S.02-5
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
To: ?
Senate
From: ?
Allan MacKinnon, Chair
Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies
Subject: ?
Second
.or Subsequent Bachelor's Degrees
(SCUS Reference 01 —23 rev. #2)
Date: ?
December 18, 2001
?
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Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies at its meeting of
December 11, 2001 gives rise to the following motion:
Motion:
•
?
"That Senate approve the change in regulations for Second or Subsequent
Bachelor's Degrees, as set forth in S. 02-5 ."
-
?
SCUSO1-23.
Wednesday
.
December 12. 2001
?
Revisions: Second Bacfleiors Degrees
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(RlI ?
#2) ?
Peg..
1
CA.SFU.FAS.UCC/Papers:2001 -3C
Revisions: Second Bachelor's Degrees
Robert D. Cameron, Associate Dean of Applied Sciences
?
Revision
C - December 11,
2001
Introduction
Changes are proposed to streamline the regulations for a second bachelor's degree, as follows.
ond Bachelor's Dearees
student who already holds a bachelor's degree (or degrees)
ay complete a second or subsequent bachelor's degree at the
niversity, subject to the following conditions and regulations.
4ormal admission policies apply to all applicants for further
)achelor's degrees. First bachelor's degrees from certain
urisdiôtions may qualify the applicant to proceed to a first
)achelor's degree only. For more information, please contact
he admissions office, Office of the Registrar.
basic requirement for any further degree shall not be less
60 credit hours of credit for a general degree, and not less
72 credit hours of credit for an honors degree.
)f the minimum 60 credit hours required for a further general
egree, not less than 44-45 credit hours must be upper division
redit. Of the minimum 72 credit hours required for a further
onors degree, not less than 60 credit hours must be upper
ivision credit.
department or program in which the further degree is being
en has the right to require completion of prerequisite lower
ision courses in addition to the minimum conditions specified
l University regulations covering a first bachelor's
apply to further bachelor's degrees unless otherwise
or clearly implied. These include, but are not limited to
• minimum CGPA and minimum GPA calculated on the
basis of all upper division courses taken at Simon Fr
University required for graduation
• maximum number of transfer credit hours that may be
counted toward minor/major/honors programs
General faculty and departmental regulations apply, including
completion of any group requirements not completed in a
previous degree.
A student may not enrol in a further bachelor's degree program
in a subject in which she/he already holds a degree. A student
who has a minor (or equivalent) in a particular subject may enr
in a further degree with a major or honors program in that
subject.
Credit earned towards a previous degree or diploma may not be
used toward the further bachelor's degree. However,
ond Bachelor's Degrees
student who already holds a bachelor's degree
or degrees) from an approved institution may
omplete a second or subsequent bachelor's
legree at the University, subject to the following
onditions and regulations.
e basic requirement for a further bachelor's
gree shall be the completion of the upper
ision requirements associated with a first
chelor's degree (except for the B.Ed. degree;
Faculty of Education ).
Prior completion of
er division prerequisites may also be required
may be waived at the discretion of the
partment or program in which the further degree
Deing sought.
student may not enrol in a further bachelor's
gree program in a subject in which she/he
ready holds a degree. A student who has a minor
r equivalent) in a particular subject may enrol in
further degree with a major or honors program in
at subject.
redit earned towards a previous degree or
ploma may not be used toward the further
chelor's degree. Transfer credit may be given for
Jditional course work taken beyond the previous
edential but prior to SFU admission. However,
e normal upper division residency requirement
)plies: at least two thirds of the upper division
urse work for the degree must be completed at
mon Fraser University. Some faculties may have
iditional residency requirements.
Faculties may limit inter-faculty transfer for second
http://Iai.sIu.c.Jucc/Pap.raJ2001/2001
.
3/2001 -3C.html
Wednesday. December 12. 2001 ?
Revisions: Second Bachelor's Degrees
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PsgvZ
9cognition may be given for the content of such previous work.
n such cases, students will be required to obtain credit in
ippropriate courses in lieu of those for which exemption or
idvance standina has been aranted.
Rationale
The ideal second degree student is one who has a clear academic goal in mind and who is ready and motivated to pursue that goal. The
ideal second degree program is one that caters to the well-motivated student, allowing her or him to proceed through the essential
requirements without delay. These changes are intended to allow departments to offer effective and efficient second degree programs.
The core requirement for completion of a second degree is the completion of upper division requirements including an honors or
major program. Faculties may have additional group requirements. But beyond these, what is the point of requiring students to take
additional elective credits to make up a 60 credit total for the general degree or a 72 credit total for the honors degree? Furthermore, if
we compare these requirements with those for Associate Degree holders, why is no additional recognition given for the Bachelor's
degree holder? Particularly anomalous is the fact that, under approved (though not yet implemented) residency requirements, an
Associate degree holder has a
lower
minimum requirement for completion of an honors degree, namely 66 credits.
It is often the case that second degree students will indeed take 60 credits or more in completing the requirements of a major together
with necessary preparatory work. Thus the practical effect of these changes may not be large for many students. On the other hand, for
the well-motivated and well-prepared student, the completion of program requirements might well be achieved within
45
credits of
upper division work. Arbitrarily requiring these students to complete an additional
15
credits of lower division elective work seems an
unnecessary delay. It also seems a somewhat unproductive use of course spaces, which might be better directed towards students who
need them for their first degree programs.
In fact, the current requirements have their genesis in the simple but now superceded notion of limiting the recognition given to prior
work. That is, the recognition of the previous Bachelor's degree is limited to 60 credits total and that figure is simply subtracted from
the total requirements of a first degree to obtain the current requirements. However, the recent introduction of residency requirements
has changed the way in which prior work is addressed. In effect, rather than taking a negative approach which limits the recognition of
previous work, residency requirements take a positive approach in stating what work must be completed at SFU for a degree. The
changes proposed here thus bring second degree requirements in line with this shift in philosophical orientation.
Transfer between faculties is an appropriate option for first-degree students who often benefit from an exploratory period of broad
university education. For second degree students, however, the existence of a transfer option may encourage applicants to accept an
offer of admission into one Faculty in the hopes of transfer into a limited enrolment program in another Faculty. Transfer programs
designed for first-degree students are generally based on lower-division work and hence may be ill-suited to second-degree students.
The result may be long delay in completing the desired second-degree program, or inability to transfer at all. To avoid these problems,
students are advised that inter-faculty transfer may be limited.
S
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