Academic FAQ

The fact that you have been accepted for admission to Bucknell means that the University believes you are qualified to succeed in your work here. If you feel that you need support, we encourage you to seek advice from faculty and staff, and to take advantage of our campus resources.

The rest will be up to you. Have you established good study habits? Can you concentrate on what you are doing and block out distractions? Can you budget your time to cover study and recreation, sleep and relaxation? Are you seeking help when you need it? A strong key to success is your interest in the subject you are studying and your seriousness of purpose.

As a college student, you will find it's essential to keep up with your daily and weekly work. If you do not understand something in a textbook or lecture, ask your instructor for help as soon as possible. If your work begins to pile up, the academic associate dean of your college can help you reorganize your study plan or obtain special help — don't hesitate to reach out.

If you took an AP course in your secondary school and sat for the examination, as administered and certified by the College Entrance Examination Board, you may be eligible for credit and/or advanced placement. This chart summarizes how AP credit works at Bucknell, and additional information can be found here. Please note that AP scores must be sent to Bucknell by CollegeBoard.

If you have taken courses at another regionally accredited college prior to enrolling at Bucknell, you will receive Bucknell credit for them, provided:

• The college coursework completed by high school students is equivalent to courses offered by Bucknell. (Decisions on comparability will be made by the Office of the Registrar and the faculty of the University.)
• The courses are applicable to the degree at that college (i.e., that they were not simply enrichment courses for high school students).
• The subject matter was comparable to that offered at Bucknell.
• You do not duplicate the course by taking a similar one at Bucknell.
• You request that the registrar at the college where the course was taken send an official transcript to Bucknell.

Here are helpful summaries of Bucknell's policies for transfer credit. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

We’ve created a special resource page, College 101, to help you navigate as you prepare to begin your life at Bucknell. These definitions will help you get started. And remember — Bucknell faculty and staff are happy to help answer your questions, so don't hesitate to ask.

The arts and humanities focus on the discovery and evaluation of our creations in art, religion, literature and social institutions. Courses are offered in Arabic & Arab world studies, art (studio and history), Chinese, classics & ancient Mediterranean studies, comparative humanities, critical Black studies, dance, East Asian studies, English (literary studies, film/media studies, creative writing), French, German, Greek, Modern Hebrew, history, Japanese, Latin, Latin American studies, linguistics, music, philosophy, religion, Russian, Spanish and theatre.

Social sciences embrace the study of society and of individual relationships in and to society. Courses are available in anthropology, economics, education, international relations, political science, psychology, sociology, and women's & gender studies. Some environmental studies and geography courses also are considered a part of the social sciences.

Management at Bucknell integrates professional and liberal undergraduate education. Through an innovative curriculum that includes experiential learning, students work collaboratively to understand and analyze organizations, and devise creative and morally responsible solutions to the challenges they face. The bachelor of science in business administration curriculum offers majors in accounting, business analytics, finance, management & organizations, and markets, innovation & design. Within our management & organizations major students can select a concentration in entrepreneurship, global management, human resource management, managing for sustainability or management & organizations. Minors are also available in accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, human resource management, real estate or a general management minor. The course Exploring Management (MGMT 100), offered in the fall semester, will help management students learn more about the history of management and the five majors within management.

The natural sciences and mathematics are based on objective and observable quantitative hypotheses, and include animal behavior, astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, neuroscience and physics. Some courses offered in environmental studies and geography also are classified as natural sciences.

Engineering is the application of scientific principles to practical ends, as in the design, construction and operation of efficient and economical structures, equipment and systems. Bucknell offers degrees in biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering as well as computer science & engineering.

Whether you are in the College of Arts & Sciences, the Freeman College of Management or the College of Engineering, the course Engineering Design Experience (ENGR 100), offered in the fall semester, will help you learn more about engineering and technology.

For more information on our areas of study, please visit our majors and minors page.

• The bachelor of arts degree represents a broad sampling of the liberal arts and sciences, with a concentration in one discipline (the major), much of which is taken during the junior and senior years.
• The bachelor of science degree (in the natural sciences and mathematics, education, management and various branches of engineering) provides a greater emphasis in the major field, usually beginning in the first year.

