DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
THE TRINITY CURRICULUM
Trinity University offers undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music degrees, with majors in 26 departments and programs. Students are thus offered a wide variety of options, broadened further by the great number of individual choices open to them in fulfilling the requirements of their chosen degree programs. At the same time, the University is fundamentally committed to ensuring that all Trinity undergraduate degrees represent the broad and solid base of general learning with an underlying commitment to responsible participation in human affairs, which is called a liberal education.
The Trinity Curriculum has three components. The first is called the Common Curriculum because it provides the foundation in the liberal arts and sciences of all the bachelor’s degrees awarded by the University. Through it, all students are introduced to the common life of learning, reflection, and discussion in which they are expected to share during their University years.
A second component of the Trinity Curriculum is the major. This component provides for in-depth study of a field of specialization. The requirements for each major are found in this bulletin in the departmental listings. Students may elect multiple disciplinary majors and/or construct a second, interdisciplinary major in consultation with their major advisors.
The third component of the Trinity Curriculum, the elective courses, enables the student to pursue other personal interests, to explore new areas of learning, or to pursue a minor or a second major.
To receive an undergraduate degree a student must:
Complete at least 124 semester hours (129 semester hours for a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science; 132 for a Bachelor of Music, Major in Choral or Instrumental Music, or 141 semester hours for a Bachelor of Music, Major in Performance or Composition). At least 60 hours must be taken outside the major.
Complete the Common Curriculum.
Complete at least one major.
Complete 30 upper-division hours.
Earn a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in both the major and the entire program of study.
Satisfy the residency requirement. (See “Residency Requirement” in this section.)
To become eligible for a second, and different, bachelor’s degree, a student must earn a minimum of 30 additional semester hours of work in residence beyond the requirements for one degree, 18 of which must be upper division. He/she must also complete courses necessary to meet the specified requirements for the second degree and major. In all the additional courses the student must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Two undergraduate degrees can be awarded simultaneously to the same person. However, the two degrees must be of different types, such as a B.A. and a B.S.
A student who completes the requirements for two majors without earning the additional credit required for a second degree will receive a single degree with a double major.
Information Literacy at Trinity University
Information literacy is the ability to gather, critically evaluate, and use information creatively and ethically. During their academic careers, Trinity students will receive systematic guidance and practical experience in order to prepare them for the knowledge economy of the twenty-first century. Students will learn to access information efficiently and to use it critically and competently. A systematic and coherent education in information literacy teaches students to understand the information cycle, be aware of search tools and strategies across disciplines, and to use the major resources in their majors.
Student Responsibility
This Bulletin is designed to assist the student and academic advisor in planning and scheduling a degree program. Each student at Trinity University should keep in mind, however, that he or she alone is ultimately responsible for understanding and fulfilling all degree requirements.
THE COMMON CURRICULUM
The Purpose of the Curriculum
The Common Curriculum reflects Trinity’s commitment to the liberal arts and sciences. The Curriculum is meant to establish for each Trinity student a basis for understanding the varied domains of human knowledge and experience. The Curriculum also includes skills necessary for active, critical, and creative participation in the academic life of the University. Paramount among those skills are the abilities to think creatively and critically, and to express such thinking effectively both orally and in writing. Together, those understandings and skills are necessary for the personal, lifelong quest for understanding of oneself and one’s place in the world, and the serious commitment to respond to the opportunities and needs of society and self, which are true marks of a liberally educated person. The Common Curriculum consists of the following:
I. The First-Year Seminar and Writing Workshop
A. The First-Year Seminar (FYS)
Every new student must enroll in a First-Year Seminar (GNED 1300 or GNED 1301) in the first year at Trinity. Major primary works in any of the fields traditionally included in the liberal arts and sciences are assigned for study and discussion in the seminars, which serve both to induct the students into an intellectual discussion of substantive issues, and to enhance their speaking, writing, and bibliographic skills. A new transfer student with 26 semester hours of transfer credit or whose high school graduation date is a year or more prior to his or her matriculation at Trinity is exempted from the First-Year Seminar requirements. The total number of hours required for any Trinity degree shall not be reduced by an exemption from the First-Year Seminar.
B. The Writing Workshop
The Writing Workshop addresses itself to the refinement and enhancement of skills in critical reading, analysis, judgment, and written composition, making sure that students are proficient in the use of these essential tools early in their academic careers.
With few exceptions, first-year students will enroll, during their first year at Trinity, in a section of the Writing Workshop. The exceptions are: (1) students who have a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement Test in English Language and Composition, or the Advanced Placement Test in English Literature and Composition; or (2) students who transfer an equivalent course from another institution.
C. Four Options for Fulfilling these Requirements
1. First-Year Seminar and Writing Workshop in consecutive semesters with separate topics/foci.
2. Conjoined sections of First-Year Seminar and Writing Workshop under a single topic with multiple sections, each section earning six hours of academic credit (for example, HUMA 1600).
3. First-Year Seminar under a single topic with multiple sections and a consecutive, non‑aligned section of Writing Workshop (for example, the First-Year Seminar in Science and Religion in the fall/Writing Workshop in the spring).
4. Individual sections of First-Year Seminar conjoined with individual sections of Writing Workshop in a given semester – fall or spring.
II. Foreign Language, Computer, and Mathematical Skills
Given the importance of skill in the use of foreign languages, of proficiency in the use of computers, and of an understanding of mathematical reasoning for contemporary liberally educated graduates, the Common Curriculum sets these standards. Students are encouraged to go beyond the minimum in all these areas.
A. Foreign Languages
Study of a foreign language is an essential part of a liberal arts education. Students are encouraged to continue their study of a foreign language and to study new languages. The University requires two years of a foreign language (either ancient or modern) for admission. To graduate from Trinity, students must reach a minimum level of competence corresponding to that attained after successful completion of the first semester of the second year of college foreign language study (courses number “2301”). Students can fulfill this graduation requirement by:
• Successfully completing a third-semester (intermediate) language course or higher at Trinity University, or receiving transfer credit for such a course
• Successfully completing an approved intermediate language course while studying abroad for at least one semester in a non-English speaking country
• Receiving an acceptable score on the Advanced Placement (AP) Test, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam, or the SAT II Language Exam
• Taking the third year of a single language in high school and receiving a B or better in the final semester of the last year
• Passing a language placement exam offered by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or the Department of Classical Studies
B. Computer Skills
Students must be able to use computers to collect, organize, analyze and communicate information in an academic environment. We expect that all students add to their computing skills at Trinity. During orientation their first year, students will take an examination to determine if they have competency in the following skills: (1) Introduction to Computing (hardware, software, files and formats); (2) Computers and Text (the uses of word processing software); (3) Computers and Numbers (quantitative analysis using spreadsheet software); (4) Computers and Information Retrieval (structuring and retrieving data using database software); (5) Computers and Graphics (visualizing and illustrating ideas using graphics software); (6) Computer Communications (using Local Area Networks, electronic mail and the Internet; and (7) Computer Ethics (issues of privacy and the legal use of software and data). Students who do not pass the test must fulfill this requirement by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year by completing an approved course built around these criteria which includes both instruction in, and hands-on use of computers and computer network resources.
C. Mathematics
The University requires completion of three years of college preparatory mathematics, including either trigonometry or pre-calculus for admission as a first-year student. Further development of the quantitative ability of all students is required as part of Understanding Quantitative Reasoning.
III. Fitness Education
Students should possess sufficient knowledge, understanding, and skill to enable them to make intelligent decisions relating to health and fitness through life. This requirement may be satisfied by:
1. having participated in a sport or fitness activity at the varsity or club level; or
2. the successful completion of any approved sport or fitness activity numbered PHED 11--.
IV. The Senior Experience
A senior experience offers Trinity students various ways to reflect on and unify their four years at Trinity while moving toward their post-baccalaureate goals. The manner in which the senior experience requirement may be satisfied is determined by each individual department or program offering a major. Students must complete the senior experience in the manner specified by their chosen major(s). Students with more than one major may have to complete the senior experience in different ways for each declared major.
Departments and programs may offer one or more of the following options to majors in order to satisfy the senior experience (not all options are accepted by all departments or programs):
1. Senior Thesis (as defined by individual departments)
2. Major Capstone course (as defined by individual departments)
3. Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar (GNED 4300)
4. Senior Synthesis (GNED 4301)
Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar (GNED 4300)
The purpose of the Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar is to encourage students to reflect upon the whole of their education at Trinity, including the major and the Common Curriculum. Courses in the Senior Seminar are interdisciplinary in nature.
