Senate Bill No.:
0304-26
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by: Undergraduate Academic Council
Date: May 3, 2004
DEFINITIONS OF UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
1. That the University Senate approve the attached revisions of definitions concerning
undergraduate credit for immediate implementation.
2. That this proposal be forwarded to the President for approval.
RATIONALE:
The University Senate requested the Undergraduate Academic Council to review the current
definition of “applied elective” credits since this appeared to be outmoded, lacked clarity, and
drew possibly undesirable distinctions (for example, between “liberal” and practical”).
In revisiting these definitions, the UAC found other problems, including an antiquated
definition of “liberal arts and sciences” not reflective of current attitudes and practices, a
distinction between “two-year” and “four-year” institutions from a time when community and
tech colleges offered only associate degrees, and references to high school curriculum and
Albany admissions practices that have changed over time.
The UAC believes the proposed package of revisions is internally consistent and reflects
current definitions, policies and practices. The Council has also attempted to make these
definitions easier to understand and apply. The proposal is recommended for immediate
implementation since it poses no ex post facto problems for continuing students.
The UAC also wishes each department, program and school to consider the current
classification of their courses as “liberal arts and sciences” or “non-liberal arts and
sciences.” Although this review is not necessary for implementation of the program, the
Council believes that most academic areas have not considered these classifications for
several years. In light of the updated and clarified definitions, some programs may wish to
reclassify some of their courses.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE:
When systems can be further modified, the UAC recommends that departmental elective
transfer credit be represented by an expanded choice of numbers in order to signify the level
of the transferred course and whether or not that course is to be considered “liberal arts and
sciences”.
Currently, a department XYZ in school W can categorize a departmental elective only as
“WXYZ000” or “WXYZ010” or “WXYZ030” (the last two signifying 100-level or 300-level
elective, with no way of indicating whether it is a “liberal arts and sciences” course). The
UAC feels the ability to designate sophomore and senior work as 200-level or 400-level is
important, and suggests the final zero could be replaced by “1” to signify a course that is not
a liberal arts and science course. Thus, WXYZ021 would signify a sophomore-level elective
that is non-liberal arts and sciences.
CLASSIFICATION OF COURSES, CREDITS
To graduate from the University at Albany, a student must have at least 120 graduation
credits, fulfill the requirements of the major(s)/minor(s) chosen by the student, complete all
General Education requirements that apply to the student, and fulfill the University, major
and minor residence requirements. For a Bachelor of Arts degree, a minimum of 90 credits in
courses designated “liberal arts and sciences” must be completed. Courses may be classified
as “liberal arts and sciences” or as “non-liberal arts and sciences” or as a course carrying no
credit applicable to graduation.
LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES COURSES
University at Albany undergraduate courses classified as “liberal arts and sciences” have a
content, either formal or systematic, that provides the student with an appreciation for and
knowledge of the arts and written and spoken expression, humanities, world cultures and
language, biological and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics and
statistics, computing and information literacy, history, philosophy, or religion, or
interdisciplinary studies involving one or more of these areas or otherwise contributing to the
student’s understanding of the social or physical environment. The University definition of
“liberal arts and sciences” also extends to the skill, technique and methods courses,
performance and practicum courses, internships, and service learning that serve to enhance a
student’s abilities and appreciation for study in these areas. In accordance with this
definition, the majority of undergraduate courses taught at the University at Albany (as well
as comparable courses transferred from another institution or offered in an Albany graduate
program) are considered “liberal arts and sciences”.
NON-LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES COURSES
Each Albany college and school offering undergraduate courses determines whether its
courses are “liberal arts and sciences” or “non-liberal arts and sciences” and submits to the
Curriculum and Honors Committee of the Undergraduate Academic Council a rationale for
excluding one or more of its courses from its “default” classification. By request of a
department or program to the Committee, a course’s classification may later be changed. A
department or program may also modify the classification of one of its courses or a
transferred course in its discipline for an individual student upon petition to the department
or program. The ‘default” classification for each college and school and the list of courses
that are exceptions to the college’s or school’s default classification shall be printed in the
Undergraduate Bulletin. In addition to the “non-liberal arts and sciences” courses
mentioned, the following three categories of courses are also classified as “non-liberal arts
and sciences” courses.
ROTC COURSES
Students may apply toward their undergraduate degree requirements up to a maximum of
twelve credits for ROTC courses completed successfully at the University at Albany and/or
from other accredited institutions. All ROTC credit is designated “non-liberal arts and
sciences”.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES
Although the University no longer offers physical education courses for credit, students may
apply toward their degree a maximum of six credits of physical education activity credits.
These and credit for courses in coaching, recreational studies, etc., will ordinarily be
designated “non-liberal arts and sciences” credits.
