Curriculum Definitions and Parameters for Degree and Degree-Related Programs

• Definitions and Parameters
  
  

  Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science: a focused area of study that results in an undergraduate degree. All major degree programs will have a minimum of 12 credit hours of common coursework that all students are required to complete in addition to any specializations (e.g., minors, concentrations, certificates, etc.), restricted electives, advisory tracks of study, or other program options.

  • A Bachelor of Arts: 30 to 39 credit hours of focused coursework, which combined with non-program courses (minimum 18 credit hours), free electives (21 to 39 credit hours), Rowan Core requirements (24 credit hours), and Rowan Experience requirements (LIT, WI, Rowan Seminar, at least 9 credit hours) result in a total of 120 credit hours and graduation.
  • A Bachelor of Science: 60 to 64 credit hours of focused coursework, which combined with non-program courses (minimum 18 credit hours), free electives (4 to 18 credit hours) and Rowan Core requirements (24 credit hours), and Rowan Experience requirements (LIT, WI, Rowan Seminar, at least 9 credit hours) result in a total of 120 semester hours and graduation.
  • Specialized Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science: 60+ credit hours of hours of focused coursework which combined with non-program courses (minimum 18 credit hours), free electives (0 to 18 credit hours) and with Rowan Core requirements (24 credit hours), and Rowan Experience requirements (LIT, WI, Rowan Seminar, at least 9 credit hours) result in a total of 120 credit hours and graduation.

   

  Note: While special circumstances may warrant a proposed major to vary in the recommended credit hour structure, the variation will need to be sufficiently explained and justified in the program proposal. 

   

  Minor: a focused area of study constituting 18 to 29 credit hours of lower- and upper-level undergraduate courses. A minor represents a coherent area of study associated with, or drawn from, a major or discipline, or may include courses from multiple programs in different departments or colleges. Minors do not need to have a direct relationship with existing or concurrently proposed new BS/BA degrees in name or shared curriculum.

   

  New minor proposals need to make clear whether majors in the related undergraduate program may declare the minor. In these cases, no more than half of the coursework may count toward both credentials. However, students may not declare a minor that shares the name or draws on the same coursework required to fulfill their major degree requirements. 

   

  When minors share coursework with a Certificate of Undergraduate Study (CUGS), meaning, the CUGS coursework has four of the same courses required by the Minor, students can only receive certification for the Minor or the CUGS. 

   

  Undergraduate Concentration: a focused area of study constituting 12 to 17 credit hours of coursework within a major degree. Generally, a Concentration is composed of program electives. Completion of a concentration is noted on students’ transcripts provided students declare the Concentration through their advisors. Concentration coursework counts toward the total required for the major degree, and students must complete all degree requirements for the Major to receive credentialing for a concentration. While special circumstances may warrant a proposed concentration to vary in the recommended credit hours (12 to 17), the variation will need to be sufficiently explained and justified in the program proposal.

   

  If individual majors offer students concentration options for their respective degrees, the total degree credit hours (120) must be the same for all students regardless of the option that they take. Additionally, all options for the degree must share a core set of course requirements (generally a minimum of 12 credit hours).

   

  For majors proposing one or more CUGS instead of concentrations, please see the CUGS section below for more details.  

   

  Track: a recommended selection of courses within a degree program or minor that represents a focused area of study (or banks of courses) and also completes defined requirements for degree completion. Tracks are informal advisory pathways for students within a program.  As such, they are non-curricular (i.e., they do not require a curriculum proposal to implement), are internal to the program, and students do not receive credentials for completing the track. 

    

  Certificate of Undergraduate Study (CUGS): provides credentialing for students completing a coherent and definable area of study constituting at least four courses totaling 12 to 17 credit hours. Completion of the CUGS is noted on students’ transcripts, provided that students declare the CUGS through their advisors. A CUGS is usually intended as a supplement to majors, minors, and other concentrations, and may be open to either or both matriculated and non-matriculated students.

  The CUGS may require additional prerequisites associated with upper-level courses or prerequisites for the CUGS itself beyond the core course work of 12 to 17 credit hours. While there is no cap on the number of prerequisite credits, sponsors must indicate the prerequisites for any courses within the CUGS*. Generally, a CUGS within a major may double count no more than two courses. A CUGS may double count more than two courses when there is a demonstrated business or industry demand, a need to provide stackable credentials within the major, or a demonstrated inability to provide a concentration that does not exceed the 120-credit limit.

