There are five categories of degree requirements that comprise an undergraduate degree at Hopkins. All approved credit earned through exams or at other colleges and universities may be used to meet: Distribution requirements, Writing-Intensive requirement, Departmental major and minor requirements, and to satisfy course prerequisites.
- Total Degree Credit Requirement
The total degree credit requirement is considered a distinct degree requirement, and ranges from 120-130 credits depending on the degree. It is not merely a cumulative tally of courses used to satisfy requirement areas 3-5. - Residency Requirement
Students are required to complete a minimum number of credits in residency at JHU, therefore a limit is imposed on how many exam and transfer credits can be counted towards the total degree credit requirement. - Distribution Requirement
Students must earn a minimum number of credits in academic areas outside of their primary major. The academic areas in the Hopkins curriculum are humanities (H), natural sciences (N), social and behavioral sciences (S), quantitative and mathematical sciences (Q), and engineering (E). - Writing-Intensive Requirement
To encourage excellence in writing across disciplines, the university requires all bachelor’s students to complete writing-intensive courses. These courses are identified by a “W” in the JHU course schedule, and an asterisk (*) on the unofficial transcript. - Departmental Major Requirement, and Minor Requirement
Every student who earns a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the requirements for each of their declared major(s), and minor(s). These requirements may include courses in other disciplines that provide skills and information of importance to professionals in the major field.
"D" Grade Restriction
University policy allows no more than 18 credits from courses with grades of D or D+ to be counted toward the total degree credit requirement for graduation. Departments may set a lower limit on the number of permissible D or D+ grades for a specific major. Many departments do not accept any D or D+ credits for major requirements.
Ten-Year Degree Completion Limit
A student must fulfill all degree requirements for graduation within 10 academic years from the date of matriculation at the university.
Degree Credit Totals
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires 120 credits.
The Bachelor of Science degree, whether in Arts and Sciences or Engineering, requires from 120 to 130 credits, depending on the major.
No program may require more than 130 credits.
For a degree requiring 120 total credits, a maximum of 20 approved credits from other sources may be counted towards the total degree credit requirement, even if more than 20 credits from external sources have been used to satisfy degree requirement areas of: Distribution, Writing-Intensive, and Departmental Major and/or Minor.
All approved exam credits earned will be posted to the transcript. Up to 12 approved transfer credits will be posted to the transcript. See External Credits section for details.
Example:
A student has a total of 32 external credits posted to the transcript:
- 8 transfer credits from another university
- 24 credits from AP exams
All 32 of these credits may be applied to requirement areas of: Distribution, Writing-Intensive, and Departmental Major and/or Minor.
If the student’s total degree credit requirement is 120, only 20 of those 32 credits will count toward the 120 total degree credit requirement (120-100=20).
If the student changes to a degree program whose total degree credit requirement is 126, only 26 of those 32 credits will count toward the total degree credit requirement (126-100=26).
Residency Requirement for Freshmen
Students who enter the university from high school must complete at least 100 credits at JHU. This includes courses that are taken after matriculation as a degree-seeking student:
- in fall, intersession, spring, or summer at JHU
- in other divisions of the university
- through the Baltimore Student Exchange Program (BSEP) during the fall and spring semesters only
- through an approved study abroad program (up to 30 credits)
In addition, credits earned through JHU courses prior to matriculation as a degree-seeking student are applied to the 100-credit residency requirement.
Students who entered JHU prior to Fall 2014 should view the appropriate archived catalogue.
All students must complete a minimum of four semesters in residence as a full-time student. Students must be in residence for at least two of the final four semesters, including the final semester prior to graduation.
Residency Requirement for Transfer Students
Students who enter the university as transfer students must complete at least 60 credits at JHU. This includes courses that are taken after matriculation as a degree-seeking student:
- in fall, intersession, spring, or summer at JHU
- in other divisions of the university
- through the Baltimore Student Exchange Program (BSEP) during the fall and spring semesters only
- through summer and intersession study abroad programs sponsored by Hopkins departments
In addition, all transfer students must complete at least four full-time semesters in residence at JHU. Study abroad programs offered during fall and spring semesters do not count towards this four-semester requirement. Transfer students must be in residence for at least two of their final four semesters, including the final semester prior to graduation.
Residency Requirement for Peabody Double Degree Students
Students earning a double-degree at Peabody must complete at least 48 credits in either the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences or the Whiting School of Engineering.
Writing Designation Requirements
To encourage excellence in writing, across disciplines, the university requires all undergraduates to take a number of writing-intensive courses. A writing-intensive (W) course is one in which students complete at least 20 pages of finished writing, distributed over multiple assignments, usually 3 or 4 papers, throughout the semester. Instructors respond to students’ work in written comments or in conference, or both; and students have at least one opportunity to receive their instructor’s feedback on a draft and then revise. A writing-intensive course guides students’ practice in writing and makes writing an integral part of the course. The writing-intensive requirement is administered by the Expository Writing Program.