APPLIES ELECTIVE COURSES
The term “Applied Elective” designates a transfer course of a relatively non-theoretical and
predominantly “skill” or “application” nature only tangentially connected to objectives or
study of the liberal arts and sciences. Such courses typically are intended to prepare a
student for a specific vocational pursuit rather than for future academic, graduate or
professional study or practice. Students may apply toward their undergraduate degree
requirements up to a maximum of twelve credits from transferred “applied elective”
courses. (Cf. “Types of Transfer Credit” section below).
COURSES YEILDING NO GRADUATION CREDIT
The following types of courses do not carry credit applicable toward graduation at the
University at Albany:
1. Developmental courses offered by the Educational Opportunities Program or their
transfer equivalents.
2. Written and oral language skills courses offered by the Intensive English Language
Program or their transfer equivalents.
3. Mathematics courses at or below the level of the New York State “Course B” Regents
Examination in Mathematics (algebra and geometry, trigonometry, probability and
statistics). However, in some cases such courses may fulfill the “Mathematics and
Statistics” requirements in the General Education Program.
4. Introduction to typing/keyboarding or shorthand, driver education, or other courses of
an elementary manual skill nature with little or no theoretical content.
5. Some religious studies courses: “Religious studies courses transfer if they are not
doctrinal, confessional, or sectarian in nature. Religious studies courses from public
institutions transfer without special review; religious studies courses from all other
institutions will be evaluated by the appropriate departmental faculty. “(Quoted
material was adopted from the University of Minnesota’s policy on transfer credit and is
used with their permission.)”
6. Courses from institutions or programs determined by the Office of Undergraduate
Admissions as not acceptable as a source for transfer credit to the University.
TYPES OF TRANSFER CREDIT
EQUIVALENT TRANSFER COURSES
A department, school or program may designate a course taken elsewhere as equivalent to
one of its courses. It is considered “liberal arts and sciences” if the Albany equivalent is so
considered; it is considered “non-liberal arts and sciences” if the Albany equivalent is so
considered.
DEPARTMENTAL ELECTIVES
A department, school or program may designate a course taken elsewhere as
“departmental elective credit.” For example, an English course may be designated
AENGO00 (an English course not applicable to the major or minor in English), AENGO10 (a
lower division English course) or AENGO30 (an upper division English course). Unless
expressly stated otherwise in the Undergraduate Bulletin, such credit is considered
“liberal arts and sciences” credit if that is the Albany college or school’s default
classification; it is considered “non-liberal arts and sciences” credit if that is the Albany
college or school’s default classification.
APPLIED ELECTIVES
A department, school or program may decide whether a transfer course that is in its
discipline should be designated as an “applied elective.” Courses that are not represented
by comparable study in the University at Albany’s colleges and schools are generally
designated “applied electives” (engineering, architecture, agricultural sciences, pharmacy,
legal assistant, etc.). However, courses that appear roughly comparable to arts and
sciences offerings (engineering courses comparable to physics, architecture comparable to
art history or drawing, etc.) may be designated as “liberal arts and sciences” or may have
their designation changed to “liberal arts and sciences” based on a student’s appeal. A
student may receive a maximum of 12 credits for transferred applied electives.
LIMITS ON TRANSFER CREDITS
The following limits and restrictions apply whether or not these credits are taken pre-
matriculation or post-matriculation.
MAXIMUM LIMIT ON TRANSFER CREDIT
Since Albany requires at least 30 credits to be completed at the University, the most
transfer credit that can be applied toward graduation is 90 credits. (Since some SUNY
and other technical and community colleges now award baccalaureate degrees, the
University no longer distinguishes between “two-year” and baccalaureate-granting
institutions in determining the maximum credits that may be transferred.)
NON-LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES CREDITS
Bachelor of Arts degree programs require a minimum of 90 credits in “liberal arts and
sciences.” Therefore, for students pursuing the B.A. degree the most credit from “non-
liberal arts and sciences” courses that can apply to the degree is 30 credits. Bachelor of
Science degree programs require a minimum of 60 credits in “liberal arts and sciences.”
Therefore, for students pursuing the B.S. degree the most credit from “non-liberal arts and
sciences” courses that can apply to the degree is 60 credits.
Of a student’s transfer credits in courses that are designated “non-liberal arts and
sciences,” no more than 6 credits may be in physical education activity courses, no more
than 12 credits may be in ROTC courses, and no more than 12 credits may be in courses
equated to “applied electives.”
Although credits successfully completed at other institutions after the student has
matriculated will appear on the student’s record, the limits and restrictions mentioned
above will determine whether or not the student is able to apply all of those credits toward
the minimum 120 credits needed for graduation.
