Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

SUNY Oswego at a Glance


Welcome and Explore

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Come and explore our lakeside learning community. Nestled on nearly 700 scenic acres along the shore of Lake Ontario, the SUNY Oswego campus offers magnificent lake views year-round.

SUNY Oswego is a comprehensive public college with over 160 years of history and tradition. Nearly 7,000 students are enrolled in its more than 110 academic programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and post master’s certificate of advanced study degree levels through SUNY Oswego’s four schools: Business; Education; Communication, Media and the Arts; and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. As Oswego continues its tradition of excellence, our campus community remains committed to providing our most valuable asset — our students — with access to the very best facilities and resources, award-winning faculty and dedicated staff, in-demand academic programs and applied learning opportunities.

At SUNY Oswego, our core is our students. We measure the success of the institution on how well we nurture, mentor, inspire and prepare our students so that they may go on to live ethical and meaningful lives and build a better world as successful graduates.

Academic Quality

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SUNY Oswego is a nationally recognized “College of Distinction” and has earned a reputation for and academic excellence. Princeton Review has annually ranked Oswego among “The Best Northeastern Colleges” — a distinction the college has earned every year since the educational services firm started regional listings in 2003. SUNY Oswego also continues to be ranked in the top 10 among public colleges in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Top Regional Universities in the North, as well as ranked 48th nationally for “The Public Good” Among Master’s Universities by Washington Monthly.

The undergraduate academic program is built around a breadth of knowledge (arts and sciences, global awareness, human diversity) as well as a focus on fundamental skills (writing, critical thinking, computer literacy) needed for lifelong success. Students can major and minor in a wide range of programs from both the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs. All programs provide students with the knowledge and skill development necessary to support their career and life goals. Students have many opportunities to participate in applied learning activities such as internships, undergraduate research, and civic engagement. A supportive faculty helps students meet the academic demands so that they can join the ranks of our graduates who have found success in business, education, law, medicine, public service and other fields.

Student Profile

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Most undergraduate students are between 18 and 24, are studying full-time toward a degree, and live in our campus residence halls. The ratio of women to men is close to 53 to 47. Students come from every county in New York as well as from 25 other states and approximately 36 foreign countries.

They arrive well prepared for college study. Students entering as first-year students have earned an average grade of 91 in high school. About 50 percent have graduated in the top quarter of their class and 85 percent in the top half. Average SAT scores total about 1180. The academic records of transfer students are equally impressive; typically transfer students have earned a B average or better in their previous college work.

Oswego’s Faculty

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At Oswego, our faculty and staff form deep connections with our students who are on their quest for knowledge. Among the more than 350 full-time faculty at Oswego, are scores of grant recipients for research from such agencies as the Sloan Foundation, the Fulbright Scholars Program and the National Science Foundation. The State University of New York has honored dozens of Oswego professors for excellence in teaching.

Faculty strive for quality classroom and online instruction and individualized attention whenever possible. Our student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and about 89 percent of the full-time teaching faculty hold doctoral or terminal degrees in their fields.

Students benefit from daily contact with these scholars, who often share their research interests with them. Each year at Quest, Oswego’s forum for scholarly and creative activities, many faculty and students present their research.

The Oswego Guarantee and Graduation ROI

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The Oswego Guarantee and Graduation Return on Investment (ROI) are evidence of our partnership with you on your journey through college.

We want you to earn your bachelor’s degree at Oswego, and we are committed to working together with you toward achieving this goal. Therefore, we make the following guarantees to you.*
  • No Increase in Room and Board Costs for Four Years
  • On-Time Access to the Courses You Need or the Course is Free
  • High Touch Connections with Alumni Mentors
  • Small Class Sizes For More Individualized Attention

We reward full-time freshmen who earn a baccalaureate degree in four consecutive academic years or less for their effort. The $300 Graduation Return on Investment (ROI) is an incentive to first-year students who graduate on time. Designed to propel you forward, $300 could help make a car payment or buy a new suit for an interview. It’s a small way we say “good job” for being timely! In the big picture, the return on investment in earning a timely Oswego degree is so much more…

*Qualifying details for both the Oswego Guarantee and Graduation ROI may be found at: www.oswego.edu/guarantee.

History and Tradition

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Our institution was founded in 1861 as the Oswego Primary Teachers’ Training School by Edward Austin Sheldon, who popularized some of the most innovative teaching methods of his day. Sheldon said his school was the first to combine the object learning method with in-class training for educators. Early Oswego graduates fanned across the nation and internationally to redesign and found countless colleges and schools. Generations of alumni continue this legacy of learning by doing — positively impacting lives, scientific and social progress, and the world as a whole. Today, the college continues to create and adapt its broad selection of programs to meet the evolving needs of employers and the demands of industry and society.

Learn more at www.oswego.edu/about/history-traditions.

Accreditation and Membership

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SUNY Oswego is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. All programs in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication Media and the Arts, and Education have been approved and registered by the New York State Education Department.

The School of Education at SUNY Oswego is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP); this accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs.

All School of Business undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

The Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in both the chemistry and biochemistry tracks.

The electrical and computer engineering and software engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.

The Department of Music is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music Curriculum (NASM).

The Department of Technology is accredited by the International Technology Education Association/Council for Technical Teacher Education (ITEA/CTTE).

The mental health counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

The Department of Theatre is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).

The human resource management program is endorsed by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

The school psychology program is accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Health Services is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

The University Police department is accredited by the New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Council.

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Catalog Disclaimer: Notwithstanding anything contained in this Catalog, SUNY Oswego expressly reserves the right, whenever it deems advisable (1) to change or modify its schedule of tuition and fees, (2) to withdraw, cancel, reschedule or modify any course, program of study, degree, or any requirement or policy in connection with the foregoing, and (3) to change or modify any academic or other policy. Please be advised that, due to publishing deadlines, information contained in this Catalog may be outdated. Changes in information contained in this Catalog and new academic regulations, policies, or programs will be published on the College’s website. It is the responsibility of each student to ascertain current information that pertains to the individual’s program, particularly with regard to satisfaction of degree requirements, through frequent reference to the website and by consultation with the student’s advisor, the office of the student’s dean and other offices as appropriate (such as the Registrar or Financial Aid). In preparing this Catalog, efforts are made to provide pertinent and accurate information; however, Oswego assumes no liability for Catalog errors or omissions.
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