Degree Requirements (Forest Grove Undergraduates)

Degree Outcomes

Learning outcomes provide a framework to guide students’ cumulative progress toward degree completion.  At successively higher levels across their college studies, students will be prepared for twenty-first-century challenges by gaining:

I. Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World

• Through study in the sciences, mathematics, humanities, languages, and the arts

Focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring

II. Intellectual and Practical Skills, Including

• Inquiry and analysis
• Critical and creative thinking
• Written and oral communication
• Quantitative reasoning
• Modeling and abstract thinking
• Information and technological literacy
• Teamwork and problem solving

Practiced extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standards for performance

III. Personal and Social Responsibility,

• Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
• Intercultural knowledge and competence
• Environmental Literacy
• Ethical reasoning and action
• Foundations and skills for lifelong learning

Developed through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges, as students prepare to live and work as global citizens

IV. Integrative and Applied Learning,

• Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies

Demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems

The following degree requirements have been created to ensure that each student accomplishes these curricular goals.

Students in Dental Health, BS ; Dental Hygiene, BS ; and Visual Science, BS ; progams follow other degree requirements.

I. Credits

124 semester credits are required for graduation.

II. College Core Requirements

Core Learning Outcomes

Upon completing Pacific University’s core curriculum, students will be able to:

Breadth of Knowledge and Integration of Learning

• Apply multiple modes of inquiry to analyze and engage with contemporary and enduring problems.
• Demonstrate practice of a process of discovery from inquiry through iterative development to dissemination.

Intellectual and Practical Skills

• Communicate effectively via written, oral, visual, and other means.
• Acquire and evaluate information from multiple sources (including scholarly literature, social media, and popular media).
• Think abstractly, analytically, and deductively; critically interpret, model, and solve quantitative problems.
• Demonstrate the ability to plan and manage projects individually and/or as part of a collaborative group

Personal and Social Responsibility

• Articulate interrelationships among individuals, society, and the health of the environment.
• Demonstrate intercultural competence and an appreciation of diverse societies and perspectives.
• Describe the importance of civic engagement based upon their own experience engaged with real world challenges.

Students will undertake a broad course of study to achieve these outcomes by completing each of the requirements listed below with a final grade of at least a C-. The curricular outcomes for each core requirement are listed below.

FOUNDATIONS

Core requirements A-F below are considered to provide students with the basis for success in college and the increasingly diverse world in which we live.

A. Mathematics
All MATH-prefixed courses numbered 165 or higher, PSY 350 (Behavioral Statistics), SOC 301 (Social Statistics). 

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• use abstract mathematical thinking.
• employ analytical and formal deductive reasoning.
• demonstrate the symbolic, graphical and numerical skills that form the basis of mathematical literacy.

Math courses taken at other institutions, if not directly equivalent to a Pacific University course, will fulfill the mathematics core requirement only if they meet the above objectives as determined by the Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

A course completing the Mathematics requirement may not be used to fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning requirement (see section L).

B. Writing
Complete ENGW 180 (Writing and Research), ENGW 181 (Writing about Disability), ENGW 182(Book Editing and Design I); or ENGW 201 (Expository Writing) or ENGW 202 (Writing About Disability)  or ENGW 203 (Writing: Book Editing and Design I). Please note that ENGW 201, 202, and 203 were offered for the last time in the 2018-2019 academic year and were replaced by ENGW 180, 181, and 182.

Writing can affect others and effect change. This required course provides students with skills and practices that will enhance all aspects of their writing. You’ll learn about the power of rhetoric: addressing audiences, writing efficient purposes, and analyzing situations. As you explore your research topic, you will engage with academic publications and have conversations about your writing with other students during class discussion, workshops, and peer review. Your professor will help you develop a productive process for writing, such as methods to avoid writer’s block, composing your essay over the course of days or weeks, and revising for stronger clarity and coherence.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• employ key rhetorical concepts — such as audience, purpose, and context — by analyzing and composing a variety of texts, including research-centered academic writing.
• locate, evaluate, and analyze appropriate primary, secondary, and informal research materials.
• apply writing strategies such as summary, analysis, and synthesis to integrate ideas from research materials.
• demonstrate the ability to revise writing for substance, clarity, and correctness.
• employ writing conventions and citation formats appropriate to the writing situation.

C. Writing in the Discipline

Every academic major prepares students to write to the professional standards of that discipline. This may be in the context of a single course or a sequence of courses where writing is used to either demonstrate one’s knowledge of the discipline or to communicate disciplinary relevant subject matter to others. Students will meet this requirement by completing at least one course in a major that has been designated as a writing course. Course descriptions will make this designation clear.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• develop knowledge through modes of writing appropriate within the discipline.
• demonstrate knowledge of the disciplinary forms, vocabulary, and modes of analysis used within the field.
• demonstrate knowledge of the needs and expectations of the audience specific to the discipline.

D. Language (102-level course* or proficiency)

Proficiency in a language other than English must be demonstrated by the successful completion of a 102-level course* or higher or demonstration of its equivalent proficiency through the CLIC in conjunction with the Chair of the World languages and Literatures Department.  Students begin in the appropriate level course as determined by a placement examination.

Students whose native language is not English may fulfill this requirement by demonstrating equivalent proficiency in their native language through the Advising Center and CLIC in conjunction with the Chair of the World Languages and Literatures Department.

*102-level is based on semester system; 102-level equivalent transfer coursework numbering can be different.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• demonstrate linguistic skills sufficient to meet appropriate proficiency guidelines such as those of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
• describe key aspects of the culture associated with the language studied.

E. First Year Seminar; Origins, Identity and Meaning (4 credits)
All freshmen must take HUM 100  (First Year Seminar/FYS) in the fall semester of their first year. Transfer students substitute 4 credits in English Literature or Philosophy. Logic and critical thinking courses do not fulfill this requirement.

FYS Student Learning Outcome: Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• effectively defend and/or challenge their preconceived notions. 
• construct and define coherent arguments.
• use writing as a tool for learning and effective communication.
• describe the importance of active participation in the classroom.
• identify and articulate their expectations for their college experience and develop a personalized plan for being successful at Pacific.

F. International and Diverse Perspectives (2 credits)
Complete one course designated as either IDP, IP, or DP (2 or more credits) or study abroad for one semester (including during the summer at an approved study abroad program) earning at least a C- in 10 or more credits (8 for summer programs).

As our world becomes increasingly ecologically, socially, politically, and economically interdependent, it is critical that graduates understand multicultural, diverse, and global perspectives. The complexity of the modern world demands that students attain a heightened awareness both of the interdependence of the cultures of the world and of the diversity of voices that contribute to life in the United States.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• demonstrate an interdisciplinary or disciplinary understanding of cultural diversity through the examination of various languages, values, and practices from around the world.

• demonstrate an understanding of how social categories (for example, race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, language, religion or belief, or other forms of social differentiation) and social and cultural context influence one’s understanding of the world or point of view.

• explain how cultural self-awareness promotes effective cross-cultural interaction.

EXPLORATIONS

Core requirements G-L below let you discover the different ways that academic disciplines approach the world and solve problems.  You’ll be introduced to the methodologies, vocabularies, and practices of the following six modes of inquiry.

G. Artistic practice and creative processes (4 credits)
Completed with any course or courses with an “APCP” designation.

The Artistic Practice and Creative Process requirement provides students with the opportunity to study and practice the ways that creativity, imagination, and personal expression are important ways to engage with the world and empower oneself. Courses satisfying this requirement will develop students’ understanding of creative expression through the practices of making art in a variety of modes.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
• convey meaning through the presentation of their own artistic work.
• interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
• synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.

H. Analyzing and interpreting texts (4 credits)
Completed with any course or courses with an “AIT” designation.

The notion of “text’” includes all forms of writing, aural and visual media, and performances, from historical documents to modern art. The Analysis and Interpretation of Texts requirement develops students’ abilities to extract meaning, intent, and context from a text. Courses that satisfy this requirement will encourage students to recognize the relationship between a text and its reflection of the human experience and culture.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• explain whether and how texts achieve their aims, effects, and meaning.
• identify and assess the influence of socio-historic factors, values, and culture on the composition, dissemination, and reception of texts.
• identify various interpretive methods conducive to understanding specific genres, media, and cultural practices.

I. Historical context (4 credits)
Completed with any course or courses with an “HC” designation.

Hindsight is 20/20. You can easily see the mistakes individuals in the past made. However, an understanding of the political, social, cultural, and intellectual milieu of the time will help you to move from judging to understanding. Without digging deep into the back story, facts and figures have little meaning and can be misused and misrepresented. When you look at the ideas, values, traditions, belief systems, and convictions about race, gender, and class, you can develop a more sophisticated appreciation of past actions. You can interpret texts, including letters, speeches, books, films, articles, and advertisements, to better understand their origin and significance. The ability to analyze context is a skill that transfers to a wide variety of disciplines and careers.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• explain the significance of historical events in relation to their time and place.
• describe past events from multiple perspectives.
• become proficient in placing events along a chronology in order to analyze causal relationships and assess how the study of the past helps one to make sense of the present.

J. Social systems and human behavior (4 credits)
Completed with any course or courses with a “SSHB” designation.

Social sciences use specific theories, concepts, and methods to understand and or/address social or psychological phenomena, issues, and problems. Study in social science fields (e.g. Psychology, Politics and Government, Anthropology, Sociology, Economics, Criminal Justice Law and Society, and Public Health) provides students with frameworks and evidence from scholarly thinking and research to better understand the ways that human behavior and social systems operate and interact. Social sciences can also be applied to individual and collective problems to improve lives and communities.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• use social science methodology to evaluate claims about human behavior or social systems (i.e. social, cultural, economic, or political systems).
• apply concepts from a social science to problem-solving and decision-making.

K. Scientific perspectives on the natural world (4 credits)
Completed with any course or courses with an “SPNW” designation.

Climate change. Antibiotic resistance. Alternative fuels. Engineering for earthquakes. Some of these most challenging issues in society today demand solutions that require a scientific understanding of the natural world. Scientific understanding can also illuminate the beauty and wonder of natural phenomena all around us. To prepare Pacific graduates to be scientifically literate citizens, the classes that meet this Exploration help students learn how to use scientists’ tools to understand natural phenomena and apply that understanding to societal problems.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• use measurable evidence to support or reject a scientific hypothesis about the natural world.
• apply scientific approaches to problem-solving and decision-making.

L. Quantitative Reasoning (4 credits)
Completed with any course with a “QR” designation.  A course completing the Mathematics requirement (section A) may not also complete the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.

Data is at the heart of everything from political polls to debt management, nutrition facts to risk management. Understanding how to use these numbers can dramatically affect your ability to succeed in society. The courses in QR will give students the skills to be able to make judgements and draw appropriate conclusions based on the quantitative analysis of data. QR emphasizes real world problems in contrast with mathematics, which explores the beauty of abstraction.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• analyze and solve real-world problems in context using quantitative methods, such as algebra, geometry, statistics, formal rules, scientific models, and computation.
• interpret and critique visual representations of quantitative information.
• communicate quantitative arguments using clear prose or other appropriate methods.

APPLICATIONS

These three requirements let you apply your disciplinary (major) and interdisciplinary (core) knowledge to social issues and your own self-designed research project.

M. Civic Engagement (CE) (0 - 4 credits)
Complete a Pacific CE-designated course (2 or more credits) or project. Projects can be 0 – 4 credits (contact TMCCE office for details).

Pacific prepares students for a life as informed and active citizens and community members through an experiential civic engagement requirement. By working in partnership with campus and community organizations, CE courses and projects address significant social, political, or environmental issues through actions that can make a difference on those issues, including service, advocacy, awareness-raising, action-oriented research, electoral participation, and political involvement. Students are encouraged to move beyond fulfillment of the requirement by taking additional CE courses and/or participating in co-curricular civic engagement activities. Learn more about civic engagement at the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement website.

Students who complete the CE Applications requirement will engage in civic engagement activities that:

• serve the common good.
• involve students in experiential learning outside the classroom and the teaching lab.
• engage students with the campus community or the broader world.
• include appropriate orientation, preparation for the project, and opportunity for thoughtful reflection.
• are shared with the campus community through appropriate means devised in consultation with the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• apply disciplinary knowledge (facts, theories, experiences, etc.) to one’s own participation in civic life, politics, and government;
• effectively communicate (e.g., express, listen, and adapt to others) in a civil manner (i.e., courteous and respectful regardless of differences);
• demonstrate attitudes of social responsibility (i.e., individual and collective obligation to act for the greater good).

N. Sustainability (0 - 4 credits)
Complete a Pacific SU-designated course (2 or more credits) or project. Projects can be 0 – 4 credits (contact the Center for a Sustainable Society office for details).

Sustainability is a conceptual framework, and set of practices that recognize the complexity, embeddedness, and interconnections between ecological integrity, social equity, and economic vitality; and actively works toward ethical, transdisciplinary solutions across local and global scales that advance the wellbeing of people and places now and in the future. Learn more about sustainability at the Center for a Sustainable Society website.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• evaluate sustainability issues and solutions using an approach that focuses on the intersections between complex human and natural systems.
• describe the three aspects of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social) and give examples of how at least two of the three are interrelated.
• articulate how sustainability relates to their lives as community members, workers and individuals and how their actions impact sustainability.

O. Senior Capstone (2 or more credits)
A senior project, internship (with a presentation), or performance/show in the major.

