The bachelor's degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours for all degree programs. In accordance with SUNY policy, the maximum number of credit hours for a program is 126. These credit hours are obtained by meeting various College requirements:
English Composition
All students must successfully complete with a minimum grade of C- six to eight credit hours in English composition. Additionally, at least six credit hours, applicable to other graduation requirements, of work in Writing-Intensive (WI) courses must be completed. The writing intensive requirement must be fulfilled by taking course work at SUNY Cortland. At least three credit hours of Writing-Intensive course work must be in the major.
Foreign Language
All students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the 101 level to fulfill Category Nine of the Cortland General Education requirement.
Students earning a final grade of 85 or higher in their third year of high school foreign language study or passing any subsequent year of high school foreign language study or scoring an 85 or higher on a Foreign Language Regents Exam or a local exam aligned with a discontinued Regents Exam (Checkpoint B Exam) fulfill the GE Category Nine language requirement.
Proficiency through the 101 level is also required for all students enrolled in teacher education programs leading to a B.S.Ed. (health education, physical education). In addition, all students in teacher education programs leading to a B.S. (other than Speech and Language Disabilities) must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the 102 level. All students earning a B.A., including those in a teacher education program leading to a B.A., must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the 202 level. This requirement also applies to all students earning a B.S. in Speech and Language Disabilities.
Activity and Participation
No more than eight credit hours of combined activity and/or participation courses may be applied toward meeting graduation requirements except as department major requirements specify additional activity and/or participation credits.
General Education
All students must complete the Cortland General Education program requirements which also include composition, foreign language, writing-intensive and presentation skills course requirements.
Academic Major
All students must complete a major with a minimum of 30 credit hours of discipline-specific courses. Majors must have a minimum of 15 credit hours of discipline-specific courses at the upper level — 300 or above.
Residency Requirement
One half of the credits for the major, minor and/or concentration must be completed at SUNY Cortland. In addition, SUNY Cortland students must complete at least 30 credit hours for the degree at SUNY Cortland to meet the College's residency requirement. Special requirements may be designated by each school of the College.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Courses
All students must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours of liberal arts and sciences courses in B.A., a minimum of 60 credit hours of liberal arts and sciences courses in B.S. or B.S.Ed. programs, or a minimum of 25 percent of a program's total credit hours of liberal arts and sciences courses in B.F.A. programs.
Free Electives
All programs must include a minimum of 12 credit hours of free electives. Programs which must meet external accreditation requirements, for example, teacher education, speech pathology, recreation, may require fewer than 12 credit hours of free electives. Programs without external accreditation requirements must include 12 credit hours of free electives to meet a minimum of 120 credit hours or a maximum of 126 credit hours for the degree.
During curriculum review, any department seeking an exemption from the 12-credit hour, free-elective rule must sufficiently demonstrate how the prescribed courses meet requirements imposed by the external accrediting agency. Free electives do not include general education, composition, quantitative skills, writing-intensive, foreign language or major requirements.
Grade Point Average
Cortland students must earn a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average both overall and in the major, as well as in all minors and concentrations. Students who complete the minor or concentration with a 2.0 or higher cumulative average will have the minor or concentration recorded on their official transcript. A grade point average higher than 2.0 may be required by some degree programs.
Completion Status
Completion of all course work, that is, no incompletes.