Welcome
Congratulations on your acceptance to LMU and welcome to the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts. We are happy you plan to complete your bachelor's degree with us and hope to make your transition a smooth one. This site is designed to answer common questions and familiarize you with general academic policies and requirements. Detailed academic information and requirements for your major can be found in the 2008/10 LMU Bulletin, available online through the Registrar's Office website.
Once your transcripts have been evaluated, you can view the accepted coursework on PROWL. Choose Transfer Information on the Student Records Menu. Advising and registration are ongoing throughout the summer.
General Academic Information
- Official transcripts are required from all institutions attended. Courses completed at accredited institutions will be evaluated by the College and applied to degree requirements on the basis of equivalency to LMU course work. Request final transcripts for any work that was in progress at the time of your acceptance to LMU. Grade reports, post cards, etc., are not official documents and will not be used to process transfer work.
- A maximum of 60 units (combined) may be transferred from two-year colleges. All courses at 2-year colleges are lower division.
- Students with 60 or more units accepted upon transfer to LMU are waived from lower division philosophy and theology core requirements.
- Courses with grades below C (2.0) are not transferable.
- The Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts accepts a maximum of 2 units of physical education on transfer.
- Official Advanced Placement scores from the College Board are required for course credit. A minimum score of 4 is required for credit.
- At least two-thirds of the upper division semester units of the major must be taken at LMU. At least 30 of the last 36 units required for the bachelor’s degree must be completed at LMU.
- Class Standings:
Freshman =<30 units accepted Junior = 60-89 units
Sophomore = 30-59 units Senior => 90 units
- Candidates for honors at graduation (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) must complete a minimum of 60 graded units at LMU.
- Grades from other institutions are not transferred. Students receive unit credit for courses accepted by LMU, but the grades earned do not affect academic status at LMU. Academic status is based solely on grades earned at LMU.
- Students are not automatically dropped from courses due to absence, nor can they be added to courses by professors or staff. There is no wait list for closed classes. Students can only add or drop courses through PROWL (web) and must do so by the deadlines posted in the LMU Bulletin and the Schedule of Classes.
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires 120 units, including at least 45 units of upper division (junior/senior level) coursework.
- Lower division courses are numbered 100 – 299 and are normally taken in the freshman and sophomore years.
- Upper division courses are numbered 300 – 599 and are normally taken in the junior and senior years.
The bachelor’s degree is comprised of three areas:
| Core Curriculum |
48 units |
| Major Requirements |
Refer to the LMU Bulletin for specific course requirements in your major. |
| Electives |
Additional courses are required in order to reach 120 units. These units are electives. An elective is any course that does not fulfill a requirement in the core or major. Some electives must be upper division courses to meet the 45 unit minimum. |
Core RequirementsThe core curriculum embodies the University’s educational vision and mission. It provides breadth, a strong foundation in human values, and the skills necessary for a lifetime of intellectual growth. The courses introduce many ways of thinking and provide the basis for future study. The core is the heart of LMU’s curriculum for all students, regardless of their major.
The core consists of 48 units (16 courses). Selected courses are distributed among the following areas of knowledge:
| American Cultures |
Literature
|
| College Writing |
Philosophy |
| Communication/Critical Thinking |
Science and Mathematics |
| Critical and Creative Arts |
Social Sciences |
| History |
Theology |
Click here for the list of core coursesPlacement TestingMath Placement TestingStudents majoring in
Economics or
Liberal Studies who have not completed a transfer level math course should take a math placement test. Placement testing is administered in the Learning Resource Center during the first week of classes.
Psychology majors take MATH 104, Elementary Statistics. A placement exam is not required.
All other majors who have not completed a transferable math course should take MATH 102, Quantitative Skills for the Modern World, to fulfill the core requirement. No placement exam is required for this course.
Foreign Language TestingPlacement exams are administered in French and Spanish. If necessary, exams in German, Latin and Greek may be individually arranged. The placement exam is necessary prior to initial registration only if the student plans to take a foreign language course in their first semester at LMU. These exams are offered every semester for those students who plan to take a foreign language course at a later time.
Any student who has knowledge of, or has had prior instruction in French or Spanish must take a placement exam prior to enrollment in language courses. The tests are for placement purposes only and do not carry unit value.
Contact the Learning Resource Center, on the 2nd floor of Daum Hall if you have questions about placement testing. Phone 338-2847.
Academic AdvisingOnce your transfer work is visible on PROWL, contact an advisor in your major before registering for classes. Why do you need to see a faculty advisor? Degree requirements are complicated. Your faculty advisor can explain the purpose and logic of the curriculum, proper course sequencing, and any changes or new opportunities in the department. After your transfer work is evaluated by the Dean’s Office, copies of your records are sent to the department of your major, where a faculty member is available to assist you. Please contact the appropriate person below to arrange an advising appointment.
Registration Information
After consulting with an advisor, you can register for classes on PROWL. All registration information is available online. Here are the links you will need:
The Mane Event includes information on building locations, finals schedules, and registration policies.
Course Descriptions Detailed course descriptions for courses offered by the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts are available online.
Contact
Cathy Machado
Sr. Coordinator of Academic Services
Phone: 310.338.2716
Email: cmachado@lmu.edu