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Undergraduate Handbook

Degree Completion

Requirements

Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS)

Students in the College of Education may access their degree audit report (DARS) via the web to review program requirements and progress toward degree completion. Advisers may access the same report to assist students in their academic planning. The DARS report evaluates the student's coursework against a program and indicates which requirements are completed and which requirements are unmet. For those requirements not yet completed, the DARS report will list courses which satisfy the requirement. The DARS report also lists total hours completed toward the degree, grade point averages, electives, and an evaluation of the residency rules for graduation. Please note that the degree audit report needs to be periodically refreshed by generating a new audit if you have changed your program, added a minor or have had a course substitution. It may take 1-3 days for changes to show up on your Degree Audit Report.

Students are expected to know what their degree requirements are and to review their report prior to meeting with their advisers to schedule classes. Errors or discrepancies on the DARS report should be brought to the attention of your adviser. A DARS report is not a transcript and should not be presented to a third party as certifying that a student has earned a degree from the University of Illinois. At the conclusion of a student’s final semester, the college will verify final degree certification with the use of DARS.

Placement Examinations

Freshmen are not required to take a placement examination in rhetoric and composition because the university will place freshmen into the appropriate freshman composition course. All freshmen are required to take an ALEKS exam. Based on the score received, the adviser will determine the appropriate math course. Information on ALEKS can be found online. Information on placement exams can also be found online.

Students who plan to enroll in chemistry and have completed less than two years of chemistry in high school, must take the Chemistry Placement Test. Students who did not take at least three years of the same language in high school must also take the placement exam in this area. Transfer students will be required to take the chemistry and/or language placements tests if the following applies: 1) you have high school credit in the subject; and 2) you have not earned college credit in the subject; and 3) you expect to take the subject at the University of Illinois. Placement examinations are designed to assist the student and advisers in appropriate course selection. College of Education advisers will not approve registration in coursework in these areas without placement test scores.

Students who achieve high scores on a language placement exam may be eligible to earn proficiency credit for the third and fourth semester level courses at Urbana. Criteria for earning proficiency credit in language varies by language. Students are encouraged to review their placement and proficiency information with the appropriate department. Non-native speakers of English must successfully meet the Language other than English requirement. Students will not be allowed to earn credit in a language course that is more than two levels below the student's expected placement. For example, a student who completed three years of French in high school would normally place into French 104. The student may place back to French 102 and receive credit for that course toward the degree but not for French 101.

Basic Rhetoric Requirement

Satisfactory proficiency in English usage is a requirement for all undergraduate degrees awarded by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Placement and proficiency in rhetoric will be based on the ACT English or SAT critical reading subtest score. Students can receive four hours of proficiency credit and satisfy the graduation requirement in basic rhetoric and composition by superior performance on this test. Unless exempt, students are required to complete the basic composition requirement during the freshman year. Transfer students are expected to satisfy the University composition requirement within one year of their initial enrollment at Urbana.

General Education Requirements

Each degree seeking student in the College of Education must meet the University's minimum general education requirements in freshman and advanced composition, quantitative reasoning, humanities/arts, cultural studies, natural sciences/technology, language other than English, and social/behavioral sciences. Most programs in the College require additional general education coursework in areas beyond the University's minimum. All courses completed for general education requirements must be selected from the Campus General Education course list. Degree requirements for all programs are listed in the Programs of Study.

Due to the clinical requirements in the teacher education curricula, it is strongly recommended that completion of the language other than English requirement be accomplished prior to the junior year.

Expected Graduation Date (EGD)

All students are assigned an Expected Graduation Date (EGD) when they are admitted. The Expected Graduation Date reflects the number of semesters a student will be allowed to register for classes and represents the College's approved time limit for undergraduates to complete their degree. The Expected Graduation Date is 10 semesters for beginning freshmen and 6 semesters for transfer students. Please note that this can cause your expected graduation date to be up to a year and a half later than what your four year plan will list.

