Undergraduate Degree Requirements
Degrees
Hood offers three undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Candidates for these degrees must complete requirements as outlined below. It is the responsibility of the student to be sure that all degree and major requirements are fulfilled by graduation.
General Requirements
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Demonstration of the ability to write and speak standard English (included in the grade evaluation for every course at Hood College).
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Compliance with all general regulations of the College and of the Student Government Association.
Graduation Requirements
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Completion of at least 124 credits in courses numbered 100 or above.
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Achievement of a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average. Note: GPA requirements may vary by major.
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Enrollment in the final 30 credits on the Hood campus as a degree candidate.
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Completion of the College Core Curriculum.
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Completion of all major requirements.
Major Requirements
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A 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average in courses in the major discipline must be maintained. Note: GPA requirements may vary by major.
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A minimum of 12 credits of course work in the major discipline must be completed at Hood.
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A minimum of 15 credits of course work in the major discipline must be completed at the 300-level or above.
The Second Degree
Students who wish to earn any two degrees (B.A. and B.S.) concurrently must accumulate 154 semester hours of credit and fulfill Core Curriculum requirements for both degrees and the requirements for both majors.
Students already holding a bachelor’s degree who wish to earn a second bachelor’s degree, must accumulate at least 30 credits as a degree candidate at Hood and meet all degree and major requirements. Some departments require more than two semesters of full-time enrollment. Determination of how many credits must be earned at Hood for the second degree is made by the registrar, based on evaluation of the transcript from the original degree-granting institution.
A second bachelor’s degree is offered through the Encore Program to Hood alumnae and alumni who hold a B.A. or B.S. from Hood. (This program is not available to alumnae and alumni who have only attended Hood’s Graduate School.) The same provisions apply as above, but at one-half tuition. Hood graduates apply for reinstatement as degree candidates through the Office of the Registrar.
The Hood College Core Curriculum
The College’s motto, Corde et Mente et Manu (With Heart and Mind and Hand), is the inspiration for the College’s Core Curriculum. The Heart, Mind, and Hands Core Curriculum (HMH) is required of all students and provides students with foundational skills needed to pursue a liberal arts education, complements their major requirements, sparks intellectual curiosity, and promotes critical reflection about how their education connects to their life after college.
Students entering with an A.A., A.S., or AAT degree from an accredited institution in the State of Maryland are exempt from the Heart and Mind areas of the Core, which includes the First-Year Experience (FYE). However, these students must complete the HANDS core requirements (High Impact Practice and Life After Hood) in their junior or senior year. Students should consult their major advisor to determine a course plan that aligns with these requirements. Students without the associate degrees mentioned above but entering with at least 56 credits may be eligible for the A.A. equivalency noted later in this section.
Any students transferring fewer than 56 credits and those students without A.A., A.S., or AAT degrees or A.A. equivalency will follow the following requirements for the Heart and Mind:
- Fewer than 25 credits completed: Complete the FYE sequence plus remaining English Composition and Mind courses as determined by transcript review.
- 25 or more credits: Complete remaining English Composition and Mind courses.
All transfer students must complete the Hands at Hood College
(see Classification section for specific credit ranges associated with each class level).
Early college students ("dual enrollment") who enter Hood with an AA or AS degree are NOT exempt from the FYE linked courses. These students are required to enroll in a fall FYE course and the relevant spring-linked course.
Core Requirements - Bachelor of Arts Degree and Bachelor of Science Degree/ A.A. Equivalence
Entering students who have not earned an A.A., A.S., or AAT degree from an accredited institution in the state of Maryland may still be eligible for an exemption of Hood’s Foundation and Methods of Inquiry core requirements. Upon evaluation of transcripts of all prior college level work, students determined to have completed at least 56 transferable credits and the appropriate General Education distribution as listed below will be granted A.A. equivalency.
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English Composition (3 credits) (completed with a grade of C- or better)
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Arts and Humanities (6 credits) (may be from the same discipline)
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Mathematics (3 credits) (100-level)
- Science (7-8 credits) (two courses; one must be a lab course)
- Social and Behavioral Science (6 credits) (may be from same discipline)
Students whose only deficiency in meeting the A.A. equivalency requirements as listed above is in the math, science or English composition requirement, will be given the opportunity to complete an appropriate course at Hood College in their first semester of course work. Upon completion of the English composition, math or science course at Hood, A.A. equivalency will be awarded.
All students must satisfy the Global Perspectives category of the Core. Appropriate transfer courses may fulfill this requirement.