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To ...................... Membersof .Senat. 

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From..... ... Academic.. Planning ...C.onim i.t.ee................... 

MinorDegree 

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Date..........December 

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1.970 

RECOMMENDATION 

A.

That Senate approve the introduction of a Double Minor Degree. 

B.

That a minor ie defined as 14-18 upper division credit hours in a 

subject area. 

C.

That upon successful completion of this program, the Bachelors 

Degree awarded to the individual to be determined according to 

the faculty in which the student has taken the ';ajority of his 

upper division work. 

D.

That a student be required to obtain at least one of his two minors 

in that faculty in which his degree is to be obtained; his other 

minor may be within or without the faculty in which his degree is 

to be obtained but in any case will require the approval of the 

faculty expected to grant the degree. 

BACKGR0U9D DATA: 

At the present time, the University offers three types of degrees: 

honors, general and general studies. Ranked in terms of structure, the 

three aforementioned degrees could be described as being extreme, high 

and slight respectively. What is lacking on this scale is any recognition 

of that student for whom reasonable depth, i.e., something less than 

fulfillment of a major requirement although comething more than the 

relatively unstructured requirements of the general studies degree, in 

two subject areas would be desirable. In other words, a 

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moderate" 

ranking on the tructure scale. 

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In the paper proposing the establishment of a Bachelor of General 

Studies, the Academic Planning Committee took the position that additional 

educational opportunities can and should be provided for those students 

who do not wish to specialize in one subject area. One alternative to 

meet this need is the Bachelor of General Studies. A second alternative 

is the proposal before you now. Such a proposal has several advantages. 

Since courses available to such students are those courses presently 

offered by departments in the Faculties of Arts, Science and Education, 

together with any courses subsequently developed by the Division of 

General Studies, the quality of the degree should be comparable to the 

B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. 

Second, since students will be taking courses presently authorized by 

Senate and offered by departments in their regular programs, this program 

can be mounted at no additional cost, a factor of considerable significance 

given the limited amount of money anticipated for new programs in the 

1971/72 budget year. 

Third, it recognizes the possibility that for certain students and for 

certain vocational ends, e.g. teaching and social work, .reasonable 

depth in two areas may be desirable. 

Fourth, it permits centres and programs proposed for the Division of 

General St 

udies 

to provide a modest but integrated cluster of ccurses 

short of a 30 hour major. This becomes particularly important ..n 

the establishment of new programs where some period of time before 

implementation of a full fledged major program is desirable in order to 

assess both student demand and societal need for such a program. 

Finally, it would articulate well with the continuing education :rogram. 

If Simon Fraser University commits itself to the offering of evening 

degree programs, the general studies degree may prove unattractive to 

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adults because it lacks focus; at the same time some departments may 

be hard pressed to mount 28 upper division hours. The opportunity of 

a double minor degree may, therefore, prove attractive both to the 

student in terms of his needs and to the departments in terms of their 

ability to mount degree programs. 

ORGANIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION: 

The double minor is envisaged as an alternative to the existing major 

program now offered as a B.A., B.Sc. or B.Ed. degree. Which of the 

aforementioned degrees a student obtains will be determined according 

to the faculty in which the student takes the majority of his upper 

division course work. 

The departments in which a student is taking minor programs will have 

the responsibility both of en::uring that he, the student, has fulfilled 

their requirements and of communicating this information to the office 

of the dean in which the student is seeking his degree. The latter 

will have responsibility both for ensuring that all requirements have 

been met and for recommending to Senate for degrees those candidates 

who have fulfilled the requirements. 