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Well over a century ago, Carleton started promising its students a "liberal and thorough" education. That goal is embodied still in the College's requirements for graduation, which are designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines, as well as to allow them to concentrate on a major subject.

Graduation Requirements

To receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton, a student must earn at least 210 credits and a cumulative grade average of C (2.0) or better.

A good liberal arts education requires not only rigor and depth, but also sufficient breadth to expose students to a wide range of subjects and methods of studying them. The college seeks to insure that its students study one field in depth by requiring a major. It encourages students to acquaint themselves with the major divisions of knowledge and modes of inquiry by requiring them to complete a designated number of credits with grades of S or C- or better from each of four broad categories of courses known as distribution areas.

Students must also fulfill a writing requirement and a Recognition and Affirmation of Difference requirement, demonstrate proficiency in a second language, complete four terms of physical education, and complete a major and an integrative exercise within the major.

Finally, students must spend six academic terms in residence at Carleton, including their senior year (last three academic terms), and earn at least 108 credits while enrolled at Carleton.

Distribution Requirements

Arts and Literature (AL)-12 credits: Courses in this group are intended to develop students' creative potential in the arts and/or to enhance their sensitivity to artistic expression. This requirement can be fulfilled with designated courses in Art and Art History, Dance, English, Media Studies, Music, Theater, Classical and Modern Literature.

Humanities (HU)-12 credits: These courses are primarily concerned with an encompassing analysis of the human condition and the foundations of different cultural or intellectual traditions. This requirement may be fulfilled with designated courses in History, Philosophy, and Religion.

Social Sciences (SS)-18 credits: The social sciences attempt to combine the formal and empirical methods of the natural sciences with a recognition that human beings are characterized by an inner intellectual and emotional life as well as externally observable regularities of behavior. This requirement can be fulfilled in designated courses in Economics, Educational Studies, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology.

Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MS)-18 credits: The goal of this requirement is to acquaint students with mathematical analysis and different modes of scientific inquiry involved in our understanding of the physical universe. This requirement can be fulfilled with designated courses in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics and Computer Science, and specific Psychology courses.

Writing Requirement: The ability to write well is particularly important in college, not only as a means of demonstrating mastery of material, but as part of the process of coming to that mastery. For many people, writing well is a life-long learning process. As students develop greater understanding of themselves, the world, and language, they become more adept at expressing precisely, and perhaps eloquently, what they have in mind. The Carleton Writing Requirement is meant to be a checkpoint on that journey, not the final destination. It is a measure of progress and assurance that Carleton students are on the right path, and that with continued learning, they will develop into fully competent writers by graduation.

To guide students as they begin to work on writing at the college level, the College has developed some general criteria for good writing at Carleton. Although individual assignments, genres, or disciplines may place more or less emphasis on each criterion, faculty agree that student writing should feature the following:

1. The rhetorical strategy should be appropriate for the audience and purpose.

2. If argument is a part of the rhetorical strategy, it should contain a thesis and develop that thesis with coherence, logic, and evidence.

3. Whatever the purpose, writing should be as clear, concise, and interesting as possible.

4. Narration, description, and reporting should contribute to analysis and synthesis. The parts of a paper should lead to a greater, connected whole.

5. Writing should be edited to address surface error, including irregularities in grammar, syntax, diction, and punctuation.

Students entering Carleton Fall 2001 and subsequent terms are required to 1) pass a Carleton designated writing requirement course (WR) with a C- or better and 2) complete a writing portfolio to be reviewed by faculty after the third term, and no later than the sixth term. Students with a score of "5" on the College Board’s AP English examination are only required to complete the writing portfolio.

Language Requirement: The goal of Carleton's language requirement is the learning of a second language in addition to one's native tongue. The process of learning a second language is in itself a valuable expansion of a person's perception of the world and one's understanding of English. Good literary and cultural texts can be excellent teaching tools both for developing linguistic skills and for stimulating student interest.

The four basic language skills for most modern languages (reading, speaking, aural comprehension, and writing) are mutually reinforcing as well as individually valuable, although the emphasis will vary among different language sections and individual teaching styles. In the college academic context, however, reading comprehension remains the single most important part of the language requirement for most languages. In special cases, students' strengths (in speaking, for instance) might make up for weaknesses in reading and writing, and vice versa.

