Graduation Requirements

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

All degree candidates must successfully complete at least 32 course units (c.u.s) at the 100 level or above. At least 16 of these course units must be at an advanced level (200 or above). These course units include General Education Core Courses, General Education Electives, Required Major and Minor Courses, and other Electives. It is possible that some majors or combinations of majors may need more than 32 course units for successful completion of degree requirements.

GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

At the heart of Bloomfield College’s educational program is the General Education Program. This program challenges students to engage in intellectual discovery and fosters a passion for life-long learning. Through the General Education Program, students will be prepared to evaluate and apply new information, to make reasoned judgments about the complex and diverse contemporary world, to express ideas effectively, and to be public citizens. The College’s General Education Program is built around two elements:

The Core

The Electives

The Core is designed to introduce students to the foundational skills and information needed for success in college and beyond. These skills include writing, mathematical knowledge, and, through the First Year Experience (FYS 100) course, an introduction to skills and behaviors necessary for success - both academically and professionally.

Successful completion of he General Education Core (FYS, MTH, and WRT) is necessary to progress in all majors at the college and, therefore, is a graduation requirement. Students who fail to achieve the necessary grades in these courses for a second time must seek permission from the Committee on Academic Standards to take the course for a third time, by filing a formal petition. In the event this petition is denied, the denial will serve as a dismissal from Bloomfield College. To expedite the processing of the petition and decision of the Committee, petitions should be submitted no later than two weeks after final grade posting.

After completing the Core, students will master certain skills through the General Education Electives, which will also expose students to the introductory knowledge of specific disciplines. The College has identified sets of skills necessary for an educated person in the twenty-first century (see page 47 for the list and description of these competencies). These competencies are the basis of the College’s General Education Electives, and students will take a variety of courses to be introduced to these skills. The combination of courses students take in the General Education Program and in the major is designed to help students reach a high level of competence in each of these areas.

When students successfully complete the General Education Program, they will have the skills necessary to succeed in upper division courses and continue learning throughout their lives.

COMMON CORE:

course units

MTH 130 Transition to Collegiate Mathematics
MTH140* College Algebra-Enhanced/ MTH 141

MTH160* Precalculus-Enhanced/ MTH 161 Precalculus

*As determined by the major’s requirements.

WRT102 Enhanced Argumentative &

WRT 105 Argumentative & Analytic

WRT 106 Accelerated Argumentative & Analytic Writing

WRT108 Enhanced Synthesis & Research Writing

WRT 109 Synthesis & Research

FYS 100 First Year Seminar

GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES:

8 course units

To complete the General Education Elective requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees, students must take one course unit focused on the competencies listed in this way:

Aesthetic Appreciation Skills

Communication Skills

Problem Solving/Critical Thinking Skills
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking Skills or Information Literacy Skills
Transcultural & Global Awareness Skills
Transcultural & Global Awareness Skills or Civic Engagement Skills
Scientific Literacy Skills
Technological & Digital Literacy Skills

Candidates for the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Human Resource Management must take a total of 6 course units from the following:

Aesthetic Appreciation Skills
Communication Skills
Multi/Transcultural & Global Awareness Skills or Civic Engagement Skills
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking Skills
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking Skills or Information Literacy Skills
Scientific Literacy Skills

Note: BBA candidates - three course units of the major’s list of requirements may count as General Education Electives.

Restrictions on and exemptions from General Education Electives:

Two course units may be from the major’s list of requirements and will count as two general education electives. When basic competencies are clearly taught and practiced throughout the student’s major discipline course, students in that major may have substitutions for similar courses of general education credit.
Four course units must be at the 200-level or above.
Many students, depending upon their major, may have additional substitutions for General Education Electives.
Students in the three-year plus programs may count two of the course units in their list of major requirements as general education electives.
General education courses may list up to two primary competencies, but each course will only satisfy one of a students general education or competency requirements.
Writing Intensive Requirements:
Two course units must be Writing Intensive (WI).* These courses can be in the General Education Electives, the list of Major/Minor requirements and/or the electives students take to complete 32 c.us. For students in the three-year plus programs, only one course unit must be Writing Intensive (WI).*

GRADE REQUIREMENTS

A minimum cumulative quality point aver-age (based on courses and credit earned at Bloomfield College) of 2.0 is required for graduation when grades are recorded in the letter- grade system.

(See “Grading–Evaluation System”).

Students must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or better in major required courses. No more than two of these may be in the range of C- to D-.

Students who declare a minor in a subject area must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or better in the required courses. No more than one of these may be in the range of C- to D-.

To remain in the Education Programs students must maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average and must earn a “C” or better in all education courses.

The nursing major also has a different set of standards:

All major and required courses MUST have grades of “C” or better and
Students may not progress into any NUR course unless the prerequisite courses have been passed with grades of “C” or better

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

A minimum residency period of eight course units (the last eight) including a minimum of three courses required by the given major. Students taking courses at an off-campus site must fulfill the residency requirements at the Bloomfield College campus.

Students wishing to take any of their last eight course units elsewhere must petition the Faculty Committee on Academic Standards. Students with upper-class standing (i.e., those who have completed 14.25 courses or more) may not take courses at a community college or other two-year college for transfer to Bloomfield College.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Each student must declare a major field or area of concentration, prior to registering for the 17th course unit by completing the “Declaration of Major” form available in the Registrar's Office. The appropriate major advisor or division chairperson must sign the completed form. The student will return the form to the Registrar's Office.

A student who wishes to change a major or concentration or to declare a second major or concentration, must formally declare the new major or concentration prior to registration for the last four courses required for graduation.

Students should acquaint themselves with the major and general education requirements as defined in the section “Academic Programs and Majors”. The Registrar can answer questions about variations in major requirements.

ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMENCEMENT

In order to participate in the Commencement Program, students must be within their final two course units needed for graduation by the end of the Spring semester, and have been cleared for graduation by the Registrar's Office. Students must be registered for these courses prior to commencement and must complete these courses by August 31 of the same year. Students may participate in only one Commencement Exercise. Honors for the Baccalaureate Ceremony will be based on courses completed prior to Commencement. Final honors will be awarded upon completion of all course work. If students have academic dishonesty charges, this may affect their ability to participate in Baccalaureate and Commencement.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COMPETENCY STANDARD

Successful completion of writing courses (WRT) is necessary to progress in all majors at the College and, therefore, is a graduation requirement. Students who fail to achieve the necessary grade in a writing course for a second time must seek permission from the Faculty Committee on Academic Standards to take the course for a third time, by filing a formal petition. In the event this petition is denied, the denial will serve as a dismissal from Bloomfield College. To expedite the processing of the petition and decision of the Committee, petitions should be submitted no later than two weeks after final grade posting.