A. General Requirements

Every degree program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is made up of three components: the Core Curriculum, Courses in the Major, and Free Electives. The Baccalaureate degree is awarded when the curriculum prescribed by the College for one or more of the various degree programs has been satisfied. Candidates for graduation must meet all of the following seven requirements:

1) A minimum of 40 courses of three or more credits and two labs (science degrees vary according to major), which include the successful completion of the Core Curriculum, academic major requirements, and free electives;
2) A cumulative GPA of at least 2.000. (Science students must also have a minimum technical grade point average of at least 2.000);
3) At least half of the Core Curriculum requirements must be fulfilled at Villanova University;
4) At least half of the requirements for the major must be fulfilled at Villanova University;
5) The final 30 credits of the degree program must be earned at Villanova University;
6) A minimum of 122 credit hours; and
7) At least 61 credits must be earned at Villanova University.
 

B. Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts with majors in:

• Art History
• Classical Studies**
• Communication
• Criminal Justice **
• Economics
• Education (secondary)
• English
• Environmental Studies
• French and Francophone Studies
• Geography
• Global Interdisciplinary Studies
• History
• Humanities **
• Human Services
• Italian
• Philosophy
• Physics**
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Spanish**
• Theology and Religious Studies**
  
  Bachelor of Arts, Honors
  
  ** Indicates the opportunity for integrated Bachelor’s/ Master’s program
  
  Bachelor of Science with majors in:
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Biology**
• Biochemistry
• Chemistry**
• Comprehensive Science
• Computer Science**
• Environmental Science
• Mathematics**
• Physics
  
  Bachelor of Science, Honors
  
  ** Indicates the opportunity for integrated Bachelor’s/ Master’s program
   

C. Interdisciplinary Concentrations

In addition, interdisciplinary concentrations are available in:

• Africana Studies
• Arab and Islamic Studies
• Augustine in Dialogue with Faith & Culture
• Cognitive Science
• East Asia Studies
• Ethics
• Elementary Education (in conjunction with Rosemont College)
• Honors (Arts)
• Irish Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Peace and Justice
• Russian Area Studies
• Women’s Studies
• Writing and Rhetoric

D. Minors

In addition to most of the above minors are also available in

• Aerospace Studies (Air Force ROTC)
• Arabic
• Chinese
• Criminal Justice
• Japanese
• Military Science (Army ROTC)
• Naval Science (Navy ROTC)
• Russian
• Theater

See Part VIII for detailed information on requirements for each of these degrees, interdisciplinary concentrations and minors.
See the Part Time Studies Catalog for information on the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree (BIS), the Bachelor of Arts in General Arts and the Associate Degrees.

E. Dean’s List

At the end of the fall semester and at the end of the spring semester the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences officially recognizes its best students by including their names on the Dean’s List. Inclusion on the list is a tribute to a student’s hard work and superior academic performance. In an effort to retain the honor which is integral to membership on the list, the requirements for inclusion are justifiably rigorous.

In order to be named to the Dean’s List, a full-time student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must maintain a minimum semester GPA of 3.50. All students included on the list receive a congratulatory letter from the Dean following the conclusion of the fall and spring semesters. For the fall semester, letters are posted by the second Friday in February. For the spring semester, letters are posted the second Friday in July. Theses dates allow for grades of Incomplete to be changed upon the submission of outstanding work.
 

F. Graduation Honors

Graduation honors will be noted on the degrees of graduating students meeting the following requirements:

1. Summa cum laude minimum cumulative GPA of 3.90
2. Magna cum laude minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75
3. Cum laude minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50

G. Medallion of Excellence

Each department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may nominate one graduating senior each year to receive a Medallion of Excellence. Generally, to be eligible for nomination, students must have earned a minimum of three fourths of their degree at Villanova in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50.

Each department has named its medallion either for a luminary from the past who has deeply affected the discipline or an outstanding person who helped to shape the course of study at Villanova University.

H. Phi Beta Kappa is a National Honors Fraternity for colleges of liberal arts and sciences.

Phi Beta Kappa is the National Honors Fraternity for colleges of liberal arts and sciences. It was founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776. Since that time, its rigorous and comprehensive standards have made election to it a premier sign of excellence.

Villanova‘s College of Liberal Arts and Science became one of the colleges and to shelter a chapter when the Sigma of Pennsylvania Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was installed at Villanova in April 1986. The Phi Beta Kappa standards reflect the highest ideals of liberal education at the College: education that is concerned with values as well as facts and wisdom as well as knowledge; education that seeks freedom from ignorance, alienation, and inhumanity; that values intellectual integrity and tolerance over expediency; and breadth of scholarly achievement over specialized expertise.

Juniors and seniors who are candidates for a degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, whose academic achievements reflect the goals of Phi Beta Kappa, and who meet the following specific criteria shall be eligible for consideration for election to Phi Beta Kappa:

1. Candidates must have a GPA of at least 3.50 (3.80 to be elected as a junior).
2. At least three-fourths of a candidate’s academic work must have been taken in the liberal arts and sciences, as distinct from applied or professional work.

In choosing candidates for election, the Chapter seeks evidence of academic achievement that is of exceptional distinction and gives weight to the breadth and the quality of the overall program of courses taken by each candidate.

Election to membership in Phi Beta Kappa is wholly within the discretion of the members of the Chapter, subject only to the limitations imposed by its Constitution and By-Laws. Fulfillment of the minimum qualifications does not assure election to the membership.
 

I. Graduation Ceremony

At the close of the academic year in May, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences participates in the annual University Graduation Ceremony and does not hold its own graduation ceremony. However, immediately after the University ceremony, each academic department holds a reception at a location listed in the University Graduation Program, at which time diplomas are distributed. There is an opportunity for pictures to be taken at this time.

J. Walk Through Graduation

Students who have no more than three courses remaining in order to complete their degree may apply at the Office of the Dean, 105 St Augustine, for permission to “walk” in graduation. Their name will not appear in the Graduation program, and they will be handed an empty envelope at the departmental reception in order for pictures to be taken. Once the final courses have been completed and a grade entered, the Office of the Registrar will mail the diploma to the student at the address of record.