Curriculum Information

The academic departments are located in either the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Business; the School of Communication, Media and the Arts; or the School of Education. Most of the degree programs are administered by individual departments, such as Physics, but some degree programs are interdisciplinary, such as Linguistics, and thus are administered by faculty from a variety of departments. The academic departments are grouped as follows:

Oswego offers courses of study in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Business; the School of Communication, Media and the Arts; and the School of Education.

The rationale for the curriculum is that, within liberal limits, students, with the aid of faculty and administration, may define their own formal education. The following paragraphs are designed to inform students of these limits and to provide general and specific information about the curriculum.

Undergraduate Majors and Degrees Awarded

The undergraduate academic majors available at Oswego, their HEGIS codes, and the degree awarded are listed below. Program requirements for the degree are found in this Catalog under the major listing, titled Academic Degree Programs.

Because of very heavy student interest in particular major programs, admission to these programs, both at the freshmen and transfer levels, may be restricted, and therefore more competitive. Students should contact the Office of Admissions or the appropriate department chair for the procedures used in determining eligibility for programs.

Each academic department has an advisement coordinator responsible for assigning advisors to students entering the department. Students seeking information regarding a particular program should contact the advisement coordinator for that program. The name and telephone numbers of advisement coordinators may be found through the department. A number of departments also have Advisement Centers that offer a variety of services for students.

COMPASS, a comprehensive advisement and career planning center, assigns advisors to all undeclared students and offers additional support to all students on academic progress, college policies, and general issues related to academic success.

Incoming first-year students are assigned a first-year advisor from his or her major or a closely related department. These specially trained advisors contact the students prior to the beginning of classes and assist the student with the transition from high school to college by meeting regularly throughout the first year.

First semester freshman and first semester juniors are required to meet with their assigned advisors. A second Personal Identification Number (PIN) is assigned to each student in order to facilitate this meeting. Students need to get the PIN from their assigned advisor in order to register for the following semester’s courses.

Students entering the College as freshmen may be accepted either into a major program, or as undeclared. Transfer students must declare a major on application to the College. All students are required to declare a major by completing a Declaration of Change of Major/Minor Form no later than the midpoint of their degree program.

A second major may be declared in any academic area within the College. Students wanting to declare a second major should complete a Declaration or Change of Major/Minor Form. The degree that the student receives will be associated with the first or primary major. For example, a person may be a Business Administration (Bachelor of Science degree) major who chooses a second major in Economics (Bachelor of Arts degree). Such a student must fulfill all degree requirements for Business Administration but only the major requirements for Economics. Likewise, a Mathematics major (Bachelor of Arts degree) who chooses a second major in Applied Mathematical Economics (Bachelor of Science degree) must fulfill all of the degree requirements for Mathematics but only the major requirements for Applied Mathematical Economics. In either case, only one degree is granted. The transcript lists both majors, however.

A student may declare no more than two majors and one minor, or one major and two minors. Students are not required to choose a second major or an academic minor.

A student who, in the judgment of the faculty of an academic department, possesses truly unusual creative ability may be accepted into an individual course of study appropriate to the student’s needs. Privileged status for a student in terms of an individual course of study is contingent upon prior approval by the Faculty Assembly, based on a recommendation from the Academic Policies Council.

An individual may pursue a second undergraduate degree to fulfill a different academic objective but may not concurrently pursue two undergraduate degrees at Oswego. An individual who seeks admission/readmission to earn a second undergraduate degree must

1. meet with an academic advisor in the major to develop a program of study;
2. the program of study must be approved by the dean’s office before being admitted/readmitted;
3. complete and pass a minimum of 30 hours of coursework at Oswego;
4. complete all requirements in the major with the combination of the courses taken before admission/readmission and those taken after to earn the second undergraduate degree.

Students admitted to pursue a second undergraduate degree begin with a new (0.00) GPA.

An academic minor is an approved course sequence within an area, a specialty within a discipline, or a specialty integrating more than one discipline. The area in which a student takes a minor is recorded on the student’s transcript provided that the minor is completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0.  In addition, a minimum of one-half of the minor requirements must be completed at Oswego.  Students are not required to take an academic minor. 

