Graduation Requirements
To qualify for the degree of bachelor of arts, a candidate must meet specific requirements in residence, quantity, quality, distribution, major, and January Program. Only those seniors who have met all graduation requirements are eligible to participate in the commencement exercises. Students who, because of extreme extenuating circumstances, find themselves unable to graduate with their class, may appeal to the Administrative Committee of the College to allow them to march with their class and receive an empty diploma cover.

The following statements define the graduation requirements.

Residence Requirement
Candidates for the degree must earn in residence at least 60 credit hours. They must be resident students at Colby for at least four semesters, including the senior year. A resident student is defined as a full-time student taking at least 12 credit hours and paying tuition charges at the semester rate.

Unless taken as part of an established institutional exchange program, credits earned at another institution while a student is registered concurrently at Colby may not be applied toward graduation requirements.

Quantity Requirement (Credits)
For the classes of 2003 and 2004: a minimum of 120 credit hours earned in at least eight semesters of full-time college-level study. Among the 120 credit hours, up to 15 may be earned in courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, and up to 15 may be applied from field experience credits.

For the Class of 2005 and after: a minimum of 128 credit hours earned in at least eight semesters of full-time college-level study. Among the 128 credit hours, up to 15 may be earned in courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, and up to 15 may be applied from field experience credits.

Quality Requirement
At least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average. For each credit hour, a mark of:
A earns four points.
B earns three points.
C earns two points.
D earns one point.
Each plus mark earned is: .3 quality point per credit hour added.
Each minus mark is: .3 quality point per credit hour deducted.

Distribution Requirement
No part of any requirement can be satisfied with the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option or field experience credits.

English Composition: English 115 (Composition) is required.

Foreign Language: This requirement may be met in one of four ways:
(1) By attaining before entrance a score of 64 or higher on the SAT-II Subject Test in a foreign language or in the Colby language placement test taken during orientation or a score of 4 or 5 in Advanced Placement language or literature or 6 or 7 in an International Baccalaureate higher-level exam or 7 on a subsidiary exam. Refer to the section on placement in foreign languages in this catalogue for information concerning language placement tests at Colby.

(2) By successfully completing Colby's intensive language program in Salamanca, Spain, or Dijon, France. The Salamanca language program is available either fall or spring semester; the Dijon program is available in the fall semester only. These programs are open to first-year students, sophomores, and juniors.

(3) By successfully completing a sequence of modern or classical language courses terminating with a course numbered above 126 in a modern language or Greek 131 or Latin 131. Students will be placed in the sequence according to ability.

(4) By successfully completing a previously approved intermediate-level language course at an approved college or university (see "Transferred Credits").

Students who have studied a foreign language not taught at Colby may fulfill the requirement by presenting evidence of having successfully completed at an accredited institution the intermediate level of that language.

For students whose native language is not English, knowledge of that language will be recognized as fulfilling the requirement. For a language taught at Colby, confirmation from the chair of the appropriate department must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. For languages not taught at Colby, confirmation must be attained from International Student Services in the Dean of Students Office. Testing may be required.

Areas: Students are required to pass one three- or four-credit-hour course in each of Areas I, II, III, IV, and VI, and two courses in Area V. Normally, students will be expected to complete these requirements during their first three years. Course descriptions in the catalogue include a key to the appropriate area(s) met by specific courses.

Area I ARTS: Courses in the history, theory, and/or practice of the creative arts.

Area II HISTORICAL STUDIES: Courses that investigate human experience by focusing on the development of cultures and societies as they evolve through time.

Area III LITERATURE: Courses that focus on literary works of the imagination and/or written texts in which ideas and creative or aesthetic considerations play a crucial role.

Area IV QUANTITATIVE REASONING: Courses that focus on quantitative or analytic reasoning about formally defined abstract structures.

Area V NATURAL SCIENCES: Courses that focus on the understanding of natural phenomena through observation, systematic study, and/or theoretical analysis. At least one course taken to satisfy Area V must contain a substantial laboratory component.

Area VI SOCIAL SCIENCES: Courses that focus on theoretically and methodologically directed inquiry into various aspects of human behavior and interaction.

Diversity: Students are required to pass one course centrally concerned with how diversities among peoples have contributed to the richness of human experience. Courses that may be taken to fulfill the requirement are those that (a) focus on history, perspectives, or culture of non-Western peoples or on a culture whose origins lie outside of the European traditions; (b) focus on issues and/or theories of ethnicity, gender, or class as these may be found anywhere in the world; or (c) examine the nature, history, and workings of prejudice as experienced by any group. Courses meeting this requirement are identified in catalogue descriptions. A revision that would expand the Diversity requirement to two courses is currently under consideration. If approved, it would be in effect with the Class of 2007.

First-Year Supper Seminars/ Wellness Program: Students must attend dinner/lectures offered for all first-year students as part of the extended orientation called the First-Year Supper Seminars (FYSS). Starting in September 2002, these seminars will be a new requirement for all first-year students. A variety of topics that the College has identified as fundamental health concerns for the college years will be covered. The purpose of the program is to encourage and assist in the development of responsibility for one's own lifestyle through programs centered on mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual fitness. Meeting this requirement, which is certified by the Health Center, does not earn academic credit hours. In order to register for classes in their second year, all students must have attended five of seven dinner/lectures in the first year.

Members of the classes of 2003, 2004, and 2005 are required to complete the College's wellness requirement by watching approved wellness videos at the Health Center and by writing a response paper for each video.

Major Requirement
Each student must satisfy requirements of a major. Near the end of the first year, students are asked to make a declaration of intent regarding a major, either by electing a specific major or by filing an "Undeclared" statement. A major may be chosen in a single subject, in one of a number of designated combinations, or in an individually designed independent major. Students are encouraged to re-examine their choices of major during the sophomore year and are required to declare a major prior to electing courses for their junior year. The respective academic departments and programs specify the courses constituting a major; requirements are detailed in the section "Courses of Study."

With the consent of the departments or programs concerned, a student may change majors. Forms for officially effecting such change can be obtained from the Registrar's Office. A student may change majors at the end of the junior year if the equivalent of at least 12 credit hours, with a 2.00 average, has been earned in the new major. If, in the senior year, the average in courses completed toward the major falls below 2.00, the major requirement is not fulfilled, and the degree cannot be awarded.

Any student whose major average falls below 2.00 will be placed on probation by the Committee on Academic Standing. A student who fails to regain a 2.00 major average in the subsequent semester has lost the right to continue with that major. Each department or program designates the courses to be calculated toward retaining the major.

Majors Offered
Students may elect majors in the following disciplines:

Minors
In addition to a major, students may also elect a minor. A minor normally consists of five to seven courses and involves a coherent progression of courses including both introductory exposure to a field of knowledge and advanced work. A minor must include at least four courses taken in addition to courses taken to satisfy requirements for any major or other minor. Students must maintain a 2.00 average in the minor. Current minors are as follows:

Major/Minor Limits
A student may declare up to two majors and one minor or one major and two minors. All declarations must be properly approved and filed with the Registrar's Office. Requirements for majors, minors, and options are outlined in the section "Courses of Study."

Independent Majors
The option of an independent major is available to students whose academic interests do not match existing majors. A student may design an independent major and submit a detailed written proposal, prepared with the aid of one or two advisors who accept responsibility for the program throughout its course. Many such majors are interdisciplinary; in these cases, two advisors, from different departments, are required. The program must include a balance of lower- and upper-level courses normally totaling one third or more of the total credit hours required for graduation. Implementation requires the written approval of the Independent Study Committee; this approval must be obtained before the end of a student's sixth semester at Colby. Students pursuing independent majors must keep in touch with the committee, which must be notified about any changes in their program; substantial changes must be approved by the committee. The target date for independent major proposals is the 30th day of each semester. Inquiries about independent majors should be directed to the chair of the Independent Studies Committee.

January Program Requirement
The January Program, introduced in 1961-62, grew from a desire to extend to students a greater measure of academic responsibility. January is a period during which topics may be pursued single-mindedly, free from the competing demands of an orthodox curriculum. Selected courses, designated in the catalogue with "j," are offered during January; a student may elect one course in lieu of independent study. January courses are offered for two or three credit hours. No more than three credit hours may be earned in any January.

To be eligible for graduation, each student must complete three January Programs if in residence for seven or more semesters, or two if in residence for six or fewer semesters. Students enrolled in CBB programs in session during January must complete one January Program in addition to the program completed in their first year. First-year students are required to take January courses offered by the College and are given preference in 100-level programs. Upperclass students have the option of courses, independent study, or field experience.

Because the January Program assures most students considerable flexibility in the use of their time, it permits them to participate more fully in extracurricular activities in athletics, drama, music, and other fields. While students are encouraged to attend the lectures, seminars, concerts, and art exhibitions scheduled by the College, they are expected to spend 30 to 40 hours a week on their January Program topics.

January Program options are:
(1) Courses Offered for Credit. Some are created specifically for January; others, originally designed to be offered during semesters, may be modified for January. Such courses are graded in the same manner as semester courses, except that nongraded January courses will be marked credit or fail.

(2) Independent Study. This involves an academic project under the direct supervision of a Colby faculty member. Projects ordinarily involve the preparation of an extensive paper or other suitable indication of the student's independent research or artistic efforts. Two options exist for electing January independent study: (a) for course credit that can be applied toward graduation requirements, to be graded as in (1) above; and (b) for January Program credit only, to be graded honors, pass, or fail.

(3) Field Experience and/or Internships. These projects, open to upperclass students, are usually carried out away from the campus. Though students doing such projects do not work under the direct supervision of a faculty member, their programs require a faculty sponsor. Credits earned through field experience or internship are nongraded and may be applied toward the graduation requirements. Field experience and internships may be elected for January Program credit only, to be graded honors, pass, or fail.

(4) Noncredit Courses. These courses fulfill the January Program requirement, but students do not earn course credit that can be applied toward the credit hours required for graduation. These courses may be offered by experts in fields not included in the regular curriculum and will be graded honors, pass, or fail.

Other than the grades indicated above, marks of Abs (absent from final examination) or Inc (work otherwise incomplete) may be given only in cases in which the student has made an acceptable arrangement with the instructor. Grades of Abs and Inc must be made up within limits set by the instructor and not later than the second day following spring recess.

A full description of January courses is available on the Web, and students elect for January at that time. Changes in preregistration may be filed subsequently; however, students failing to register by the third day of the January Program will be considered to have failed the program for that year, with the failure to be noted on official transcripts. A student choosing not to do a January Program in any year must signify this decision during Web registration. Except under unusual circumstances, no more than one January Program may be taken each year. January Program options in field experience and internships must also be approved in advance by the field experience coordinator in the Career Services Office. Appropriate deadlines for the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option in January and for requesting approval for field experience or internship credit are established each year.

Requirement for Returning Students
For the classes of 2003 and 2004: A student returning to college after an absence must meet any new requirements for graduation if fewer than 61 Colby credit hours had been earned prior to the absence. If more than 60 credits had been earned, the student may elect to meet either the new requirements or those in effect at the time of initial enrollment.

For the Class of 2005 and after: A student returning to college after an absence must meet any new requirements for graduation if fewer than 65 Colby credit hours had been earned prior to the absence. If more than 64 credits had been earned, the student may elect to meet either the new requirements or those in effect at the time of initial enrollment.