Undergraduate Academic Programs

Undergraduate academic programs at Tarleton State University integrate the two necessary components of a liberal education: the broad base of knowledge essential to the education of a citizen in a democracy, and the particular knowledge and skills needed in fields of major and minor concentration essential to our modern technological society. To accomplish these goals for each student, University programs provide four choices:

1. Four-year degree programs in most academic areas, with courses necessary for certification in public teaching offered in education;
2. Pre-professional two- and three-year programs in most professional fields; and
3. Degree Completion programs that focus on maximizing students' existing Credit through recognition of prior learning and workforce credits. 
4. Special programs designed to meet unusual requirements of an individual, usually consisting of a rearrangement of university-level subject matter courses for cogent reasons.

The general approach in any case is to require during the first two years an arrangement of courses presenting basic ideas and ideals of civilization and perfecting tools of the learning process. The foundations curricula for the first two years are essentially the same, except for a slight emphasis on mathematics and science for science and business majors and on language and communication skills for liberal arts majors.

Special emphasis on major and minor subjects comes in the third and fourth years. Here the choice is made by each student, normally at the end of the second year, but certainly by the end of the third year. A degree plan is developed in consultation with an academic advisor in the chosen field; thereafter, any changes in this plan must be approved by the academic advisor, department head, and the dean of the appropriate college.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Please see the list of undergraduate programs that Tarleton offers at the following link: Undergraduate Programs.

Undecided as to Major

Student Success advises all students who have not yet decided on their majors. Such students should schedule appointments with a member of this department prior to their first semester of enrollment at Tarleton. Advisors in this department refer students to campus services that help them select a major and provide academic advisement until such a selection has been made.

No secondary education degree program is available, per se.  However, secondary education certification courses may be a part of the curriculum leading to most Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs for the purpose of secondary teacher certification. Students should consult both the College of Education for information concerning certification requirements and the specific academic department for their recommended degree program.

Please refer to the College of Graduate Studies in this catalog for information about graduate degree programs.

Undergraduate Minors

No more than two minors may be declared in baccalaureate degree programs. Minors require a minimum of 18 hours within the minor discipline, of which 6 hours must consist of upper-level coursework completed at Tarleton State University. Please see the list of minors on the minor catalog page at the following link: Academic Minors.