Program Requirements and Graduation

Completion Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees

Each baccalaureate degree requires at least 120 semester credit hours. A baccalaureate degree program requires at least 30 hours of courses in the major.

To earn a baccalaureate degree, a student: (1) must complete a prescribed degree program with at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses presented for graduation, (2) must complete at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree through instruction offered by Young Harris College, (3) must complete the final 30 semester credit hours of the degree program through instruction offered by Young Harris College, and (4) must file a formal application for graduation and pay the completion fee with the Registrar’s Office no later than the first class day of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. The maximum time in which to complete a baccalaureate degree is eight years. 

Students completing a baccalaureate degree are strongly encouraged to participate in graduation exercises. 

Any student who is within six credits of baccalaureate degree completion may participate in the graduation ceremony, provided the student is pre-enrolled in the courses required for degree completion at the time of the graduation ceremony. Credits to be applied toward a baccalaureate degree following the graduation ceremony must be earned through instruction offered by Young Harris College.

Graduating students will not receive a diploma or a final transcript until all accounts are settled with the Business Office.

Completion Requirements for Graduate Degrees

Each master’s degree requires at least 30 semester credit hours.

To earn a master’s degree a student (1) must complete a prescribed degree program with at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses presented for graduation, (2) must complete at least 80 percent of the credit hours required for the degree through instruction offered by Young Haris College, and (3) must file a formal application for graduation and pay the completion fee with the Registrar’s Office no later than the first class day of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. The minimum time in which to complete a master’s degree is four years.

To participate in graduation exercises, a student must have completed all degree requirements. Students completing a master’s degree are strongly encouraged to participate in graduation exercises. 

Graduating students will not receive a diploma or a final transcript until all accounts are settled with the Business Office.

Definition of Major, Minor, Concentration, and Emphasis

Major

A major is a structured plan of study designed to provide knowledge, skills and/or expertise in a specific field or discipline. consisting of a minimum of 30 semester hours. Upon graduation, a student has earned a degree in a specific major, which appears on the official transcript (e.g., a BS in Math or a BFA in Musical Theatre). Most baccalaureate degree programs at Young Harris College are designed to be completed in a four-year timeline. See degree and major requirements for details and/or exceptions.

Concentration

A concentration is a structured secondary plan of study, consisting of a minimum of nine semester hours, which is within a major. A concentration appears on the official transcript. Not all majors offer concentrations.

Emphasis

An emphasis is an intensified focus on an area of study within a major. An emphasis appears on the official transcript. Not all majors offer emphases.

The following restrictions apply to completing a major: (1) No courses used to fulfill any major requirements may be applied to fulfill requirements of the General Education Core or the minimum number of required elective hours. All hours from these three areas in a given degree program must be discrete (i.e., cannot be applied to more than one area of that degree program); (2) No courses used to fulfill one concentration or emphasis within a given major may also be used to fulfill another concentration or emphasis within that major.

The following restrictions apply to completing minors: (1) A student may not major and minor in the same academic discipline; (2) Some semester hours earned toward a minor may also be applied to General Education Core requirements, major requirements, or other minor’s requirements. However, at least 9 semester hours of each minor must be discrete (not also used to fulfill any requirement of any a major, other minor, or the General Education Core). Where they do not fulfill General Education Core or major requirements, hours earned in service of a minor are applied toward the minimum number of required elective hours in the degree program

Multiple Degrees and Multiple Majors

Multiple Degrees

Multiple Majors

A student may earn two or more majors within a single degree program (e.g., Bachelor of Science). To earn two or more majors, the student must complete all requirements for each major. In this case, the student receives one diploma. The student’s academic record will list one degree with multiple majors (e.g., Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and History). Multiple majors may be obtained concurrently or consecutively.

Some major programs offer more flexibility to pursue additional majors than others, and not all multiple major options are compatible in a 4-year undergraduate experience. Pursuing multiple majors will always require additional coursework beyond the original major program, and may require more than four years to complete, or may require more than average semester credit hours each term to complete in four years. Students should consult with advisors in each discipline to determine if multiple majors are right for them, and whether additional time or heavier course loads would be required to complete multiple majors.

The following additional restrictions apply to completing multiple majors: (1) The student shall have one academic advisor assigned from each department delivering the student’s declared major programs; (2) Only one set of general education core curriculum classes is required to complete multiple majors (whether resulting in one or multiple degrees), as long as all requirements for each major and/or degree are met; (3) All majors require a capstone experience. Students pursuing multiple majors are required to enroll either in a single capstone experience that reflects each major program (provided that at least 15 discrete credit hours are successfully completed for each additional major), or enroll in distinct capstone courses for each major. The student should determine the appropriate capstone experience(s) with his or her academic advisors and/or department chairs of each major.

Declaring a Major

Declaring Multiple Majors or Degrees

To declare multiple majors (whether these result in one or multiple degrees) a student must submit a “Multiple Majors Declaration Form” form to the Office of the Registrar. Multiple majors are not official until they are approved by the Office of the Registrar.

Changing a Major or Minor

To change a previously declared major or minor(s), a student must submit a “Major Minor Change” form to the Registrar’s Office. Majors and minors are not official until they are approved by the Office of the Registrar.