Writing-intensive courses are indicated by a “W” in the JHU course schedule and an asterisk (*) on a student’s unofficial transcript. Courses taken to satisfy the writing requirement must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C- or better. Writing-intensive courses taken to satisfy major, minor, or distribution requirements may also count toward the writing requirement. All course registrations at the 500 level, which is by definition independent academic work, except for courses that are Honors Thesis and the Senior Essay in English, are not allowed to be writing-intensive.
All students earning a degree from the School of Arts and Sciences must complete at least 12 credits in writing-intensive courses. Candidates for a B.A. degree in the School of Engineering must complete 12 credits (four courses at least 3 credits each) in writing-intensive courses, while candidates for a B.S. degree in Engineering must complete 6 credits (two courses at least 3 credits each) in writing-intensive courses. Please note, this requirement is based upon a student's degree; students are not required to complete a separate writing requirement for any additional majors.
For information about transferring writing-intensive credits to JHU, please see the External Credits section of Academic Policies.
Academic Area Designation Requirements
The distribution requirement stipulates that students must earn a minimum number of credits in academic areas outside of their primary major. Area designators represent an association between the course and an academic area. Courses with area designators are expected to do more than employ basic techniques, they are to advance knowledge and increase a student’s understanding of the theory. Courses that are teaching a basic skill, and therefore do not expose the student to modes of analysis and scholarship that represent the essence of a given discipline, will not be assigned an area designator. If taught within a Homewood academic department, the department is responsible for assigning area designators to their courses. Courses not offered through Homewood academic departments will be reviewed for proposed area designators by the appropriate dean's office.
The academic areas in the Hopkins curriculum are: humanities (H), natural sciences (N), social and behavioral sciences (S), quantitative and mathematical sciences (Q), and engineering (E).
The area designations of courses (H, S, N, Q, and E) are included in the course information in the departmental pages of the catalogue and in the online schedule of classes. The area designation also appears beside the course title on a student’s unofficial transcript. When a course has more than one area designation (HS, EN, EQ, etc.), students may use only one of the designations to satisfy the distribution requirement.
Only courses or other credit-bearing opportunities with area designations may be used to satisfy the distribution requirement. Area designators are not assigned to the following:
- Independent study
- Research
- Internships
- Music performance (unless taken as part of a music minor, in which case the course will be designated H)
- Dance performance
- Foreign language elements courses (see additional foreign language rules)
- Medical tutorials
Area designations can be assigned to courses taken elsewhere, to courses taken in other divisions of the university, or to graduate courses taken by undergraduates. These assignments are made by the appropriate dean's office based on the course content and the recommendations of the faculty. The most useful criteria for determining an appropriate area designator will be the course description and a similar JHU departmental offering.
The following courses at the Peabody Conservatory have H designations:
| Area Designator | Code | Title |
|---|---|---|
| H | 530.411 | Keyboard Literature 1 |
| H | 530.412 | Keyboard Literature 2 |
| H | 530.413 | Keyboard Literature 3 |
| H | 530.414 | Keyboard Literature 4 |
| H | 530.569 | Jazz Analysis/History |
| H | 530.570 | Constructive Listening & Analysis/ Jazz History |
| H | 610.321 | History of Music 1 |
| H | 610.322 | History of Music 2 |
| H | 610.323 | History of Music 3 |
| H | 260.115 | Core 1 |
| H | 260.116 | Core 2 |
Distribution Requirement for Arts & Sciences Students
Students must earn:
- At least 9 credits in humanities
- At least 9 credits in social sciences
- At least 9 credits in natural sciences, quantitative, or engineering
These credits fulfilling the distribution requirement may overlap with major or minor requirements and the writing-intensive requirement.
In Arts and Sciences, courses taken for the distribution requirement may be taken for a letter grade or for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory credit. Courses passed with a letter grade of D or better, or passed with a Satisfactory grade, will fulfill the distribution requirement. Students who entered JHU prior to Fall 2014 should view the appropriate archived catalogue.
Distribution Requirement for Engineering Students
Students earning a degree in the School of Engineering must complete the following distribution requirement:
18 credits (6 courses at least 3 credits each, except for the two specific course sequences listed below) designated H and/or S. Although language elements courses do not carry an area designator, engineering students may use these courses as substitutes for humanities courses in meeting the distribution requirement.
The following specific course pairings of a 2-credit course and a 1-credit course have been approved to count towards the H/S distribution requirements in place of a single 3-credit course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Set One | ||
| EN.660.400 | Practical Ethics for Future Leaders | 2 |
| EN.660.406 | Practical Ethics for Future Leaders - Special Topic | 1 |
| Set Two | ||
| EN.660.400 | Practical Ethics for Future Leaders | 2 |
| EN.520.404 | Engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context | 1 |
In Engineering, each department determines whether or not the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading option will be permitted for courses used to satisfy the distribution requirement.