Senior Synthesis (GNED 4301)
A senior synthesis may take the form of a substantive paper or project in which the student makes connections among courses in the five Understandings.
V. The Understandings
• Understanding Cultural Heritage
• Understanding the Arts and Literature
• Understanding Human Social Interaction
• Understanding Quantitative Reasoning
• Understanding Natural Science and Technology
The Common Curriculum is designed to involve all students in learning in these fundamental areas, which represent the essentials of a liberal arts education. The courses will, where appropriate, include the development and demonstration of writing and speaking skills.
In order to ensure breadth in the Common Curriculum, the following restrictions apply:
1) A student may take no more than seven hours in a single department to satisfy these requirements.
2) In no case may a student apply a single course to satisfy more than one of the Understandings.
3) Should a given course be certified as meeting the criteria of more than one of the Understandings, students taking that course for Common Curriculum purposes must decide, in consultation with their advisors, the Understanding to which it will actually apply.
4) Neither the First-Year Seminar nor the Writing Workshop may be used to meet the requirements of any of the Understandings.
The Understandings
Understanding Cultural Heritage
Understanding the traditions that underlie the world’s cultures. Three courses, at least one from each of the following two categories:
• Traditions Indigenous to Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and Oceania
• Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian Traditions through the Early Modern Period
(9 hours)
Rationale:
The primary emphasis in these courses is on cultural character, how societies have defined themselves through their beliefs and customs and how these definitions have changed through time and from culture to culture. Text-based courses in the Understandings analyze documents in order to illuminate larger historical and cultural processes. To encourage students to enlarge their horizons in both time and space, the Understanding is subdivided between traditional “western” cultures and “non-western” cultures, and includes courses that concentrate on the past. Since most Trinity students are already immersed in contemporary western culture, this Understanding requires students to have an understanding of at least one culture indigenous to Africa, Asia, or the Americas, and to have an understanding of the formation of western culture from the ancient Greeks through the early modern period. The goal of this Understanding is to encourage the development of a historically-informed, critical understanding of various cultural traditions.
Criteria:
Traditions Indigenous to Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and Oceania
• Courses emphasize the cultural traditions indigenous to Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, or Oceania.
• Courses emphasize larger historical and cultural processes, with an emphasis on cultural character.
Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian Traditions through the Early Modern Period
• Courses address the foundations of Western culture, from the ancient Greeks through the early modern period.
• Courses emphasize larger historical and cultural processes, with an emphasis on cultural character.
Understanding the Arts and Literature
Understanding the arts and literature as principal ways of expressing and enriching the human spirit, approached through involvement with artistic creation, performance, and theories of production and critique; and with the critical analysis of literary texts. Three courses, at least one from each of the following categories:
• Visual Arts, Music, Performance, and Aesthetic Production
• Literary Studies
(9 hours)
Rationale:
This Understanding reflects the fundamental importance of the arts and literature to a liberal arts education. The courses in this category approach the arts and literature from multiple perspectives. The first subdivision, “Visual Arts, Music, Performance, and Aesthetic Production,” emphasizes the production of art as well as theories of production, performance, and historical/cultural analysis. The second subdivision, “Literary Studies,” emphasizes the analysis of literary texts in a range of historical/cultural and rhetorical contexts. The goal of courses in both subdivisions is for students to cultivate contextual awareness, intellectual independence, and creative insight through a process of aesthetic engagement.
Criteria:
Visual Arts, Music, Performance, and Aesthetic Production
Courses emphasize at least one of the following:
• close study of art work in a range of contexts
• theories and techniques of aesthetic production and performance
• active participation in aesthetic production and performance
Literary Studies
Courses emphasize at least one of the following:
• close study of the literary text in a range of contexts
• theories and techniques of literature and literary production
Understanding Human Social Interaction
Understanding the behavior of individuals and groups within social, historical, and institutional contexts, focusing on the ways in which the social sciences and humanities seek to understand human behavior and social cultures, and providing an in-depth investigation of significant social issues and cultural values that help shape individual and social choice. Three courses are required to satisfy this Understanding:
• Approaches to the Social Sciences (2 courses)
• Social Issues and Values (1 course)
(9 hours)
Rationale:
This Understanding addresses the broad range of human behavior, along with its causes and consequences. The goals of this Understanding are (1) to explain the behavior of humans in their capacity as individuals as well as social agents through the theoretical and methodological approaches of social sciences disciplines; and (2) to reflect upon formation of cultural values and their complex interplay with human choices and actions.
