ACADEMIC DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES
GENERAL CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
General requirements for graduation are included in this chapter of the catalog. The curriculum and specific requirements for each program are listed in the subsequent chapters for the five schools and colleges of the University: Arts and Sciences, Business, Health Sciences, Technology, and New College. Each student is responsible for both the general requirements in this chapter and the specific requirements for his or her chosen program of study.
Clayton State offers several types of academic
degrees and certificates:
1. Baccalaureate degrees: Depending on the major of the graduate, the
baccalaureate degree will be a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science
(B.S.), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Bachelor of Science in
Nursing (B.S.N.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Information Technology
(B.I.T.), or a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.). Baccalaureates take four years of full‑time study or longer
for part-time enrollment.
2. Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees: The Associate of Arts (A.A.)
and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are designed as the first two years of
work (core curriculum) for baccalaureate degrees (except the B.A.S., B.I.T. or
R.N.‑B.S.N. track). The transfer-focused associate degree is available in
many fields from Art to Sociology. This wide range of programs of study, mostly
in the School of Arts and Sciences, gives students the opportunity to spend
their freshman and sophomore years at Clayton State even when the University
does not have a major in their chosen baccalaureate field. (Clayton State University does not offer
the A.A. or A.S. in fields for which the University offers the bachelor’s
degree.) Transfer to another college or
university in Georgia is facilitated by the University System's Core
Curriculum, which is listed with each program. Associate degrees can normally
be completed in two years of full-time enrollment.
3. Applied Associate degrees: The Associate
of Applied Science (A.A.S.) is a career-focused degree designed to prepare
students with the technical and professional skills necessary to immediately
enter the world of work in a chosen field.
Career associate degrees contain a significant component of general
education, but most of the course work is in the occupational field. Clayton State University
offers career associate degrees in numerous fields. Career associate degrees usually require two years of full time
attendance. In addition to being
prepared for skilled employment positions, graduates with A.A.S. degrees are eligible to pursue the Bachelor
of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree. The
A.A.S. in Information Technology (A.A.S.I.T.) is designed to lead directly to the
B.I.T.
4. Academic certificates in career fields: Academic certificates are
awarded for completion of programs of study similar to career associate degrees
but with fewer courses. Clayton State
offers more than a dozen certificate programs; most of the courses taken in
certificate programs can later be applied to Associate of Applied Science
(A.A.S.) degrees, but there are certain restrictions to which students should
pay close attention. All courses in the
Certificate in Information Technology (C.I.T.) apply to the A.A.S.I.T.
5. Post-baccalaureate certificates: In certain fields such as Health Care Informatics
or Not-for-Profit Service (American Humanics), students who already hold
baccalaureate degrees in related fields can earn post-baccalaureate
certificates.
In pursuit of its core mission “to provide superior
career-oriented studies that will prepare students to succeed in the world of
work in the 21st Century,” Clayton State University
focuses all academic programs on student learning outcomes that are identified
by the Clayton State University faculty. Briefly stated, an outcome is what the University wants
the student “to know and be able to do” upon graduation. The outcomes for some
programs are listed in this catalog, and others are listed in materials
published by the appropriate school or department. (For the full text of the
University’s Mission Statement, see Chapter 1.)
Required Participation in Assessments
In order for the University to assess and improve its academic programs, regular measurements of students' perceptions and intellectual growth must be obtained. In their general education programs and major fields of study, students may be required to participate in assessments of course and/or program effectiveness. At a certain point in a student’s program, participation in assessment activities may be required prior to continuing registration. The results of such assessments may be used to require or recommend that a student take refresher or remedial course work or engage in other activity. In addition, the aggregate information obtained through such assessment instruments may be used to improve the quality of the educational experience for all Clayton State University students.
The general education portion of the Core Curriculum is
especially important at Clayton State University because general
education forms the foundation for all specific programs of study. Specifically, the University’s mission
commits it to providing “career-oriented education with a solid liberal arts
foundation.” After completing the
courses in Areas A-E at Clayton State, students will be able to exhibit
effective performance in communication and critical thinking, the learning
outcomes that the faculty has identified as the essential elements of a
superior general education. The
abilities to think critically and communicate effectively are the foundation
outcomes of general education, and these outcomes are stressed in major
programs as well as in the Core Curriculum.
The Communication Outcome
Communication is much more than setting forth
information: it involves an interchange of ideas or thoughts between a sender
and a recipient. Whether the
communication takes the form of a written paper or report, a letter, an oral
presentation, or a problem-solving discussion in a small group, the ultimate
goal is a clear, meaningful exchange of ideas between the sender(s) and
recipient(s). Regardless of its purpose or its form, communication is
characterized by the following five components:
·
Knowledge
Base
·
Awareness
of Recipient
·
Organization
·
Mechanics/Delivery
·
Style
The Critical Thinking Outcome
Critical Thinking is a systematic process used to find the answers to questions as well as to solve problems or reach informed decisions. The purpose of critical thought can be to reach a judgment based on careful reflection (e.g., reacting to a work of art or a poem) or to fulfill a very specific goal (deciding whether or not to administer a particular drug to a patient). It is important for each of us to develop the ability to think critically as well as to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking of others. No matter what the purpose for critical thought, it is characterized by the following four components:
·
Question/Issue
·
Method
·
Evidence
·
Conclusion
In order to graduate with a baccalaureate or
associate degree from Clayton State University, a student must
meet all of the following general requirements. Specific programs may have additional requirements.
1. Core Curriculum. All baccalaureate degree
graduates and all A.A. and A.S. degree graduates must complete Areas A-F of the
Core Curriculum. A.A.S. graduates must
complete the portions of Areas A-F as listed for the specific program. Areas A-F of Core Curriculum for all majors
are listed in the catalog chapters for each school.
Guidelines for the Core Curriculum are established by the University System of Georgia in order to insure a solid general education foundation for all graduates. Courses taken within the Core are guaranteed to transfer within the University System in accordance with BOR guidelines. Most of Areas A-E of the Core are “major free,” meaning that they will apply regardless of major; however, certain majors do have specific mathematics and science requirements in Areas A and D. (Students with questions about acceptance of Clayton State University courses should contact the Transfer Ombudsperson, Associate VPAA, at 770-961-3538.)
The basic areas of the Core
are as follows. (See the chapters for
each school for specific course listings in Areas A-F.):
A. Essential Skills
-- courses in mathematics and
English composition
B. Critical Thinking and
Communication
-- courses in critical
thinking, communications (including computer skills), and foreign
language. (The University System refers
to Area B as “Institutional Options.”)
C. Humanities (including intermediate
foreign language)
D. Natural Sciences,
Mathematics, and Technology
E. Social Sciences
2. Major Requirements. Each
graduate must complete all curriculum and related requirements for one specific
major as listed in the appropriate chapter of the catalog. In addition to courses, graduation
requirements may include GPA minimums, experiential learning, residency
regulations, assessments, examinations, remedial work, or other requirements as
explained in the catalog or official program handbooks. (Bachelor’s degree
students who are referred to WLAB 2999 must satisfactorily complete the course
in order to graduate even if they are allowed to complete all other
requirements first.)
3. Total Hours Requirement. The
student must have earned the total number of semester credit hours specified
for his or her major. The minimum is 60
hours for the associate degree and 120 hours for the baccalaureate degree; some
programs require more hours. (Exception: A student who
completed part of his or her degree program under the quarter system at Clayton State University or
another University System of Georgia institution will be allowed to graduate
one or two hours short of the total if all other graduation requirements have
been met and the shortage results from calculations made in the transition from
quarters to semesters.)
4. Grade Point Average. The student must achieve an institutional GPA of at
least 2.00 in the courses used to meet degree requirements. A student must be in good academic standing
at the time of graduation.
5. Grade Requirements for ENGL 1101 and other courses. The student must have a grade of C or better (or K) in
ENGL 1101 in order to graduate. In
addition, the student must also meet any minimum grade requirements for the
student's major including grade requirements embedded in prerequisites. (See the appropriate chapter of this
catalog.)
6. Constitution and History Requirement. The student must complete the Georgia and U.S. Constitution and
History requirement. (This is often called the "Legislative
Requirement" since it is required by law.) The requirement is normally met
by taking POLS 1101 and HIST 2110 in Area E of the Core Curriculum at
Clayton State University.
Alternative methods to meet the
legislative requirement include:
a. Passing HIST 3110, Georgia History and Government, at Clayton State University.
b. Passing CITZ 1001, Citizenship, at Clayton State University.
c. Passing American government and U.S. history
courses by transfer from a non-University System of Georgia institution or
earning credit by examination and passing
Clayton State University’s Georgia History and Government competency examinations. Contact Assessment Services in the Learning
Center (770-961-3445) for details.
d. Meeting the requirement at another
institution of the University System of Georgia.
7. Residency Requirement. Residency refers to courses
(including on-line courses) offered by Clayton State University. Transfer courses (including
correspondence courses, on-line courses, transient courses, or
cross-registration courses*) are not considered to be in residence. Credit by examination or experience is not
considered to be in residence even if the examination was taken at Clayton State University.** (In this context, “residence” has nothing to
do with a student’s residence for fee payment purposes.)
a. Associate degree. A minimum of 21 semester credit hours in residency is required. At least 12 of the 21 hours must be in Area F for the A.A. or A.S. or in program requirements other than electives for the A.A.S.
b. Baccalaureate degree: A minimum of 30 semester credit hours in residence
at Clayton State University.
At least 21 of the 30 must be upper division hours counted toward
program requirements other than free electives. Individual schools of the University may specify additional
residency requirements. (See the
appropriate school chapter of this catalog for any additional residency
requirements that apply to specific degrees and/or majors.)
* The Integrative Studies B.A./B.S. program has special provisions for counting some cross‑registration courses as in residence.
** In exceptional cases, credit by exam designed and administered by Clayton State University may be counted toward residency if the credit is awarded as part of a designed plan approved in advance by the dean of the school of the student’s major.
NOTE: Certain residency requirements may be modified for students officially in the Service-members Opportunity College (SOC) program.
8. Regents' Test. The University System of Georgia
requires that each student receiving a degree must have successfully completed
all parts of the Regents’ Test, a competency examination in reading and English
composition. The Regents' Testing
Program (RTP) of the University System of Georgia is administered at Clayton State University each semester through Assessment Services in the
Learning Center. Testing dates for each
semester are announced in the Schedule of Classes. For additional details, see
the Regents' Test Policy heading later in this chapter.
9. Application
for Graduation. All students pursuing a
certificate or degree from Clayton State University must submit
an Application for Graduation to the Registrar’s Office two semesters in advance
of the intended graduation. The
deadlines for submitting an application are June 1, for Fall; September 15, for
Spring; and January 30, for Summer. Important Note: All graduation applications
are based on semester requirements even if the student entered Clayton State University prior to
the semester system. Quarter courses
will be substituted into semester requirements as appropriate. Graduation
may be delayed for students who fail to file their Graduation Applications on
time.
Students may be graduated at the end of any semester in which they fulfill the degree requirements of the University. Formal commencement ceremonies are held in May and December each year. Diplomas are available for pick up in the Registrar's Office six to eight weeks after the end of the semester. Diplomas not picked up will be mailed to the current address on file.
To earn an academic certificate from Clayton State University, a student must meet the following general requirements in addition to the curricular requirements listed later in this catalog with the program of study.
1. Grade Point Average. Certificate
graduates must have an Institutional Grade Point Average of 2.00 or better in
the courses counted toward certificate requirements. A student must be in good academic standing at the time of
graduation. If ENGL 1101 is counted
toward the certificate, the graduate must have earned a grade of C or better (or K).
2. Residency. At least one‑half of the credit hours applied to the certificate
must be earned in residence at Clayton State University. Individual programs may have additional
restrictions. (See the Residency item
of the Degree Requirements section for the definition of residency.)
3. Application
for Graduation. A student seeking to graduate
with an academic certificate must file an Application for Graduation form with
the University Registrar no later than the second week of the semester prior to
the semester that the student plans to graduate. For example, a student who plans to graduate at the end of Spring
Semester must file an application for graduation by the second week of Fall
Semester.
Since full-time students can
complete most certificates in two semesters, a full-time certificate student
must apply for graduation immediately after beginning his or her certificate
program. This advance notice is
necessary to insure that all requirements will be satisfied and to allow time
for processing. The appropriate
documentation must be on file for any course substitutions required. Graduation
may be delayed for students who fail to file their Graduation Applications on
time.
4. Graduation Ceremony. Certificates are not awarded at the University’s formal commencement program for degrees; however, a certificate ceremony is normally held each Spring and may be scheduled at other times also. Certificates are available for pick up in the Registrar's Office six to eight weeks after the end of the semester. Certificates not picked up will be mailed to the current address on file.
Semester System
Starting Fall Semester 1998 Clayton State University and the rest of the University System of Georgia began operating on
the semester calendar system. For
students who began their programs of study under the quarter system,
appropriate course equivalencies and substitutions will be utilized to insure
that the student is not penalized by the conversion process.
All graduation evaluations are based on semester
requirements. (Students who completed
Areas I-IV under quarters will not have the Core Curriculum reevaluated for
semester requirements.) Graduation will
be evaluated first in terms of specific course requirements and then in terms of
total hours. The student must meet the
total hour requirement except that shortages of less than three semester hours
will be waived if the shortage is due to semester conversion calculations on
University System of Georgia courses.
Any student wishing to receive a second or subsequent degree
from Clayton State University must complete in residence at
Clayton State University a minimum of 24 additional credit hours
for the associate degree or 30 credit hours for the bachelor's degree. Hours counted for residency must apply to
the requirements for second degree; free electives do not count toward second
degree residency. Credit which has been
used to satisfy the requirements of a previous degree cannot be applied toward
the minimum resident hours needed for the second or subsequent degrees. Students must meet all requirements for the
second degree, including prerequisite courses or skills. The graduation
application process for a second degree is the same as for any degree. Specific
"dual degree" programs listed in this catalog may have different
residency requirements.
See the Academic Honors
heading in the Academic Information Chapter.
Certain programs are designed to satisfy the present
educational requirements that enable students to take licensure
examinations. (Current programs at
Clayton State University include Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Middle
Level Education, and Aviation Maintenance Technology.) It is possible that the
licensing board may change requirements prior to a student’s completion of his
or her course of study. While
reasonable efforts will be made to enable students to satisfy additional
requirements, no assurances can be made that the University will be able to
offer additional courses or, if taken, that such courses will entitle students
to take licensure examinations.
Clayton State University encourages students to
enroll in appropriate physical education (PHED) courses in order to improve
their overall health and wellness. The University has no general physical
education requirement. Students
planning to transfer to institutions that require PHED may complete hours at
Clayton State but should check with the receiving institution in advance to
determine which courses are appropriate.
Each student at Clayton State University is
responsible for learning and observing all current, published regulations and
procedures required by the University and by the program in which he or she is
enrolled. A current, published
regulation will not be waived nor will an exception be granted because a
student pleads ignorance of the regulation or asserts that he or she was not
informed of a specific requirement by a faculty advisor or by a University
staff member.
Each student must become familiar with (1) this section of the
academic catalog, (2) the offerings and requirements of his or her major or
program of study as stated in the catalog and official program handbooks, and
(3) the contents of the Semester Schedule of Classes, which may contain notices
of changes in academic regulations or procedures.
While the provisions of the appropriate catalog will normally
be applied as stated, Clayton State University reserves the right
to change any provision listed in a catalog, including but not limited to
academic requirements for graduation, without actual notice to individual
students. Changes are often necessary
in order to keep up with changing knowledge in fields and to improve
instruction. In practice, this
provision normally means that any
courses that a student has already taken will continue to count toward
graduation but that the University may change requirements for courses in the
major program that the student has not yet taken.
The University will make a reasonable effort to keep students
advised of any such changes, and information on changes made by the University
will be published in the Semester Schedule of Classes, posted on the University
website, and made available in the Office of the Registrar. Each student must be aware that it is his or
her own responsibility to remain informed about current graduation requirements
for his or her particular degree program.
A candidate for graduation is normally subject to the catalog
requirements that are in effect at the time the student entered his or her
major program. However, in consultation
with his or her advisor, a student may elect to satisfy the graduation
requirements specified in any of the subsequent catalogs. A
student not enrolled for two or more consecutive years is subject to the
requirements in effect at the time of readmission. When changes in curriculum or other regulations are made and/or
University course offerings are modified so that a student cannot finish the
exact requirements of the applicable catalog, Clayton State University will endeavor to make
appropriate substitutions so that a student can finish his or her degree
requirements in a reasonably timely fashion.
This assurance, however, does not bind Clayton State University to continue to offer any specific course, track, or major.
There is no time limit on course work completed in Areas A-E of
the Core Curriculum. For all other
courses, work completed more than ten years prior to the date of graduation may
be credited toward the degree only in the following cases: (1) with the
approval of the student's major department head/associate dean and dean, or (2)
if the student's enrollment at Clayton State University has been
continuous since initial enrollment, i.e., no interruption of two or more
consecutive years.
Purpose
The Regents' Testing Program (RTP) is designed to certify the basic college-level competency in reading and writing of all students in institutions of the University System of Georgia. The Regents' Test is administered at a very limited number of specific times each semester. Students must register in advance for the Regents' Test. Consult the Semester Schedule of Classes for information on dates, time, and registration procedures.
Requirements for who must take the Regents’ Test
All associate degree and baccalaureate degree graduates of Clayton State University, with the exception of those cited in the paragraph on "Exceptions," shall exhibit competence in certain minimum skills in reading and writing by successfully completing the examinations of the Regents' Testing Program.
EXCEPTIONS: Any student who already holds a baccalaureate or
higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is
not required to complete the Regents' Test in order to graduate from Clayton State University.
NOTE: Passing the Regents’ Test is not required to earn a
certificate from Clayton State University. Since the Certificate
in Information Technology (C.I.T.) is part of the “career ladder” leading to
the B.I.T., C.I.T. students are subject to the Regents’ Test policies.
Requirements for what semester the Regents’ Test must be taken
Students are required to take the Regents' Test during the next
semester of enrollment after they have completed 30 semester hours of credit,
if they have not already taken the test and passed both parts (reading and
essay).
Students may choose to take the Regents' Test before they have earned 30 credit hours; however, students are encouraged not to take the Regents' Test prior to completion of English 1101, which includes practice for the test.