Undergraduate Degree Requirements

The undergraduate degree requirements are:

General elective coursework – any combination of additional courses not in a student's chosen major or minor field, which are sufficient to bring the total number of degree-credit semester hours to at least 120.
Grades of "C" or better in all courses in the major field and in required courses in cognate areas.
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 ("C" or better) as a degree requirement for all academic work completed at Fisk.
Minimum of six semesters of study at Fisk for students who enter the University with Freshman standing; or, for transfer students, a minimum of four semesters of study at Fisk. Transfer students should take at least three-fourths of the work required for the major at Fisk. All students must complete the final 30 semester- hours of work at Fisk, except when participating in approved cooperative programs with other institutions, or by special permission from the Provost. Completion of all degree requirements within twelve semesters of full-time study at Fisk or equivalent in part- time study, except where an extension of time has been approved by the Provost.
Completion of CSCI 100, CSCI 110, or BAD 110
The Exit Examination given to students with senior classification.
Demonstration of promise of usefulness to the community and observance of appropriate standards of ethical conduct, as determined by the University.
Completion of an application for the degree in the Office of the Registrar, per the specified deadline, of the academic year in which graduation is expected.
Degree requirements for each of the baccalaureate degrees offered at Fisk are described in departmental program offerings.

CORE curriculum

37–41 semester hours of prescribed common courses, in the liberal arts with a grade of C, D or higher.

Foreign Language Requirement

Three semesters of college study, or equivalent, in one foreign language is required. Students who have studied a foreign language for at least two years in high school may register for advanced placement in that language if they score satisfactorily on a foreign language placement examination given during the new student orientation period. Students with extensive prior background in a foreign language are not required to pursue language study at Fisk, if their placement scores indicate a mastery of the language equivalent to at least the second year of college study. Thus, the language requirement calls for a level of achievement equivalent to two years of college study – not for a specified number of credit hours. Fisk offers instruction in Spanish and French, but students who can document appropriate competence in another foreign language may petition to substitute that language.

Note: Students enrolled in dual-degree engineering programs in cooperation with other institutions and students seeking the B.S. degree in physics are exempt from the foreign language requirement. [B.A. candidates in physics are not exempt.]

Computer Competency

Computer competency requirement prior to graduation, all students must demonstrate basic proficiency in the areas of: Word processing, spreadsheet development, electronic presentations, e-mail, and the internet. The classes such as CSCI 100, CSCI 110, or BAD 110 are offered to assist students in meeting competency standards in each area. Computer competency is part of the permanent record for each student.

Major Credit Hours

Completion of an academic major of at least 32 semester hours of study, depending on the field chosen, and including work in related or "cognate" fields. Specific requirements, including minimum and maximum hours of study, have been established within each of the available majors and are listed in the appropriate sections of this Bulletin. The total number of hours for any major, for joint majors, and for the elected studies major normally shall not exceed 64 semester hours of credit in approved courses. Courses beyond the required credit-hour maximum in a discipline or elected studies major will not be counted toward the minimum credit-hour requirement for the bachelor’s degree.

Minor Credit Hours

To accompany the major, there are minor fields of study available in Computer Science, Data Science, Music Business, African-American studies, and Women and Gender Studies. Completion of a minor field is not, however, a degree requirement. Minor programs are comprised of 18-22 semester hours in the specified programs.

Note: Students should be aware that no student shall be eligible for election to Phi Beta Kappa whose major or combined major and related minor exceed 48 semester hours.