Degree Requirements
BACHELOR OF ARTS
THE DEGREE Bachelor of Arts is conferred upon students who have satisfactorily met the requirements described below. The plan of studies leading to this degree is arranged on the basis of the equivalent of an eight-semester course of study to be pursued by students in residence at Amherst College.
The degree Bachelor of Arts cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude (Degree with Honors) is awarded to students who have successfully completed an approved program of Honors work with a department or program.
Other students who satisfactorily meet requirements as indicated below receive the degree, Bachelor of Arts, rite.
REQUIREMENTS
Each student is responsible for meeting all degree requirements and for ensuring that the Registrar’s Office has received all credentials.
The Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded to students who:
- Complete 32 full semester courses and four years (eight semesters) of residence.Transfer students must complete 32 full semester courses or their equivalent, at least 16 at Amherst, and have been in residence at Amherst for at least two years (four semesters).
All students who have withdrawn from or failed a course during any semester except the last two (final year) shall be allowed to graduate with 31 full courses or their equivalent, provided that they have met the residence requirement.
Transfer students in that situation must also have completed at least 15 full courses or their equivalent at Amherst. - Complete the requirements for a major in a department or a group of departments, including satisfactory performance in the comprehensive evaluation.
Standard full courses are equal to four semester credits each. Half courses are equal to two semester credits.
Our course system considers all standard full courses to have equal weight toward completing the degree requirements. Courses typically meet for three hours a week, with the expectation that an additional nine hours of academic engagement be spent in class, lab, discussion, studio, film viewing, and/or preparatory work. - Attain a general average of 1.67 in the courses completed at Amherst and a grade of at least C in every course completed at another institution for transfer credit to Amherst.