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Undergraduate Course Catalog 2010-2011

University Academic Requirements

« University Academic Requirements

To graduate from the University of New Hampshire, baccalaureate and associate in art students enrolling as first year students for academic year 2010-11 must fulfill four types of University requirements: writing, Discovery (core curriculum), degree, and major.

 

University Writing Requirement

http://www.unh.edu/writing/

As the cornerstone of any higher education, academic and disciplinary literacy is the concern of the entire faculty and the whole University curriculum. Understanding that literacy is a long-term development process, the University community is committed to the following goals for student writing and learning:

Writing Intensive Courses

All bachelor's degree candidates are required to complete four "writing intensive" courses, which must include English 401 (Freshman Composition) and three additional "writing intensive" courses, one of which must be in the student's major, and one of which must be at the 600-level or above. Specific courses that fulfill the writing requirement are listed at unhinfo.unh.edu/registrar/registration.html. Some courses have both writing intensive and non-writing intensive versions, such as HIST 405 and HIST 405W. In those cases, only the sections attached to the "W" courses will be writing intensive.

Please note that some cross-listed courses are also writing intensive. For the most current information on cross-listed courses, visit the Web site listed above.

 

Discovery Program (Core Curriculum Requirement)

When we discover what we had not before known, we experience wonder.  When Keats first read Homer, he felt "like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken."  The Discovery Program, like Homer to Keats, serves as the beginning of a great journey of learning and teaching that students and faculty take together. 

When we learn and teach in Discovery, we take four questions as our common ground: How do we know the world?  What questions and what tools shape our knowledge?  How do we determine what we value? How do our different perspectives--intellectual and personal--inform each other?

Professors in Discovery have a common mission: to help students from all departments and programs understand better the organization of knowledge in the modern world. Faculty are responsible not only to colleagues and students in their own disciplines, but also to others learning and teaching in the program from across the university's variegated intellectual terrain. 

Students, too, have a common mission: to claim their own educations with curiosity, open mindedness, and discipline. They are responsible for active and tangible engagement in the intellectual life of the University, in classrooms, on campus, and within the wider community. Students are partners in the learning process. Together, students and faculty seek to understand the world as it is and as it might be and to take their places as independent thinkers in the world they will help to shape.

The Discovery Program provides the intellectual framework for students in any major. It represents the faculty's collective belief in what constitutes and contributes to essential knowledge of the world.  Together, students and faculty attempt to understand fully and use ethically that knowledge, both in the present and as a reservoir from which to draw in the future.

Each course in the Discovery Program fulfills an obligation not only to its own field, but also to others. Individually, courses illuminate the disciplines and ask that students understand their foundational methods, tools, and questions.  Collectively, the Discovery Program aspires to help students recognize complexity and elegance in the relationships amongst the disciplines, to chart constellations of human knowledge.  Like Keats, we are “watchers of the skies.” 

"He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” Confucius.

A note to transfer students: The Discovery requirements described below pertain to first-year students entering for the 2010-2011 academic year ONLY. Students transferring to UNH for academic year 2010-11 must select the following link to read about their core curriculum requirements: Core Curriculum Requirements for 2010-11 Transfer Students

Discovery Program Requirements

Discovery Foundation Skills:

Discovery in the Disciplines: 

Students must take one course from each Discovery category at the 400 - 600 levels. Inquiry courses that carry Discovery category designations may be used to satisfy this requirement.

Discovery and Integrative Understanding:

One senior capstone experience, supervised and approved within the major. The capstone requirement may be satisfied through a course, created work or product, or some form of experiential learning. Departments may allow honors theses, mentored research projects, and other special student activities to substitute for designated department capstones.

The University Dialogue, focusing on grand challenges we face as a society, is an opportunity to engage in the intellectual life of the University.  Each year, the University engages a different theme, presented through experiences in and outside the classroom.  It is not a course and does not require registration.  

Additional Information 

Discovery Program requirements shall not be waived on the basis of special examinations or placement tests, except for the College Board Advanced Placement tests and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.

The required courses cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. No single course may be counted in more than one Discovery discipline category. Academic departments may or may not permit Discovery courses to count toward requirements for a major. All Discovery courses carry 3-4 credits.

Click here
to see the courses that fulfill each component of the Discovery Program requirements, also linked below. Any course appearing in this list will fulfill a Discovery Program requirement if taken after September 1, 2010. The most current list of Discovery courses is included below. Please note that this list is a work in progress and therefore may be incomplete; the most accurate listing is found on the Registrar's Office homepage.

Discovery Program courses

Writing Skills (WS)
ENGL 401 

Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
+ADM 403
BIOL 528 
EREC 525 
HHS 540
MATH 420, 424A, 424B, 425, 439
PHIL 412 
PSYC 402 
SOC 502                                                           

Inquiry (INQ)

The complete list of Inquiry courses can be found on the Registrar's Office web site. Click here to open the list in PDF.

