At Illinois College, education in the liberal arts means “education for life.” A liberal arts education transcends the current moment, the local environment and the next job. It fosters open-mindedness and respect for different values and prepares students for a life of responsible civic engagement. Liberal arts students think critically and independently, communicate ideas effectively, and learn to distinguish the good, the beautiful, and the true.
With those objectives in mind, students graduating with an undergraduate degree from Illinois College must:
- Complete the BLUEprint General Education Program.
- Complete an academic major with an average of ‘C’ (2.00) or better for courses in the major.
- Complete satisfactorily at least 120 semester hours of academic credit.
- Earn at least 32 semester hours of academic credit at Illinois College, with 24 of the last 32 completed in residence.
- Attend 30 College convocations. (Students admitted to Illinois College for the first time as transfer students may attend a smaller number of convocations. See convocations on page 19.)
- Maintain at least a ‘C’ average (2.0 cumulative grade point average).
- When a minor has been declared, complete an academic minor with an average of ‘C’ (2.00) or better for courses in the minor.
The responsibility for meeting all requirements for graduation rests solely and only with the student. Each student should check with his or her advisor and the Office of the Registrar to track satisfactory completion of these requirements. Advising worksheets are available on Connect2.
Unless explicitly waived by the instructor, all prerequisites must be completed with the grade of ‘C’ or above.
A maximum of 16 credits for internships can be counted towards the 120 required semester hours. Majors also may limit the number of internship hours that can be counted in the major.
Students at Illinois College, under normal circumstances, should be able to complete their requirements for a bachelor’s degree in four years. Students must complete all graduation requirements as stated in a single edition of the college catalog. Students normally fulfill the requirements set forth in the edition of the catalog in effect at the time they first enter the College, but they may elect to fulfill the requirements in any subsequent annual catalog in effect during the time of their attendance at Illinois College by submitting their request in writing to the Registrar. Students readmitted after an absence of four or more consecutive semesters must fulfill all graduation requirements according to a catalog in effect after they re-enroll.
Students transferring to Illinois College may receive credit for parts of the academic program based upon courses they have completed with grades of ‘C-’ or better at other accredited colleges, universities, or two-year colleges. See Transfer Credits (page 198) for detailed information.
Students enrolling in one of the fully online degree programs may receive credit or waivers for parts of the academic program based upon courses they have completed with grades of “C-” or better at other accredited colleges, the possession of an associate of arts or science degree, and prior work experience. See Online Programs and General Education (page 200) for detailed information.
