SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS

OVERVIEW

All BA and some BS programs require that students complete three courses in Supplemental Education.  Students normally complete these courses during their junior and senior years, but they may be taken earlier.

There are two options for completing the Supplemental Education requirement:

1.  Distributive

2.  Integrative (also known as the Interdisciplinary Cluster Program)

An understanding of the four divisions in the College of Arts & Sciences is essential to completing your Supplemental Education requirement.  These four divisions are: Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, & Fine Arts.  Each academic department belongs to one of these four divisions.

What division is your major in? See the introduction to the section on the Division of Academic Affairs of the Undergraduate Bulletin called “The College of Arts and Sciences and the General College” (page 46 of the 2008-2009 Bulletin; online at http://www.unc.edu/ugradbulletin/aca_aff.html#college ).

What division is a specific course in?  Please see these documents for Course Abbreviations and Divisions.

RULES  COMMON TO BOTH OPTIONS

·         Each course must be at least 3 credit-hours

·         All courses must be taken for a grade; you may not take one as PS/D/D+/F

·         All courses must be >199

·         A cross-listed (XL) course may be used for whichever division you prefer

·         Courses may overlap with Connections, but not with Approaches (Major overlap will be dealt with below).

·         When your primary major is in a professional school, the major you have in the College of Arts and Sciences is treated as your primary major in regards to your Supplemental Education requirements

DISTRIBUTIVE OPTION  RULES

·         Courses may NOT overlap with your primary major

·         One course from each of the 3 Divisions that your primary major is NOT in must be taken (see link above)

·         Courses may double with Connections, second major, or minor (unless second major or minor are in same division as your primary major)

·         Foreign Language level 4 courses may be used if not required for the major

·         If you take an upper-level FL course that is housed in a department that is in the Division of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (e.g. Japanese in Asian Studies, Czech or Polish in Slavic, Slavic Languages and Literatures) you must count those language courses as being in the Division of the Social and Behavioral Sciences.

INTEGRATIVE OPTION  (CLUSTER PROGRAM) RULES

·         You must take three courses from an approved cluster, including the designated core course (for a listing of clusters, see: http://www.unc.edu/depts/uc/clusterintro.html)

·         You must take courses from at least two different divisions in the College of Arts & Sciences

·         No more than one course may also count towards your primary major, or a second major or minor

·         The CORE course does not have to be taken first, although that may be advisable.  You may take >1 course in the same semester.

·         It is fine to change clusters; students who do so are responsible for tracking what they need to take.

·         Cluster programs will come and go; the ones currently on the website are guaranteed to be available through 2010.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

These rules are not comprehensive.  Please see your academic advisor for specific information about how these rules may apply to you.