Students who want to declare a minor are to obtain approval from their major advisor and from the department offering the minor or, in the case of interdisciplinary minors, approval from the coordinator of the minor. The declaration of minor follows the same procedures and uses the same forms that are used to declare majors. The student, the major advisor, and a designated member in the minor area of study are to develop an appropriate minor course sequence for the student, subject to the limitations prescribed by the minor. Advisement and the certification of successful completion of the minor requirements will be done by the designated faculty members in the major and minor areas of study.

Although some minors are identical to the teacher education concentration requirements, students should note that such a minor, if taken without the professional teacher education major program, will not lead to eligibility for initial certification to teach in New York State.

A student is not considered officially registered for credit until the registration procedures are completed and the bill is paid. Prior to the start of each semester and session, information relating to registration is available on the web at www.oswego.edu/registrar. Students in good academic standing who have not attended for a semester must contact the Registrar’s Office for readmission. Students registering after the published deadline are charged a late registration fee.

In order to verify students’ registration, email notification is issued, every semester after the ADD/DROP Period, to all undergraduate and graduate students. The notification directs students to myOswego to identify any discrepancies between the courses and/or sections they are attending and the ones for which they are officially registered. It is the students’ responsibility to report discrepancies, within ten days of receipt of the email notification, to the Registrar’s Office.

All students should use their myOswego account to monitor their student information. The student’s myOswego account is a web based student information account found at oswego.edu/myoswego. Students should use myOswego to register during prescribed registration periods, check course availability during semester course planning, check semester final grades, verify their course schedule, and other personal, registration, financial, and account procedures.

The principal academic components of SUNY Oswego are the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Business; the School of Communication, Media and the Arts; and the School of Education.

A student who wants to transfer from one college or school to another, or to another curriculum within a college or school, must submit a completed Declaration and Change of Major/Minor/Advisor Form to the Office of the Registrar. Forms and directions for transfer are available in the offices of the college or schools and the Registrar’s Office. Note that transfers to certain programs may be restricted due to the large student demand for these programs. See the section “Restriction on Enrollment in Specified Programs” in the CURRICULUM INFORMATION section of this catalog.

Transfer from a college or school is normally prohibited if the student’s cumulative GPA is below 2.0.

The undergraduate degree program of any full-time matriculated student is expected to be completed in eight marking periods. A program must be completed within a maximum of twelve marking periods of full-time enrollment. Full-time enrollment is defined as any marking period in which the student registers for twelve or more credit hours.

The high academic standards maintained by the College, changes in students’ career plans, or similar reasons result in students leaving the College without finishing a degree program. The approximate attrition rates by class for students who enter the College as freshmen are: 24% for freshmen, 11% for sophomores, 5% for juniors and 5% for seniors. For transfer students the approximate rates are: 25% for juniors and 10% for seniors.

In an effort to reduce these numbers to a minimum, the College provides an extensive advisement system which starts before students arrive on the campus and continues throughout their program at Oswego. Students are urged to use this system to forestall academic problems.

Each year, the Office of Career Services conducts an extensive study to determine the first positions obtained by graduates within nine months after commencement. The complete report entitled “Follow-up Study of Baccalaureate Graduates” contains detailed information about the status of graduates in each major and provides a listing of job titles and salaries obtained by graduates. A copy of this report may be reviewed upon request in the Career Services Office, on the web site (www.oswego.edu/careerservices), or at the Reserve Desk in Penfield Library.

Campus Wide Requirements

1. Students enrolled in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Communication, Media and the Arts, Wellness Management, Childhood or Adolescence Education, and all School of Business programs must complete 122 credit hours of academic work to earn the bachelor’s degree with the exception of the Electrical and Computer Engineering degree which requires 123 credit hours. Students enrolled in the Vocational Teacher Preparation program must complete 127 hours with 66-67 hours in professional courses and 60 hours in liberal arts. Students enrolled in Technology Education must complete 128 hours with 68 hours in professional courses and 60 hours in liberal arts. Students enrolled in Technology Management must complete 126 hours with 66 hours in professional courses and 60 hours in liberal arts.  Students in the BFA program in Art must complete 123 credit hours.
2. Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree must earn 90 of the 122 credit hours in liberal arts courses. Liberal arts courses are all courses in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Communication, Media and the Arts; the Department of Health Promotion and Wellness; and any course approved for General Education credit (including writing plan courses).
3. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must also complete 90 of the 122 credit hours in liberal arts courses. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in all Business Administration programs must complete 66 of the 122 credit hours in liberal arts courses. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Technology Education or in Vocational Teacher Preparation must complete 60 credit hours in liberal arts courses. Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Childhood Education or Adolescence Education must complete 75 credit hours in liberal arts courses.
4. Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree may count no more than 54 credit hours in one discipline toward the degree in order to affirm the breadth of study implied in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
5. All students are required to complete at least 42 credit hours in courses numbered 300 to 499 in order to demonstrate that their study has progressed from the general to the specific, and from the basic to the advanced.

