Graduation Requirements

Guilford College uses semester hours for the units of credit.

For the baccalaureate degree, students must:

earn a minimum of 128 semester hours of credit (usually 32 courses) with at least a C (2.00) average.
enroll at Guilford for a minimum of 32 semester credits.
complete half their major and concentration credits with courses at Guilford or one of the consortium institutions.
spend their last semester of study at the college.
file their applications for degree candidacy online at least one semester before the anticipated date of graduation.

Students taking academic courses on a credit/no credit basis qualify for graduation if they maintain a C (2.00) average in regularly graded courses and pass those graded "CR/NC."

The "C-credit Accumulation Plan" is an alternative to the four-year degree and is normally adopted after a period of academic separation from the college. The plan requires prior approval and the completion of 128 semester credits (64 semester credits at Guilford) with a grade of C (2.00) or higher in each course. While only grades of C (2.00) and better count toward graduation, a grade below C results in permanent dismissal. Transcripts for student on the plan indicate actual grades.

Degrees Offered

Guilford offers a variety of baccalaureate degrees. The Bachelor of Arts degree may be awarded in any of 27 major fields; the Bachelor of Science, in 15; the Bachelor of Fine Arts, in one.

** Degrees/Majors Offered **

A student majoring in biology, chemistry or geology is awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree unless extra work is done to earn a Bachelor of Science degree. Students majoring in mathematics may choose either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.

An art major may pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Cooperative or Dual-Degree Programs

Cooperative programs are those in which students take a portion of their undergraduate work (usually three years) at Guilford, completing an additional one to two years at the cooperating institution. At the end of the specified period of time, the student receives a baccalaureate degree from Guilford and a more specialized professional certificate or degree from the second school.

Admission to Guilford does not automatically qualify students for admission to a cooperative program. Students must apply to the schools sponsoring programs that interest them, and their admission is the prerogative of those schools.

Engineering
A student who seeks to complete an engineering degree may take courses at Guilford in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, as well as from the liberal arts general education requirements. If the student maintains a grade-point average above 3.00 at the end of the sophomore or junior year, she/he may choose to transfer to an engineering college or to continue and earn a degree at Guilford. Since requirements for this program are very specific, interested students should consult with the advisor of the program, if possible before their first semester. advisor: Thomas P. Espinola, Physics Department

Environmental Management and Forestry
The college offers a cooperative program with Duke University leading to graduate study in natural resources and the environment. The program accepts students after three years of undergraduate study or upon completion of the baccalaureate degree.

At Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment, students can pursue a professional Master's degree in Environmental Management or Forestry, or a doctoral degree in Coastal Systems Science and Policy, Earth and Ocean Sciences, or Environmental Sciences and Policy.

With appropriate guidance, highly qualified students can reach a satisfactory level of preparation for graduate work in the School of the Environment after three years of coordinated undergraduate study. The student must fulfill all the general education requirements by the end of the junior year at Guilford. At the end of two full-time semesters at Duke, the student will have completed the undergraduate degree requirements, and a degree will be awarded by Guilford College. After four semesters at Duke, in which a minimum of 48 credits is earned, the student may receive one of the professional Master’s degrees, either the Master of Forestry or Master of Environmental Management, from Duke’s School of the Environment.

The Cooperative College Program does not guarantee admission to Duke. Students who wish to enter the Nicholas School of the Environment, whether after the junior year or completion of the baccalaureate, must submit an application for admission by February 1 preceding the academic year in which they desire to begin study at Duke.

An undergraduate major in one of the natural or social sciences, business, or environmental science is good preparation for study at Duke. All prospective students should have at least one course in ecology (prerequisites are required for this course), calculus, statistics, and microeconomics, and a working knowledge of microcomputers for word processing and data analysis. advisor: Lynn J. Moseley , Biology Department.

Preprofessional Options

Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dentistry
Students interested in careers in medicine, dentistry, podiatry, osteopathy, chiropractic, pharmacy, or optometry fulfill the prerequisites at Guilford for professional school admission. Health professions advisors provide detailed information on various careers, as well as on professional school admission requirements, application procedures and special programs for minority students. Also available are application materials, financial aid information, and study materials for entrance examinations (such as Medical College Admission Test and Dental Admission Test).

A health professions advisor assists the student in planning an individualized program of study which, for most career fields, includes at least one year each of biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Pre-medicine and other pre-health students may major in the field of their choice while obtaining specialized courses needed for graduate study. advisors: Lynn J. Moseley, Biology Department, Anne G. Glenn, Chemistry Department, and Charles G. Smith, Biology Department.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Students receive solid preparation at Guilford College for admission to a school of veterinary medicine. To complete prerequisites for application, students usually major in biology. Some veterinary schools also require a course in animal science, which Guilford students can take at North Carolina A&T State University through consortium arrangements. Pre-vet students are encouraged to do an internship at a local veterinary hospital as part of their major. The pre-vet advisor will assist with making arrangements for the internship. advisor: Lynn J. Moseley, Biology Department.

Pre-Law
Students planning to attend law school are urged to contact Guilford's pre-law advisor and to participate fully in the activities of the Websterian Pre-Law Society. Students are encouraged to contact the advisor early in their undergraduate studies for both academic and law school admission advice.

There is no prescribed or preferred major for pre-law students, but law schools seek students who have demonstrated mastery of their chosen fields of study and complete a balanced liberal arts education. Pre-law students are urged to include foreign languages, the basics of accounting, political theory, logic (formal or informal), economics, and analytical writing and critical thinking among their undergraduate courses. Many law schools require solid performance on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and a 3.00 or higher grade-point average.

The Websterian Pre-Law Society provides practice LSATs, regular meetings, guest speakers, and visits to nearby law schools. Internships at local agencies and law firms are coordinated by the pre-law advisor. Advisor: Lisa J. McLeod, Assistant Professor of Philosophy.

Pre-Ministerial
The Religious Studies Department offers preparation which may lead to a career in the ministry or religious education. A broad range of courses, preparing the student to enter theological school directly upon graduation, includes History of Christianity, Old Testament and New Testament, Contemporary Theology, Quakerism, and various explorations in modern religious problems. Studies in comparative religions are offered regularly. advisor: John H. Stoneburner, Religious Studies Department.

NOTE: As a Quaker-founded college, Guilford supports the peace testimony of Friends and does not offer or support courses in military science. Such courses are available on an audit basis at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, also located in Greensboro, for Guilford students who want to enroll through the consortium cross-registration program.