In accordance with Middle States Commission on Higher Education standards (MSCHE), NDMU organizes undergraduate degree requirements into three categories: 1) General Education (Core) Requirements, 2) Other (elective or prescribed elective) requirements, and 3) Major requirements.
- General Education courses are mandated by the Maryland Commission on Higher Education (MHEC) and should generally be taken at the Freshman and Sophomore level. Specific requirements related to general education courses are explained in more detail within the Catalog.
- Other coursework requirements vary according to the degree pursued. In general, courses in this category include college-specific requirements for the Program of Study, program-specific requirements for the Program of Study, and elective courses that serve as a prerequisite for other courses included in the Major requirements of the selected program of study.
- Major requirements comprise a minimum of 25% of the total credit hours required to complete the Program of Study although each Program of Study determines the number of credit hours required in this category. This category of degree requirements consist of a specified group of courses in a particular discipline(s) or field(s). A minimum of 50% of the courses included in the Major requirements must be at the 300+ level. A minimum of 50% of the credit hours used to satisfy the Major requirements must be taken at NDMU.
Major requirements may include a Concentration or Option, depending on the specific Program of Study addressed. A Concentration is an alternative track of courses within a Major or Option, accounting for at least 30% of the Major requirements. An Option is an alternative track of courses within a Major, accounting for 50% to 80% of the Major requirements. Specific requirements for the Concentrations and/or Options offered at NDMU may be found in the degree requirements explanation for a specific Major.
Students pursuing a Major cannot earn a Minor in the same field simultaneously or subsequent to the Major, if it has been previously earned. Similarly, students pursuing a Minor cannot earn a Major in the same field simultaneously or subsequent to the Minor, if it has been previously earned.
Some degree Programs of Study include additional requirements such as satisfactory performance on one or more assessments, licensing examination scores, completion of an internship or capstone experience, or other elements included in the Program. Specific requirements may be found in the appropriate section of the catalog describing a specific Major. For majors leading to professional licensure and out-of-state licensure standards, please refer to the compliance disclosure page on the University Website for specific programs of study (https://www.ndm.edu/about-us/consumer-information/professional-licensure).
A student graduates under the General Education Requirements and Major Requirements that are in effect at the time of matriculation (see Catalog Year).
Student Responsibilities
Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the Undergraduate Catalog and satisfy all published degree requirements. Failure to do so does not provide a basis for exceptions to academic requirements or policies. Students will receive assistance from advisors, but students must assume full responsibility for completing published degree requirements.
Students must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits in the areas of General Education studies, Other (elective) requirements, and Major requirements;
- Earn a minimum of 30 credits in graded coursework at NDMU. This policy applies to all students, including transfer students. To earn Honors at graduation, students must complete a minimum of 60 credits in graded work at NDMU. This excludes all credits earned in Pass/Fail courses including internships, petitioning for credit and standardized testing;
- Earn their final 30 credits in coursework at NDMU;
- Maintain a minimum CGPA of 2.0 in all courses taken to complete the requirements of the Major. Departments may designate courses within the Major in which students must receive a minimum grade of C. All transfer students must complete a minimum of five courses in the Major discipline at NDMU, regardless of the number of credits accepted in transfer; and
- Complete NDMU-100 First Year Seminar with a passing grade. This graduation requirement applies only to students who matriculate as first-time Traditional Undergraduate College students and transfer students who enter with fewer than 12 credits.