The curriculum may be divided roughly into four parts: (1) general education, (2) the major field, (3) cognate requirements for the major, and (4) electives.

1. General Education provides students with the fundamental skills, broad base of disciplinary knowledge, and understanding of multiple, diverse perspectives necessary to do well at SUNY Oswego and to make sense of the world. The program is explained in greater detail in the next section and in Table I (GE 21 Requirements).
2. The major field section of the degree program gives students an opportunity to specialize in the academic or professional field of their choice. See the specific major listing for the major field requirements.
3. Cognate requirements are courses not offered in the major department, but which support and complement the major. For example, students majoring in a science would be severely handicapped if they did not develop certain mathematical skills. Therefore, mathematics is a cognate requirement for majors in the sciences. See the specific major listing for the cognate requirements.
4. Elective courses bring the student’s total number of credit hours to the 122 (123 for BFA in Art, 123 for Electrical and Computer Engineering, 128 for Technology Education, 126 for Technology Management, and 127 for Vocational Teacher Preparation majors) required for graduation. Although there is generally no restriction placed on electives, each student must be careful to earn the appropriate number of credit hours in liberal arts courses, including health and physical education courses, and in courses numbered 300 or higher.

 General Education at SUNY/College at Oswego is governed by two guiding principles: liberal education plays a foundational role in preparing Oswego graduates to engage and contribute to the world; students should have a degree of choice regarding the shape of their general education program. The SUNY Oswego general education program, what we call GE 21, will help students to hone the skills and habits of thought necessary to do well in university and critical to a life well lived after being graduated.

Oswego faculty and staff recognize the importance of strong communication and mathematics skills. Therefore, students are required to complete coursework or demonstrate proficiency in both basic writing and mathematics. In addition, work in the major will help each student develop proficiency in oral communication while at the same time sharpening their writing and critical thinking skills.

We recognize that students need scientific as well as quantitative and communication literacy if they are to succeed now and in the future. Oswego requires that our students successfully complete a course in the natural sciences. Taken together, knowing what it means to think like a scientist, knowing how numbers can be marshaled in support of an understanding of the natural world and humankind’s role in it, and knowing how to communicate effectively how scientific understanding contributes to the world in which they live will be crucial to our students’ ability to make sense of and help to shape their world.

Oswego also recognizes that the world is marked by a web of connections and relationships. We do not live in isolation. In order to help prepare students to play an active part in the world, to make a difference if you will, Oswego requires that students take a course that helps them see and make sense of the connections and relationships. All courses in our World Awareness category help to foster an awareness of the history and culture of peoples and places not our own and an understanding of common problems, issues, and concerns faced by people around the world. Because having a basic knowledge of a foreign language helps one to understand and appreciate the culture of those speaking it, we also require that students either complete coursework or demonstrate a level of proficiency in a foreign language.

Students need to complete either 30 or 33 credit hours in order to fulfill our general education requirement. Breadth of knowledge is ensured in our general education program. In addition to courses in mathematics, English, the natural sciences, foreign language, and world awareness, students complete their general education program by choosing from a variety of courses in a number of categories. With choice comes the opportunity for students to develop and follow lines of inquiry and subjects of interest and concern.
Table I highlights both the required categories and where the student can choose from a list of categories. Please work with your advisor as you select your general education courses in order to shape a program that fits your needs and interests. You should also work with your advisor to ensure that the general education requirements infused in the major are met.

Students who transfer to Oswego in Fall 2013, or later, from another SUNY unit after completing the 30-credit SUNY-General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER, July 2010) at the previous institution (or institutions) are exempt from all of Oswego’s specific general education requirements. Upon acceptance at Oswego these transfer students will have completed the General Education Requirement at Oswego.

