The Core Curriculum requirements of Texas Tech University ensure breadth in each academic program. These requirements have been incorporated into the Bachelor of General Studies degree requirements.

A normal full-time course load is 15 hours or more per semester. In calculating the course load, the dean will consider all active correspondence courses as a part of the course load. Course loads in excess of 19 semester hours require approval by the dean's office. The maximum course load for a student on probation is 16 hours. To receive full-time financial aid, students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours. Some financial aid programs allow enrollment in less than full-time hours.

Students who were admitted to the Bachelor of General Studies program when it was housed in the College of Arts & Sciences will use the catalog in effect when they entered the program, provided they have been continuously enrolled, or a more recent catalog if approved. If they wish to change to the revised degree program, their advisor will provide them with the necessary form. However, if they later transfer to another institution or another college at Texas Tech and then desire readmission to the College of Outreach & Distance Education, they will use the catalog in effect when they are readmitted. Students who do not enroll for one calendar year will be placed into the current catalog upon readmission to the university. For graduation purposes, a catalog expires after seven years at which time the current catalog becomes the catalog in effect.

Students at Texas Tech University may attempt credit by examination for degree credit during their freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. The student is responsible for taking the tests early enough to allow sufficient time for scores to be reported to the university and processed by the Office of the Registrar, which in the case of Outreach and Distance Education is generally two semesters prior to the semester of graduation. Outreach and Distance Education students who wish to attempt credit by examination for degree credit in foreign language are required to do so before the end of their sophomore year. This ensures that these students will have time to complete their foreign language requirement within four years if they do not succeed in earning credit by examination. Seniors must receive written permission from their academic dean's office prior to attempting credit by examination and provide proof of notification upon registering for an exam at Academic Testing Services.

The College of Outreach & Distance Education conforms to university grading practices as set forth in the major section entitled Undergraduate Academics in this catalog. Credits for a course in which a grade of D is earned may not be applied toward fulfillment of any concentration area or teaching field requirements for the Bachelor of General Studies. Except for those courses designated "may be repeated for credit" in this catalog, no course may be used more than once on a degree plan unless it has been approved by the dean's office.

Entering freshmen develop their programs in conference with an academic advisor. The students report to their advisors for such individual conferences or group meetings as are needed for the purpose of orienting themselves to academic regulations and procedures, curricula, and degree requirements in their various areas of interest.

Students are urged to take required freshman courses during the freshman year. During the sophomore year the student should complete the second year of English and all other freshman requirements. Normally, Core Curriculum requirements should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Freshmen should not enroll in junior-senior level courses.

Students transferring from another academic institution must meet the university-wide admission requirements stated in an earlier section. Students requesting permission to transfer from another college at Texas Tech must have a GPA of at least 2.0. The College of Outreach & Distance Education will determine the applicability of any transferred credit to the Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.) degree. The last 30 hours prior to graduation must be completed while enrolled in the college.

The final 30 credit hours applied to a degree program must be completed with Texas Tech enrollments. Credit for courses (other than TTU) taken without prior written approval from the dean's office may not be applied to degree program requirements.

Students are encouraged to file degree plans with the B.G.S. advisor as soon as their academic goals are clearly defined. Students must file degree plans upon completing 60 hours of coursework. In addition, the Intention to Graduate form must be submitted upon completion of 80 hours of coursework. Students who have completed 80 or more hours will have a hold placed on their records until they file the Intention to Graduate form. A minimum of 40 semester hours of junior and senior coursework must be presented; not more than 8 hours may be counted in applied music and/or music ensemble; not more than 8 hours of personal fitness and wellness as well as exercise and sport sciences activity courses may be counted except for students offering exercise and sport sciences as an area of concentration.

The curriculum of the Bachelor of General Studies is flexible to permit a student to complete three areas of concentration, yet meet the requirements for certification by taking the required courses in the College of Education. Prospective teachers should refer to the College of Education section of this catalog as well as consult the College of Education and the B.G.S. advisor.

Permission to enroll in courses to pursue a second bachelor's degree must be obtained from the dean's office. No second bachelor's degree is conferred until the candidate has completed at least 30 semester hours of coursework from Texas Tech, of which 24 semester hours should be in the areas of concentration. These hours are in addition to the courses counted toward the first bachelor's degree. Credit by examination will not satisfy the 30-hour residence requirement. A second bachelor's degree sought by a student who did not graduate from a public Texas university must include the required Core Curriculum.

The Texas Tech University Undergraduate Academics Status Policy is contained in the University Catalog.