English Requirement
One course satisfies both the campus’ English General Education requirement and L&S’ English Composition requirement.
Students must complete English 102 or its equivalent with a grade of C or higher or place beyond English 102 on the Placement Test. Note that English 102 has prerequisites. Depending on placement test scores, a student may need to take other classes prior to becoming eligible to take English 102. Transfer students can meet this requirement by transferring in credits earned with a C or better for English 102, its equivalent, or a course that has English 102 as its prerequisite. [This requirement is now called the Oral and Written Communication requirement.]
Mathematics and Formal Reasoning Requirements
Two courses are needed to satisfy these requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Most of these courses have prerequisites, however, so a student may end up taking more than two total classes depending on his/her placement test scores.
First, students must complete Math 102, 103, 105, 108 or 175 with a grade of C or higher, or place beyond these courses on the Mathematics Placement Exam. Transfer students complete this requirement by completing on transfer at least 2.5 credits in an equivalent course or in a higher-level course that has one of these courses as a prerequisite. Note that at UWM Math 175 is open only to students in the School of Education.
Second, students complete three credits in any 200-level or above math course, a logic course (Philosophy 211), or a number of different Letters and Science statistics courses. View the list of approved subject-specific statistics courses. Many of these statistics courses may also count towards your major.
Note that students seeking a BS degree in L&S have different rules for satisfying the Formal Reasoning portion of the Mathematics and Formal Reasoning Requirement. Be sure you are looking at the correct requirements for the degree you are seeking. [In subsequent years, the campus’ mathematics requirement has been renamed the “Quantitative Literacy requirement.”]
Foreign Language Requirement
To satisfy the Language Requirement, students must complete a 2-semester (minimum 6-credit) language sequence (including American Sign Language) other than English with a grade of C or better. This requirement is already met if the student took two years of a single language (including American Sign Language) other than English in high school.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies completion of the campus-wide Foreign Language GER.
International Requirement
To satisfy the International Requirement, students have three options:
- complete three courses (at least nine credits) in a single foreign language (not including literature-in-translation and not including American Sign Language) at the third semester level and above, or
- complete three non-language courses (at least nine credits) with international content chosen from at least two curricular areas, or
- complete nine credits in combination from options 1 and 2.
Students who began their college career between Fall 2006 and Summer 2008 can choose from many different courses based on older lists. You can view the current list of approved courses but are strongly encouraged to consult your advisor to explore all available options.
Note that study abroad courses apply towards the satisfaction of this requirement.
Some courses that satisfy the International Requirement may satisfy other requirements such as the L&S Breadth Requirement. Careful course selection is advised.
Breadth Requirement and General Education Requirement
Breadth Requirement – L&S Humanities – 12 credits
To satisfy the L&S Humanities Breadth Requirement, students must complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Humanities Breadth designation with no more than 6 credits from a single subject area. Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to take at least 6 humanities credits that are in bold type on the list in order to satisfy the campus-wide Humanities Distribution GER and part of the L&S Humanities Breadth Requirement simultaneously.
Breadth Requirement – L&S Social Sciences – 12 credits
To satisfy the L&S Social Sciences Breadth Requirement, students must complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Social Sciences Breadth designation with no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to take at least 6 social science credits that are in bold type on the list in order to satisfy the campus-wide Social Sciences Distribution GER and part of the L&S Social Science Breadth Requirement simultaneously.
Breadth Requirement – L&S Natural Sciences – 12 credits
To satisfy the L&S Natural Sciences Breadth Requirement, students must complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Natural Sciences Breadth designation with no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area and with at least one laboratory or field course. Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to take at least 6 natural science credits that are in bold type on the list in order to satisfy the campus-wide Natural Science Distribution GER and part of the L&S Natural Science Breadth Requirement simultaneously. Note that students seeking a BS degree in L&S have very different rules for satisfying the L&S Natural Sciences Breadth Requirement. Be sure you are looking at the correct requirements for the degree you are seeking.