Students who transfer to Oswego in Fall 2013, or later, from a non-SUNY school after completing the equivalent of the 30-credit SUNY-General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER, July 2010) at the previous institution (or institutions) are exempt from all of Oswego’s specific general education requirements. Upon acceptance at Oswego these transfer students will have completed the General Education Requirement at Oswego.

Students entering Oswego with an approved two-year Associate’s degree (AA, AS, or AAS only) from other units in SUNY but without having completed the 30-credit SUNY-General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER, July 2010) may fulfill the Oswego general education foreign language requirement with an approved 101-level foreign language course at Oswego (or elsewhere) equivalent to any of those approved for that requirement at the SUNY unit from which that student received his or her degree. In accordance with SUNY system policy, the degree-holding transfer student may also fulfill the foreign language requirement with three years of high school foreign language study.
It is important to note that this articulation provision does not apply to students entering Oswego from institutions outside of SUNY or to those arriving from a SUNY unit without an associate’s degree.

Table I: General Education 21 (GE 21) Requirements

¹Any approved GE course at the 200-level or above needed to reach the required 30 hours only when specific requirements are met without credit-bearing coursework. Most commonly, this applies when the foreign language requirement is met with highschool coursework.

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES CANNOT BE TAKEN PASS-FAIL. NO COURSE CAN BE USED BY A STUDENT TO FULFILL MORE THAN ONE GENERAL EDUCATION CATEGORY.

A student must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester to be considered a full-time student. An undergraduate student is permitted to register for a maximum of 17 credit hours. Exceptions are made for students majoring in Technology Education, Vocational Teacher Preparation, and for graduating seniors whose programs require more than 17 credits. All other students who elect to register for more than 17 credit hours may do so at the beginning of the semester with their advisor’s permission. The work portion of a 40 hour per week Co-0p in any semester is considered the equivalent to a full-time academic load making the student full-time.

The average student workload is two hours of work outside of class for every credit hour of course work. Thus students who carry a 15 credit hour load are expected to spend an additional 30 hours per week in study, preparation, and similar academic pursuits.

A student’s class standing is determined by the number of hours of credit earned: freshman, 0 through 26 hours; sophomore, 27 through 56 hours; junior, 57 through 86 hours; senior, over 86 hours.

A non-degree student is one who has been accepted to the College for course work only and who has not fulfilled entrance requirements for matriculation as a degree candidate. Non-degree students are limited to a maximum of 11 credit hours per semester and a cumulative total of 22 credit hours, with the following exceptions: (1) students holding an undergraduate degree who are following a recommended program for teacher certification; (2) students matriculated and in good standing at another college who, with approval, are taking work to fulfill degree requirements; and (3) students admitted under the State University Visiting Student Program. Application for enrollment as a non-degree or visiting student should be made through the College Admissions Office.

A student is permitted to graduate under the program of study in effect at the time of admission provided that the student’s attendance at Oswego is not interrupted by an absence of more than two academic years. If a student’s attendance is interrupted by an absence of more than two academic years, the student will be required to graduate under the program of study in effect at the time of readmission to the College. Approved off-campus study in overseas academic programs, internships and the visiting student program is considered study in residence.

Unit of Credit

The credit hour is the course unit of credit, representing the satisfactory completion of one class period per week for one semester. Thus a course having three class periods a week will typically generate three credit hours. Studio and laboratory class periods earn one credit hour for each two hours of attendance unless otherwise indicated.

Course Numbering

Courses are numbered as follows:

100-199 – Courses without prerequisites
200-299 – Courses may have some prerequisites
300-399 – Courses with intermediate level difficulty and prerequisites
400-499 – Courses with advanced level difficulty and prerequisites
500-599 – Graduate level courses
600-699 – Two year graduate Certificate of Advanced Study Program students only

Frequency of Course Offerings

Each course listed in this Catalog has the semester listed indicating the marking period when it is normally taught. These include Fall, Spring, Summer, and Not on a regular basis for courses taught on an as needed basis. Due to the dynamic nature of the College’s academic programs, these designations should be used only as guides for when any particular course will be offered.

Limited course credit may be granted for educational experience received while in military service. Such experience will be evaluated in terms of its relation to degree requirements. The credit awarded may not be used to meet major program requirements without departmental approval. Inquiries regarding credit for military educational experiences should be directed to the Office of the Registrar.

