The undergraduate instructional programs are supervised by the deans of the various colleges under the administration of the provost/vice president for academic affairs. Each dean is responsible for directing the guidance of students in the college, from initial registration to graduation. All students are assigned to advisers by the deans of their respective colleges.
Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees
To qualify for a degree, candidates may choose to meet the requirements of the current Bulletin or of any Bulletin in effect between the dates of their matriculation and graduation, provided that the period between such dates does not exceed six years and provided they were enrolled during the year of the Bulletin chosen. In the event students serve on active duty with the armed forces of the United States between the dates of their matriculation and graduation, the six-year limit will be extended one year for each year of active duty served, up to a maximum extension of four years.
Overlap Program
The Overlap Program permits qualified undergraduates to pursue a limited amount of graduate study concurrently with undergraduate study. Graduate courses taken in the program, however, are not applicable to the baccalaureate degree.
To be eligible for the Overlap Program, a student must be enrolled at SFA and must have achieved at least 95 semester hours of undergraduate credit. A student with fewer than 115 hours of undergraduate credit must present a 3.0 grade point average both overall and in the major field. A student with 115 hours or more of undergraduate credit, however, may be admitted to the Overlap Program by presenting a 2.5 grade point average overall and a 2.8 grade point average in the major field. Any student in the Overlap Program must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at the earliest possible date or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) before admission.
To be admitted to the Overlap Program a student should:
- apply to the Graduate School,
- complete an Overlap Application,
- obtain the recommendation of the major department, and
- obtain the recommendation of the appropriate academic dean.
For more information, see the current Graduate Bulletin.
Second Bachelor's Degree
A second bachelor's degree may be conferred upon the completion of a minimum of 42 additional semester hours of residence courses, at least 24 semester hours of which must be advanced, with at least a C average. The student must qualify for a new major and new minor and satisfy all other requirements of the second degree.
Degree Plan Requirements
Each student is held responsible for meeting the requirements of a degree program as outlined in the General Bulletin and by the major/minor advisers and dean.
Each student is encouraged to file an Official Degree Program as early as possible, but no later than the completion of 100 hours or at least two semesters prior to his/her anticipated date of graduation.
The appropriate adviser and the dean of the college in which a student is registered must approve any changes in a student's Official Degree Program in writing. If the degree program is planned to lead also to a teaching certificate, the dean of the College of Education must approve any change also.
Application for Degree & Final Graduation Plan
In the term preceding his/her last registration, a student must apply for a degree. The application process begins in the Office of the Registrar with a request for the preparation of a Final Graduation Plan.
A student enrolled in classes the semester or summer in which he/she expects his/her degree may not be certain of completing all requirements at the time of commencement exercises because grades have not been processed at that time. Students who have a reasonable possibility of completing degree requirements may apply for degrees and attend commencement exercises. The commencement program lists applicants or candidates for degrees. The appearance of a name in the commencement program and the fact of attending commencement exercises is no guarantee of receiving the degree. Diplomas will be mailed to those who are found to satisfy all requirements, and transcripts showing that the degree has been conferred will be available. Those who apply for a degree and pay the graduation fee for a given commencement and who are found to have not satisfied degree requirements must satisfy all requirements, reapply and pay graduation fees again.
Class Attendance & Excused Absences
Regular and punctual attendance is expected at all classes, laboratories and other activities for which a student is registered. For those classes where attendance is a factor in the course grade, the instructor shall make his/her policy known in writing at the beginning of each term and shall maintain an accurate record of attendance. Regardless of attendance, every student is responsible for course content and assignments.
It is university policy to excuse students from attendance for certain reasons. Among these are absences related to health, family emergencies and student participation in university-sponsored events. Students are responsible for providing documentation satisfactory to the instructor for each class missed. Students with acceptable excuses may be permitted to make up work for absences to a maximum of three weeks of a semester or one week of a summer term when the nature of the work missed permits.
In the case of absences caused by participation in University-sponsored events, announcement via mySFA by the provost/vice president for academic affairs will constitute an official excuse. Faculty members sponsoring the event should submit an e-mail attachment with a written explanation of the absence, including the date, time and an alphabetical listing of all students attending to the office of the provost/vice president for academic affairs for publication.