Criteria:
Approaches to the Social Sciences
• Courses utilize at least one of the basic theoretical, analytical, or methodological approaches of one of the social sciences; and
• Courses impart the substantive character of its discipline, elucidating the selected approach or approaches within the broader context of the chosen discipline.
Social Issues and Values
Courses emphasize at least one of the following:
• Ways of comparing, critically assessing, and choosing social values
• Application of values to human choice, social issues, and/or society itself
• Application of the methods of at least one of the social sciences in understanding a significant social issue or institution
Understanding Quantitative Reasoning
Understanding mathematics, symbolic abstraction, and quantitative analysis as modes of cognition and tools in problem solving. (1 course, 3 hours)
Rationale:
This Understanding introduces students to methods of thought and language indispensable to a liberal education, to enlightened citizenship in an increasingly technological age, and to understanding of scientific and social phenomena. The goals of this Understanding are (1) to give students an appreciation of the cognitive power of quantitative methods and their applications; (2) to provide them with a framework for problem solving; and (3) to endow them with tools to organize and interpret information and to make informed decisions.
Criteria:
• Courses explore complex problems mathematically and teach problem solving within a structured mathematical framework.
• Courses include symbolic formulation and analysis.
• Courses interpret quantitative results and strive for the understanding of the mathematical apparatus.
Understanding Natural Science and Technology
Understanding the foundations and methods of the natural sciences and technology. Understanding ways that natural science and technology impact humans, society, and the environment. Two courses are required to fulfill this Understanding. One course must focus on the fundamentals of a natural science, and one course must actively involve the student in using scientific methods to explore physical or biological phenomena or technology. One of the two courses may fulfill both the natural science and use of scientific methods requirements. (2 courses, at least 6 hours)
Rationale:
This Understanding addresses the need of all students to understand the implications and benefits of science and technology, along with an appreciation of the potential and the limits of science and technology to address societal needs. The goal of the courses in this category is to promote greater literacy in science and technology by teaching students to understand the fundamental nature of science, the methods and results of the natural sciences, the methodologies of science and technology, and the relationship between science and technology.
Criteria:
All courses study the methods and results of the scientific study of the natural universe or the methods and results of applied science, engineering, and technology. Courses may also focus on the impacts of science and technology on humans, society, and our world. These impacts may include ethical, environmental, social, or philosophical issues. Courses satisfying the natural science and using scientific methods requirements must also meet the following additional criteria:
Natural Science
• Courses relate scientific results and methods to phenomena in the natural universe. These phenomena include physical, biological, chemical, and geological processes.
• Courses use the theories, results, and methods concerning one or more of these classes of phenomena.
Using Scientific Methods
• These courses actively involve the student in using scientific methods to study physical or biological phenomena or technology.
• Activities should include understanding the design of experiments, acquisition of data, analysis of data, drawing conclusions, and the testing of conclusions.
• These activities may be integrated in the course or may take place in a coupled laboratory course.
THE MAJOR
The candidate for a baccalaureate degree must fulfill the requirements for a major in one of the departments or in one of the interdisciplinary majors listed in the Courses of Study Bulletin. Official admission to a major program occurs in the sophomore year, although the student may begin taking courses in the major department before official admission. A student may apply to major in two departments.
After students achieve sophomore standing and before achieving junior standing, they must apply for admission to the chair of the department in which they wish to major or to the chair of the committee administering the chosen interdepartmental major. Application forms for this purpose are available in the Office of the Registrar. When the student is accepted, a copy of this form showing acceptance by the chair should be filed with the Office of the Registrar, a copy given to the student, and a third copy retained in the departmental office.