Students may, with prior approval, take course work at other accredited colleges and universities and transfer the credit to their record at Oswego.

Courses from community colleges will be accepted for lower division credit only. A maximum of 62 credit hours of lower division credit from two-year schools may be applied toward the Oswego bachelor’s degree. Credit only is transferred for work taken at other institutions. Off-campus study does not become a part of a student’s record unless an Off-Campus Study Approval Form, signed by the student, the student’s advisor, and if required, chairperson of the department in which the equivalent campus course is taught, or where applicable, the Director of General Education, and is submitted to the Registrar’s Office in advance of completing the coursework. If the course is being transferred from another SUNY institution and has been articulated as equivalent to an Oswego course, only the student and advisors’ signature is needed. For a listing of equivalencies, please refer to the SUNY Oswego Registrar’s webpage for links to the SUNY Gen Ed Approved Listings and links to equivalencies from various SUNY institutions.

Students may earn academic credit for independent studies and practica. Internships are graded Honors (H), Satisfactory (S), or Unsatisfactory (U) only. An explanation of each type of study, the eligibility requirements that a student must meet to enroll, and the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned in each type of study are outlined in the following paragraphs. No more than 21 credit hours of any combination of independent studies, internships and practica may be counted toward the hours needed for graduation. For more information on Internships and Service Learning contact the Office of Experience-Based Education (www.oswego.edu/ebe).

Independent Studies

Students of exceptional ability and promise may enroll for independent studies for degree credit provided they meet the requirements stipulated below. The term, independent study, may mean (1) independent readings, (2) independent projects, or (3) independent study for honors. Students are eligible for independent readings or independent projects if they have completed a minimum of sixty (60) hours of college credit. In addition, they must have a cumulative average of at least 3.0, unless the independent study is required for the completion of the major. Independent study for honors requires the completion of a minimum of sixty (60) hours and the achievement of a 3.2 cumulative average.

In addition to the stipulated limitations for each type of independent study, the following restrictions also apply: (1) a student may register for no more than six hours of any combination of independent studies in a given semester, (2) a maximum of 12 hours of any combination of independent studies may be counted within a major, and six hours toward a minor or concentration, and (3) a student may count no more than 15 hours of any combination of independent studies toward the hours needed for graduation.

Independent Readings

This form of independent study is an independent reading program directed and evaluated by a professor, who will determine the eligibility of the student on the basis of minimum standards set by the department which are consistent with or exceed the above College standards.

To initiate the study, a student must prepare a reading list in consultation with a professor specializing in the subject area. The student should also prepare a statement on the topic and objectives of the proposed readings, the number of credit hours sought, and the methods by which the professor will supervise and evaluate the student’s work for an appropriate letter grade. When the professor has accepted the student’s proposal, it shall be submitted to the department chair for approval. Copies of the proposal are to be signed and held by the student, the supervising professor, and the chair.

Entries on the student’s transcript will be labeled “Independent Readings in… ” and numbered 399 or 499 depending on the degree of sophistication of the readings. No student may count more than 15 hours of independent reading credit toward the hours needed for graduation.

Independent Project

Independent work on a project or problem is directed and evaluated by a professor who will determine the eligibility of the student on the basis of minimum standards set by the department which are consistent with or exceed the above College standards.

To initiate the study, a student must prepare a written plan of study within a professor’s area of specialization. The plan of study will specify the topic, objectives, and approach of the project, the number of credit hours sought, and the methods by which the professor will supervise and evaluate it for an appropriate letter grade. When the professor has accepted the student’s proposal, it shall be submitted to the department chair for approval. Copies of the plan of study are to be signed and held by the student, the supervising professor, and the chair.

Entries on the student’s transcript will be labeled “Independent Project in… ” and numbered 399.

Independent Study for Honors

To be eligible for this activity, a student must have completed at least 60 credit hours, 15 credit hours in the subject area, and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better.

Students wishing to engage in this independent academic activity must prepare a written plan of study within a professor’s area of specialization. The plan of study will specify the topic, objectives, and approach of the project, the number of credit hours sought, and the methods by which the professor will supervise and evaluate it for an appropriate letter grade. When the professor has accepted the student’s proposal, it shall be submitted to the department chair for approval. Copies of the plan of study are to be signed and held by the student, the supervising professor, and the chair.

