The catalog used to determine major requirements is the catalog in effect at the time the major is declared. A change of major will effect a change of catalog; a change of emphasis is considered a change of major. Minors, additional majors, licensures and endorsements follow the major catalog. Regardless of a student's catalog year, any course taken at UNC after Summer 2006 may be used to satisfy a particular Liberal Arts Core requirements if and only if it is listed as an approved Liberal Arts Core course in the relevant area in the Catalog in effect at the time at which it was taken.
To change a major or minor, complete and print the Major/Minor Change Form, then submit it to the appropriate academic office(s) for signature approval. The completed form must then be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. (Changes to licensure or endorsements are approved in the School of Teacher Education). A minor cannot be declared unless a degree-seeking major has been declared.
Major and Minor Requirements
A major is a concentration of courses in a student's declared area of primary academic study which, when accompanied by appropriate supporting courses, leads to a degree. Majors are recorded on the student's permanent record. The requirements for a major are specified in the catalog of the academic year in which the student declares a major.
Certain courses are required for the major, but electives may be selected from a range of alternatives prescribed by the program. Students who are unsure of their major may enter the University as 'Exploring' and are advised by Major Exploration & Academic Probation. Students are required to declare a major by the time they have completed 30 credit hours toward graduation, including transfer credit. Undergraduate students may transfer from one major to another by filing a Major/Minor Change Form as long as they meet the requirements of the new program. Please note: a change of emphasis area constitutes a change of major. Students changing majors must meet with an academic advisor in the newly declared major to obtain a PIN.
An emphasis area includes specified courses that provide a particular focus within a major. Emphasis areas for majors are recorded on the student's academic record.
An academic minor involves less extensive concentration in a discipline but still imposes specific requirements. An undergraduate minor is a specific set of courses in a subject area or academic discipline. A minor does not alone lead to an academic degree, but may be required by some majors. A minor differs from an emphasis area in that a minor is not a focus within the student's major.
The requirements for a minor are specified in the Catalog of the academic year in which the student declares a first major.
To complete a major from UNC, a student is required to earn a minimum of nine upper-division UNC credits (300-400) or UNC approved Study Abroad credits (300-400) in that major. To complete a minor, a student is required to earn a minimum of six upper-division UNC credits (300-400) or UNC approved Study Abroad credits in that minor.
A maximum of 12 credit hours of coursework can be shared between a major and a minor. Exceptions to this policy may be found in the requirements for individual programs as described in the UNC catalog.
The student must meet all requirements and pass all courses required by the school/college or program from which he or she selects a major or a minor. These requirements vary and are specifically stated in the section of this catalog that summarizes each academic program's offerings including its majors and minors.
Each undergraduate student is strongly encouraged to work closely with his or her assigned faculty advisor in selecting Liberal Arts Core courses, major and minor offerings and elective courses from other disciplines. Students declared as 'Exploring' and selected 'seeking' majors are advised by Major Exploration & Academic Probation. If a student has more than one major or minor they are encouraged to see advisors in each area of study prior to course registration.
Exploring the Liberal Arts
Any new or transfer student entering the University of Northern Colorado can choose to be designated as Exploring the Liberal Arts when he or she enters the University. Students with a declared major who wish to change their major status to Exploring the Liberal Arts should contact Major Exploration & Academic Probation (http://www.unco.edu/major-exploration-academic-probation/) to make an appointment for review and approval. Students requesting this change must have fewer than 18 credits combined of registered and/or previously earned hours. Students who would like to explore other major or minor options may receive services from the Major Exploration & Academic Probation regardless of their current major status.
30-Credit Policy for Exploring the Liberal Arts Students
The 30-Credit Policy directs students towards successfully completing a degree at the University of Northern Colorado. 120 credits are required to complete a degree at Northern Colorado. A student who has earned 30 credits should have completed one quarter of the requirements for earning a degree. Usually students reach 30 credits after either their second or third semester. Ensuring that students have a clear path for degree completion is of utmost importance to Northern Colorado, and the 30-Credit Policy illustrates this commitment to student success.
