Undergraduate General Degree Requirements

The requirements for degrees described in this catalog are applicable to students currently enrolled. Although students have the right to complete requirements under their catalog of entry, students who change their programs of study must meet requirements that exist at the time they make the change, except that core curriculum requirements (Core IMPACTS / Wellness) completed before the change will satisfy similar core requirements. No student will be placed under undue penalty in meeting the requirements. The university reserves the right to change the degree requirements at any time, but no such change will be administered to cause a loss in credit for work already completed.

Each student is assigned an academic advisor. The faculty advisement system is designed to provide the student with effective academic advisement throughout enrollment at Columbus State University. Although academic advisors make every effort to inform students about course and degree requirements, the primary responsibility for meeting all degree requirements rests with the student.

General Education Learning Outcomes

IMPACTS Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems related to academic priorities at Columbus State University. 

• Students will apply mathematical and computational knowledge to interpret, evaluate, and communicate quantitative information using verbal, numerical, graphical, or symbolic forms. 

• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the United States, the history of Georgia, and the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia. 

• Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts or of works in the visual/performing arts. 

• Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions. 
• Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources. 
• Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience. 
• Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts. 

• Students will use the scientific method and laboratory procedures or mathematical and computational methods to analyze data, solve problems, and explain natural phenomena. 

• Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change. 

Wellness Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the wellness program, students will demonstrate the:

• Ability to understand principles related to the development and maintenance of wellness behaviors and life-long fitness;
• Ability to develop skills and to select practices and activities that contribute to lifetime health-enhancing behaviors;
• Ability to develop, to implement, to monitor, and to evaluate a personal fitness and wellness program.

General University Requirements

The following general requirements are applicable for all programs leading to an undergraduate degree:

• Core IMPACTS and Field of Study Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees - Transfer students who have completed any Core IMPACTS or Field of Study area at another University System of Georgia institution will have completed the same area at CSU if the student's major remains the same. Students who have received an associate degree from another University System of Georgia institution will have satisfied their Core IMPACTS and Field of Study requirements at CSU as long as the student's major remains the same.
• Credit Hour Requirements - A minimum of 123 semester credit hours for a baccalaureate degree or 63 semester credit hours for an associate degree. Baccalaureate degrees require 39 semester hours of upper division coursework (numbered 3000 or above).
• Grade Point Average Requirements - A minimum Columbus State University degree progress grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum combined Columbus State University and transfer college degree progress grade point average of 2.0.
• Legislative Requirements - An act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia requires that all candidates for degrees possess and demonstrate knowledge of U.S. History, Georgia History, U.S. Constitution, and Georgia Constitution. The following courses, when taken at Columbus State University, will satisfy the requirements.
• • U.S. History Requirement - HIST 2111 U. S. History to 1865 or HIST 2112 U. S. History since 1865
  • Georgia History Requirement - HIST 2111 U. S. History to 1865 or HIST 2112 U. S. History since 1865 or HIST 3105 History of Georgia
  • U.S. Constitution Requirement - POLS 1101 American Government
  • Georgia Constitution Requirement - POLS 1101 American Government or POLS 2201 State and Local Government

Note: Transfer credit for history and government courses may not satisfy the legislative requirements. Students who transfer credit that does not satisfy these requirements may take a proficiency examination or the courses listed above.

• Residency Requirements:
  • Baccalaureate - A minimum of 25% of credit hours must be earned at Columbus State University, of which 20 hours must be obtained at in the upper division level in the major.  CSU online courses can be used to meet the residency requirement.
  • Associate - A minimum of 25% of credit hours must be earned at Columbus State University in order to meet the residency requirement for an Associate degree.  CSU online courses can be used to meet the residency requirement.
• Wellness Requirement- For all degree programs, completion of wellness course requirements: PHED 1205 Concepts of Fitness or KINS 1106 Lifetime Wellness along with one PEDS activity course. Transfer students who have satisfied an established wellness requirement at another University System of Georgia institution will have satisfied the wellness requirement at CSU. Courses taken at other institutions for partial completion of the wellness requirement will be substituted for equivalent CSU courses.
  • Wellness Exemptions:
    • Students with at least 12 consecutive months of active military service.
    • Students 40 years of age or older. (Older students may take related courses, but must have medical clearance to participate in courses requiring moderate-intensity exercise).
    • Students with severe physical disabilities. (Medical verification should be obtained through the CSU Office of Center for Accommodation and Access).
• Bachelor of Arts Language Requirement - For the BA, the demonstration of proficiency in a foreign language by the satisfactory completion in a foreign language through at least the 2001 course or the equivalent. Students whose secondary education was conducted in a language other than English may be awarded up to nine semester hours of foreign language credit toward a BA degree. Students who think they may qualify for this credit should contact the chair of the Department of Modern & Classical Languages.

