To achieve a baccalaureate degree students must complete the following requirements:

1. General Education requirements:

Students must complete one of the following general education programs:

• Eastern Illinois University's General Education
• Illinois Associate in Arts Degree
• Illinois Associate in Science Degree


• Illinois Articulation Initiative General Education Core Curriculum

2. (2-3) Semester hours of a senior seminar

• Capstone course all students take in their senior year
• Must be taken outside of major

• All department requirements for a major must be met.

5. 40 upper division semester hours

• Courses from a community college or other 2-year institution will not count in this total


• Upper division courses at Eastern are numbered 3000 or above

6. 42 semester hours from EIU

• 32 must be taken in the junior and senior years.
• 12 must be taken during the senior year.

7. 56 semester hours from a senior level institution

• Credits transferred from other senior level institutions are counted toward the 56 hours.
• 42 semester hours still must be from Eastern.

8. 120 cumulative semester hours

• Cumulative gpa must be 2.0 or higher.
• All college level credit including electives count toward 120 hours.

9. Foreign language
Students may be exempt from this requirement based on foreign language taken while in high school or at their previous colleges.

Exemptions

• All students who have completed TWO YEARS in a single foreign language in high school with a "C" average
• All students who have completed the SECOND SEMESTER of a single foreign language in college with a passing grade

10. Grade of "A", "B", or "C" in English and communication studies(Speech)

• AA or an AS degree does not exempt students from this requirement.
• A student receiving a a grade of "D" or "F" in English 1001G, 1002G, or communication studies 1310G or their substitutions will have to repeat the course.

11. Writing competency

Students who have enrolled in any college after high school graduation prior to Fall 2000 and choose to follow the 2000-2001 or earlier catalog

• Required to take writing competency exam
• Register for exam once ENG1001C and ENG1002C have been completed and 45 semester hours earned
• Test must be taken before 75 semester hours earned

Students who enrolled in any college after high school graduation in the Fall 2000 or after

• Required to complete the electronic writing portfolio
• If 0-30 hours transferred, four essays required
• If 30-59 hours transferred, three essays required
• If 60 or more hours transferred, two essays required

All students choosing to follow the 2001-2002 catalog will be required to complete the electronic writing portfolio regardless of when they initially enrolled in college.

What catalog should a transfer student follow?

Choosing the catalog year is very important. A student must follow the graduation requirements and the major requirements from the same catalog. A curriculum may be different from year to year.

Optional catalog rule
An undergraduate transfer student may choose to graduate under the requirements stated in the EIU catalog at the time he/she initially enrolled at another college provided that catalog did not precede his/her enrollment at EIU by more than three years. Students may also choose any subsequent catalog. In no case may a student combine or choose various requirements from several catalogs.

Application for degree requirements review

Students should apply for review of their degree requirements by the first semester of the junior year. A student may expect to receive a degree requirements review, indicating the student's progress toward completion of degree requirements. This will help students define exactly what should be completed to earn a degree at Eastern Illinois University

Application forms are available in the Dean's office in the college of your major. The four colleges of Eastern Illinois University include:

College of Arts and Humanities
Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences
College of Education and Professional Studies
College of Sciences

The application form is completed by the student, approved by the certifying dean, and validated by the cashier when the non-refundable graduation fee is paid.