How will the change affect those students who will be enrolled for only one, two, or three years of the new curriculum?

The new degree requirements will be implemented through a transition of both the general degree requirements and the total number of hours required for the degree. As the new curriculum is phased in, the number of credits required for the baccalaureate degree will change. That does not mean students will have to complete more courses than previous classes. Under the new system students will take the same number or fewer courses per year and earn more credit per course. Because the normal student load will be four four-credit courses each semester—or 32 credits per year (rather than 28 credit hours per year and 112 credit hours total)—the graduation requirements will be as follows:  

• Class of 2008 (entering Fall, 2004) 116
• Class of 2009 (entering Fall, 2005) 120
• Class of 2010 (entering Fall, 2006) 124
• Class of 2100 (entering Fall, 2007) 128

The requirements are based on the number of academic years the student is in attendance under the four-course system. Since students will earn an additional four credits per year, each year of attendance under the new curriculum adds an additional four credits to the requirement.

When will the change really take place?

The new curriculum and the new degree requirements will be fully in place in the Fall of 2007 and the Class of 2011 that enters that August will be the first to graduate with four full years of the new curriculum.

When will the Search/Life sequence change?

The entering class of 2006 will be the first class to begin the three course sequence even though the Foundations Curriculum will not be fully implemented until the Fall of 2007. The Class of 2009 (this year′s first-year students) will still be required to take the two 200-level courses in Search or Life.