Davidson College Diploma Requirements: A Comprehensive Overview

Davidson College, a renowned liberal arts institution, is dedicated to the intellectual and personal development of its students. The college's curriculum emphasizes a broad education, encouraging students to cultivate their knowledge, understanding, judgment, and compassion. This is achieved through a combination of graduation requirements, a chosen major, and elective courses across various disciplines.

Core Curriculum and Graduation Requirements

To earn a degree from Davidson College, students must fulfill a series of requirements spanning various academic areas and personal development aspects. These requirements ensure a well-rounded education and prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Credit Requirements

Total Credits: Students must complete a minimum of 32 credits to graduate. Most academic courses are worth one credit, with a few exceptions.
Course Load: A typical course load consists of four classes per semester, resulting in 32 credits over eight semesters.
Residency Requirement: At least half of the required courses (16 credits) must be completed in residence at Davidson College, including the entire senior year (at least the final 7 courses). Off-campus programs officially sponsored by Davidson are considered courses in residence.

Ways of Knowing (Distribution) Requirements

All students must fulfill the college's Ways of Knowing requirements. These requirements ensure exposure to different fields of study:

Literature: One course from specified courses in Arabic, Chinese, Classics, English, French, German/Russian, and Spanish departments.
Fine Arts: One course from specified courses in Art, Music, and Theatre departments.
History: One course from specified courses in the History department.
Religion and Philosophy: Two courses (at least one in Religion) from specified courses in the Religion and Philosophy departments.
Natural Science and Mathematics: Three courses from specified courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics departments. At least one course must be in Mathematics or Computer Science, and at least one must be a science course with a laboratory.
Social Sciences: Two courses from specified courses in Anthropology, Economics, Education, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology departments.

Note: The four-course Humanities sequence (HUM 150, 151W, 250, 251) satisfies the composition requirement and distribution requirements as follows: literature (one course); history (one course); and religion and philosophy (two courses, including one in religion). The two-course Humanities sequence (HUM 160, 161W) satisfies the composition requirement and the distribution requirement in literature. A student who withdraws from either Humanities sequence after one semester receives one credit toward graduation, but neither distribution nor composition credit. A student who withdraws from the four-course sequence after the second semester receives credit only for HUM 151W, satisfying the composition requirement but no distribution requirement. At least six of the ten distribution requirements must be completed for a student to enter the junior year.

Composition (Writing) Requirement

Students must complete a writing-intensive course by the end of their first year at Davidson.
This requirement can be fulfilled through English 101W, the four-course humanities sequence (HUM 150, 151W, 250, 251), the two-course Cultures and Civilizations sequence (HUM 160, 161W), or a departmental 101W First-year Seminar.
Advanced Placement or other credits completed before college matriculation do not satisfy this requirement.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by successfully completing the third-semester level (201 or higher) of a Davidson language (Ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin, Russian, or Spanish).
Alternatively, students can fulfill this requirement with an approved transfer course at an equivalent level or by demonstrating equivalent proficiency as determined and certified by the appropriate Davidson department.
Courses offered through the Self-Instructional Language Program do not satisfy the foreign language requirement.
Students for whom English is not their first language satisfy the foreign language requirement through the composition requirement.
It is strongly recommended that students complete this requirement before entering their senior year.

Cultural Diversity Requirement

Students must complete a course designated as satisfying the Cultural Diversity requirement.
These courses focus primarily on cultures that differ from the predominant cultures of the United States or Europe.
A single course cannot fulfill more than one distribution requirement. However, a course may satisfy a distribution requirement and other requirements such as cultural diversity, major, minor, concentration, and (for courses above the 201 level) foreign language.
The Registrar may designate a transfer credit (including AP or other pre-college credit) as satisfying a foreign language, distribution, composition, or cultural diversity requirement following, as occasion demands, consultation with appropriate department or program chairs.

Physical Education Requirement

Students must satisfy the requirements in physical education as follows:
- Davidson 101, required of all students, including transfers, during their first semester at Davidson.
- Two (2) Lifetime Activity credits (courses numbered PE 2xx, 3xx, and 5xx).
- One team sport credit (PE 4xx).
The Davidson 101 requirement must be completed in the first semester of the first year at Davidson.
Students are encouraged, but not required, to complete the physical education requirement by the end of their sophomore year.
A swim evaluation is administered during Orientation to determine swimming ability and to offer guidance in course selection. Students who do not successfully complete a swim evaluation must register for an appropriate swimming class as one of their Lifetime Activity credits.

Major Field of Study

Students must complete all requirements for a major field of study.
An average of 2.0 is required on all courses in the major.
When a course is repeated, only the most recent grade counts for the computation of the major grade point average.

Additional Academic Considerations

Concentrations and Minors

Students may choose a concentration, an interdisciplinary cluster of courses addressing a specific area of study, to complement their major. Concentrations are optional. Davidson offers concentrations in Applied Mathematics, Asian Studies, Computer Science, Education, Ethnic Studies, Film and Media Studies, Gender Studies, Genomics, International Studies, Medical Humanities, and Neuroscience. Students pursuing a concentration may not pursue a double major or a minor.
Some departments or programs offer a minor, a designated set of five or six courses. Students are allowed to declare one and only one minor to the appropriate academic department by no later than October 1 of their senior year. Students declaring a minor may not also declare a concentration or a second major. A minimum overall 2.0 cumulative grade point average and a minimum 2.0 average on all courses counted toward the minor are required. Specific requirements for minors are listed after major requirements in the departments where they are offered.

Courses Without Majors

The college offers courses but no major in Arabic, Chinese, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Greek, Humanities, Latin, Military Studies, Physical Education, Russian, South Asian Studies, and Education. Through the Teacher Education Program, students may complete the necessary course work to apply for a teaching license.

Read also: Courses Offered at DDCC

Skills Development

The Davidson curriculum emphasizes competence in reading, writing, fundamental mathematical skills, oral communication, and use of computers.

Oral communication skills are developed through class discussion, seminar presentations, and formal oral communication courses.
Computers are used in most laboratory science and mathematics courses and in individual courses in the social sciences and the humanities.

Standards of Progress

Davidson measures satisfactory academic progress annually before the beginning of the fall semester.

For entrance to the sophomore class or the third semester, the student must have completed seven courses (8 courses represent normal progress), including the composition (W-course) requirement. A student who has not earned a 1.60 cumulative grade point average by the beginning of the first semester of the sophomore year will be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation receives special advising services through the Dean of Studentsâ Office and the academic advisor.
At the time of entrance into the fourth semester (second semester sophomore year) a student with a cumulative grade point average of 1.7 or below at the end of the third semester must immediately make an appointment in the office of the Dean of Students to assess clearly the steps necessary to achieve the average of 1.8 required for entry into the junior class (fifth semester).
For entrance to the junior class or the fifth semester, the student must have completed 15 courses (16 courses represent normal progress) and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.80. In addition, the student must have completed six of the ten distribution requirements, must have completed three of the four required credits in physical education including Davidson 101, and must have officially declared a major.
For entrance to the senior class or the seventh semester, the student anticipating graduation in May must have completed 24 courses; the student may become a senior anticipating August graduation with 22 courses.
Students who do not meet the appropriate minimum Standards of Progress are ineligible to return for the fall semester. Some course deficiencies existing at the end of an academic year (May) may be made up through a summer contract course with a Davidson faculty member or through approved transfer credit. (Note, however, that transfer credits do not affect the grade point average.)
The Curriculum Requirements Committee specifies Standards of Progress for students whose records are irregular and who do not fit the requirements for one of the categories above. The Executive Committee of the Faculty may require a student whose academic work is unacceptable to withdraw from Davidson at any time. No student who has been required to withdraw is guaranteed readmission. A student wishing to return must apply to the Dean of Students for readmission.

Dual Degree Engineering Program

Students interested in engineering can pursue a dual degree program, attending Davidson for either three or four years before transferring to an engineering school for the final two years. Davidson partners with Washington University and Columbia University. Students who have completed the science and math prerequisites and achieved the requisite GPA are guaranteed admission to Washington University. Davidson academic departments, in consultation with the engineering advisor, will count some engineering courses toward senior year department course requirements. Students may apply to one or both schools. Admission to Washington University in St.

Graduation and Commencement

The college awards degrees only at the end of the spring semester during the Commencement Exercises and at the end of the summer (August 31). Students who enter as first-year students must complete the degree within four calendar years; students who transfer to Davidson are expected to complete the degree according to their class standing as they enter. In order to extend study into the fifth year (9th semester), a student must apply to the Curriculum Requirements Committee.

Honors Program

Most departments that offer a major also offer an Honors Program. Students with an overall grade point average of 3.2 are eligible for consideration for honors by their department as early as the spring semester of the sophomore year, but no later than the fall semester of the senior year. Each department may impose additional individual requirements for honors; students should consult the major departmental listing in the catalog and their major advisor for details.

Read also: Harley-Davidson Legacy

Beyond Academics: Character and Conduct

In addition to academic requirements, students must:

Be of good character and conduct, as certified by the Dean of Students.
Discharge all college financial obligations to the satisfaction of the Controller.

Preserving the Achievement: Diploma Frames

After completing their studies and participating in the commencement ceremony, graduates often seek ways to preserve and display their diplomas. Davidson College diploma frames, offered through partnerships like Church Hill Classics, provide an elegant and secure way to showcase this significant achievement.

Diploma Frame Options

Custom Frames: These frames are built by expert craftsmen and can be customized with Create-A-Frame Â® tools.
Graduation Cap Shadow Box Frame: A unique way to preserve and display the graduation cap.
Graduation Stole Keepsake Frame: Designed to safely store a graduation stole or sash.
Fast-Ship Frames: Select diploma frames are available for expedited shipping, ideal for last-minute gifts.

Officially Licensed Products

Davidson College partners with vendors to ensure that all branded products, including diploma frames, comply with the college's licensing guidelines. This guarantees high-quality products officially authorized by the institution.

Shipping and Handling

Custom frames are typically shipped via UPS Ground in environmentally friendly SMARTbox packaging to protect against damage during transport. Damaged products are promptly replaced.

Read also: Davidson College Deadlines

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