Requests to extend the EGD must be approved by petition and will not be routinely granted unless the student has extenuating circumstances. Repeated withdrawal from the University to avoid academic difficulty is not a valid reason for an extension of the EGD.

Restrictions on Coursework Accepted for the Degree

  • A maximum of nine hours in introductory/remedial rhetoric and/or English as a second language courses may be applied toward the degree.
  • Credit earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is not accepted.
  • College coursework taken prior to high school graduation and applied toward the University of Illinois high school pattern requirement for admission will not be accepted for credit at University of Illinois.
  • A maximum of six hours of upper level ROTC Coursework can count toward a degree as free electives. 
  • Credit for the sequence in calculus is limited to twelve hours.
  • Credit/no credit coursework may not be used to satisfy a degree requirement; refer to the Student Code 3-105 for details.
Minors

Students enrolled in the College of Education are not required to complete a minor. However, students may decide they wish to study an additional subject matter to complement their major field of study. View the full list of campus approved minors here. Information concerning campus-approved minors, including specific requirements, restrictions, and academic deadlines may be obtained by accessing the campus minors website.

Declaring a Minor

Students who wish to complete a minor are responsible for notifying their college by completing the Statement of Intent to Pursue a Campus-Approved Minor. This form may be submitted to the college after earning 30 hours. The deadline to submit this form is the 10th day of the semester of the student’s expected graduation.

Guidelines

To officially pursue a minor on this campus, students must be aware of the information and follow the guidelines outlined below.

  • The completion of the minor is an optional degree requirement to the baccalaureate program. Exceptions are the programs in the teaching of chemistry, mathematics, French, German, and Latin; earth science, English, and history teaching concentrations; and the Minor in Secondary School Teaching.
  • The sponsoring department of the minor is responsible for informing students of the approved requirements for the minor and for any advising associated with the minor.
  • Students' Expected Graduation Date (EGD) will not be extended for the purpose of completing a minor.
  • No priority on class registration will be given for courses required in the minor.
  • Minor(s) will not be added retroactively to a student's record after graduation.

Changes to Minor

Occasionally, it may be necessary or appropriate to substitute alternate courses, such as study abroad credit, for those that are specifically required in a minor. Requests to substitute alternate courses in a minor may be initiated by the student by completing the Minor Modification Form.

Minor in Secondary School Teaching

Undergraduate students admitted to the University as a transfer student may substitute EDUC 201 and EDUC 202 with EPOL 201 or EPOL 202 (or transfer equivalent) for a minimum of 36 total minor hours.

Cancelling a Minor

Students who decide to stop pursuing a minor must complete a minor cancellation form to notify the College hosting the minor as well as the College of Education. Once the units are notified, the minor will be removed from the official academic record. 

Transcripts

Transcript/Enrollment Certification

Currently enrolled students may order transcripts or enrollment certifications in person at the Records Service Center, 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, or by accessing the Office of the Registrar website.  

Transfer Credit

Students may earn credit by attending community colleges or four-year institutions provided they satisfy the minimum residency requirements for graduation. Following completion of the course(s), students should have an official transcript sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 901 West Illinois Street, Suite 103, Urbana, IL 61801. Electronic transcripts can be submitted; however there are specific requirements in place. After the transcript is processed, the credit will be added to the student’s record. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that credit taken elsewhere is transferred back to the University in a timely manner. Grades earned in coursework completed at other institutions are averaged into the student's cumulative grade point average. 

Students are responsible to disclose and provide complete, official transcripts from any post-secondary work completed outside the University of Illinois system, including all international and domestic coursework for the purpose of consideration of transfer articulation. Please see the student code for details.

Changing Education Major

Students who are currently enrolled in a College of Education program can transfer to a different College of Education major by submitting the Authorization to Change EDU Program form. Students are required to meet with their adviser to complete this form. 

Minor in Secondary School Teaching

Undergraduate students admitted to the University as a transfer student may substitute EDUC 201 and EDUC 202 with EPOL 201 or EPOL 202 (or transfer equivalent) for a minimum total of 36 hours to complete the minor.