Catalogue: Traditional Program:
REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREES
Belhaven University offers courses leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Art, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, or Bachelor of Social Work. In addition to earning a minimum of 124 semester hours credit (120 of which must be academic) and to maintaining an overall C average (2.00 GPA), as well as a C average in the major (2.00 GPA), a candidate for a bachelor’s degree from Belhaven University must complete basic course requirements, meet all departmental requirements for a major, meet the Belhaven University residence requirement, satisfy the chapel attendance policy, and submit an application for a degree completion audit and submit the application online.
Applications for degree completion audits must be made online (https://www.belhaven.edu/forms/graduation_application.asp) by the deadlines listed in the academic calendars at least eight months prior to anticipated degree completion. Failure to do so on schedule will result in a late fee assessment as listed in the special fee section. A delay in graduation date is also possible.
Residence Requirement
Belhaven University requires of all candidates for an undergraduate degree a minimum residence of one year. The last 31 semester hours of work must be earned in residence with the exception that students who have completed at least 90 hours at Belhaven University may request permission from the registrar to complete the final 12 hours required of their degree at another accredited senior college or university. Students who have completed at least 60 hours at Belhaven University may complete nine hours off campus; those with at least 31 hours at Belhaven University may complete six hours.
Second Degree Requirements
A student who wishes to obtain a second degree from Belhaven University must complete a minimum of 31 semester hours in addition to the 124 hours earned for the primary degree and must meet all the general education requirements for the second degree and the specific requirements for the second degree program. There must be at least 18 hours of unique requirements for each degree. Some departments may require more than 18 unique hours.
Majors
Requirements for majors are specifically stated before the course listings for each department in the section of this catalogue entitled Courses of Instruction. By the time students have earned 54 semester hours, they must complete a major selection form. The major selection form may be acquired from the college website. Students may double (multiple) major by meeting all the requirements of both (all) majors, provided they are the same degree. There must be at least 18 hours of unique requirements for each major. Some departments may require more than 18 unique hours. Students who plan to double major must discuss with both major department chairs whether an overlap of required courses will present a problem. Majors are listed below:
| Degrees | Majors | |
| Bachelor of Arts in Art: | Art | |
| Bachelor of Arts: | Biblical Studies and Ministries | International Studies |
| Classical Education Studies | Mathematics | |
| Communication | Philosophy | |
| Dance | Political Science | |
| English | Social Services | |
| History | Sports Ministry | |
| Humanities | Theatre | |
| Bachelor of Arts in Music: | Music | |
| Bachelor of Arts in Music Education: | Music | |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts: | Creative Writing | Dance |
| Graphic Design | ||
| Bachelor of Science: | Accounting | Elementary Education |
| Arts Administration | Mathematics | |
| Biology | Psychology | |
| Business Administration | Sports Administration | |
| Chemistry | Sports Medicine: Exercise Science | |
| Bachelor of Social Work: | Social Work | |
| Minors | Students at Belhaven University may elect to complete a minor from the following: | |
| Accounting | History | |
| Art | Management | |
| Biblical Studies | Marketing | |
| Biology | Mathematics | |
| Business Administration | Music | |
| Chemistry | Philosophy | |
| Christian Ministry | Political Science | |
| Communication | Psychology | |
| Creative Writing | Sociology | |
| Dance | Sports Administration | |
| Education (Secondary) | Sports Medicine: Exercise Science | |
| English | Sports Ministry | |
| Family Studies | Theatre | |
| Finance | ||
| Health and Physical Education | ||
A signed major selection form stating the minor must be turned in to the registrar's office to declare a minor. Students majoring in one discipline who are required to take course work in a cognate discipline may not apply this coursework toward a minor unless given special permission by the minor department chairman. Students taking a major and a minor that include overlapping courses may apply up to six credits from those courses toward meeting the course requirements of the minor.
Special Humanities Major
For those students who prefer to earn a degree that permits less specialization than is required in the traditional program, Belhaven University offers a bachelor's degree with area concentrations, rather than a single subject major. (See section for Humanities Degree.)
Progress Toward Degree
Students who have not completed a degree within six years of attendance at Belhaven University will continue their seventh year of study under a new catalogue.
