Degrees are awarded once a year at Commencement. Students who complete the requirements for the degree at other times during the year will be recommended to receive the degree at the next Commencement. A student is expected to satisfy the requirements for the degree of bachelor of arts within eight semesters. Based on a modification voted by the faculty, the requirements for this degree specified below are for students entering Wesleyan in and after the fall of 2000. Students who entered Wesleyan prior to the fall of 2000 must refer to the appropriate section of the degree requirements and academic regulations at wesleyan.edu/registrar/academic_regulations/prior_2000.html.

Graduation Requirements

The requirements are (1) satisfaction of requirements for a major; (2) satisfactory completion of 32 course credits, no fewer than 16 of which must be earned at Wesleyan or in Wesleyan-sponsored programs; (3) a cumulative average of 74 percent or work of equivalent quality; and (4) for bachelor of arts students, at least six semesters in residence at Wesleyan as full-time students for students entering in their first year (for students entering as sophomore transfers, at least five semesters in residence at Wesleyan as full-time students; for students entering as midyear sophomores or junior transfers, at least four semesters in residence at Wesleyan as full-time students; Approved participation in one semester of study abroad will count as a semester in residence). A semester in residence is defined as any semester in which a student attends classes on the Wesleyan campus*, has attempted at least three credits, and received at least one grade. If a conversion to semester hours is required, each Wesleyan credit may be assigned a value of four semester hours.

*or via online classes offered by Wesleyan as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All courses taken at Wesleyan will be listed on the student's transcript. However, there are limits on the number of credits students can count toward the total of 32 course credits required for the bachelor of arts. No more than 16 credits in any one subject (i.e., course code) can be counted toward the degree requirements. All course credits posted to a student’s academic records will be considered for oversubscription including prematriculant, study-abroad, and/or transfer credits. A course offered in more than one subject designation (i.e., cross-listed) will count in all subjects in which it is offered. A student who exceeds these limits will be considered oversubscribed, and the additional course credits may not count toward the 32 required for the bachelor of arts.

In addition, the student may count toward the 32 credits a maximum of the following credits:

• A maximum of four credits in any combination of the following:
  • maximum of one credit in physical education (PHED)
  • maximum of one credit in self-paced language courses
  • (LANG 104), and no more than one-half credit in any one language
  • maximum of two student forum credits (419, 420)
  • maximum of four independent study and education-in-the-field credits (any combination of 467, 468, 469, 470)
  • maximum of one-half internship credit (CSPL 493)
  • maximum of two teaching apprentice credits (491, 492)

• A maximum of four individual and group tutorial credits (401,402, 403, 404, 411, 412, 421, 422, CSPL480)
• A maximum of four times each of repeatable courses

While a maximum of two credits earned before matriculation by entering first-year students may count toward the Wesleyan degree, all such credits that have been duly approved by Wesleyan departments will be listed on the student's transcript. This applies to Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advance-Level exams, as well as any college-level courses taken with college students and taught by a college teacher on a college campus, provided that the course meets Wesleyan's transfer credit criteria. Aside from AP credits and other credits regularly awarded on the basis of centrally administered examinations, no course that is listed for credit on a student's high school transcript may be used for Wesleyan credit.