Study of a second language is an essential part of a student's preparation in the liberal arts. The requirement aims to assure that students will acquire a usable level of competence in a second language. This competence is demonstrated either (a) through satisfactory completion of a fourth-level language course (fifth-level in Japanese or Chinese) or (b) through acceptable performance on a standardized or departmentally designed examination. Fluent speakers of second languages, may ask to be tested for fulfillment of the requirement or, in the case of languages not offered at Carleton, may ask that testing be arranged. Students whose native language is other than English may fulfill this requirement by demonstrating competence in their native language, as well as English.

Entering students may fulfill the requirement by satisfactory performance on a College Board Advanced Placement or Achievement test, or on another placement examination most appropriate for the particular language. Students who have not taken such a test before entering the college should take the language placement examination during their first week at Carleton. Students beginning their study of language, as well as those who need more study to complete the requirement, should enroll in language in their first year.

Students who complete language courses equivalent to courses 101 through 204 (205 in Chinese/Japanese) at domestic post-secondary institutions after being enrolled at Carleton may take the appropriate placement or proficiency examinations to gain advanced standing or exemption. Credit toward the degree is typically not awarded, however. These examinations are normally given each term.

Language study at Carleton aims at far more than the satisfaction of the requirement. Students are encouraged to increase their proficiency through advanced courses and study abroad and to apply their language skills in their academic work in other areas. With this foundation, language will enrich their studies at Carleton and enable graduates to become contributing members of the multi-cultural world.

Recognition and Affirmation of Difference Requirement (RAD): One six-credit course. Carleton College values cultural diversity in its faculty, its students and its curriculum. Because we live in a multi-cultural world, we seek to educate students to recognize and appreciate the many ways in which each of us is shaped by gender, sexual orientation, class, race, culture, religion, and ethnicity. This requires more than just exposure to cultural differences; it requires that we examine such differences critically, being attentive to the special challenges that each of us faces in understanding those whose lives are shaped by cultures other than our own. It is hoped that such reflection will afford each of us a critical perspective on the cultures with which we are most familiar and help us to appreciate the elements common to human beings across all cultures. Even if no single course can fully satisfy these goals, we hope that the RAD course will serve as a foundation for ongoing exploration of difference. Accordingly, RAD courses 1) are centrally concerned with issues and/or theories of gender, sexual orientation, class, race, culture, religion, or ethnicity as these may be found anywhere in the world, and 2) require reflection on the challenges and benefits of dialogue across differences.

Physical Education: Four terms of Physical Education activity are to be taken by each student, preferably before senior year. The Physical Education program includes a variety of activity courses, designed to appeal to students. We believe that physical activity can contribute to students' health and well-being now and in the future.

A Major Field of Study: Carleton students choose a major during the third term of their sophomore year. The number of credits required of students in major fields varies by department. Grades earned in required courses in the major department must be "C-" or better. Successful completion of an "integrative exercise" (see below), typically during the senior year, is also a requisite for graduation. With the permission of the Academic Standing Committee, double majors are allowed.

Special Majors: A student seeking a major not offered in the College’s established curriculum may propose a self-designed Special Major for approval by the Academic Standing Committee. All special majors involve close consultation with two faculty advisors. Students are expected to petition for special majors during the 6th term of their academic career. For additional information, see one of the Associate Deans of Students.

Integrative Exercises vary from department to department. Intended to help students relate the subjects they have studied in their major field, they sometimes take the form of comprehensive examinations covering the fundamentals of the discipline. In other departments, extensive research projects, papers or public lectures are required. A maximum of fifteen academic credits will be awarded for the integrative exercise. For more information, refer to the individual departmental listing or speak to the department chair.

Residence Requirements: Normally it takes four years to complete the work for graduation, of which at least six terms, including the senior year (last three academic terms), must be spent in residence at Carleton. Some exceptions to the senior residency rule may be given by the Academic Standing Committee

 

Maintained by Ann May
Last modified: Monday, 09-Sep-2002 13:07:05 CDT
by Mark F. Heiman, mheiman@carleton.edu