Catalog Year and Degree Requirements
University General Education Requirements
Foreign Language
Mathematics
Breadth: Exploring the Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum 12 Credits in the Humanities
Minimum 12 Credits in the Social Sciences
Minimum 12 Credits in the Natural Sciences
Depth: Understanding a Field of Study (Major)
Department Rules Governing Requirements for the Major
Major Study
Mastery of Intermediate/Advanced Work
Requirements That Apply to All Majors
How to Declare a Major
Acceptance as a Major
Mastery of Upper-Level Work in the Major
Residence Requirement in the Major (also known as the "Study Abroad Stipulation")
Advising
Completing a Major Outside L&S
Total Degree Credits: 120
Liberal Arts and Science Credits: 108
Non-L&S Courses and L&S Degree Credit
Timetable Designations Related to Non-L&S Courses and L&S Degree Requirements
Residence Requirements
Quality of Work Requirements
Certificate Programs
Letters and Science Degree Worksheet (pdf)
Curriculum requirements for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees are:
University General Education Requirements
Foreign Language
Mathematics
Breadth
Minimum 12 Credits in the Humanities
Minimum 12 Credits in the Social Sciences
Minimum 12 Credits in the Natural Sciences
Depth
Major Study
Requirements That Apply to All Majors
Acceptance as a Major
Mastery of Intermediate/Advanced Work
Residence Requirement in the Major
Total Degree Credits: 120
Liberal Arts and Science Credits: 108
Residence Requirements
Quality of Work Requirements
Students who enroll in their first college or university-level degree program (or, "matriculate") after May 21, 2007, will be held to the degree requirements described in this catalog. Students who matriculated prior to May 21, 2007, are expected to complete the degree requirements that were in force at the time they entered college or university study. (Catalogs from prior years may be found online at www.wisc.edu/academics/catalog-archives.php.) In some cases, it may benefit continuing and/or transfer students to complete the degree requirements described in this catalog. These students will be allowed to "opt in" to this set of degree requirements. Regardless of the set of degree requirements students choose, they must complete all requirements in the chosen set, and may not "mix and match" components. These students may consult DARS, the L&S Web site (www.ls.wisc.edu/curriculum/pre-2007), their advisor, or an academic dean (Room 70 Bascom Hall) if they need assistance making this decision.
All students must complete the university's General Education Requirements. Briefly, these requirements consist of four components: Communication (parts A and B), Quantitative Reasoning (parts A and B), Breadth (course work in the humanities, social and natural sciences), and Ethnic Studies. These requirements are explained in greater detail elsewhere in this catalog, and online at www.wisc.edu/pubs/ug/study.html. Additional information of interest to students and advisors in L&S:
The study of a foreign language contributes in an important way to a broad education for today's students, who live in a world where the overwhelming majority of people do not speak or read English and where much of the knowledge that is disseminated may never appear in English. Knowledge of a foreign language is important for an appreciation of the culture of the people using that language, and it also helps students to understand the structure and complexities of their own native language. Students with sufficient preparation may be able to use the foreign language for study in their chosen discipline.
To be admitted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, students must have completed the second-year level of a single foreign language (or American Sign Language) in high school. On rare occasions, students may be admitted with a foreign language deficiency, but they will be required to make up that deficiency by the time they earn their 60th degree credit, or they will not be allowed to continue.
All students working for a B.A. or B.S. degree in the College of Letters and Science must fulfill the foreign language requirement. Students with certain disabilities may apply for a substitution to the foreign language requirement by submitting required documentation to the College Disabilities Curricular Accommodations Committee. (See Foreign Language: Substitutions for Students with Certain Disabilities in the section on L&S General Academic Information. For more information, contact L&S Student Academic Affairs, 608/262-2644, or the McBurney Disability Resource Center, 608/263-2741, TTY: 608/263-6393.)
In meeting the foreign language requirement, students may combine high school and college work as appropriate. This will allow a student to make full use of high school work in more than one foreign language, or will facilitate the study of a second foreign language that may not have been available in high school. Students who have learned a foreign language in a nonacademic setting may meet the foreign language requirement by successfully completing the appropriate level language course at the university or by successfully completing an appropriate attainment examination.