Entries on the student’s transcript will be labeled “Independent Study for Honors in… ” and numbered 499.

Internship

An internship is the supervised placement of a student in business, industry, a social or governmental agency, or other work setting for a specified period and for an appropriate number of credit hours. It is an upper division learning experience, different from both independent studies and practica. The goal of an internship is to afford students an opportunity to apply their theoretical background and skills to an experiential situation. In most instances, students will have completed the relevant theoretical course work before planning an internship experience. In those instances where that has not occurred, appropriate coursework and/or independent study should be scheduled concurrently with the internship experience. If independent study is prescribed, the Independent Study Policy should be reviewed to ensure that the appropriate procedures/policies are followed.

In order to be eligible for an internship, a student must have completed at least 60 credit hours of college work, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5, and have fulfilled all other departmental prerequisites. Internships are graded “Honors,” “Satisfactory,” and “Unsatisfactory” (H, S, and U). Qualified students shall prepare a learning agreement for the internship with the guidance of the sponsoring professor. The proposal will include the name of the agency where the student will be placed, the name of the site supervisor, the academic objectives of the internship, the nature of the work experience, the number of credit hours to be earned, and the procedures by which the internship will be supervised and evaluated for a grade.

After the learning agreement is completed and signed by the student, the sponsor/instructor and the program director, it must be reviewed and approved by the department chair and the student’s academic advisor. As a final step in the approval process, the agreement must be submitted to the office of the dean of the student’s major or minor. Agreements should be forwarded to the dean’s office as soon as possible after the prior advance registration period, but no later than the end of the sixth full day of classes of the semester in which the student is doing the internship. Site supervisors will be requested to sign the agreement at the time the internship begins. The copy signed by the site supervisor will be forwarded to the director of Experience-Based Education and placed in the student’s folder.

A student serving an internship will be supervised jointly by a professor from the sponsoring academic department and the professional with whom the internship is being served. The student will be required to submit a scholarly report analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the experience. This report, together with the field supervisor’s report and, where practicable, the faculty member’s field evaluation, shall provide the primary basis from which the faculty sponsor will assign a grade for the internship.

Entries on a student’s transcript for such experiences will be labeled “Internship in…” and numbered 498. A student may register for no more than one internship per semester, and may count no more than 12 credit hours of internship credit toward a major or 6 credit hours toward a minor or concentration. No more than 15 hours of internship credit may be counted toward fulfilling requirements for the BA, BFA, or BS degrees, and no more than 21 hours of any combination of independent studies, internships and practica may be credited toward the hours needed for graduation.

Practica

A practicum is a regularly scheduled course which combines a formal classroom instruction with supervised field work in a subject area. It is an upper division course, presupposing considerable background in the area, and is different from both independent studies and internships.

To be eligible for a practicum, a student must have fulfilled all departmental prerequisites. Student evaluation will be the responsibility of the faculty member teaching the practicum in consultation with the field supervisor.

A student may register for no more than one practicum per semester and may count no more than 12 credit hours of practicum credit toward the major and no more than six hours toward a minor or concentration. For more information on Internships and Service Learning contact the Office of Experience Based Education.

Seniors may petition for permission to be admitted to graduate courses (500-599) for undergraduate credit if they meet the following terms and conditions:

1. The student has at least a 3.25 cumulative quality point index in the student’s major and at least a 3.00 cumulative quality point index for all college work credit at Oswego.
2. The student has the approval of the student’s advisor and the instructor of the course, and the chair of the department in which the course is offered certifies to the appropriate Dean that the student is qualified to take the course and that the student would substantially benefit by participation in this graduate course.
3. The completed petition and supporting documents must be submitted to the appropriate dean prior to the deadline for adding courses. The dean will maintain the appropriate records, will arrange the proper award of credit and will ensure the integrity of graduate level course.
4. In exceptional circumstances a student who does not meet the above requirements may petition through the chair to the appropriate dean for permission to enroll in graduate level courses.
5. A graduate course used for undergraduate credit cannot later be used for graduate credit.

Seniors who need nine hours or fewer to graduate may petition for combined enrollment if they meet the following terms and conditions:

1. The student must complete a petition form for combined enrollment which may be secured at the Graduate Office.
2. The student has at least a 3.25 cumulative quality point index in the student’s major and at least a 3.00 cumulative quality point index for all college work credited at Oswego. In exceptional circumstances a student who does not meet this requirement may petition through the chair of the department in which the course is offered to the appropriate dean for permission to enroll in graduate level courses.
3. The student has the approval of the student’s advisor and the instructor of the course, and the chair of the department in which the course is offered certifies to the appropriate dean that the student is qualified to take the course and that the student would substantially benefit by participation in this graduate course.
4. The student’s class load cannot exceed 12 credit hours unless permission is requested by the student’s advisor and approved by the appropriate dean to increase the total to a maximum of 15 credit hours.
5. The completed petition and supporting documents must be submitted to the appropriate dean prior to the deadline for adding courses. The dean will maintain the appropriate records, will arrange the proper award of credit and will ensure the integrity of the graduate level courses.
6. Granting of combined enrollment graduate credit is contingent upon completion of undergraduate degree requirements. Should, for any reason, a student taking courses for combined enrollment not graduate at the end of the semester, all graduate credit will automatically revert to undergraduate credit.

Any undergraduate at Oswego may receive a maximum of thirty credit hours and with departmental approval may receive up to a maximum of twelve credit hours toward a major program via a sufficient grade or score on a recognized proficiency examination. A grade of C or higher must be obtained on an Excelsior College Proficiency Examinations or a score of 50 or higher must be achieved on the Subject Examinations of the College-Level Examination Program of the College Entrance Examination Board.  A student who has received credit for an advanced course (300 level or above) in a given major program cannot receive proficiency credit via the above examinations for a lower level course in the same major program.

Achievement of a sufficient grade or score on a recognized proficiency examination is an acceptable substitute for a corresponding course offering in which the student has received a failing grade (E), provided the course is not a requirement in the student’s major program. All students passing such a proficiency examination under such a situation can transfer the credits for the exam.  However, grades do not transfer to SUNY Oswego.

Oswego has established a proficiency examination program to serve students who seek recognition for achievement acquired outside the conventional college classroom. The program has been established to help those students entering Oswego as well as those already matriculated. Described below are the proficiency examinations recognized by Oswego for college credit. Any undergraduate at Oswego may receive a maximum of 30 credit hours of credit and with departmental approval may receive up to a maximum of 12 hours of credit toward a major program via proficiency examinations.

Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the College Entrance Examination Board is designed to enable students to pursue college-level studies while still in secondary school. The exams are graded on a five-point scale; in order to receive Oswego credit a score of three or higher must be earned. How credit is evaluated is outlined in the SUNY Oswego Advanced Placement (AP) Course Equivalencies Table . These listings are subject to change, students should confirm equivalencies with the General Education Director and their advisor.
Information about the AP Program may be obtained from the Admissions Office or the College Board Advanced Placement Program, PO Box 6771, Princeton, NJ 08541.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP, offered by the College Board, is the most widely accepted credit-by-exam program in the country. Exams offered by CLEP include both General and Subject Examinations.

General Exams—with the exception of the English Composition with Essay exam, students may only receive Arts and Sciences elective credit for the successful completion of the General Exam(s).

English Composition with Essay Exam—Students who receive a score of 52 or more on the English Composition with Essay Exam will be exempted from Communication:Writing Requirement of the General Education Program. Students who receive a score between 50 and 51 will be awarded three credits of Arts and Sciences elective credit.

Subject Exams—Students may be exempted from specific courses by successfully completing a Subject Exam. A minimum score of 50 or more is required to be awarded credit.

CLEP Examination  table can be found at this link

International Baccalaureate (IB)

SUNY Oswego awards college credit to students completing high school through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Exam levels are Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Standard Level exams can be equated to the Advanced Placement (AP) level. Additional coursework is done for HL exams. The minimum score to earn credit at SUNY Oswego is 4. How credit is evaluated is outlined in the SUNY Oswego International Baccalaureate (IB) Course Equivalencies Tables. IB exams at Oswego are reviewed on an as-needed basis. IB equivalency information is subject to change. Students should confirm equivalencies with the General Education director and their advisor.

Additional information about the IB Program may be obtained from the Admissions Office www.oswego.edu/admissions or the International Baccalaureate Program website at www.ibo.org.