Dec 14, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

CLASS General Degree Information


Degree Requirements


The following are the minimum college requirements for a bachelor’s degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS).

  1. Satisfactory completion of at least 120 semester hours of acceptable credit.
    • Students sometimes may be able to use a single course to satisfy more than one degree requirement; however, a student may not “double count” such a course for purposes of satisfying the 120 semester hour requirement.
  2. Satisfactory completion of all university core curriculum requirement,
  3. Satisfactory completion of at least 30 semester hours of credit in residence at the University of Houston.
  4. Satisfactory completion of the last 30 semester hours of credit to be applied toward the degree in residence at the university; see the university policy for permitted exceptions.
  5. Satisfactory completion of at least 36 semester hours of credit in advanced courses (i.e. 3000- or 4000-level). Repeated advanced courses may not count towards this requirement.
  6. Satisfactory completion of at least 27 semester hours of credit in one major field of study.
  7. Satisfactory completion of at least 18 semester hours of advanced credit in one major field of study.
    • Students seeking teacher certification must fulfill specific requirements stated under Teacher Certification Program in the College of Education section of this catalog.
  8. Satisfactory completion of at least 15 semester hours of credit, at least 12 of which shall be advanced, in the major, in residence at the university.
  9. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 on all work attempted in residence at the university.
  10. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 on all coursework attempted in the major in residence, including:
    • all coursework attempted in the subject area of the major residence and
    • all University of Houston coursework outside the subject area of the major if approved by the department to meet major requirements.
  11. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 on all coursework attempted in the minor in residence including:
    • all coursework attempted in the subject area of the minor in residence and
    • all University of Houston coursework outside the subject area of the minor if approved by the department to meet minor requirements.

Course Limitations and Restrictions


  1. Courses designated as remedial courses, such as ENGL 1300 , MATH 1300 , or READ 1300 , shall not apply toward the 120 hour semester requirement for any degree in CLASS.
  2. Students shall not apply credit for any TMTH (Technical Math) courses toward the core curriculum degree requirements for any degree in CLASS, unless the course was successfully completed while they were majors in the College of Technology.
  3. Students shall not apply more credit toward their degrees in CLASS than is indicated below for the following courses:
    1. No more than a combined total of 8 semester hours from DAN 1106, 1107, 1110, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1115, 1211, 1213, and DAN 1215 .
    2. No more than a combined total of 8 semester hours from MUSI 1100 , MUSI 1102 , MUSI 1103 , MUSI 1110 , MUSI 1120 , MUSI 1121 , and MUSI 1140 .
    3. No more than a combined total of 8 semester hours from THEA 1111  and THEA 1112 .
  4. Unless they are obtaining a minor or major in Kinesiology, students can count toward a degree in CLASS any KIN or PEB course with the following restrictions:
    1. No more than three semester hours in KIN or PEB 1 credit hour physical activity courses.
    2. No special problems courses in KIN or PEB.
  5. Courses numbered 6000 or higher are normally limited to graduate and postbaccalaureate students. Students may request permission from their department or college to enroll in these classes.
  6. CLASS students may use no more than 6 credit hours of Special Problems and/or Internship courses to satisfy any major requirements in CLASS, and no more than 6 credit hours to satisfy any minor requirements in CLASS.
  7. Manual verification is needed to ensure that no more than 6 credit hours of special problems/Internships are used towards either all CLASS major requirements or all CLASS minor requirements.

Bachelor of Arts Degree


In addition to meeting the general university and college degree requirements previously stated, candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in CLASS must complete the following college requirements, all of which may be satisfied either by course credit or credit by examination:

1. CLASS Block and Diversity Requirement


Satisfactory completion of nine additional semester credit hours, in any three different fields of study offered by departments, schools, and programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

-with the following restrictions-

  • Credit must be in a field of study outside the student’s major.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy any core curriculum requirement.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy the B.A. degree’s foreign language requirement.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy the B.S. degree’s natural science and formal science requirement.
  • One credit hour physical activity courses in KIN and PEB cannot be used towards this requirement.
  • Physical Education Basic Instruction (PEB) independent studies courses cannot be used towards this requirement.

One three-hour course within this nine-hour block must be selected from the list of approved Diversity coursework.

2. Foreign Language


Satisfactory completion of six semester hours of credit at the 2000-level or higher in one foreign language.

More information is available in the Bachelor of Arts Degree Special Requirements  section in this catalog.

3. Satisfactory completion of one of the following requirements:


  • a second bachelor’s degree.
  • a second major.
  • an approved minor.
  • a senior honors thesis.
  • Teacher Certification.
  • Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certificate Program (formerly American Humanics)
  • Global Studies and Research Certificate.

4. Major Requirements


Satisfactory completion of the stated requirements for the major.

Bachelor of Science Degree


In addition to meeting the general university and college degree requirements previously stated, candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in CLASS must complete the following college requirements, all of which may be satisfied either by course credit or credit by examination.

1. CLASS Block and Diversity Requirement


Satisfactory completion of nine additional semester credit hours, in any three different fields of study offered by departments, schools, and programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.     

-with the following restrictions-

  • Credit must be in a field of study outside the student’s major.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy any core curriculum requirement.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy the B.A. degree’s foreign language requirement.
  • Credit must be in addition to that used to satisfy the B.S. degree’s natural science and formal science requirement.
  • One credit hour physical activity courses in KIN and PEB cannot be used towards this requirement.
  • Physical Education Basic Instruction (PEB) independent studies courses cannot be used towards this requirement.

One three-hour course within this nine-hour block must be selected from the list of approved Diversity coursework.

2. Formal Sciences


Satisfactory completion of six semester hours of credit in the formal sciences (i.e., mathematics, computer science, formal logic, or statistics), at least three of which must be in mathematics, unless the student satisfied the core curriculum requirement in Mathematics/Reasoning with a course in mathematics. Courses used to satisfy this requirement shall be selected from either those in the Mathematics or Mathematics/Reasoning categories of the core curriculum or those that have as a prerequisite at least six hours of such core curriculum courses.

3. Natural Sciences


Satisfactory completion of at least two semester hours of credit in the natural sciences (i.e., biochemistry [BCHS], biology [BIOL], chemistry [CHEM], geology [GEOL], physics [PHYS]).

Laboratory courses may be used to satisfy this requirement.

4. Satisfactory completion of one of the following requirements:


  • a second bachelors degree.
  • a second major
  • an approved minor
  • a senior honors thesis.
  • Teacher Certification
  • Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certificate Program (formerly American Humanics)
  • Global Studies and Research Certificate.

5. Major Requirements


Satisfactory completion of the stated requirements for the major.

Advanced Degrees


The university offers several advanced degrees through CLASS. For more information about advanced degrees, refer to the appropriate department or the Graduate and Professional Studies catalog.