Additional Degree Policy

In order for a student to earn both an associate and baccalaureate degrees in the same discipline, all requirements for the associate degree must be satisfied at least two semesters before requirements for the baccalaureate degree are satisfied. Otherwise, only the baccalaureate degree will be awarded. Further, any student graduating from Columbus State University with a baccalaureate degree cannot concurrently receive an Associate of Science degree in general studies.

To earn an additional baccalaureate degree in a significantly different discipline (as determined by the dean of the college offering the degree sought), students must meet the following requirements:

• Have earned a baccalaureate degree at Columbus State University or at another accredited institution.
• Meet all major program requirements for the degree sought with a minimum of 36 semester hours of work taken at Columbus State University, of which 30 semester hours must be at the upper-division level, and a minimum degree progress grade point average of 2.0.
• Satisfy the U.S. and Georgia history and constitutions requirements if the prior degree is not from a University System of Georgia institution. Refer to General University Requirements for ways to satisfy these requirements.
• Satisfy Information Literacy Requirements.

To earn an additional associate degree in a significantly different discipline (as determined by the dean of the college offering the degree sought), students must meet the following requirements:

• Have earned an associate degree at Columbus State University or at another accredited institution.
• Meet all program requirements for the degree sought with a minimum of 21 semester credit hours of additional work in residence at Columbus State University and a minimum degree progress grade point average of 2.0.
• Satisfy the U.S. and Georgia history and constitutions requirements if the prior degree is not from a University System of Georgia institution. Refer to General University Requirements for ways to satisfy these requirements.

Students seeking two baccalaureate degrees or two associate degrees simultaneously must meet the above requirements for the additional degree. If the two disciplines are not significantly different, the student may seek a double major. Contact the Office of the Registrar for further information on double degrees and double majors.

Career Associate Degrees

Career associate degree programs include associate of applied science programs. These programs are designed to meet specific needs of students preparing for employment in specialized fields. Such programs require careful and continued counseling by an assigned academic advisor. Of the minimum 63 semester credit hours required for an associate degree, the career associate degree programs require at least 21 credit hours of general education course work and three semester credit hours of wellness courses or approved substitutions. Students must complete all degree requirements for this program before seeking a baccalaureate degree from Columbus State University.

First Year Experience Requirement

All full-time students with fewer than 30 hours of credit at the time they matriculate are required to complete a First Year Experience designed to introduce students to the culture and expectations of university academics. The First Year Experience can be satisfied by participation in a Freshman Learning Community or by successful completion of one of the following courses before earning 30 total hours of credit: FYRS 1105 First-Year Seminar,  ITDS 1779 Scholarship Across the Disciplines, LEAD 1705 Introduction to Servant Leadership, PERS 1506 Perspectives 1-hour, or PERS 1507 Perspectives 2-hour. For more information, please refer to First Year Experience.

Transfer Associate Degrees

The Associate of Science Transfer program is designed to facilitate transfer into baccalaureate degree programs. Consequently, the 60-63 semester credit hours transferred consists of 42 semester credit hours of Core IMPACTS coursework, 18 credit hours in the Field of Study area of study, and (if applicable) three semester credit hours of wellness courses. This program is limited to the Associate of Science in General Studies.

A special variation of this degree is available under the provisions of the Servicemen's Opportunity College Program. Columbus State University is a member of SOC and participates with the Associate of Science in General Studies. The variation in degree requirements for military personnel is the reduction in resident hours to 15 semester credit hours of work to be taken at Columbus State University.