The biggest differences between campus’ GER requirements and L&S’ breadth requirement are: (1) campus only requires 6 credits in each area while L&S requires 12 credits in each area and (2) only L&S courses will count towards the breadth requirement. For example, Criminal Justice 110 is a course that satisfies a portion of the campus’ GER in social science but does NOT count towards the L&S breadth requirement. Careful course selection is advised to choose classes that will meet both requirements simultaneously as needed.
Other University-Wide General Education Requirements (GER)
Cultural Diversity
Three credits in a course with “cultural diversity” designation is required. Oftentimes students can find a course that is both CD and either a humanities breadth or social science breadth. Students are advised to take a course that is listed on both the L&S Breadth List and on the campus-wide GER list with the designation of CD.
Arts
The university-wide Arts GER requires 3 credits in a course with the “A” designation selected from the list of approved courses at http://uwm.edu/current_students/ger_information/ger_arts.cfm.
Credit Requirements
To complete the BA, 120 degree credits are required.
These 120 credits must include at least 36 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses offered by the College of Letters and Science. Upper division courses in units outside L&S may NOT be used to satisfy this requirement. Note that students seeking a BS degree in L&S have different rules regarding the 36 credits in upper division L&S courses.
These 120 credits must include at least 90 credits completed in L&S courses. L&S courses are those which are listed in the L&S section of the Undergraduate Bulletin http://uwm.edu/ugcatalog/SC/C_LaS.html.
Credit Limitations
- No more than 30 of the required 120 credits may be from units outside L&S.
- No more than 72 of the required 120 credits may be from two-year institutions.
- Prior authorization is required for any credits taken at another institution in a semester while concurrently enrolled at UWM in that same semester.
- There is no limit to the number of credits that may be taken in any L&S department.
- No more than 6 credits in sport and recreation courses may be counted toward the degree.
- No more than 6 credits in any single course outside L&S may be counted toward the degree.
- A maximum of 6 credits in military science courses may be counted toward the degree, and these credits may not be counted among the 90 L&S credits required.
- No more than 6 credits of field experience taken outside L&S may be counted toward the degree.
- No “life experience” credits may be counted toward the degree.
Residency Requirement
To satisfy the L&S Residency requirement, students have three options for the number of credits that must be taken at UWM, and not transferred in:
- Complete at least 90 credits at UWM.
- Complete 45 of the last 60 credits at UWM. OR
- Complete the last 30 credits in residence at UWM.
Students must complete at least 15 credits at UWM in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Students must complete at least 9 credits at UWM in upper-division courses (numbered 300 or above) in their minor if a minor is selected.
GPA Requirement
The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits attempted at UWM. The College also requires that students must attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits attempted when transfer work is included along with the UWM work.
The College requires that students attain at least a 2.5 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. A minimum 2.5 GPA is also needed when major credits from transfer work is factored in along with the UWM work. Departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation.
In cases where a minor is selected, the College requires that students attain at least a 2.5 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. A minimum 2.5 GPA is also needed when minor credits from transfer work is factored in along with the UWM work. Departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation.
The Major
Every student must select a major, and multiple majors are allowed. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements. Some departments or programs specify course and/or GPA requirements that students must satisfy prior to declaring the major.
See our list of approved majors.
After completing 15 credits and before 75 credits have been earned, students must declare a major by contacting the appropriate academic department or program. Failure to declare the major before 75 credits have been earned may result in a delay of graduation.
Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the major requirements outlined in any catalog from the time they entered. Otherwise, students must satisfy the major requirements in existence at the time of declaration.
Within their major, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S Faculty.
Note About Advising
L&S students have a general academic advisor and major/minor/certificate advisors in each of their major/minor/certificate departments or programs.
The major/minor/certificate advisor counsels students on requirements for the major/minor/certificate but not on the general L&S degree requirements. The major advisor can be helpful in discussing internships, graduate school, and jobs. The Career Development Center is also a good source for assistance in planning majors and careers.
The L&S general academic advisor counsels students on the general L&S degree requirements, helps students choose courses that match their academic goals and educational program, provides a listening ear, answers general questions, and directs students to other services as necessary. It is extremely important that students regularly meet with their academic advisor to make sure that their course selection is consistent with the L&S degree requirements. The specific advisor’s name is available on each student’s PAWS account.