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Degree Requirements


Both the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Science degree combine liberal studies with advanced studies. To earn the BA or BS degree, a student must successfully complete at least one hundred and twenty-four credit hours in approved academic courses plus two credit hours in physical education and a one credit hour personal health course.

The undergraduate education in Emory College comprises three overlapping components:

  • general education requirements that provide a common core of substance and methodology;
  • more intensive and advanced study in a major field; and
  • free-ranging exploration by means of elective courses.

General Education Requirements

These courses provide for a common core of academic experience for Emory College students. Faculty and advisors work closely with students, especially in the first two years, in choosing the specific courses used to fulfill these requirements. The faculty's principal objective in establishing these requirements is to encourage students to familiarize themselves with the knowledge and the methodologies that characterize the arts and humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences and mathematics; to increase their ability to express ideas effectively in English and in another language; to extend their capacities for making informed judgments of value; to expand their knowledge and understanding of themselves, of their own and other cultures, and of the natural world; and to develop their awareness of the ways in which the various academic disciplines may complement one another in solving the world's problems.

  • For students who entered Emory College in Fall 2022 or prior, click here to see your General Education Requirements (the 2009 Requirements)
  • For students who entered Emory College in Fall 2023 or later, click here to see your General Education Requirements (the 2023 Requirements)

Requirements for Majors and Minors

As part of the degree requirements, students must complete a major in one academic field. Minors are also available in several academic fields, but they are not required to complete the degree. Students must earn at least a C (2.0) average in any major or minor they complete.

Students may choose a second area of concentration (a major or minor) in addition to their primary major. An Emory College student may graduate with a single major, two majors, or a major and a minor. Students in the BBA program may graduate with one concentration (either a major or a minor) in Emory College. Emory College does not recognize additional majors or minors beyond these limits.

Students who enter Emory College as first-year students may not declare a major or minor until after their first semester. This policy provides first-year students time to explore, and it eases pressure they may feel to know their precise academic path when they start college. 

Students who entered Emory College as first-year students must declare a major by the end of their fourth regular (fall or spring) semester. Oxford graduates must declare a major by the end of their first regular (fall or spring) semester in Emory College. Transfer students must declare a major by the end of their second regular (fall or spring) semester. Declaring a major by these deadlines helps to ensure that students are connected to their academic departments and have access to advising from faculty in their program.

Students may change their major or declare a new major or minor until they have earned 90 credit hours. After students reach 90 credit hours, they may not add or change a major or minor without approval from the Office for Undergraduate Education and the department that houses the new major or minor. Petitions to change or add a major/minor will only be approved if the student can graduate within eight semesters or if there are extraordinary circumstances. There is one additional exception to this policy. A student may switch from the BS version of a program to the BA version without approval from OUE.

Students will normally be required to complete the major or minor requirements that are in place at the time they declare the program. When the requirements for a major or minor have changed, students may petition to complete the program under the old or new requirements, and departments have the discretion to approve or reject these requests.

Programs of Study

Students may earn one, and only one, of the following undergraduate degrees from Emory University. In completing the following degrees, Emory College officially recognizes no more than two concentrations-either two majors or a major and minor. Such recognition does not appear on Emory diplomas but is shown on students' transcripts.

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

Emory College offers a number of majors that can result in a BA or BS. Students must maintain at least a C (2.0) average in any major they complete.

Minors

Minors are available in certain fields for students who wish to complete a minor in addition to a major. Students must maintain at least a C (2.0) average in any minor they complete.

Bachelor of Business Administration

Students applying to the BBA Program for spring/early admission must complete 56 credit hours by the end of the third regular semester in order to be eligible to matriculate. Students applying to the BBA Program for fall/regular admission must complete 60 credit hours by the end of spring of sophomore year. These credit hours include credits from AP, IB, and other internationally recognized tests but do not include ECS 101, Personal Health, or PE credits.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The BSN degree is awarded after students complete 60 credit hours in Emory College and two years in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. These sixty credit hours may include up to 12 AP, IB, or internationally recognized test credits toward prerequisite requirements as long as the credit hours and coursework are displayed on the Emory transcript.

Some courses required prior to entering the nursing program are not available at Emory College. Interested students should consult with the School of Nursing and the Office for Undergraduate Education about requirements.

A dual degree program between Emory College and the School of Nursing is also available as described below.

Students Continuing to Emory College of Arts and Sciences from Oxford College

Students who meet the requirements from Oxford College and receive an associate degree may continue to Emory College of Arts and Sciences to receive a bachelor’s degree.

Oxford College Continuees must earn a total of 126 credit hours (124 academic credit hours, 1 PE credit hours, and a third academic or PE credit hour) to graduate from Emory College; of these credit hours, a minimum of fifty-four credit hours must be earned in Emory College with a minimum of three semesters of residence in Emory College (twelve credit hours or more per semester); a semester of fewer than twelve credit hours can be combined with another semester of fewer than twelve credit hours to make up one semester of residence; however, a partial semester may not be combined with a semester of more than twelve credit hours to form two semesters of residence.

Academic Credit from Professional Schools

Students enrolled in Emory College who pursue coursework in Emory’s undergraduate professional schools or who return to Emory College from one of these programs may receive up to thirty-two semester hours of credit, provided the credits have not already been used to complete another degree program.

Dual and Extended Degree Programs

Students who enter dual or extended degree programs may earn the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree from Emory College and a second bachelor, professional, or advanced degree from another division of the University or institution with a dual degree agreement with Emory College.

4+1 Programs

If accepted to one of the University’s approved 4+1 programs, students may earn a bachelor’s degree in four years of study and a master’s degree with an additional year of study. A full listing of programs can be found on the Dual & Extended Degree website.

4+1 programs are pursued and completed in stages and awarded sequentially. In other words, a student must complete the requirements and be awarded the bachelor’s degree before matriculating to the master’s program. Ordinarily, no more than 6 credit hours may be double counted between the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Dual Degree in Engineering with the Georgia Institute of Technology

The Dual Degree Program in Engineering is not an official major at Emory College. Rather it is an academic opportunity for undergraduate students, with an interest in engineering, to pursue bachelor’s degrees at both Emory College and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).

The minimum amount of time to complete both degrees is 5 years; however, the program may take longer depending on the student's academic interests and studies. The program is sequential and students will receive a degree from each institution upon completion of the full program.

Planning for this program is very important as the academic requirements are intense and rigorous. Students should consult with the Dual Degree advisor to find out about the prerequisite courses needed for transfer (subject to change based on the year students apply to Georgia Tech) and the requirements needed to complete a degree with Emory College.

More information can be found on the Dual & Extended Degree website.

Dual Degree in Computer Science with Agnes Scott College

Students who initially enroll at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA may participate in a dual degree program with Emory in the field of Computer Science. Students will study a computer science curriculum in the Department of Computer Science plus one additional course outside the department to meet Emory’s general education requirements. Students will work towards a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.

Dual Degree in Computer Science with Agnes Scott College Pre-Application.