To: Members of the Class of 2010
From: Marina J. Melendez, Dean for the Class of 2010
Re: Fulfilling Wesleyan's Graduation Requirements
Date: July 2008

Even though you're just starting your junior year, believe it or not,  it is time to start thinking seriously about how you will be fulfill Wesleyan's requirements for graduation. Things will start moving very quickly between now and May 2010, so it is important that you set aside some time to reflect upon your academic progress and make certain that your decisions are consistent with Wesleyan's graduation process.

To help you with this process, I urge you to check your Credit Analysis Report, which is available through your E-portfolio (http://www.wesleyan.edu/wesep/) in the "Academics & More" section. The credit analysis reviews your academic record by breaking down your progress towards meeting graduation requirements in terms of credits and other academic regulations. Your credit analysis will alert you to potential problems, such as oversubscription, which might affect your ability to complete the graduation requirements.

Courses for which you are currently registered this semester are included in your credit analysis. However, credits from study abroad that have not yet been posted to your academic history are not included. You should also know that the information in your credit analysis is updated every weekend.  This means that any changes that are made to your schedule during the week will not be reflected in your credit analysis until the following Monday. If you believe there are data errors in your credit analysis, you should report these to the Registrar's Office as soon as possible. If you have any other questions or concerns, please make an appointment to see me.

In order to graduate you must:

1. fulfill the requirements for your major(s);
2. earn 32.00 credits with no oversubscription, of which at least 16.00 of these credits must be earned at Wesleyan;
3. earn a minimum cumulative average of 74.00; and
4. have at least six semesters of full-time residence at Wesleyan (for students entering as sophomore transfers, at least five semesters of full-time residence at Wesleyan; for students entering as mid-year sophomores or junior transfers, at least four semesters at Wesleyan).

Please review your credit analysis in light of Wesleyan's graduation requirements and plan accordingly for your senior year.

CREDITS: One of the most common problems is the failure to earn 32.00 credits.

1. Make sure your transcript accurately reflects all the work you have done for credit (i.e. summer school, transfer, test credits, etc.). Remember, however, that you may count a maximum of 2.00 pre-matriculant credits toward your degree. Also check to see if there are ANY credits pending (i.e., incompletes, ampersand courses, etc.) that need attention. Please address these issues immediately.

2. You are expected to be at pace by the end of your junior year. (At the end of your sixth semester, pace is 24.00 credits.) If you will not be at pace by the end of this semester, you should make plans to enroll in summer school to earn the extra credit you will need to reach pace by the beginning of fall 2009. If necessary, you should make an appointment to see me to discuss your plans for reaching pace.

3. If you take courses next summer or have transfer credits from past summers or previous semesters, provide the Dean's Office with completed Permission to Transfer Credit forms and official transcripts as soon as possible.

OVERSUBSCRIPTION: The second most common problem has to do with oversubscription-that is, expecting to count more credits toward graduation than the maximum number of credits allowed in a single department. Your credit analysis lists all the courses you have taken in all the departments and programs in which these courses have been listed or cross-listed. Please check this listing carefully and keep in mind the following restrictions about credit limits.

1. No more than 4.00 credits in courses numbered 101 - 200 in any one department may be applied to the 32.00 credits required for graduation.

2. No more than 12.00 credits in courses numbered 201 or higher (13.00 with senior project or 14.00 with thesis) in any one department may be applied to the 32.00 credits required for graduation.

3. A maximum total of 14.00 credits (15.00 with senior project or 16.00 with thesis) may be counted in any one department towards the total of 32.00 credits required for graduation. Test credits, Education-in-the-Field, Independent Study, and transfer credits are included in this total. Note: If a given course is cross-listed, it will count as a credit in all departments in which it is cross-listed for purposes of oversubscription, regardless of how you may have registered for the course.

4. You may count towards the 32.00 credits needed for graduation only a maximum of 2.00 credits earned during any given summer, whether through GLSP or another institution, and a maximum of 2.00 credits earned prior to your entry to college. Also remember that no more than 1.00 credit of Physical Education and 2.00 credits of Student Forums for a combined maximum total of 2.00 credits, 2.00 credits of Teaching Apprenticeships, 4.00 credits of Independent Study and/or Education-in-the-Field combined, and 4.00 credits of Individual and Group Tutorials combined may be applied towards the degree. Note: Some LANG courses taken at Wesleyan count as individual tutorials.

OTHER GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: You must have at least 16.00 Wesleyan credits to graduate. Students who entered as sophomore transfers must complete at least five semesters of full-time residence at Wesleyan; students who entered as mid-year sophomore or junior transfers must complete at least four semesters of full-time residence.

GENERAL EDUCATION EXPECTATIONS, HONORS, AND PHI BETA KAPPA: If you are planning to complete a thesis and wish to be eligible for University Honors or Honors in General Scholarship, or if you think you might be eligible for election to Phi Beta Kappa, you must fulfill the General Education Expectations. Also, some majors require the fulfillment of General Education Expectations either for graduation and/or departmental honors.

Please devote time to thinking about these important issues. Attending to them now will make your senior year more relaxed and enjoyable. Remember, you are responsible for your graduation and for making sure that you have fulfilled the University's requirements. Graduation does not just happen; you must work to make it happen. Most of what has been mentioned, in addition to other important information, can be found in the Academic Regulations (http://www.wesleyan.edu/registrar/AR.ctt). If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call (x2758) to arrange an appointment.  My email address is mmelendez@wesleyan.edu.

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