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Undergraduate Degree Requirements and Standards: Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Required Credits for Graduation

In order to graduate in four years most undergraduate students must complete an average of 16 credits per semester.  The first-year program consists of required courses in the University Core Curriculum and the student's major field of study.  Students are encouraged to take courses in the summer and winter sessions in order to reduce their credit load in the fall and spring semesters and/or potentially graduate in fewer than four years.  Students are expected to meet each semester with their Dyson College Academic Advisor.  Total degree requirements vary, depending on student's chosen major.

To be in good academic standing undergraduate students in Dyson College are required to maintain a 2.0 quality point average overall and a 2.0 average in their chosen major.  Students who do not meet this requirement will be placed on Academic Probation and/or be dismissed from the University.

Undergraduate admission to Dyson College of Arts and Science is the same as admission to Pace University.  Students who qualify for matriculation in a specific program may be admitted as freshman, transfer, or adult students.  For details please refer to "Academic" section of the online Undergraduate Catalog Catalog.

Students wishing to complete a minor or declare a double major or dual degree should work closely with their advisor(s).  In order to earn two degrees (for ex., a BS and a BA), the student must complete a minimum of 160 credits. 

University Core Curriculum

The University Core Curriculum is a requirement for all Pace University undergraduate degree-seeking students regardless of the chosen major. Core courses address fundamental problems and issues in the liberal arts. They consider diverse perspectives and approaches and ensure that Pace graduates achieve competency in a variety of skills that are sought by employers and are needed for graduate level work.  For Dyson College BA and BS degree programs the required number of Core course credits for Dyson College majors is a minimum of 44 credits. 

The University Core Curriculum is divided into two areas: Foundation Requirements (19-31 credits) and Areas of Knowledge or AOKs (minimum of 24 credits).  Foundation Requirements include courses in Writing, Mathematics, Science, Computer Science, and Language. To fulfill the 24-credit AOK requirement, two courses with the same disciplinary prefix may be taken.  AOK area courses enable students to develop skills that are essential to success in college study and beyond through 12 learning outcomes: Communication; Analysis; Intellectual depth, breadth, integration and application; Effective Citizenship; Social Interaction; Global, National and International Perspectives; Valuing; Problem-solving; Aesthetic Response; Information Literarcy and Research; Scientific and Math/Quantitative Reasoning; and Technological Fluency.  Also available is an In-Depth Sequence Option for students who wish to explore in some depth an academic subject in the Arts and Sciences.  For more information about these areas, students should speak to their academic advisors.

In addition to the Foundation and Areas requirements mentioned above, students who enter Pace University with less than 25 accepted credits must complete the following Required Learning Experiences:

  • One Civic Engagement and Public Values Course (CE)
  • One Learning Community (LC)
  • Two Writing Enhanced Courses (WEC)

Features of the Core Curriculum are  Community Building, Focus on Student Learning Outcomes, Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement, Choice and Flexibility, and Ability to Complete a Minor in the Core.

Additionally University 101 is a Required First Year Learning Experience of the Core.  Full-time day students that transfer to Pace University with fewer than 17 credits are required to enroll in a UNV 101 First-Year Seminar: Introduction to University Community class in their first semester unless they have received transfer credit for its equivalent.  UNV 101 First-Year Seminar: Introduction to University Community is not offered as an evening class.

Additional Information