  *For courses within the CUGS that have a long list of prerequisites courses, a list or flowchart indicating those courses must be included within the proposal.  

   

  Certificate of Post-Baccalaureate Study:  a focused program of undergraduate study beyond a bachelor’s degree consisting of 18 to 30 credit hours.  The post-baccalaureate certificate is intended to prepare students professionally or for future graduate work.  Minimum admission requirements include a completed BA or BS; additional admission requirements are defined by the program or department.

   

  Any variation to the recommended 18 to 30 credit hours must be explained and justified in the Certificate of Post-Baccalaureate Study proposal.  Additionally, the proposal should specify the certificate’s intended student population and the educational or professional benefit it will provide. The balance of lower- and upper-level requirements should also be explained and justified.  

   

  PhD Programs: a focused program of graduate study constituting a minimum of 72 credits of graduate-level work beyond the bachelor’s degree OR a minimum of 42 credits of graduate-level work beyond the master’s degree. Admission requirements are defined by the program or department in consultation with the School of Graduate Studies.

    

  
  Master of Arts/Master of Science Degree: a focused program of graduate study consisting of 30 to 36 credit hours. Minimum admission requirements include a completed BA or BS. Any additional admission and graduation requirements, as well as student status requirements, are defined by the program or department in consultation with the School of Graduate Studies or Rowan Global as appropriate. 

   

  4+1 Undergraduate/Graduate Dual Degree: accelerates the completion of a dual undergraduate/graduate degree through the reduction of required coursework.  The 4+1 proposal is the only curriculum process that accomplishes acceleration for achieving the completion of a dual undergraduate/graduate degree through the reduction of required coursework. Any other accelerated programs that are achieved through year-round degree course completion (and not changes in specific coursework) are not curriculum changes and do not require a curriculum proposal.

   

  4+1 proposals require:

  • An already existing undergraduate and graduate program. If one of the programs does not exist, the creation and implementation of the new program must be completed before submitting a 4+1 proposal.
  • A maximum of 12 hours of graduate coursework may be applied to fulfill undergraduate requirements.
  • An exit option for students who are unable to complete or meet graduate degree requirements.

   

  Graduate Concentration: a focused area of study generally consisting of 9 to 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework within a graduate degree program. Completion of a concentration is noted on students’ transcripts provided students declare the Concentration through their advisors. Concentration coursework counts toward the total required for the degree, and students must complete all degree requirements to receive credentialing for a concentration. Concentrations may be awarded in a modular or stackable fashion as Certificates of Graduate Study. While special circumstances may warrant a proposed concentration to vary in the recommended credit hours (9 to 12), the variation should be sufficiently explained and justified in the program proposal.  

   

  Certificate of Graduate Study (COGS): a focused area of study generally consisting of 9 to 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework. Certificate of Graduate Study coursework may be applied toward graduate degree completion, but that coursework does not necessarily need to fulfill any specific degree requirements. The minimum admission requirement for a Certificate of Graduate Study is a completed baccalaureate degree. Any additional admission requirements are defined by the sponsoring program or department. 

   

  Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS): a focused area of study beyond the master’s level generally consisting of 9 to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework. The minimum admission requirement for a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study is a completed Master’s degree. Any additional admission requirements are defined by the sponsoring program or department.

   

  2+2 Undergraduate Degree Completion Programs: Undergraduate programs designed as 2+2 are degree completion programs. Students complete their Associate’s degree at a partner community college or affiliated institution, then complete their remaining Bachelor’s degree program credits through Rowan University. The Associate’s degree may represent coursework equivalent to what is offered at Rowan or may be specialized coursework accepted in fulfilment of an admissions requirement. Such programs must be designed in consultation with the affiliated institution or partner community college such that earning the Bachelor’s degree does not exceed 120 credits.

    

  3+1 Undergraduate Programs: Programs designed as 3+1 are those in which students complete an Associate’s degree at a partner community college or affiliated institution and students continue at the partner community college through baccalaureate degree completion. Year 3 major courses must be at the 300-level and are offered by the community college under the oversight of Rowan. Students enroll at Rowan to complete year 4 but their courses are offered on the participating partner community college or affiliated institution campus. 3+1 programs must be designed in consultation with the community college.  The Bachelor’s degree cannot exceed 120 credits. Students in year 4 should be completing upper-level courses for a minimum of 30 credits from Rowan