Grading System
The student's grades are determined by daily work, oral and written quizzes, and final examination. A grade of A indicates excellent; B, good; C, average; D, passing; F, failure; QF, quit failure; WH, incomplete or grade withheld; WF, withdrew failing; WP, withdrew passing. WP and WF are assigned only when a student has withdrawn from the university after the mid-term deadline or with special approval of the student's academic dean. No grade can be taken from the record unless put there by mistake. Specified courses are graded on a pass (P)/fail (F) system with no other grades awarded. A student who makes an F can get credit only by repeating the work.
A grade of A gives the student four grade points per semester hour; B, three grade points; C, two grade points; D, one grade point; and F, WH, WF and WP, no grade points. The semester hours undertaken in all courses-except some remedial courses, repeated courses and courses dropped with grades of W or WP-are counted in the individual grade point averages.
A grade of WF counts as hours attempted with 0 grade points earned in computing the grade point average. A grade of WP does not count as hours attempted in computing the grade point average.
Ordinarily a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH or the grade automatically becomes an F.
Repeating courses
An undergraduate student who desires to repeat courses in order to improve his/her grade point average at SFA must repeat those courses at SFA. The following rules apply:
- For any course that is repeated once at SFA, the higher of the two grades will be used to determine the GPA.
- If a course is repeated more than once at SFA, all grades earned for that course will be used to determine the GPA. Credit hours for courses taken at other institutions to replace credit hours earned at SFA may be used to meet graduation credit hour requirements, but grades from transferred courses will not change the GPA based on courses taken at SFA. Only grades earned at SFA will be used for calculating GPA.
- See course repeats section for additional charges associated with course repeats.
Grade Appeal
Good communication between faculty and students will make disputes between them infrequent, but if disagreements occur, it is university policy to provide a mechanism whereby a student may formally appeal faculty decisions. When a student uses the appeals procedure, all parties should endeavor to resolve the dispute amicably at as early a stage as possible and in compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies. The faculty member, after considering the outcome of the appeals process, shall retain complete academic freedom to make the final determination on the matter.
These steps are to be followed when making an academic complaint: All materials under consideration at each step will be forwarded to the appropriate parties at the next procedural level.
- In the event of course-related complaints or disputes, the student must first appeal to his/her instructor for a resolution to the matter and must do so within 30 days after the first class day of the next semester/session. Exceptions will be granted in which appeals may be considered after this time period given extenuating circumstances.
- If a complaint or dispute is not satisfactorily resolved, the student may appeal to the chair/director of the academic department in which the complaint or dispute is centered. If a formal complaint is to be registered, it should be made in writing stating the specific issues. The faculty member will respond with a written statement to the department chair.
- If the complaint or dispute is still unresolved after appeal to the chair/director, the student or faculty member may appeal in writing to the dean of the academic college in which the complaint or dispute is centered. The dean will notify the faculty member or student of the appeal.
- If a resolution of the matter is not reached, the student or the faculty member may appeal to the college council of the college in which the complaint or dispute is centered. The college council will evaluate the oral and written statements of the student and the faculty member. If the college council does not have at least one student member, the president of the Student Government Association will be asked by the dean to recommend no more than two student representatives to serve for each case. The college council will submit its recommendation to the dean of the academic college.
- If a resolution of the matter is not reached, the student or the faculty member may appeal in writing to the provost/vice president for academic affairs. The dean's written recommendation in addition to all previous materials will be submitted to the provost/vice president. The college council of the college in which the complaint or dispute is centered may serve as an advisory body to the provost/vice president who will make the final decision (regarding professional judgments) in the appeal process. The provost/vice president will evaluate all previous materials and any additional oral presentations from the student and faculty member.
- After making a decision, the provost/vice president will inform the student and all people involved in the appeal process of the final disposition of the matter within a reasonable period of time.
Steps for resolving student-initiated academic complaints:
- Instructor
- Department chair/director
- College dean
- College council and one or two students
- College dean
- Provost/vice president for academic affairs
Consult the SFA Web site at www.sfasu.edu/policies for Policy A-2, Academic Appeals by Students.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in multiple ways, including providing instruction on the components of academic honesty and abiding by university policy on penalties for cheating and plagiarism.
Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to:
- using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class;
- falsifying or inventing any information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or
- helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are:
- submitting an assignment as if it were one's own work when, in fact, it is at least partly the work of another;
- submitting a work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet source or another source; and
- incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one's paper without giving the author due credit.
A faculty member who has evidence and/or suspects that academic dishonesty has occurred shall gather all pertinent information, approach the student or students involved and initiate the procedure outlined in university Policy A-9.1. (Academic Integrity - www.sfasu.edu/policies).
After a determination of dishonesty, the faculty member shall notify the office of the dean of the student's major by submitting a Report of Academic Dishonesty form, along with supporting documentation as noted on the form. This report shall be made part of the student's record and shall remain on file with the dean's office for at least four years. The dean shall refer second or subsequent offenses to the University Committee on Academic Integrity established under policy A-9.1. The faculty member shall also inform the student of the appeals process available to all SFA students (Policy A-2 - Academic Appeals by Students).
Students who are found to have cheated/plagiarized and have withdrawn prior to the award of a grade will continue to have the determination of the infraction within their student records. This finding will be considered by the University Committee on Academic Integrity should the student commit future offenses.
A student who wishes to appeal decisions related to academic integrity follows procedures outlined in policy A-2. A student must appeal within 30 days of the beginning of the long semester following the incident. The student's grade may be withheld by the instructor pending resolution through the above procedures.
If the student wishes further appeal, he/she may apply to the provost/vice president for academic affairs for a hearing by the University Committee on Academic Integrity.
A student must accept the decision of the committee; however, the committee may not interfere in the faculty member's selection of a penalty for a confirmed instance of academic dishonesty. If the committee rules that the student did not commit academic dishonesty, the faculty member may not impose a penalty of any kind. The faculty member retains the right to assign student course grades without interference from the committee. When a student is found guilty of two or more infractions, the case will be referred to the University Committee on Academic Integrity. In addition, faculty members may request that the dean refer particularly serious cases (buying or selling papers, stealing an exam, significantly plagiarizing at the graduate level, etc.) directly to the University Committee on Academic Integrity. The committee also may function when a student has exhausted the normal appeals process and wishes to have an additional hearing.
Satisfactory Progress & Standing
As shown elsewhere in this publication, an undergraduate student enrolled for 12 or more semester hours of course work in a regular semester is considered full time. Satisfactory progress toward a degree for the full-time student, therefore, is the passing of 24 or more semester hours of course work a year. A part-time student likewise is considered making satisfactory progress toward a degree by passing course work undertaken in proportion to 24 or more semester hours a year.
Scholastic Probation & Suspension
To satisfy the minimum standards of the university, a student must achieve a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) on all hours attempted.
Good Standing
A student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in order to remain in good academic standing at the university.
Probation
A student is placed on academic probation after the first regular semester in which the grade point average fails to meet the minimum standard. Probation students whose semester grade point average is 2.0 or higher will be placed on "extended academic probation" until the cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or higher. Academic probation will continue until the student achieves good standing or is suspended from the university.
Suspension
A student is placed on academic suspension after a regular semester that immediately follows a semester of probation if the student's semester grade point average falls below 2.0.
Reinstatement
A student on academic suspension may be allowed to continue in the university through any of the following procedures:
- Following the student's first suspension, attend summer school at Stephen F. Austin State University and:
- raise his/her grade point average to the minimum university standard,
- pass with a C average or better at least nine semester credit hours as specified by his/her dean.
- Following the first suspension, the student is reinstated on probation automatically after one regular semester's absence from the university. Following the second or subsequent suspension, the student is reinstated on probation automatically after an absence from the university of two regular semesters. Summer terms are exempted from periods of academic suspension.
- Follow procedures established by his/her dean.
Change of Major
A student on probation or suspension may not change his/her major.
Withdrawal from the University
(Also see Refund of Tuition & Fees in Fees, Expenses & Financial Aid section of this Bulletin.)
Students who officially withdraw from the university will have a W recorded on the transcript if the withdrawal is prior to five days after mid-semester or mid-session as applicable. Students desiring to withdraw after these dates will receive grades of WP if passing or of WF if failing in their respective courses. Application for withdrawal must be initiated by the student in the Office of the Registrar.
Any student who ceases to attend classes without officially withdrawing is subject to grades of F or QF in all courses for which he/she is registered.
Any student who withdraws from or otherwise leaves the university without clearing his/her financial record, i.e., without having returned borrowed books and equipment, paid any outstanding university traffic fines and settled other financial matters with the university, will be subject to the following sanctions until such time that the record is cleared:
- The student will not be permitted to re-enroll.
- The student will not be eligible to receive an official transcript of academic work completed.
- The student will not be issued a diploma.
President's Honor Roll & Dean's List
Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students may be recognized on the President's Honor Roll or the Dean's List during the fall or spring semesters when the following requirements are met:
- Earn 12 or more quality semester hours with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 at Stephen F. Austin State University during either the fall or spring semester. Courses excluded from grade point computation also are excluded from quality hours and may not be used to determine Honor Roll status.
- Undergraduate students meeting the above requirements with a semester grade point average of 4.0 qualify for President's Honor Roll.
- Undergraduate students meeting the above requirements with a semester grade point average of 3.5 through 3.999 qualify for the Dean's List.
Graduation with Honors
A student receiving a baccalaureate degree with academic honors has completed a course of study with at least 54 semester hours of SFA residence course work excluding pass/fail hours and has an overall grade point average as follows:
- Summa Cum Laude: 3.8 to 4.0
- Magna Cum Laude: 3.6 to 3.79
- Cum Laude: 3.4 to 3.59
Advanced Placement & Credit By Examination
SFA offers several options for students to earn college credit through various placement programs and national examinations. Students can receive college credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the College Board, International Baccalaureate Program (IB) and SFA departmental examinations.
Policies Governing Credit by Examination & Advanced Placement
The following are university policies and procedures that apply to all credit awarded through any advanced placement or credit by examination program.
- Students pay a $10 fee for each locally administered advanced placement examination.
- Credit by examination may not be earned for:
- any course (or its equivalent) in which the student is currently officially enrolled at SFA beyond the 12th class day or
- any subject area in which the student has already earned credit for a more advanced course except by permission of the dean or
- any course for which the student has already received a grade.
- To earn credit for a locally administered examination, a student must make a score equivalent to at least a C. Departments may, however, require a grade equivalent of B or A.
- Credit by examination courses are identified on the transcript as such to distinguish them from classroom courses. They are recorded on the transcript as a credit (P) rather than a letter grade. Unsuccessful attempts to earn credit by examination are not recorded on the transcript.
- A student may receive credit for a maximum of 32 hours of course work in credit by examination programs. These hours do not count as credit earned in residence.
- Credit received by examination satisfies degree requirements in the same way as credit earned by passing courses. A student's cumulative GPA will not be affected by receiving credit by examination.
- Credit earned by examination does not apply to SFA residence requirement and does not satisfy requirements for the provisional program or Pathways.
- The CLEP or AP policy in effect at the time the test is taken will determine the credit awarded.
- Students may not attempt credit for a CLEP examination in which a failing grade has been earned at any educational institution for the course.
Advanced Placement Program
Students should specify SFA's code 6682 to have official test scores sent to the SFA Office of Admissions. The College Board's AP Office can be reached at (609) 771-7300 or (800) 225-5427. The following is a list of SFA courses and credit hours that are awarded for successful AP scores:
The College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
| AP Examination | Minimum Score | SFA Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art - Drawing | 5 | ART 100 | 3 |
| Art - 2 Dimensional Design | 5 | ART 110 | 3 |
| Art - 3 Dimensional Design | 5 | ART 130 | 3 |
| Art History | 3 | ART 280 | 3 |
| Biology | 4 | BIO 100-level for majors | 4^ |
| Calculus - AB | 3 | MTH 233 | 4 |
| Calculus - BC | 3 | MTH 233, 234 | 8 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHE 111, 112 | 8 |
| Chinese Language & Culture | * | * | * |
| Computer Science - A | 4 | CSC 102 | 3 |
| Computer Science - AB | 4 | CSC 102 & CSC 202 | 6 |
| Economics - Macro | 4 | ECO 231 | 3 |
| Economics - Micro | 4 | ECO 232 | 3 |
| English Lang./Composition | 3 | ENG 131 | 3^^ |
| 4 or 5 | ENG 131 & 132 | 6 | |
| English Lit./Composition | 3 | ENG 131 | 3^^ |
| 4 or 5 | ENG 131 & 132 | 6 | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | ENV 110 | 4 |
| French Language | 3 | FRE 131, 132 | 8 |
| 4 | FRE 131, 132, 231 | 11 | |
| 5 | FRE 131, 132, 231, 232 | 14 | |
| French Literature | 3 | FRE 131,132, 231, 232 | 14 |
| 4 or 5 | FRE 131, 132, 231, 232, 304 | 17 | |
| German Language | 3 | GER 131,132 | 8 |
| German Language | 4 | GER 131,132 | (8) and |
| 200-Level GER (3) | 11 | ||
| German Language | 5 | GER 131,132 | (8) and |
| 200-Level | |||
| GER (6) | 14 | ||
| Government & Politics - US | 3 | PSC 141 | 3 |
| Government & Politics - Comparative | 3 | 100-Level PSC | 3 |
| #History - European | 4 | HIS 152 | 3 |
| #History - US | 4 | HIS 133, 134 | 6 |
| #History - World | 4 | HIS 151 | 3 |
| Human Geography | 3 | GEO 132 | 3 |
| Italian Language & Culture | 3 | 100-level ILA (8) | 8 |
| 4 | 100-level ILA (8) + 200-level ILA (3) | 11 | |
| 5 | 100-level ILA (8) + 200-level ILA (6) | 14 | |
| Japanese Lang. & Culture | * | * | * |
| Latin: Vergil/Latin Literature | 3 | LAT 131,132 (no language lab) | 6 |
| 4 | LAT 131,132 (6) + 231 | 9 | |
| 5 | LAT 131,132 (6) + 231, 232 | 12 | |
| Music Theory | 4 | MTC 151 | 1 |
| (Aural Subscore) | 5 | MTC 151, 152 | 2 |
| Music Theory | 4 | MTC 161 | 2 |
| (Non-Aural Subscore) | 5 | MTC 161, 162 | 4 |
| Physics B | 3 | PHY 101, 102 | 8 |
| Physics C - Mechanics | 3 | PHY 131 | 4 |
| Physics C - Electricity & Magnetism | 3 | PHY 132 | 4 |
| #Psychology | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Spanish Language | 3 | SPA 131, 132 | 8 |
| 4 | SPA 131, 132, 231 | 11 | |
| 5 | SPA 131, 132, 231, 232 | 14 | |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | SPA 131, 132, 231, 232 | 14 |
| 4 or 5 | SPA 131, 132, 231, 232, 304 | 17 | |
| Statistics | 4 | MTH 220 | 3 |
* Under review
^Biology majors should consult with adviser to determine appropriate credit to be awarded.
^^Students who take both the Language/Composition and Literature/Composition will earn the following ENG credit: score of 3 on each, ENG 131 & 132; 3 on one exam and 4 or 5 on other exam, ENG 131, 132, 200; 4 or 5 on each exam, ENG 131, 132, 200, and 220.
#Scores effective for exams taken after September 1, 2007.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students may take CLEP tests at SFA or at any other location and should specify the code 6682 to have official scores sent to the SFA Office of Admissions. Credit will be awarded based on SFA's Credit by Exam Policy in effect at the time the test was taken. Students must wait six months to retake an exam and must not be currently enrolled in the course. In addition, students may not take the same CLEP test more than twice. The College Board's CLEP Office can be reached at (800) 257-9558 to have additional score reports sent. The following are the minimum computer-based CLEP score requirements to receive college credit at SFA:
| Subject Examination | Minimum Score | SFA Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | PSC 141 | 3 |
| American Literature | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Analyzing & Interpretation of Lit. | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Biology | 57 | *BIO 100-level for majors | 4 |
| Calculus | 50 | MTH 233 | 4 |
| Chemistry | 50 | CHE 111/111L | 4 |
| 60 | CHE 111/111L & 112/112L | 8 | |
| College Algebra | 50 | MTH 138 | 3 |
| College Mathematics | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| English Composition | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| English Literature | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | ACC 231 | 3 |
| French Language | 50 | FRE 131, 132 | 8 |
| Freshman College Composition | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| German Language | 50 | GER 131,132 | 8 |
| Human Growth & Development | 60 | EPS 485 | 3 |
| Humanities | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Information Sys. & Computer Appls. | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Intro to Educational Psychology | 60 | EPS 380 | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 57 | BLW 335 | 3 |
| #Introductory Psychology | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | SOC 137 | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | MTH 139 | 3 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 54 | ECO 231 | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 56 | MGT 370 | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 62 | MKT 351 | 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 54 | ECO 232 | 3 |
| Social Sciences & History | N/A | No credit | 0 |
| Spanish Language | 50 | SPA 131, 132 | 8 |
| #U.S. History I | 56 | HIS 133 | 3 |
| #U.S. History II | 56 | HIS 134 | 3 |
| #Western Civilization I | 56 | HIS 151 | 3 |
| Western Civilization II | 56 | HIS 152 | 3 |
*Biology majors should consult with adviser to determine appropriate credit to be awarded.
#Scores effective for exams taken after September 1, 2007.
The International Baccalaureate Program
Students who participate in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program may receive college credit for exam scores of 4 or better on the Higher Level (HL) Exam; and for a 5 or better on the standard level (SL) exam. In accordance with SB 111, a minimum of 24 hours of credit may be awarded to students who have earned the IB diploma and who have no score lower than a 4 on either the standard or higher-level exams. The amount of credit awarded will depend upon test score and level and will be awarded by the Office of Admissions according to the following chart:
| IB Subject | SL Score | HL Score | SFA Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English A1 | 5 | 4 | ENG 131, 132 | 6 |
| 5+ | ENG 131, 132, 200, 210 | 12 | ||
| French A2 or B | 5 | 4 | FRE 131, 132 | 8 |
| 5+ | FRE 131, 132, 231, 232 | 14 | ||
| Spanish A2 or B | 5 | 4 | SPA 131, 132 | 8 |
| 5+ | SPA 131, 132, 231, 232 | 14 | ||
| Other Languages A2 or B | 5 | 4 | ILA 111, 112 | 8 |
| 5+ | ILA 111, 112, 211,212 | 14 | ||
| Classic Languages (Latin) | 4 | 4 | LAT 131, 132 | 6 |
| 5+ | LAT 131, 132, 231, 232 | 12 | ||
| Classic Languages (Greek) | 4 | 4 | GRK 131,132 | 6 |
| 5+ | GRK 131,132,231,232 | 12 | ||
| Business & Management | 5 | 4 | GBU 147 | 3 |
| Economics | 5 | 4 | ECO 231, 232 | 6 |
| Geography | 5 | 4 | GEO 131 | 3 |
| 5+ | GEO 131, 132 | 6 | ||
| History | 5 | 4 | 100-level HIS | 3 |
| 5+ | 100-level HIS | 6 | ||
| Islamic History | 5 | 4 | 100-level HIS | 3 |
| 5+ | 100-level HIS | 6 | ||
| Philosophy | 5 | 4 | PHI 153 | 3 |
| 5+ | PHI 153, PHI 100-level | 6 | ||
| Psychology | 5 | 4 | PSY 133 | 3 |
| 5+ | PSY 133, PSY 100-level | 6 | ||
| Social & Cultural | 5 | 4 | ANT 231 | 3 |
| Anthropology | 5+ | ANT 231, ANT 200-level | 6 | |
| Biology | 4 | BIO 121 | 4 | |
| Biology | 5 | BIO 131 or 133 (see dept) | 4 | |
| Chemistry (Must pass lab for credit) | 6 (HL) | CHE 133/133L, 134/134L | 8 | |
| Chemistry (Must pass lab for credit) | 6 (SL) | CHE 111/111L, 112/112L | 8 | |
| Environmental Systems | 5 | ENV 110 | 4 | |
| Physics | 5 | 4 | PHY 101/101L, 102/102L | 8 |
| Mathematics (HL only) | 4 | MTH 233 | 4 | |
| Computer Science | 5 | 4 | CSC 101 | 3 |
| Visual Arts | 5 | 4 | ART 280 | 3 |
| Music | 5 | 4 | MUS 140 | 3 |
| Theatre Arts | 5 | 4 | THR 161 | 3 |
Internally Administered Examinations
Students already enrolled at SFA may acquire pass credit by successfully completing internally administered examinations or by a departmental advanced placement system that allows students to bypass certain courses.
Departments currently awarding either advanced placement or credit by examination are listed below. Students interested in taking an internally administered examination should contact the appropriate department to seek approval and to pre-register.
- Accounting 231: Students must provide evidence of some practical experience or education in accounting and should inquire about the content of the examination prior to making application to take the test. The minimal passing grade is B.
- Art: Students who receive unanimous consent from all members of the Advanced Standing Committee may waive the prerequisites ART 100 and/or ART 110, and go to the next highest level course. If a student receives a grade of less than C in the next highest level course, the student will then be required to take that course for which he or she received advanced placement. If the student is given a grade of C or above, the student will be allowed to replace the bypassed hours with an additional art elective. If the student receives a grade of A in the next highest level course, he or she may petition the Advanced Standing Committee for credit in the bypassed course. Interested students should check with the chair for portfolio submission deadlines.
- Chemistry 133 and 134 (General Chemistry): The minimal passing grade on these examinations is C. A separate lab test is administered for Chemistry 133-134 lab.
- Communication 111 and 201: For credit to be granted in COM 201, students must take a written examination over photography principles with a minimum score of 85 and, in addition, submit a portfolio of prints which will be evaluated by a committee of three photography professors. To qualify for the advanced placement exam in COM 111, students must have completed two years of high school speech, not including drama and theatre activities, with an A average. The exam itself consists of a written test over speech communication principles and a 10-minute persuasive speech to be delivered by the student before a panel of three communication professors. The minimal passing grade is B.
- Computer Science 101 and 121: To qualify for the examination a student must provide evidence of some practical experience or education in computer application software and the operating system. The examination consists of a written component and a computer-based competency component. Applicants should inquire about the content of the examination prior to making application to take the test. The examination can be taken only once per student. The minimal passing grade is B.
- English: Qualified students may earn advanced placement credit as a consequence of their performance in one of the accelerated courses for freshmen-ENG 133 and ENG 235. Students who have a score of 28 or higher on the English section of the ACT or a 580 or higher on the SAT Reading Test are eligible to enroll in ENG 133. Those who perform well in this course, earning an A, will be recommended by the instructor for advanced-placement credit in ENG 132. A grade of B or C will earn credit for ENG 131.
Students with a score of 31 or higher on the English section of the ACT or of 650 or higher on the SAT Reading Test are eligible to enroll in ENG 235, a 6-hour course that meets daily throughout each fall semester. The instructor may recommend at the conclusion of ENG 235 that a student receive advanced-placement credit for 3 hours in ENG 131 or for 6 hours in both ENG 131 and 132 if the student performs well, usually earning a grade of A or B. - Geology 131 and 132 (General Geology): The minimal passing grade is B.
- History 151 and 152 (Western Civilization) and 133 and 134 (United States History): The minimal passing grade is B.
- Mathematics 133 (Plane Trigonometry), 138 (College Algebra), and 139 (Plane Analytic Geometry): The minimal passing grade is C.
- Military Science: Students who have prior military service and students who participated in JROTC in high school may be eligible for advanced placement not to exceed four semesters. Eligibility will be determined by the professor of military science after interviewing the student.
- Modern Languages: Advanced placement with credit for courses bypassed may be earned in French and Spanish. Such credit is available in the sequence of French and Spanish 131-132, 231-232, 303; Spanish 235-320. In the 131-303 sequence, the student must earn a grade of C or higher in the course taken in order to receive bypass credit. In the case of 235-320, the student must earn a grade of A or a high B with recommendation of the instructor. Bypass credit may be earned only in sequence. Repeated courses do not carry bypass credit. In all cases, the student must apply for bypass credit from the dean of the College of Liberal and Applied Arts through the Department of Modern Languages.
Students who are unsure as to proper placement in language courses are strongly encouraged to take the placement examination offered free each semester by the department. The examination carries no credit and is for placement only. On the basis of the score earned on the examination, the language adviser recommends a course commensurate with the student's level of competence in the language.
The student who chooses not to take the placement examination may use the following as a guide:
- With two years of previous language training, the student may enroll in 132.
- With three years of previous training, the student may enroll in 231.
- With four or more years of previous training, the student may enroll in 232.
- Music: Through internally administered examinations, students may earn a maximum of 6 hours credit in music theory. The minimal passing grade is B.
- Physics 110 (Fundamentals of Electronics), 131 (Mechanics & Heat), and 132 (Electricity, Sound, & Light): The minimal passing grade is B.
- Political Science 141 and 142: The minimal passing grade is C. To be eligible to take one or both tests, an entering (beginning) freshman student presents an ACT Composite Score of 25 or more, or an ACT Composite Score of 23 or more with ACT Social Studies Score of 27 or more. Freshman students with SAT composite scores of 1110 or more, or SAT Reading scores of 650 or more, are also eligible to take the exam(s). All other students must present evidence of an overall GPA of 3.00 or better to be eligible to take the exam(s).
Advanced Placement Examinations for PSC 141 and PSC 142 are designed to determine the general information about American national and Texas state governments that the student has acquired. Material covered on each exam is readily available in any standard college-level American government or Texas state government textbook.
- Sociology 137 (Introduction to Sociology): Student seeking pass credit for Sociology 137 must earn a score of 50 or better on the Introduction to Sociology CLEP exam.
- Theatre: All courses currently offered by the Department of Theatre are available for advanced placement. The awarding of advanced placement signifies that the student has successfully met all academic and/or performance objectives for the course under consideration.
The faculty member, when satisfied that the student has successfully met the objectives for the particular course, will recommend to the theatre faculty that advanced placement be awarded. The student will be granted advanced placement upon the approval vote of a majority of the theatre faculty. Notification of the awarding of advanced placement will be entered on the student's official SFA transcript. - SPH 172 and SPH 272 (Beginning and Intermediate American Sign Language): The SPH 172 Placement Test consists of:
- A computer-based test with vocabulary, phrases, numbers and finger-spelling
- Signing the "Three Little Pigs" following a model provided by the department. The SPH 272 departmental exam consists of:
- A computer-based receptive test
- An interview with a faculty member; for both tests a score of 80 percent or better is required
Students desiring to be considered for advanced placement should contact the departmental instructor currently or most recently teaching the particular course. The faculty member and student will devise an evaluation procedure consisting of examinations and/or projects that will attempt to assess the student's competencies in the specific course content.
The awarding of advanced placement entitles the student to enroll in the next level course within the appropriate area of concentration, or place out of an area requirement if advanced credit is not stipulated in the degree plan. The awarding of advanced placement does not carry university credit nor require the student to pay tuition charges for awarded courses.
Correspondence Work
Correspondence courses are meant for the student unable to enroll for residence courses. While SFA does not offer correspondence instruction, it recognizes correspondence work completed at other institutions within the following limits: the maximum of such total credit allowed for correspondence study is 18 semester hours, and all transfer credit must be approved by the Office of Admissions.