General Education Goals
In keeping with its vision and mission, Belhaven University believes that high academic and scholarly goals are first realized through a foundation in general education that affirms the Lordship of Christ over all aspects of learning – scholarly and personal. The worldview curriculum, required of all entering freshmen, offers an integrated study of the great movements and ideas in history, literature, the fine arts, Bible, philosophy, and theology. Using history and the study of civilizations as a foundation, each piece of literature and art and historical event is implicated into a Christian worldview. Upon completing the two-year worldview curriculum, students learn the necessity of a Christian worldview to the understanding of history, literature, art and culture, personal spiritual growth, and the shaping of moral values, and to building prosperous communities and a healthy society.
The first year combines the topics of history, culture, literature, Christian perspectives, and MOSAIC into a whole that offers students the conceptual and practical foundations for successful college-level study. The second year builds upon the groundwork of the freshman year and culminates in a capstone course bringing a Christian worldview to bear upon today’s popular culture and media.
Freshmen students who completed high school requirements in the fall or spring semester just prior to entering Belhaven University or any transfer students are required to enroll in English composition courses until the core requirements of ENG 101 (Freshman English I) and ENG 102 (Freshman English II) are met. Students have until the end of their sophomore year to meet the core requirement of MAT 101 (College Algebra), MAT 102 (Plane Trigonometry), MAT 110 (Quantitative Reasoning), or MAT 207 (Calculus).
Although Old and New Testament Survey courses (BIB 220 and 221) are required, students majoring in one of the sciences, music, art, dance, or mathematics may postpone enrolling in those two courses until their sophomore year.
Transfer students who transfer 24 or more semester hours of college credit, earned following completion of high school requirements, will enter the alternate general education curriculum, which is intended to give a Christian perspective on the world of ideas and to form a broad base for a detailed study in a major discipline.
Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree
| Goal I: A mastery of one's own language in oral and written form | 6-11 hours |
| 1 ENG 101-102, or ENG 121 | 3 or 6 hours |
| SPE 102 or 105 | 3 hours |
| Freshman: WVC 116 | 2 hours |
| Goal II: A familiarity with the great literature of the world with a Christian perspective | 6-12 hours |
| Freshmen: WVC 121 and 123 | 6 hours |
| Sophomores: WVC 221 and 223. | 6 hours |
| Transfers | 6 hours |
| 2ENG 203 or ENG 204; and three hours of either British literature (ENG 201 or ENG 202) or American literature (ENG 205 or ENG 206) | |
| Goal III: A familiarity with a second language | 3-12 hours |
| 3Majors in English and creative writing - 12 hours of one foreign language. Majors in art, biblical studies, biology, chemistry, classical education studies, communication, dance, history, humanities, mathematics, music, music ministry, philosophy, political science, psychology, and theatre– six hours of one foreign language, the level to be determined by the student's competency at entrance. A familiarity with the culture of a major civilization – 3-6 hours Majors in accounting, arts administration, business administration, elementary education, social services, and sports applications (SAM, SME, and SMN) must take three hours of a culture course or six hours of one foreign language. |
|
| Goal IV: An understanding of science | 7 hours |
| 4BIO 105-106 and BIO 107 or BIO 108; or CHE 111-112 and CHE 113; or PHY 241-242 and PHY 243 or PHY 244 Elementary education and Music education majors and secondary education minors may use PHY 116 to satisfy three hours of the physical science requirement. Dance majors must take BIO 105,106, 107,108, and 230. Dance majors with a Natural Science ACT score of 25 or better (SAT composite score of 1300 or better) need only to take BIO 106, 108, and 230. (Total: 12 hours) |
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| Goal V: A knowledge of mathematical skills | 3-12 hours |
| MAT 101, 102, 110, or 207. MAT 110 (Quantitative Reasoning) is recommended for non-science majors. In addition to the core requirement above, BUS and ACC majors must take MAT 201; BIO majors must take MAT 102; CHE majors must take MAT 102, 207, 208; majors in elementary education must take nine hours of mathematics, which may include MAT 131-132. All other majors must take three hours. |
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| Goal VI: An understanding and historical perspective of the contemporary world | 9-12 hours |
| Freshmen: WVC 120 and 122 | 6 hours |
| Sophomores: WVC 220 and 222. | 6 hours |
| 5Transfers: HIS 107-108 and HIS 205 | 9 hours |
| Goal VII: A knowledge of Christian Scripture and an ability to integrate that knowledge with issues of daily life | 9-18 hours |
| BIB 220 and BIB 221 | 6 hours |
| Freshmen: WVC 120 and 122 | 6 hours |
| Sophomores: WVC 220 and 222 | 6hours |
| 6Transfers: WVC 301 | 3 hours within the first two semesters of transfer. |
| Goal VIII: An appreciation of humanity's artistic accomplishments | 3-12 hours |
| Freshmen: WVC 121 and 123 | 6 hours |
| Sophomores: WVC 221 and 223. | 6hours |
| Transfers: ART 215 or DAN 120 or MUS 120 or MUS 143-144 or THE 120 or PHI 275 (music majors) |
3 hours |
| Goal IX: An ability to apply the biblical vision of the Kingdom of God | 3 hours |
| WVC 401 |
Core courses listed above, courses required for the major, and electives must total a minimum of 124 semester hours.