Foreign language requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees differ.
For the B.S. degree, the foreign language requirement may be met by completion of the third-year level of foreign language in high school, or the equivalent third semester level college work.
For the B.A. degree, the foreign language requirement may be met in one of two ways: (1) completion of the fourth level in one language, or (2) completion of the third level in one language and completion of the second level in another language.
Students who intend to enroll in a foreign language in which they have had previous noncollege instruction must take the UW System placement test in that language.
Notes:
Mathematics is a principal tool of knowledge. Algebra and geometry provide the minimum of mathematics skills that an educated person needs in today's world, and competence in these areas is required for admission to the university. Since mathematics underlies quantitative work in all sciences, and the level of mathematical background required has been steadily increasing in most areas of science, the L&S math requirements should be viewed as minimums. Please note that some majors specify additional work in mathematics.
New freshmen who do not meet satisfactory minimal competencies in mathematics upon admission or whose mathematics placement test scores place them in Math 095 must begin to take remedial course work in mathematics during their first or second semester and continue each semester thereafter, if necessary, until they have satisfactorily completed the mathematics proficiency requirement. Students who do not accomplish this will not be permitted to continue in the College of Letters and Science.
Please Note: Math requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees differ.
Both B.A. and B.S. degrees require that students satisfy minimum math competency by having completed the three units of math required for admission. A unit is one year of high school work or one semester of college work. This will ordinarily include one unit each of high school algebra, geometry, and an additional unit of mathematics.
For the B.A. degree, no additional math is required beyond completion of the university's General Education Quantitative Reasoning A and B requirements.
The B.S. degree requires an additional two units at the intermediate level in mathematics, computer sciences, or statistics. If this work is taken on the college level, it must be at least a 3-credit course and must be taken in the departments of Mathematics, Computer Sciences, or Statistics (courses in sociometrics, econometrics, psychometrics, etc., do not apply).
Notes:
A liberal education involves not only the nature and kinds of knowledge but also the purpose for which knowledge should be used. These considerations are embodied in the breadth or distribution requirement and call for knowledge in several fields of learning. The purpose of this breadth requirement is to ensure that a degree candidate will obtain an understanding of approaches in the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, and physical sciences adequate for use both as a citizen and as a specialist.
Some breadth may come from courses in the student's major department. In addition, some interdisciplinary programs are designed specifically to provide an understanding of a particular subject from a range of perspectives; one such integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the breadth requirement is offered by the Integrated Liberal Studies Program (see the listing for ILS in the department descriptions). Finally, additional flexibility is achieved in the breadth requirement by accepting courses outside the College of Letters and Science if they have been reviewed and designated as Liberal Arts and Science courses. (See Non-L&S Courses and L&S Degree Credit below.)
Courses that carry breadth credit are expected to broaden significantly a student's understanding of the world and a general disciplinary approach to problems studied, questions asked, modes of inquiry undertaken to answer those questions, analysis of research findings, communication about results, and implications for further study and/or action. Many courses in L&S carry a breadth designation; however, some types of courses may not convey breadth. Please see the section on Course Designations and Breadth Requirement for a list of the types of courses that do not carry breadth designation.
The breadth requirement is met with 36 credits in the three broad areas of knowledge: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. (This may include courses beyond the elementary level in mathematics, computer sciences, and statistics.)
The following rules govern:
These credits must include at least two courses in any kind of literature (designated with an L) for a minimum of 6 credits. Literature courses are available in several departments, including the foreign language departments, ILS, and the departments of English, Comparative Literature, Literature in Translation, and Theatre and Drama. For specific information about literature courses, consult the Timetable or the course descriptions in this catalog. Remaining humanities credits may be satisfied by courses designated H, L, X, or Z.
Courses that count toward the Social Science breadth requirement are designated with an S, W, Y, or Z.
Note: Breadth requirements in Natural Sciences differ for the B.A. and B.S.
The B.A. degree requires a minimum of 12 credits, which must include one 3-credit physical science (P) course, and one 3-credit biological science (B) course.
The B.S. degree requires a minimum of 12 credits, to include 6 credits of biological science (B) and 6 credits of physical science (P).
Divisional designation and course level for each course are indicated in the Timetable and in the course descriptions in this catalog. The following symbols indicate how courses count toward satisfying the breadth requirements:
| B | —Biological Science |
| H | —Humanities |
| I | —Interdivisional. Does not satisfy any breadth requirement. |
| L | —Literature |
| N | —Natural Science. Satisfies the Natural Science requirement but not the Biological or Physical Science requirement. |
| P | —Physical Science |
| S | —Social Science |
| W | —Either Social Science or Natural Science |
| X | —Either Humanities or Natural Science |
| Y | —Either Biological Science or Social Science |
| Z | —Either Humanities or Social Science |
Department faculties, as experts in their fields of study, are responsible for designing the requirements for individual majors, and do so in consultation with the college. However, since majors are expected to complement breadth of study, two broad rules apply to prevent overspecialization in the major, which is seen as inimical to a liberal arts education. First, departments may not require that a student take more than one-third (40) of the total credits needed for graduation in the major department. Second, majors using course work from more than one department can require as many credits as necessary, but students taking these programs must complete at least 60 credits that are not controlled by the major. (Students in some majors may complete more than 120 degree credits.) By these means, students are allowed—and encouraged—to pursue a breadth of study that complements the major.
Every candidate for an L&S baccalaureate degree must satisfy a depth requirement encompassing a specified and approved major field of study. Students may elect a department major, a major in a recognized interdisciplinary program, or may develop an individual major. Students in Letters and Science may not complete the depth requirement with any department or program outside the college, except for the departments of Bacteriology, Biochemistry, and Medical Microbiology and Immunology. These departments are the only exceptions. Students have three choices in meeting the depth requirement in the College of Letters and Science:
Students may fulfill the requirements of a single major as outlined in the descriptions of the various department majors in this catalog.
All students may satisfy the requirements for more than one major, either department and/or interdisciplinary major, and have this fact noted on the transcript and other university records.
Students may complete one or more established majors and one individual major. No student may earn more than one individual major. Students completing two or more majors may count courses crosslisted in each major department in partial satisfaction of the requirements for each major.
The individual major is a method of fulfilling the depth requirement for students whose interests bridge existing departments and disciplines in ways not accommodated by an existing major or interdisciplinary program. This major must consist of a coherent pattern of courses in more than one department or recognized interdisciplinary program in the College of Letters and Science and must be approved by the Faculty Committee on Individual Majors.
Students interested in learning more about individual majors should consult with the Individual Major Coordinator (contact L&S Student Academic Affairs, 608/262-2644).
Eligibility. Any student working toward an L&S degree may elect to develop an individual major. A faculty committee must approve the individual major before a student can pursue this academic option. This major should also receive approval during the sophomore or junior year. All students are required to earn at least 30 degree credits after the term in which approval is given. Therefore, seniors completing an individual major will delay their graduation. A student may complete only one individual major.
Developing an Individual Major. The student takes primary responsibility for developing an individual major proposal. Once a theme or topic has been identified and refined, the student must find a faculty member in the College of Letters and Science who is willing to serve as the individual major advisor. The L&S Advising Service, special departmental advisors, and faculty members may be able to assist students seeking an advisor for an individual major.
As soon as the topic and the advisor are chosen, the student must meet with the Individual Major Coordinator in L&S Student Academic Affairs. The purpose of this meeting is to review the details of individual major requirements and to review procedures. After the student has met with the Individual Major Coordinator, the individual major advisor and the student work together to develop the rationale and the course structure for the major. For more information on individual major course structure requirements, students should obtain the individual major handout in 70 Bascom Hall.
Applying for an Individual Major. Applications for the individual major are accepted through Friday of the fourth week of classes in the fall and spring semesters. Applications received after that deadline will be reviewed during the following term. Individual major applications are not reviewed during the summer. Students should meet with the Individual Major Coordinator before submitting their applications for review.
The application must include: (1) individual major application form showing the proposed course list; (2) a letter from the student to the Faculty Committee on Individual Majors describing the area of interest, providing a rationale for the proposed major, and discussing its applicability to future goals and plans; (3) an expanded course list which explains how each individual course applies to the proposed individual major program; (4) a letter of recommendation from the individual major advisor; and (5) the student's current transcript and DARS report. Additional supporting materials may also be included. Students must submit the original application plus four copies.
A subcommittee of the L&S Faculty Committee on Individual Majors reviews each individual major application. These subcommittees consist of three faculty members, each representing a department in L&S related to the proposed major. The subcommittee evaluates the proposal for coherence, appropriate breadth and depth, and similarity to existing majors. The subcommittee may approve the proposal as submitted, recommend modifications, reject the proposal altogether, or reject it with an invitation to revise and resubmit in a later semester. The subcommittee's decision is final. A student cannot declare an individual major until after the subcommittee has approved it.
Individual Major with Honors. It is possible to earn an Honors degree with an individual major. Honors candidates must complete all requirements for the Honors degree and the requirements for the individual major with Honors: a minimum of 20 Honors credits within the individual major with no more than 10 in any one department (not counting the Senior Honors Thesis) and a Senior Honors Thesis of 6 to 8 Honors credits.
All L&S courses and those taught outside L&S and approved for L&S degree credit are designated by departments as elementary (E), intermediate (I), advanced (A), or intermediate/advanced (D). A minimum of 60 credits must be earned in courses designated by the departments as intermediate (I), advanced (A), or intermediate/advanced (D), with a grade point average of 2.0 on all courses carried whether passed or not. The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to undertake advanced work to the greatest possible extent and to insure that they will achieve greater sophistication and a deeper mastery of subject matter as they advance through the baccalaureate curriculum. Credits earned in courses taken as free electives in the degree cannot be used to meet this requirement.
Students must declare a major through the department administering that program. The effective date of major declaration determines the major requirements to be completed. Students should request a Major/Certificate Declaration form, which they complete and leave at the department office. If they decide to change their major later, they should return to that department office and cancel their major. Students may have as many majors as they wish, but they must complete the Major/Certificate Declaration form for each major and cancel any major they feel they cannot complete.
A department, program, or school may specify prerequisites for acceptance into a major, such as a minimum grade point average or completion of particular courses with a minimum grade. Students are responsible for reviewing the quality requirements for a particular major or school, as outlined in the department sections of this catalog and in special publications of the schools and departments. Students should consult the department advisor or the school or college dean's office for information. Only the department or school can make an exception. Students not accepted in a major or school must select a different major.
All students must complete in residence a minimum of 15 credits of major course work defined as "upper-level" by the major department or program. (Please see the section on Residence Requirements for additional information about credits taken "in residence.") Furthermore, students must earn a minimum 2.0 grade point average on all upper-level work taken in the major, in residence.
All students, especially those students who participate in UW-Madison sponsored Study Abroad programs, must complete a minimum of 15 credits, at any level, in their major or major department, in courses taken on the UW-Madison campus. These credits may not include retroactive credit or credit earned by department examination.
Questions about choosing a major can be discussed with department advisors and faculty, academic deans, members of the L&S Advising Services and Honors Program office, and with the Cross-College Advising Service staff. For additional information about advising, see the description of advising programs in this catalog.
L&S students must complete at least one major in the College of Letters and Science to satisfy the depth requirement. Students interested in completing an additional major outside the College of Letters and Science must first consult the dean's office for the other school or college. If the other school or college approves the additional major, students must consult with an L&S academic dean to get permission to pursue a second major outside L&S.
A minimum of 120 degree credits is required for most baccalaureate degrees granted by the College of Letters and Science. The total credits for the degree encompass the requirements detailed above, but also include elective credits not associated with any specific requirement, that allow students to explore other areas of academic interest. The total credit requirement for some special programs is more than 120 degree credits. The college allows degree credit, as well as placement credit, for the mastery of some L&S course work as demonstrated by successfully completing appropriate tests. (See Credit by Departmental Examination in the section on General Academic Information.)
Students who matriculated to college before May 21, 2007, are required to complete different requirements from those described in this section and in sections that follow.
Please see the section Catalog Year and Degree Requirements for more information about how matriculation date affects degree requirements. Of the minimum 120 credits required for graduation for a B.A. or B.S. degree (General Course) at least 108 credits must be in courses designated as Liberal Arts and Science Courses. These courses are indicated with a C in the Timetable "C" column. Nearly every course taught in L&S is designated in this way.
Liberal Arts and Science ("C") Courses. The College of Letters and Science has long recognized that courses offered by other units of the university provide valuable and appropriate learning experiences for students pursuing a degree offered by the college. The college has approved many of these courses for L&S students to take for degree credit, and after careful review, has determined that these courses are Liberal Arts and Sciences courses. These courses are designated with a C in the "C" column in the Timetable: C courses "count" toward the L&S degree requirements, including requirements related to breadth and level.
Non-L&S Courses Crosslisted with L&S Departments. A course offered in the College of Letters and Science that carries the C designation and which is crosslisted with a department in another school or college is considered a Liberal Arts and Science course. Such courses are designated as C courses in the Timetable listings. As C courses, they may be counted as part of the major and count as part of the 108 Liberal Arts and Science credits required for an L&S degree.
Non-L&S Courses Required for L&S Majors. Courses taught in departments located in schools or colleges other than L&S, but which are required for completion of an L&S major, are considered Liberal Arts and Science courses. Such courses will either carry the C designation in the "C" column of the Timetable listing, or their Liberal Arts and Sciences status will appear in the DARS degree audit. In both cases, these courses count as part of the 108 L&S credits required for a degree.
Free Electives in the Degree. If a student so chooses, he or she may count for degree credit up to 12 credits "freely chosen" from many non-L&S, UW-Madison-approved courses. These courses are referred to as "free electives in the degree." These courses may be selected from any UW-Madison Timetable subject listing, and are not designated as courses in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, or C, courses.
Credit earned in these courses apply to the degree requirements in the following ways:
As noted above, in the section Catalog Year and Degree Requirements, the L&S degree requirements have recently changed. L&S students who matriculated to college after May 21, 2007 are required to complete requirements different from those for students who matriculated before that date. The following designations appear in the "geBLC" column of the Timetable to help serve both groups of students.
"C" is used to indicate courses that count for degree credit in L&S:
"T" is relevant only to L&S students who matriculated before May 21, 2007 and who opt to continue under the pre-2007 requirements. For those students, "T" courses count for degree credit and, if available, breadth, in L&S as part of the 20 credits allowed outside L&S (20-credit rule).
Some courses have neither a C nor a T in the "C" column:
The UW-Madison Experience. In order to receive a degree from the College of Letters and Science, all students must earn a minimum of degree credits (30) in residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as they near completion of their degrees. Credit is "in residence" if it is earned for UW-Madison course work, including courses taken on study abroad programs administered by UW-Madison. (Courses that do not count as "in residence" include: UW-Extension and other transfer courses, AP credit, credit by examination, and retroactive credits.)
Senior Residence Rule. Students who have accumulated 90 credits must complete at least 30 more degree credits in residence before they may graduate.
A total of 120 degree credits is required for graduation, with a minimum 2.0 grade point average on all courses taken, whether or not each course is passed.
The quality of work requirements establish a minimum grade point average in four specific areas that must be met to receive a Letters and Science degree. In order to satisfy these requirements, the student must earn a minimum 2.0 grade point average on all courses carried at UW-Madison, whether passed or not, in these four areas:
Students who intend to complete a certificate program in Letters and Science are encouraged to meet with the certificate advisor to determine eligibility requirements that may apply. Admission to a Certificate Program requires completion of a Major/Certificate Declaration form, which must be signed by the advisor. Students who decide not to complete the program after being admitted should cancel the certificate declaration. Students are advised of the following details regarding certificate programs: