credit course pass/ fail in any given semester.

Courses taken to fulfill certain requirements may not be taken for the pass/fail option

  • The following PLAN courses: The Boston Course, The Leadership Course, the Learning Community Integrative Seminar (and only one of the disciplinary courses of a Learning Community may be taken pass/fail);
  • Modern Languages and Literatures: All language courses numbered 101, 102, and 201; Level I or Level II language courses taken at another institution by a student while she is enrolled at Simmons.
  • Mathematics: MATH 101, Math 102
  • The Capstone

In addition, certain majors and minors require that courses be taken for a letter grade. It is the discretion of each department to allow or deny students to take courses P/F.

If a student using the pass/fail option receives a P in a course, the student will receive credit for the course, but the P will not be averaged into her GPA. If the student receives an F in a pass/fail course, no credit for the course will be given, and the F will be averaged into the GPA as a zero. Departments may also have specific policies about pass/fail courses for their majors.

Formal Audit

A formal audit may be elected by any full-time undergraduate student after the first semester, provided that the student has the instructor’s permission and agrees to abide by the instructor’s conditions for the audit. A student may formally audit no more than one course each semester. There is no charge to full-time undergraduate students for a formal audit. A formal audit will appear on the student transcript, but no credit is given. A formal audit may not be used to satisfy any of the undergraduate requirements. More information on the formal audit option is available through the Office of the Registrar.

Informal Audit

Any undergraduate student is permitted to informally audit a course with the permission of the instructor, who will determine with the student expectations for coursework. No record of the student’s work is kept, and the student is not permitted to take the final examination. No credit is granted for an informal audit, and the audit does not appear on her transcript. Informal audits do not go through the Office of the Registrar.

Incomplete Evaluations

Required coursework must ordinarily be completed by the last day of final examinations. In extenuating circumstances, undergraduate students may

  • request an “incomplete” (I) grade, as described below.
  • appeal to the Undergraduate Administrative Board for a “retroactive W.” Students should consult their faculty advisor, Student Affairs, or the Advising Office as early as possible when extenuating circumstances make it impossible to complete the coursework.

Failure to file an approved incomplete agreement with the Registrar (in the absence of a grade) will result in the automatic assignment of an F grade. Failure to submit work by the date agreed in an Incomplete Agreement will result in the assignment of the grade noted in the agreement (F or other).

Instructors Shall Approve Incomplete Agreements only if:

  • The required work in the course is incomplete because of circumstances beyond the student’s control.
  • The student is able to complete the remaining required work within 4 weeks of the last day of classes. If the student needs longer to complete the work, they must petition the Ad Board.
  • No more than 30% of required coursework or work worth more than 50% of the total grade remains to be completed. The earned grade shall be recorded.
  • Completion of the remaining work makes a passing grade in the course possible. (If completion of the remaining work cannot result in a passing grade, the student is not eligible for an Incomplete. An F shall be recorded.)

Incomplete Agreements

  • The Incomplete Agreement shall outline a plan to complete the work. The agreement shall include the grade to be filed by the Registrar should the student not complete the work.
  • Incomplete Agreements must be submitted to the Registrar by the last day of classes in the semester the course is offered. If circumstances make this impossible, students must appeal to the Ad Board for approval of the Incomplete.
  • If a student is unable to initiate the paperwork, their instructor or advisor may fill out the form; in such cases, the petition may be accepted without the student’s signature.
  • If the instructor will not be available to complete the grading, the Incomplete Agreement must be submitted to and signed by the Department Chair or Program Director to ensure the grading of the submitted work.
  • Students requesting more than 2 incomplete agreements in a semester must petition the Administrative Board for approval.

Appealing a Denied Incomplete Agreement

In cases where an Instructor does not approve an Incomplete Agreement, a student may file a written appeal to the Undergraduate Administrative Board. Grounds for appeal are limited to: arbitrariness or capriciousness (the agreement was rejected based on standards different from this policy); and/or unlawful discrimination (in which case the student should follow Simmons’ grievance procedure for bringing a claim of unlawful discrimination, as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and elsewhere.) A written appeal must be submitted to the Administrative Board by the last day of classes.

Course Repeat Policy

The course repeat policy allows students to repeat up to two courses for credit on a limited basis in order to enhance their understanding of the subject or to improve their overall grade point average. The following principles apply to this policy:

  • A student may repeat at most two Simmons courses for credit.
  • If a course is repeated for credit, both versions of the course will appear on the student’s transcript and be included in the student’s grade point average.
  • A student who repeats one 4-credit course must complete 132 credits in order to earn 128 unique credits and meet that requirement for earning a degree.
  • A student who repeats two 4-credit courses must complete 136 credits to earn 128 unique credits and meet that requirement for earning a degree.

Academic Difficulty

The records of students who are experiencing academic difficulty are reviewed periodically by the Administrative Board, a faculty committee charged with monitoring Simmons’s academic standards.

This responsibility includes reviewing the records of any student who has two or more failures in a semester (including a retroactive withdrawal) any student whose semester or cumulative grade point average is below 2.0, any student who as a result of their achievement in Simmons Summer School has a summer or cumulative GPA of less than 2.00, any student who applies for a leave of absence or withdraws after the eighth week of the semester, or any student whose overall record is considered marginal.

The faculty has given the Administrative Board the authority to take whatever action is deemed appropriate to each individual’s situation. Such actions may include a letter of warning, probation, continued probation, removal from degree candidacy, or exclusion from Simmons. As a result of this review, special conditions may be imposed by the Administrative Board, in which case both the student and a parent or guardian (if the student is dependent) may be notified.

Warnings of academic difficulty are reported to academic advisors and other student support specialists by individual faculty members throughout the academic year, and assistance is made available.

See also the sections on Student Academic Progress in the Academic Policies portion of this Catalog.