General Studies Option I                                General Studies Option II

General Studies Option I falls under the jurisdiction of the General Studies Review Board.  Students must have a 2.500 GPA to enter Option 1.  General Studies Option I is an interdisciplinary program of study, planned jointly by the student, the student's advisor, and the General Studies Review Board, which satisfies the requirements for the degree.  It is designed to provide flexibility for students to fashion their own program with fewer structural requirements.  This program is an alternative for those students who can and will assume more responsibility in fulfilling course and degree requirements.  The program meets the needs of students who make career decisions at various times in their studies.  Increased flexibility promotes greater diversity within the University population and encompasses the needs of a greater variety of socioeconomic, ethnic, and age groups.

Objectives and Needs Served

A.  Incorporates the personal objectives of the student together with stated objectives of the University and those of this particular program;
B.  Meets the needs of students who demonstrate the capacity for self-direction;
C.  Meets the needs of students which are not addressed within the instructional resources of the University and the community;
D.  Relates successfully to degree requirements of other programs currently offered by LHUP so that students may move in and out of the program without experiencing academic penalty.

Requirements of the Program

A.  2.500 grade point average to enter
B.  General Education, as currently defined and common to all existing programs (52 sh)
C.  Electives in General Studies (68 sh)
D.  Emphasis may be identified by student in an area of choice
E.  A minimum one-year residency is required to complete requirements in the degree program.  Students must register for and complete at least 30 semester hours beginning with the semester after admission into the program.
F.  First-year students must have completed one semester at Lock Haven University before they can apply for admission to the program.  Transfer students may apply during their first semester.

Advisory Function

A.  Students may request a permanent advisor from an academic area of choice, who may serve as an advocate for the student with the General Studies Review Board.

B.  A General Studies Review Board, appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs from nominees reviewed from all academic departments in the two Colleges and composed of one member from Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science and Mathematics, Education, and Health & Physical Education and Recreation, shall serve to receive proposals and provide approvals, when appropriate, for students enrolled in the this program -- prior to registration for each semester.  Approvals are subject to concurrence of the Dean of the College of Arts and Science in which this program is administered -- except as all academic matters are subject to the review of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  the Dean of Library Services will serve as ex-officio on this committee.

Application for BS General Studies, Option I
 

General Studies Option II is restricted to students in good academic standing (minimum of 2.000 GPA) who have earned a minimum of 45.0 sh and find themselves unable to meet the requirements of a declared major.  General Studies Option II is a mechanism to recognize the completed academic work of students and to provide a pathway for them to complete a college degree in a reasonable time span.

The student's current academic advisor will continue to advise the student toward completion of the BS General Studies Option II major.  A worksheet is provided to assist in course placement.  The Review Board that monitors General Studies Option I is not part of General Studies Option II.  The advisor ensures the student is taking appropriate courses.

The student will not have the minor that is included as part of the major requirements coded on the academic record.  However, the student may declare an additional minor and have it noted on the academic record. 

Courses may not count more than once to meet requirements.

Because courses will count differently for each student, degree audit will not be complete in all areas.

The worksheet need not be submitted to the Registrar's Office.  It may remain with the advisor to track a student's progress.

Application for BS General Studies, Option II  (Do not use the standard Change of Major form for this purpose.) 

12/21/2006