In cases where a student has more than one major, the student must complete the coursework listed in the catalog as required for the majors. In regard to the capstone project, a student usually completes separate projects for each major. If approved and coordinated by the departments or programs involved, a student may complete one interdisciplinary project. Departments and programs may not waive credits associated with capstones but may substitute an alternative for students completing another major with a capstone.

Upon completion of this requirement students will be able to:

• independently design, develop, and implement a substantial piece of work.
• integrate knowledge and practices learned throughout the student’s major field(s) of study.
• effectively disseminate the process, results, and potential impacts and limitations of the project to a broad audience orally, in writing, or via other appropriate modes of communication.

III. Major and Minor

Every student must declare a major area of study by the end of the sophomore year. Students officially declare their majors by completing the appropriate paperwork through the Advising Center (Bates House). Students are urged to plan wisely for a major program well before that time, in consultation with their faculty academic advisors and the Advising Center.

Majors require at least 24 credits, including 16 upper-division credits (exclusive of courses numbered 475). The requirements for majors are listed under the Programs sections of this catalog.

Major Learning Outcomes

Upon completing a major at Pacific University students will be able to:

Breadth of Knowledge and Integration of Learning

• Demonstrate synthesis and advanced accomplishment in a discipline using appropriate modes of inquiry.
• Take appropriate steps toward a productive and meaningful professional life and life-long learning.

Intellectual and Practical Skills

• Communicate effectively the results of focused inquiry within the discipline using multiple modes of communication appropriate to the discipline.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the application of the skills, technologies, methods, and evaluative criteria of the discipline.
• Collaborate effectively with others in a manner appropriate to the discipline.

Personal and Social Responsibility

• Engage responsibly in the practice of the discipline in accordance with its professional standards.

A Minor may be earned by meeting the requirements listed by a department. The minimum requirement is 16 credits, of which 8 credits must be upper-division.

Minors are not required, but they may be combined with majors to satisfy interests and to prepare for professions and graduate studies. If a minor is desired, it should be declared through the Advising Center by the end of the junior year and must be approved by a faculty member in the minor subject area.

IV. Grade Point Average of 2.0

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all coursework earned at Pacific is required for graduation and program completion. In addition, a GPA of at least 2.0 is required in all majors and minors (some require higher). All courses required for the bachelor’s degree and major must be included in the 124 credits presented for graduation. Only grades of C- or higher will transfer as credit toward the degree.

V. Upper-Division Credits

Students must complete a minimum of 40 credits of upper-division coursework (numbered 300 and above), with no more than 10 credits of courses numbered 475. All study abroad coursework through Pacific University is counted as upper-division. The first 31 credits of study abroad course work earned through Pacific University will count as Pacific University credit.

VI. Residency

Students must complete at least 8 credits from Pacific University in upper-division courses in their major and 8 credits from Pacific University in upper-division courses for any minor. Individual departments may require that a greater number of credits be completed at Pacific University. For these requirements, consult the list of requirements for each major or minor.

Of the last 40 credits counted toward a Pacific University degree, 30 must be taken at Pacific University.

VII. 52-Hour Rule/ Breadth Requirement

A maximum of 52 credits in a discipline may be applied toward the 124 credits required for graduation; an exception is that Music majors and those pursuing the Bachelor of Music Therapy degree or the Bachelor of Music Education degree may apply up to 60 credits of music courses. A program of more than 52 credits that includes an internship may be approved by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs by petition; this does not apply to programs that require internships.

Ordinarily, a course prefix indicates a discipline, except that the prefixes EXIP and EXMB count as one discipline, as do ENGL and ENGW; THEA and APTH; MUS, MUSE, MUSL and MT; BIOL and HBIO; and EDUC, ESOL and SPED.

Activity Courses

A maximum of eight (8) credits of activity courses may count toward graduation, in addition to any credits for activity courses prescribed by a student’s major or minor. These one-credit courses are taken to enhance and to add value to a student’s education. They typically focus on personal development, increased proficiency, or teamwork. Activity courses are: 1 or 2 credit DANC courses; HPER courses; MUSE 151 , MUSE 153 , MUSE 158 , MUSE 159 , MUSE 163 , MUSE 165 , MUSE 352 , MUSE 353 , MUSE 358 , MUSE 359 , MUSE 363 , MUSE 365 , MUS 181 , MUS 183 , MUS 187 , MUS 188 ; and THEA 151 , THEA 152 , THEA 153 , THEA 154 , THEA 156 , THEA 451 , THEA 452 , THEA 453 , THEA 454 , THEA 456 .

Internships

A maximum of 17 credits of internship credit may count towards graduation, of which no more than 14 credits may be taken in any one semester. A maximum of 10 credits may count as upper-division.