Biological Science (BS)
ANSC 401 (DLAB)                                                                                                                                 
ANTH 415 (DLAB)      
BIOL 411 (DLAB), 412 (DLAB), 413 (DLAB),414 (DLAB), 420 (DLAB)
BMS 407, 444A (DLAB), 501 (DLAB), 507 (DLAB), 508 (DLAB)                                            
BSCI 405 (DLAB), 406 (DLAB), 421, 422, 431 (DLAB)
ECE 444 (DLAB) 
HMP 501 (DLAB)                                       
KIN 527 (DLAB), 607 
NR 410 (DLAB), 433 (DLAB), 444E
NUTR 400 (DLAB)                                               
OT 513 (DLAB)
PBIO 400 (DLAB), 412 (DLAB), 421 (DLAB)
ZOOL 401 (DLAB), 412 (DLAB), 444, 444A 

Physical Science (PS)
CHE 410
CHEM 403 (DLAB), 404 (DLAB), 405 (DLAB), 409, 444, 444A, 444B  
ESCI 401 (DLAB), 402 (DLAB), 405, 409 (DLAB), 420, 444, 501 (DLAB)
GEOG 473 (DLAB), 572
MS 401
NR 504 (DLAB)
PHYS 401 (DLAB), 402 (DLAB), 405, 406 (DLAB), 407 (DLAB), 408 (DLAB), 409 (DLAB), 444A                                                                               

Fine & Performing Arts (FPA)
ARTS 444, 444A, 480, 487, 532, 574                                          
CA 444, 502
HUMA 510A, 511A, 512A, 513A, 514A, 515A 
ITAL 525 
LLC 444D
MUSI 401, 402, 444, 511
PHIL 421
THDA 435,436, 438, 440, 442, 444, 444A, 459, 462, 463, 583

Historical Perspectives (HP)
AMST 444D                                                                            
ANSC 444
BMS 444B 
CLAS 405, 406, 444C, 550, 560 
FS 444                          
HIST 405, 406, 410, 421, 422, 435, 436, 444, 444A, 444B, 444C, 444D, 444E, 444F, 483, 506, 511, 521, 522, 532, 565, 579
HUMA 510C, 511C, 512C, 513C, 514C, 515C
ITAL 681A, 682A
KIN 444B, 561
LLC 540  
POLT 403
+PS 501, 503 
PSYC 571 
RS 483 
RUSS 525 
SW 525 
WS 444A, 444C

Humanities (HUMA)
AMST 444A, 444B, 444E, 501, 502                                        
ANSC 444B                                                                          
CLAS 401, 421, 422, 444, 444A, 444B, 520, 530
CMN 444, 456
CSL 406
+ECN 444                                                                                                                                           
ECS 550
ENGL 403, 444D, 444E, 444G, 444J, 444K, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 533, 550, 555
HUMA 401, +411, +412, 444, 444A, 444B, 500, 510D, 511D, 512D, 513D, 514D, 515D, 519 
ITAL 521, 522, 681B, 682B
LLC 444, 444C, 444E, 444F
PHIL 401, 430, 436, 444A
POLT 401, 444A, 524                                                                               
+PS 504
RMP 511
WS 405

Social Science 
ADMN 444
ANSC 405
ANTH 412
CEP 415
CLAS 506 
CMN 455, 457
CSL 401
+ECN 411, 412
ECON 401, 402, 444
EDUC 444, 444A, 444B
ENGL 405, 444B, 444F
EREC 411 
FS 444A, 525, 545
GEOG 581, 582
HHS 444 
HMP 401
+INTR 438 
KIN   444A, 444C                                                                               
LING 405, 444B, 444F
NUTR 405 
POLT 402, 512, 560
+PS 502, 505
PSYC 401, 444A 
RMP 444A, 490 
SOC 400, 444, 540
SW 444, 550
WS 401, 444, 444B

World Cultures (WC)
ANTH 411, 500, 501
CHIN 425,503,504
COMM 525
ENGL 581
EREC 444
FREN 503, 504, 525, 526
GEOG 401, 402, 550 
GERM 503, 504, 525
GREK 503, 504, 505, 506
HIST 425, 563
HMP 444A
HUMA 510B, 511B, 512B, 513B, 514B, 515B
ITAL 425, 503, 504
JPN 425, 503, 5504
LATN 503, 504
LLC 444A, 444B, 503, 504
POLT 550 
RUSS 425, 503, 504 
SPAN 503, 504, 525, 526     

Environment, Tech & Society (ETS)
ANSC 444A
ARTS 552
BIOL 520, 444A, 544
BMS 650
BSCI 422
CIE 402, 444
CIS 405, 411                                 
CS 401, 444
DS 444
ENE 520
HMP 444A 
JUST 405
MGT 444 
NR 415, 435, 444B, 444C, 444D, 502
NURS 450 
OT 444                                                                        
PBIO 405                                                                                                           
PHIL 424, 435, 444, 447, 450 
PHYS 444, 444B                                          
POLT 444 
SOC 444A, 565 
WS 444D   

+ = UNHM
(DLAB) = Discovery

Degree Requirements

Requirements in this catalog apply to students who enter the University between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. (Students who entered the University at an earlier time but who wish to change to the requirements of this catalog must apply to the appropriate office for the change.) Students will be held responsible for all work required for graduation and for the scheduling of all necessary courses. Students are each provided one free copy of the catalog that is in effect at the time of their entry to the University. They are expected to keep that copy for the duration of their time at the University. Any other copies must be purchased, and availability cannot be guaranteed.

