Majors/Minors/Concentrations

This is an archived copy of the 2016-17 Catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.norwich.edu/.

Major

The field of academic specialization within the baccalaureate degree. It is defined as the departmental requirements set forth in the catalog, having a minimum of 10 courses totaling at least 30 credit hours, of which a minimum of two must be at the 300-400 level. Interdisciplinary majors may include courses from more than one related academic discipline.

Second Major

To declare a second major, students submit a signed Major/Minor Declaration form to the Registrar's Office. The form requires the approval of the current adviser, and Department Chair/Director of the second major as well as the second adviser assigned by the Department Chair/School Director of the second major. The student will follow the catalog year of the primary major.

Minor

Consists of six courses of three or more credits as specified in the catalog. No more than two of the six courses may be transfer courses (from another institution).  Minors may include courses from more than one related discipline. The six courses for the minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher. A student may not earn both a minor and a major in the same field of specialization.

To declare a minor, students submit a signed Major/Minor Declaration form to the Registrar's Office. The form requires the approval of the student’s adviser, the Deshy;partment Chair/ School Director of the academic department that offers the minor. Minor requirements will follow the catalog year of the student’s primary major. Minors can not be added after a Bachelor’s Degree is awarded.

Concentration

Consists of six courses of three or more credits in a “specialized area” within a major, as specified by an academic department. It may consist of a selection of courses or an established minor in a specialized area within the major; apshy;proved by the department. Concentrations may include courses from more than one related academic discipline. No more than two of the six courses may be transfer courses (from another institution). The six courses for the concentration must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Concentrations are available only to students enrolled in the major under which the concentration is listed.

To declare a concentration, students submit a signed Major/Minor Declaration form to the Registrar’s Office. The form requires the approval of the student’s advishy;ser, the Department Chair/School Director of the academic department that offers the concentration.  Concentration requirements will follow the catalog year of the student’s primary major. Concentrations will not be awarded after a Bacheshy;lor’s Degree is awarded

Choice of Major
  • Students must meet minimal major course and grade requirements, as determined by the Department Chair/School Director, to be accepted into the desired major.
     
Change of Major

To change a major requires students to submit a signed Major/Minor Declaration form to the Registrar’s Office. The form requires  the approval of the Department Head or School Director, the assignment of the new adviser and the old adviser and include the catalog year that the student will follow.

Dismissal From a Major or Minor

School Directors/Department Chairs have the authority to dismiss a student from a major or minor for acashy;demic deficiency or unsatisfactory performance in a clinical program or an internship, practshy;icum or program. Copies of dismissal letters must be sent to the Registrar’s Office.

Majors and Concentrations
Minors
Cerificates

A certificate may be awarded for a conference, a course, a seminar, or a designated set of courses or seminars focused on a specific topic or theme which students may study separately from or in addition to their degree requirements. The purpose of certificate study is to give students the opportunity to pursue a subject of interest in a prescribed manner and with specific completion requirements.Completion of the requirements will be recognized by the awarding of a certificate document from the university.

Origination of a certificate offering will occur within an academic unit within a College.Certificates may be constructed from existing and/or newly created courses or seminars.

All credit-bearing and non-credit certificates will meet the following quality standards:

  • Subject matter will be appropriate to the Norwich University mission;
  • Courses will be led by appropriately credentialed instructors;
  • Curriculum will address identified learning goals
  • Appropriate review and maintenance of the content will be conducted by the sponsoring academic unit. 

Credit and Non-Credit Certificate Definitions:

Graduate Certificate
This certificate may be comprised of 6-36 credit hours of graduate credit. Origination and planning will occur within the College. Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program will be classified as non-matriculating graduate students.

Undergraduate Certificate
This certificate may be comprised of 6-36 hours of undergraduate credit or equivalent number of competency units .Students enrolled in an undergraduate certificate program will be classified as non-matriculating students.

Certificate of Completion
This zero-credit certificate is awarded for participation in a short-term conference, course, set of courses, seminars or other learning event developed around a specific topic or area of knowledge for which degree credit is not awarded.A certificate of completion requires a minimum of four contact hours of study.Students enrolled in a Certificate of Completion program will be classified as students.

Certificate Approval and Maintenance
  • Certificates must be approved by the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) and become effective for the next catalog.  Students who wish to meet the revised requirements must declare the catalog under which the revised certificate requirements were approved.
  • Credit-bearing or competency-based certificate offerings are reviewed and approved by the sponsoring academic unit (program/department/school), the unit’s Chair, Director and/or the College Dean, College Curriculum Committee and the University Curriculum Committee and are applicable under the next catalog.
  • Non-credit earning certificates will be reviewed and approved by the sponsoring academic unit (program/department/school), the unit’s chair/director/manager, the College Curriculum Committee, and the College Dean and are applicable under the next catalog.
  • Certificate curriculum/content will be reviewed annually for rigor and relevancy. Any changes made will be reviewed by the appropriate academic unit and approved by the sponsoring academic unit, the unit’s chair/director/manager, the College Curriculum Committee, and the College Dean and the University Curriculum Committee and are applicable under the next CGCS catalog.
Admission, Enrollment and Completion
  • The CGCS Program Director/Manager or on-campus College Dean or designee makes all admissions decisions.
  • Admission into a certificate program does not guarantee admission into a Norwich University degree program.
  • All courses/seminars required for a certificate are taken at Norwich University; transfer credit is not permitted.
  • For credit-earning courses/seminars that comprise certificates, the normal grade and/or GPA requirements are in effect for the level of credit the certificate carries:
    • 2.0 cumulative GPA and D- or higher grades for undergraduate students
    • 3.0 cumulative GPA and C or higher grades for graduate students
  • Credits earned as part of a certificate may be applied in whole, or in part, to a Norwich University degree program (subject to minimum grade and/or GPA requirements as listed above).  The Program Director/Manager/Chair of the relevant program approves/denies all requests for credit. 
  • Certificates cannot be attached to a previously awarded degree.
  • Students may not be awarded a Certificate and a Major Concentration in the same specialization.
  • Upon completion of all requirements the certificate will be posted to the student’s official transcript using the last day of the session/term in which the certificate requirements were completed. 
Certificate Discontinuation

An academic unit may request the College Curriculum Committee, the College Dean and the University Curriculum Committee to approve elimination of a certificate program if:

  • There have been no certificates issued in a three-year period
  • The originating academic unit recommends