Notes Concerning Degree Requirements1By completing the three-hour course, Advanced Freshman English (ENG 121), with a grade of C or higher, students will have met the degree requirements in Freshman English. If students pass ENG 121 with a grade lower than C, they must successfully complete ENG 101. Students failing ENG 121 must successfully complete ENG 101 and 102.
2A student who transfers to Belhaven and has already completed six hours of literature will have fulfilled the literature requirement, regardless of what type of literature was taken. A student who transfers to Belhaven and has completed only three hours of American or British literature will be required to take ENG 203 or ENG 204–world literature. A student who transfers to Belhaven and has completed only three hours of world literature will be required to take either ENG 201 or 202--British Literature--OR ENG 205 or 206--American Literature.
3While an institutional avowal of proficiency is a waiver of the foreign language requirement, no credit hours, grade or quality points will be awarded for this proficiency. Students seeking academic credit for language proficiency should schedule appropriate testing with the Foreign Language Department.
4Students who have transferred to Belhaven University with six hours of science (with or without a lab) will not be required to take a one-hour laboratory course at Belhaven. However, if the student has only completed three hours of science, the student will be required to take four hours of the same science at Belhaven (including a lab).
5Students who have transferred to Belhaven University with at least 30 hours will only be required to complete six (rather than nine) hours in history. However, one of these courses must be HIS 205. A student who transfers to Belhaven and has already completed six hours of history will not be required to take HIS 205, and the requirement for history will have been fulfilled. This is not dependent upon the number of hours that are transferred to Belhaven. However, all transfer education majors must complete a total of nine hours in the social sciences, including at least six hours in history.
6Students who have transferred to Belhaven University with at least 30 hours will be required to complete WVC 301 and either BIB 220 or BIB 221.
Course Enrollment RegulationsAll freshmen are required to enroll in ENG 101-102 or 121, WVC 116 (MOSAIC), and all of the worldview curriculum. These cannot be removed or dropped from registration. Biblical studies may be deferred to the sophomore year if it is necessary for the freshman to begin courses in a major. Freshmen are required to remain in the above courses throughout the year. The worldview curriculum is continued throughout the sophomore year for those who began as freshmen at Belhaven and is required as a course of study that must be finished in its entirety. The courses in the worldview curriculum are to be taken in sequence, and students who fail one of these will continue with the curriculum and retake the course, except for MOSAIC, when it is next offered.
All sophomores are strongly advised to enroll in biblical studies and foreign language (if applicable), but may, in certain instances, be permitted for the sophomore year only to delay enrollment in one or more of these areas. All students must have completed the core mathematics requirement and the ENG 102 core requirement prior to the first semester of the junior year. Students may elect to take a proficiency examination in language. If the results indicate a level of linguistic competence, the student will be placed in a language course commensurate with the results.
Regulations about biblical studies, English, and foreign language apply to degree-seeking students and do not apply to non-degree seeking special students, summer session students, or to students entering the second semester if the appropriate courses are not offered at that time. All students should select elective courses in an area outside their majors. The total number of hours in a major should not exceed nine semester hours more than what is already required for the degree.
Academic Plan
Academic plans for students are available on the Belhaven website. Students must keep their own records of their academic progress; ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student to see that he or she is registered for the correct courses for the degree he/she is pursuing.