Modifications tend to occur in major programs during the period of students’ undergraduate careers. Students are expected to conform to these changes insofar as they do not represent substantive alterations in their course of study.

Note: Although the University will try to provide sufficient facilities so that students may pursue any major or curriculum for which they meet the requirements, such a privilege cannot be guaranteed, since rapidly increasing enrollment sometimes results in the overcrowding of required specialized courses. On occasion, students may remain in a crowded curriculum if they are willing to take certain courses during the summer session.

Majors, Minors, and Options

Majors and some interdisciplinary minors are described under their various schools and colleges; other interdisciplinary and intercollege minors are described in the section on Special University Programs.

Grades

Grading and honors policies as stated in this catalog apply to all undergraduate students.

Instructors assign grades as listed below; grade points per credit are indicated in parentheses. For all undergraduate courses, grading standards established by the Academic Senate are that a C indicates competent, acceptable performance and learning; B indicates superior performance and learning; and A indicates excellent performance and learning. These standards apply to all undergraduate courses, instructors, departments, subjects, and colleges. The University reserves the right to modify grading and honors practices.

A (4.0) Excellent
A- (3.67) Intermediate grade
B+ (3.33) Intermediate grade
B (3.0) Superior
B- (2.67) Intermediate grade
C+ (2.33) Intermediate grade
C (2.0) Satisfactory, competent
C- (1.67) Intermediate grade
D+ (1.33) Intermediate grade
D (1.0) Marginal grade
D- (0.67) Intermediate grade
F (0.0) Failure - Academic performance so deficient in quality as to be unacceptable for credit.

AF (0.00) - Administrative F (usually indicates student stopped attending without dropping the course); is included in grade-point average.

CR - Credit: given in specific courses having no letter grades, designated credit/fail.

P - Passing grade in a course taken under the student pass/fail grading alternative.

W Withdrawal - Assigned if withdrawal is later than fifth Friday of classes (but not after midsemester); is not included in grade-point average.

WP - Withdrawal: assigned if withdrawal is after mid-semester and if student is passing; is not included in grade-point average.

WF - Withdrawal: assigned if withdrawal is after mid-semester and if student is failing; is included in grade-point average.

AU - Audit: no credit earned.

IC - Grade report notation for student's incomplete coursework.

IA - Indicates "incomplete" in a thesis or continuing course of more than one semester; the grade earned will replace "IA" assigned in previous semesters.

IX - Grade not reported by instructor.

Students earning a semester or cumulative grade-point average less than 2.00 are placed on "academic warning."

Pass/Fail
While earning a bachelor's degree, students may choose the pass/fail grading alternative for a maximum of 4 credits per semester up to a total of 16 credits toward the degree.

Pass/fail cannot be used for Discovery requirements, for writing intensive courses, for courses required by a student’s major or second major, for option or minor requirements, for ENGL 401, or for repeated courses. In addition, B.A., B.F.A., and B.M. degree candidates may not use pass/fail for courses taken to meet the foreign language requirement, and no Whittemore School course may be taken on a pass/fail basis by a student majoring in administration, economics, or hospitality management.

The minimum passing grade for credit is a D- (0.67); any grade below this minimum is a fail. All grades will be recorded on the grade roster as A, B, C, D, F, or intermediate grades. The pass/fail marks will be placed on students’ transcripts and grade reports by the Registrar’s Office. The course will not be included in the grade-point calculation, but the pass or fail will be recorded, and in the case of a pass, the course credits will be counted toward degree requirements. Associate in Arts students, see the University of New Hampshire at Manchester.

Honors
An undergraduate degree student, after completion of at least 12 graded credits in University of New Hampshire courses, is designated as an honor student for a given semester if the student has a) completed at least 12 graded credits for that semester and earned at least a 3.20 semester grade-point average; or b) earned at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and at least a 3.20 semester grade-point average regardless of the number of graded credits that semester.

These categories are used: 3.20 to 3.49 (honors); 3.50 to 3.69 (high honors); and 3.70 to 4.00 (highest honors).

Bachelor's degree candidates who have earned honors for their entire work at the University will be graduated with honors based on the final cumulative grade-point average, provided that a minimum of 64 graded credits have been completed in University of New Hampshire courses. The Latin equivalent of the honors classification will appear on the student's academic record and diploma. The student's honors classification will be noted in the commencement program.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is a core value at the University of New Hampshire. The members of its academic community both require and expect one another to conduct themselves with integrity. This means that each member will adhere to the principles and rules of the University and pursue academic work in a straightforward and truthful manner, free from deception or fraud. The academic policy can be found in the annual publication Student Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities.