Degrees and Requirements

Degrees

The College confers two undergraduate degrees:  All majors in the College of Liberal Arts lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The fully online program in Organizational Leadership leads to a Bachelor of Science degree.

Graduation Requirements

To receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in the College of Liberal Arts, a student must complete the following requirements:

  • A minimum of 120 semester hours of course credits.  The last 30 hours must be taken at the University
  • Bridges Common Learning Experience Curriculum
  • University Writing Enrichment requirement
  • College General Requirements, as described in the following section
  • Major program (see departmental listings)
  • Minor program (see departmental or interdisciplinary listings)
  • An overall minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 both in the major and in the minor
    Removal of I and F grades both in the major department and in required courses
  • Online submission of application for the degree before the deadline published in the current University calendar.  No student is considered a degree candidate prior to submission of this form.

College General Requirements

Bachelor of Arts

Humanities - 21 credits representing at least 5 of the following departments:

  • Catholic Studies
  • Communication & Rhetorical Studies
  • English, including Theater Arts
  • Health Care Ethics
  • History, Public History, Art History, Classics
  • Media
  • Modern Languages
  • Philosophy
  • Theology

Social and Quantitative Sciences - 9 credits representing at least 3 of the following departments:

  • Economics
  • Internations Relations
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Bachelor of Science

Humanities and/or Social Sciences - 15 credits representing 5 Liberal Arts departments.

Courses taken in major or minor programs may also be used to satisfy the College General Requirements.

Academic Policies

Effective Catalog

The material contained herein is subject to change from time to time and this publication cannot be considered an agreement or contract between individual students and the College. The McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts reserves the right to alter or amend the terms, conditions and requirements, and to eliminate programs or courses as necessary. Once enrolled, students should consult on a regular basis with their Student Success Coach and (if applicable) Faculty Mentor for specific information regarding academic policies pertaining to their respective programs.

Academic Load

While a 12-credit schedule in a regular semester is considered the minimum for full-time study, students normally carry five courses (15-17 credits) in one semester. Students on academic probation may not take more than 15 credits.

Academic loads for non-native speakers of English enrolled in degree programs are based on the university’s English language proficiency requirements in consultation with Duquesne University’s Global English Institute.

Graduate Courses for Undergraduate Credit

Qualified seniors may register in graduate courses at the 500-level for undergraduate credit with the approval of the department in which the course is being offered.  A maximum of six graduate credits may be applied toward the undergraduate degree. 600-level courses and above are not open to undergraduate students.

Limits on Inter-School Electives

A maximum of 12 credits in courses outside of the College of Liberal Arts may be applied to the B.A. or B.S. degree, except for those students who choose to complete an inter-school program or joint degree program.

Major and Minor in Same Department

Typically, students may not major and minor in the same department. Students should consult with the department for any exceptions. 

Transfer Credits from Junior or Community Colleges

The College will transfer a maximum of 60 academically acceptable credits from accredited junior or community colleges.

Transfer Credits toward the Major

A minimum of 18 semester hours in the major must be taken in residence at Duquesne University.  However, individual departments may require a greater number of major credit hours taken in residence.  After a student has declared a major in the College, any course the student wishes to take at another institution to fulfill a major requirement must have the major department's prior approval.