A student has the option of meeting the academic requirements for any degree as outlined in the catalog at the time of admission or of meeting those listed in any later catalog provided the requirements are met not later than six years from the effective date of the selected catalog. The student is responsible for knowledge of the detailed requirements of the degree program selected to include any special requirements of the major and/or minor department.
The specific degree requirements will be listed in the student’s degree plan. A degree plan outlines academic guidelines for a specific degree. Students are encouraged to use the Student Advising and Mentoring Center (SAM Center) for advice on degree plans. It is the responsibility of the student to originate the degree plan within the major department.
Students may view their degree plan via SamInfo at www.shsu.edu/saminfo/. Prior to filing the Official Declaration of Major/Minor, this degree plan is unofficial.
All degrees contain the following MINIMUM requirements:
Total Hours. A minimum of 120 hours total (developmental courses not included) is required of each degree. Some degree programs may require additional hours above the 120 minimum.
Advanced Hours. (300-400 level courses) 42 semester hours of advanced work must be completed for a degree. Courses taken from a community college do not transfer for advanced credit.
Writing Enhanced Courses. All undergraduate students are required to complete at least six writing enhanced courses accumulating a minimum of 18 semester hours toward the completion of a degree. Of these 18 hours, six hours must come from the student’s major field of study.
Minimum Residence. Residency, for the purpose of meeting degree requirements, is defined as courses that require classroom instruction and include:
The following hours must be completed “in residence” to meet degree requirements:
NOTE: Correspondence courses DO NOT meet residency requirements.
Grade Point Average: The minimum GPA requirements for graduation dictate a GPA of at least 2.00 in the following:
Prerequisites for Upper-Level Courses
SHSU students MUST complete ENG 164, ENG 165, Core Composite Area 2, and one-half of Composite Area 3 prior to enrollment in any upper-level class. Many colleges and programs have additional prerequisites for upper-level classes. Please see the appropriate academic section of this catalog for more details.
Second Degree
Any student holding a baccalaureate degree from Sam Houston State University or any other regionally accredited institution may earn a second baccalaureate degree differing in basic academic subject area and concentration from the first degree by completing the following requirements:
University Academic Policy Manual and Student Guidelines
Sam Houston State University’s Academic Policy Manual and Student Guidelines provide specific
information pertaining to the educational procedures of the University and student conduct. Copies
of these publications may be viewed at the Reference Desk in the Newton Gresham Library or
online at www.shsu.edu/~vaf_www/policies.html. Academic Policy Statements which may be of
special interest to Sam Houston State University students include: