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Admission to the GWS Major

Freshman and Transfer students interested becoming a GWS major must meet the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences entrance requirements.

Declaration of Major

Declaration of major is encouraged as early as possible and required by the time the student has completed 60 semester hours. Transfer students entering with 60 semester hours or more must declare a major by the end of their first term at UIC. Entering students can declare their major on the admission form provided by OAR; continuing students can declare a major at the GWS main office, 1804 University Hall. Early declaration is encouraged.

Double Major

Many GWS majors have a second major, and students may declare a second major in the department and the college office. An additional major will not be approved if the first major and the proposed second major involve similar study or substantial duplication of course work.

Transfer Student

Transfer students in GWS must complete half of their major courses in residence at UIC. Twelve of these hours must be completed at the advanced level. Advanced hours are courses numbered 200 and above. Also, transfer courses accepted in the GWS major must have grade of C or higher.

Residence Requirement

For all coursework, either the first 90 semester hours or the last 30 semester hours must be completed in continuous, uninterrupted enrollment residence at UIC.

DARSWeb for Students

DARSWeb allows students to access their degree audit using a web application. Students with a valid EnterpriseID and password may access DARSWeb and run an audit for their declared degree program.

LAS Graduation Requirements

GWS majors should also consult an LAS advisor consistently in order to discuss progress with the graduation requirements of the College, including:

• LAS General Education Requirements
• Advanced Hours Requirement
• Residency Requirements
• Credit Hour and GPA Requirements

GPA Requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

GPA of 2.0 or higher is required in all work taken at UIC. GPA of 2.0 or higher is required in all transfer work and work taken at UIC. GPA of 2.0 or higher is required in all work taken in the major field.

At the conclusion of each semester, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences determines the academic status of every enrolled undergraduate student based on their academic record and progress. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 in order to stay in good academic standing.

Declaration of Graduation

Seniors are required to submit a Declaration of Intent to Graduate form through the UIC Web for Students. The online form is available during the registration period of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. During the same semester, the Department will send a letter requesting the prospective graduate to see a Departmental advisor in order to review major graduation requirements. An incomplete or missing grade on a student's record must be resolved prior to the "Certification of Fulfillment of major Requirements" form being approved by an advisor and returned to LAS for final approval.

Graduating with Departmental Distinction

Departmental distinction is awarded at the time of graduation to those students who have shown exceptional competence in their major field of study, and is recorded on the student's diploma and transcript. The criteria to qualify for distinction in GWS students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 plus:

• 3.25 grade point average in the major for distinction;
• 3.50 grade point average in the major for high distinction;
• 3.75 grade point average in the major for highest distinction.

Independent Study

Students that have completed their core coursework in the major may wish to pursue their special interests independently under the direction of a faculty member. To enroll in an independent study, students must have a 2.50 GPA in all work taken at UIC and must contain consent of the instructor prior to registration.