BA Liberal Arts Core Curriculum 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which academic document outlines all courses, credit requirements, and policies a BA student must follow?
- Academic catalog (Correct answer)
- Syllabus
- Transcript
- Degree audit report
Correct answer: Academic catalog
The academic catalog (also called a course catalog) is the official document that defines all degree requirements, policies, and available courses for a given academic year.
Question 2: What is a 'capstone course' typically designed to do in a BA program?
- Integrate and synthesize knowledge gained throughout the major (Correct answer)
- Introduce freshmen to college life
- Replace one year of coursework
- Fulfill a foreign language requirement
Correct answer: Integrate and synthesize knowledge gained throughout the major
A capstone course is a culminating academic experience that asks seniors to synthesize and apply the knowledge and skills developed throughout their BA major.
Question 3: Which grading scale point is typically considered the minimum GPA for academic good standing at US universities?
- 2.0 (Correct answer)
- 1.0
- 3.0
- 3.5
Correct answer: 2.0
A 2.0 GPA (equivalent to a C average) is the standard minimum for good academic standing at most US institutions.
Question 4: What is the typical credit hour weight of a standard undergraduate course in the US?
- 3 credit hours (Correct answer)
- 5 credit hours
- 1 credit hour
- 10 credit hours
Correct answer: 3 credit hours
Most standard undergraduate lecture courses carry 3 semester credit hours, representing approximately 3 hours of class time per week.
Question 5: In a liberal arts BA, what is the role of the 'minor'?
- A secondary concentration requiring fewer credits than a major (Correct answer)
- A replacement for the major
- A mandatory part of the degree
- An honors designation
Correct answer: A secondary concentration requiring fewer credits than a major
A minor is an optional secondary area of focused study, typically requiring 15–18 credits, that complements a student's major.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes an 'interdisciplinary' BA major?
- A program drawing coursework and methods from multiple academic fields (Correct answer)
- A major limited to one department
- A degree requiring only online courses
- A program exclusive to graduate students
Correct answer: A program drawing coursework and methods from multiple academic fields
An interdisciplinary major intentionally integrates theories, methods, and content from two or more traditional disciplines into a unified program of study.
BA Liberal Arts Core Curriculum 2
Which academic document outlines all courses, credit requirements, and policies a BA student must follow?