Completing a Major and Minimum Grade Point Average
Every student who earns a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the requirements of a major. A major is a structured curriculum, usually within the confines of a particular academic field. Generally, the requirements for a major provide a student with a broad overview of the field through introductory courses, followed by more specialized courses tailored to meet the student’s interests in the field. The requirements for the major may also include courses in other disciplines that provide skills and information of importance to professionals in the major field.
Courses required for the major must be taken for a letter grade and students must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the courses required for the major, i.e., not including elective courses or courses used only for the distribution requirement. Many majors require a grade of C- or better in required courses.
Departmental Directors of Undergraduate Studies
For every major and minor that is offered at Johns Hopkins, there is a faculty member, or their designee, who serves as the program’s Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). They are available to answer questions about their major(s) and/or minor(s). The directors also assign faculty advisors to students who declare a major or minor.
Information about KSAS DUS is located at https://advising.jhu.edu/completing-your-degree/directors-of-undergraduate-studies/.
Information about WSE DUS is located at https://engineering.jhu.edu/advising/directors-of-undergraduate-studies/.
Declaring a Major in Arts and Sciences
Students who enter the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences from high school are classified as pre-majors during their freshman year. In April, freshmen in Arts and Sciences will meet with an academic advisor to declare their primary major in Arts and Sciences. To declare a major at a later time, see Changing Majors or Advisors section below. Students must declare a major by April 15th of their sophomore year in order to assure that they will complete requirements for graduation in four years.
Arts and Sciences freshmen may declare second majors and minors offered through the School of Engineering beginning their freshman year until April 15th of their junior year.
Declaring a Major in Engineering
Students who enter the Whiting School of Engineering declare a specific engineering major on their application for admission. A student must take direct action to change the major. To change a major, see Changing Majors or Advisors section below.
Students cannot change their major into Biomedical Engineering. Students must be accepted into the program at the time of admission to the University.
It is recommended that undecided engineering students select a specific major no later than the end of freshman year.
Engineering students may declare a second major or minor offered through either the School of Engineering or the School of Arts and Sciences beginning their freshmen year until April 15th of their junior year.
Changing Majors or Advisors
Once students have declared a major, they may change their major or their faculty advisor by completing the online Program of Study form in SIS. Students cannot change their major into Biomedical Engineering.
Declaring Additional Majors (Optional)
Students who wish to complete the requirements of more than one major are expected to declare the additional major(s) by April 15th of their junior year. Students may add an additional major by completing the online Program of Study form.
A student with a double major receives the degree (B.A./B.S.) associated with the student's primary major. Completing a second major does not entitle the student to a second degree. The completion of additional majors is recorded on the transcript and diploma. When completing a double major, students need only satisfy the distribution requirement affiliated with the school of their primary major.
Declaring a Minor (Optional)
Students who wish to complete the requirements for a minor(s) are expected to declare the minor(s) by April 15th of their junior year. Students may add a minor by completing the online Program of Study Form. The completion of a minor is recorded on the transcript, but the minor does not appear on the diploma.
Official recognition with notation on the academic record is not given for completion of majors or minors at other divisions of the university or at other colleges.
Restrictions Applying to Double Majors and Minors
Within the Hopkins curriculum, requirements for the completion of undergraduate majors and minors are established by academic departments and approved by the Homewood Academic Council, acting on recommendations from the Curriculum Committees of the Krieger and Whiting Schools. Students who fulfill the necessary prerequisites and satisfy the specified course requirements for a major/minor will be certified as having completed that major/minor. While departments are free to designate the range of courses that may satisfy major/minor requirements for their own academic programs, they may not prohibit the use of course work presented for their department's major/minor from being used to satisfy the requirements of other majors or minors. In other words, students may "double count" coursework that independently meets the requirements of more than one major/minor.
Students are encouraged to choose additional areas of study to complement their major. However, students may not choose a minor with an identical name to their major. For example, a student majoring in Africana Studies may not declare a minor in Africana Studies.
Other prohibited combinations include:
- Students may not major in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biology.
- Students majoring in the Natural Sciences Area may only double major or minor in a program outside of the natural sciences
- Students majoring in Medicine, Science and the Humanities may not double major in Natural Sciences Area.
- Students majoring in Romance Languages may not major or minor in one of the individual Romance Languages (except for the Spanish for the Professions minor).
Closely-related majors and minors that are allowed include:
- Economics majors may complete a Financial Economics minor.
- Spanish majors and Romance Languages Majors may complete the Spanish for the Professions minor.
- Computer Science majors may complete a Computer Integrated Surgery minor.
- Cognitive Science majors may complete the Linguistics minor.
- Students majoring in Environmental Engineering may major in any major offered through the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.
The examples provided above may not be an exhaustive list and students who have questions about combinations of related programs should consult an advisor in their respective advising office.