The 30-Credit Policy requires students who have earned 30-credits to declare a major. Credits used in calculating earned hours at Northern Colorado include all applied transfer credit, college credit earned in high school, and Northern Colorado credit hours. A No-Major Hold is applied to Exploring the Liberal Arts students’ accounts upon the completion of 30 credits. Once a student has completed the appropriate paperwork and met any admission requirements for declaring a chosen major, the No-Major Hold is removed from the student’s account.
Seeking Programs
Students matriculating into UNC under seeking programs (Nursing, Athletic Training, Dietetics) will be required to change to the most current catalog once officially accepted into the program.
Concurrent Degrees and Multiple Majors
Students who complete multiple majors can be awarded multiple degrees if they complete an additional 30 credits (above and beyond the 120 credits required for the first degree) for each additional major. For example:
The following examples illustrate transcript and diploma display when the additional 30 hours are completed, and also when fewer than 30 additional hours are completed.
Student who complete two majors and 150 or more credits earn a double degree. Example: For a student with a first major of Business Administration and a second major of Geography:
Bachelor of Science
Major: Business Administration
Major Concentration: Finance
Bachelor of Arts
Major: Geography
Major Concentration: Global and Area Studies
Degree of Bachelor of Science
Business Administration
Degree of Bachelor of Arts
Geography
Emphases are not printed on the diploma.
Single Degree, Multiple Majors
Students who complete two majors but have fewer than 150 credits earn one degree with two majors. Example: For a student with a first major of Business Administration and a second of Geography:
Bachelor of Science
Major: Business Administration
Major Concentration: Finance
Major: Geography
Major Concentration: Global and Area Studies
- Diploma display (a single diploma is produced):
Degree of Bachelor of Science
Business Administration
Geography
Emphases are not printed on the diploma.
Single Major, Multiple Emphases
Students who complete one major with multiple emphases (in selected majors where allowed) earn one major and one degree, regardless of the number of credits completed.
Example: For a student with a major of Business Administration, with emphases in Finance and Accounting:
Bachelor of Science
Major: Business Administration
Major Concentration: Finance
Major Concentration: Accounting
Degree of Bachelor of Science
Business Administration
Emphases are not printed on the diploma.
Degrees and majors are approved through the Colorado Department of Higher Education. All credits acquired during pursuit of a degree are incorporated in that degree and may not be used to satisfy any future degree. Students may not pursue both an undergraduate and a graduate degree program simultaneously without prior approval from both the Office of the Registrar and the Graduate School.
Only course work that is required for a degree will count towards a student’s enrollment status. Additionally, if a student has completed the degree requirements for a single degree, even if the student has not applied for graduation, that student is no longer eligible for Title IV aid for that program. The fact that a student might be getting a dual degree and has not completed the requirements for the second degree does not change this.
Questions regarding multiple majors and concurrent degrees should be directed to the Office of the Registrar.
Undergraduate Certificate Completion
Students who intend to complete an undergraduate certificate must apply the semester before completion through the Office of the Registrar by emailing graduation@unco.edu. The following guidelines apply for the completion of the certificate:
- A $50.00 application fee will only be charged one time per certificate and is applied to your student account.
- Certificates can be completed and noted on the transcript at any time of the semester once all requirements have been completed.
- All certificates must be declared in the Fall 2014 catalog and forward in order to complete and cannot be retroactively awarded.
- Any certificate completed in the Fall 2016 catalog and forward will receive an official certificate, certificates cannot be retroactively awarded.
- The catalog used to determine certificate requirements is the catalog in effect at the time the certificate is declared. If a certificate is being completed in conjunction with a major, it does not have to follow the major catalog year.
- To change or declare a certificate, complete and print the undergraduate certificate program form, then submit it to the appropriate academic office(s) for signature approval. The completed form must then be submitted to the Office of the Registrar Office. http://www.unco.edu/registrar/pdf/rec-undergraduate-certificate.pdf
Updating/Changing Certificate Programs
A student may select at any time a newer, active catalog year as long as they attended UNC during that respective academic year; this change requires submission of a Undergraduate Certificate Program form (found at http://www.unco.edu/registrar/pdf/rec-undergraduate-certificate.pdf).
Students may not declare or select at any time certificate programs that no longer exist.
Certificates are not recognized nor awarded at the commencement ceremony.
Certificate Release