Students may be accepted without conditions or accepted on a provisional basis for one semester. Provisional status, if imposed, should be noted on the application forms. At the end of the provisional semester, the chair will notify the student and the Office of the Registrar of the final decision of the department.
Students denied acceptance for a major and unable to achieve approval in another major area must withdraw from the University.
A student who must withdraw from the University because he/she cannot achieve approval in a major may appeal the denial of acceptance for a major to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. The student must make the appeal in writing within ten days of the decision to deny his or her acceptance to a major, stating reasons for the appeal and explaining any extenuating circumstances. If the student is not satisfied with the Vice President’s decision, he or she may appeal to the President of the University.
INTERDISCIPLINARY SECOND MAJOR
Students may create their own second major. This interdisciplinary major is designed and pursued in close conjunction with faculty in the relevant departments and approved in advance by the beginning of the junior year by the interdisciplinary second major program (ISMP) council on individually designed majors. It is the responsibility of the student to select the courses that will make up his or her interdisciplinary second major and to demonstrate that these courses construct a rigorous and comprehensive learning path not possible under a currently existing major.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM:
TRINITY UNIVERSITY’S INTENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Students may earn credit for intensive academic experiences that take place outside of the normal classroom environment, and outside the conventional academic schedule. Examples include, but are not limited to, research projects, field trips, theater productions, and travel for musical performance or language study. They involve close guidance, supervision, or collaboration with individual faculty who organize and administer the courses. For policies governing these courses, consult the “Proposal to Create a Beyond the Classroom Experience” on the University Curriculum Council web page: http:// www.trinity.edu/departments/academic_affairs/aahome/Curriculum/curriculum.htm.
THE MINOR
A minor consists of at least 18 semester hours, no fewer than nine of which must be taken at Trinity, and no fewer than nine of which must be upper division. (Exception: for the requirements for a minor in French, German, Russian, or Spanish, see the Modern Languages and Literatures section of this bulletin; for the requirements for a minor in Greek or Latin, see the Classical Studies section.) Consult the appropriate departmental section of this bulletin for specific courses required for each minor. Courses counted toward a minor may not be taken Pass/Fail unless the course is offered exclusively on a Pass/Fail basis. A minor is not required for the completion of any Trinity degree.
GRADUATION WITH HONORS
Departmental/Major Honors
Students who have maintained their scholastic standing on high levels and who complete a thesis supervised by a faculty member in the department of the major may be candidates for Departmental Honors. Not all departments offer the opportunity for Departmental Honors; consult the course listings of the individual department or program in this Courses of Study Bulletin.
The minimum requirements qualifying a student for Departmental Honors include a 3.33 grade-point average, both cumulatively and in the major. Individual departments may require a higher grade-point average in departmental courses, but not a higher overall grade-point average.
In addition to the grade-point requirements, a minimum of 6 hours of thesis credit must be acquired during the last three semesters before graduation. This curricular option, entitled Thesis, may also be available to students who are not candidates for Departmental Honors. In all cases the thesis provides students with the opportunity for independent scholarly, scientific, or artistic work. Students may enroll for thesis credit only with the permission of the instructor who will be the advisor. Grounds for faculty decisions may include faculty load, appropriate expertise to guide the particular project, and the willingness of the faculty member to serve as advisor.
In anticipation of completion of the 6 hours of Thesis and the grade-point requirements, the student may become a candidate for Departmental Honors by addressing a written request for consideration to the chair of the department. The request must be received no later than the end of the first full week of the student’s final semester at Trinity.
Additional requirements for candidacy vary according to the department but minimally include the oral and written presentation of the thesis to a committee of no fewer than two members of the faculty: the advisor and a reader with appropriate expertise in the area of the thesis. Based on the quality of these presentations, the committee makes the recommendation to award Departmental Honors to the department chair. If the award is made by the department, copies of the thesis are submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs. Students have three options for depositing their theses with the University, and each student should discuss these options with their thesis advisor. The first option is the submission of the thesis in electronic format for deposit in the Trinity Digital Commons. It will be accessible through the Internet to anyone and indexed by search engines like Google. For those who would prefer that their theses not be viewable outside the Trinity campus, there are two other options. (This may be a concern, for instance, if the student intends to submit the thesis for publication to a journal which considers digital archiving to be “previous publication.”) One is for the library staff to add the thesis to the Digital Commons but restrict its viewing to campus computers only, thereby treating the thesis as a traditional library print copy. Only the thesis title and abstract will be available to Internet users off-campus. The final option is to submit a traditional print thesis. The costs of binding will be paid by the student. The student can provide the University with two bound copies of the thesis. The award will be indicated by a designation of Departmental Honors on the student’s transcript. If the award of honors is denied, the thesis will be considered for non-honors thesis credit.
University Honors
Students who have maintained their scholastic standing on high levels will graduate with Honors. Students acquiring a grade-point average of 3.875 will receive their degrees summa cum laude; students acquiring a grade point average of 3.750 will receive their degrees magna cum laude; and students acquiring a grade-point average of 3.500 will receive their degrees cum laude. The grade-point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted and the average is not rounded. Honors will be determined on the basis of four years of undergraduate work, 60 semester hours of which must be taken at Trinity University. Students transferring from other institutions will be required to submit all of their grades, but the average grade for the purpose of determining honors shall not exceed the average of their work taken at Trinity University. (Exception: Grades earned in approved Study Abroad programs are not included in the calculation for graduation with Honors.)
PHI BETA KAPPA
Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, founded in 1776, elects students with broad cultural interests and scholastic achievement. The Epsilon of Texas Chapter at Trinity University, installed in 1974, is one of 270 chapters at distinguished colleges and universities in the United States. Selection of student members, or members-in-course, is generally made in the student’s senior year, although a few juniors (usually three or four) are elected each year. The names of those elected are announced prior to graduation in the spring semester. Students do not apply for election to Phi Beta Kappa; the Chapter screens student records.
Criteria for election to Phi Beta Kappa are determined by the Chapter under the guidelines of the national organization. To be eligible for election, the student must satisfy certain minimum criteria:
1. Candidates pursuing a single major in Business Administration or a Bachelor of Music degree are not eligible. Those pursuing a single Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Music ARE eligible.
2. Candidates must have completed a minimum of 60 hours of primarily liberal arts course work at Trinity by graduation.
3. Candidates must have completed at least one three-hour course in Mathematics at the level of calculus or higher. Pass/Fail work is not accepted.
4. Candidates must have completed at least one course in a foreign language at the intermediate level or higher. Pass/Fail work is not accepted.
Criteria 3 and 4 are not satisfied by high school experience. Advanced Placement credit is accepted. Those who are eligible, based on the above minimum standards, are ranked on the basis of grade point average. Those who do not meet the minimum criteria may be nominated for membership by individual members of the chapter.
Contact the Office of Academic Affairs for further information.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
At least 60 semester hours, including the last 30, must be earned in residence to complete a baccalaureate degree. At least 15 semester hours of the major must be earned in residence and at least 12 of those hours must be upper division.
Exceptions for study abroad: Students with 60 or more semester hours earned at Trinity who wish to enroll in an approved study abroad program in their senior year may be exempted from the last 30 hours-in-residence requirement. Students who transfer to Trinity with 50 or more credit hours may count up to 15 semester hours of approved study abroad credit toward the 60-hour residency requirement. These same exceptions apply to special semester domestic programs approved by the Office of Study Abroad.
PREPROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Trinity University offers preprofessional programs in health professions and law. Many of the professions require or recommend the completion of a liberal arts degree before the student begins his or her specialized work. Variations in programs can be arranged to meet individual needs. Students who plan graduate work are urged to make early selection of the graduate or professional school in order to meet the entrance requirements of the chosen institutions. Current catalogs of graduate and professional schools are on file in the reference section of the library.
Trinity University provides individual guidance for students who plan to enter professional schools. Students are invited to contact the chair of the appropriate committee.
Health Professions Advisory Committee
The Health Professions Advisory Committee develops the programs of preparatory work in the professions of medicine, dentistry, and certain allied health fields. Dr. James Shinkle is the chair of the committee, and Dr. Jonathan King serves as associate chair.
The Health Professions Advisory Committee establishes the policies and procedures for students who plan to enter the medically oriented professional schools. Applications to medical, dental, and veterinary schools should be made through the office of the executive officer of the Health Professions Advisory Committee. Almost all medical, dental, and allied health schools require that applications be made through the Health Professions Advisory Committee. Students indicating preprofessional interests in medicine or related fields will be assigned to a faculty member familiar with health professions curricula starting with the first advisement.
Though medical schools and medically related professional schools do not require their entering students to have majors in any particular fields, they do have specific entrance requirements and great care is exercised by the committee in advising preprofessional students. For example, Texas State Medical Schools list the following prerequisites: one year of college English; one-half year of college calculus; two years of biology; one year of general and one year of organic chemistry; and one year of physics.
The science courses (biology, chemistry, physics) must be those designed for science majors and must include laboratory work. A premedical or predental student should plan on taking two of these courses per semester for one or two years of college, often beginning in the first year. All of the prerequisite science courses are usually completed in six semesters. It is also recommended that mathematics and English be taken the first year. It may be possible to waive some of these courses if competency can be established on the basis of previous work; however, this should be done only after consultation with the student’s premedical advisor. Documentation of work completed or competence achieved is required by the medical schools.
Prelaw Advisory Committee
The Prelaw Advisory Committee provides individual guidance and counseling for Trinity students who plan to enter law schools. Students currently enrolled at Trinity who become interested in applying to law schools late in their academic careers can request an appointment with the committee member closest to their major for review of their academic achievements. Dr. John R. Hermann is the chair of the committee.
Law schools do not usually require specific courses as prerequisites to application. Therefore, advisors will recommend courses that they consider useful for success in law school and law-related careers in light of each student’s particular academic background.
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN MINISTRY
The University Chaplain, Reverend Stephen Nickle, supports a program of exploration, guidance, and counsel for Trinity students who are interested in careers in ministry. The program is one of vocational clarification tailored to the needs and questions of individual students. It consists of exercises in faith development, participation in initiatives in ministry, reflection on interactions with congregations, and accessing national resources for students intrigued by such professions.
Seminaries and rabbinic schools do not usually require specific courses as prerequisites to application. Therefore, the Chaplain will discuss disciplines that will prepare students for success in ministerial education and careers in light of each student’s particular academic background.
AWARDING OF DEGREES
Upon the recommendation of the faculty and the approval of the Board of Trustees, Trinity University confers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music. (For graduate degrees, see the section on Graduate Studies.) Only those candidates who have fulfilled all scholastic requirements for a degree and who have met their financial obligations to the University will be recommended for the degree.
APPLICATION FOR A DEGREE
A candidate for an undergraduate degree must file an application for the degree in the Office of the Registrar. Dates are specified in the University calendar as deadlines for applying for degrees. Candidates for degrees at winter commencement must apply by the last class day in April; candidates for spring commencement must apply by the first day of classes in December; and candidates for summer graduation must apply by the last day in June.
Candidacy for a degree is not complete until all financial obligations are met. A degree candidate must be registered in the semester or summer term in which the degree will be awarded. If the student is not registered for credit or for study abroad, the student will register for SPCL 4099. There will be a nominal fee of $10 for registration for SPCL 4099. Registration for SPCL 4099 will be considered as less than one-fourth time for purposes of registration certification.
A degree candidate must be present for commencement exercises unless he/she submits a written request for permission to graduate in absentia to the Registrar at least two weeks prior to commencement.
BULLETIN REQUIREMENTS
A candidate for an undergraduate degree must meet the requirements as outlined in the Courses of Study Bulletin for the year of his/her first enrollment at Trinity University or any subsequent bulletin under which work is taken. In all cases, however, a candidate must complete work for his/her degree within a period of seven years from the date of the bulletin selected. The degree requirements with which a candidate complies must come from a single bulletin and in no case is it permissible to meet a combination of requirements from two or more bulletins.
MUSIC ENSEMBLES
Ensembles may be repeated for credit but no more than 8 semester hours credit (all ensembles combined) may be applied to a degree.
INTERPRETATION OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The interpretation of all degree requirements is the responsibility of the Office of Academic Affairs and the Registrar. Problems related to degree requirements should be referred to the Registrar, the faculty advisor, or the department chair. For exceptions to policy in academic matters, students should consult with the Office of Academic Affairs; new students and other students without a declared major may consult the Office of Academic Affairs.