While both include broad choices in liberal studies, the bachelor of arts provides more electives and the bachelor of science more courses in and related to the major. Students who have a variety of interests and are undecided as to their future objectives will find that the bachelor of arts program has the flexibility to allow exploration of a number of fields. The five-year liberal arts & engineering program permits concentration in any liberal arts study in combination with any branch of engineering.

The Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) exists to ensure access, provide support and help students with a disability navigate or remove informational, physical and attitudinal barriers. Necessary accommodations are dependent on the nature of the disability and the self-report from the student with a disability, as well as the supportive documentation.

The most common necessary accommodations include the following:

• Extended time on exams
• Distraction-reduced testing environment (OAR Testing Center)
• Note-taking options (LiveScribe Pen, digital recording device, volunteer note-taker, etc.)
• Text-to-speech reader program (Read & Write Gold)
• Alternative format for texts/materials (Braille, large print, digital, etc.)

Individuals seeking accommodations must register with the OAR by self-identifying and providing documentation to support their request. Necessary accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. Please begin the registration process as far in advance as possible.

For more information, please contact oar@bucknell.edu or 570-577-1188.

While it is your responsibility to meet your degree requirements, the University provides help and guidance for you in several ways:

• For your first semester, you will follow the fall registration process for your degree program. Studying the appropriate section of the Course Catalog will help you visualize the entire four-year structure of your degree.
• After your first semester, your academic adviser will help you select appropriate courses, and the academic associate dean of your college will be glad to advise you concerning your progress toward your degree.
• In addition, the Office of the Registrar provides an online Academic Progress Report (APR) in myBucknell that will help you check and track your requirements throughout your Bucknell career. Your APR will be available in August — here is an example.

The advisory setting allows you and your adviser to establish a friendly relationship. Entering students will have the opportunity to meet with their advisers before beginning their fall courses to discuss their program of courses.

• For bachelor of arts students, your Foundation Seminar instructor will serve as your academic adviser for the first two years. In your fourth semester, when you declare your major, you will be assigned an adviser for each major, who will continue with you until you graduate.
• For bachelor of science students in the College of Arts & Sciences, you will have two advisers in your first semester. Your foundation seminar instructor will serve as one adviser whom you will see regularly in the first semester. You will have a second adviser in your major, who will advise you until you graduate or change majors.
• If you are a Freeman College of Management student studying for a bachelor of science in business administration, your Foundation Seminar instructor will serve in an informal advisory capacity during your first semester. You will be assigned a Freeman faculty member as your official adviser. This adviser will be available to you, once you arrive on campus, as a mentor and to answer any curriculum-related questions. When you declare your major in your fourth semester, you may be assigned a new faculty adviser if your current adviser is not in your declared major.
• College of Engineering students are assigned advisers who are faculty members in the student's proposed program. Your first scheduled meeting with your major adviser will occur during Orientation. Generally, an engineering student has the same adviser for all four years.

Your fall course schedule will be available in myBucknell during the second week of August. You will be permitted to make changes to your schedule if you have AP scores or transfer credit that already provide you credit for a course in which you were placed. Please contact the registrar's office for more information.

You will also be permitted to change if you have a disability that will interfere with your success with this schedule. For information, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources.

If you are a student-athlete, your coach will work with your academic schedule, so there is no need to change your schedule due to athletics-related concerns.

If you wish to change your schedule for other reasons, please speak with your academic adviser during Orientation, when there will be an opportunity to make course changes prior to the start of classes.

The curriculum at Bucknell in most instances is flexible, yet rigorous. Within the bachelor of arts degree structure, you have great flexibility and many course options, and you will declare a major during the second semester of your sophomore year.

Within the bachelor of science curriculum, there are specific requirements related to the major that you usually must begin to fulfill during your first semester on campus.

Bucknell is primarily an undergraduate institution. Our faculty and administration stress the importance of undergraduate education and the development of undergraduate students. All classes are taught by faculty, and most members of the faculty teach at all levels. Although a few graduate students assist some faculty members, the faculty member (not the graduate student) is responsible for the teaching.

Yes — all members of the Class of 2029 at Bucknell are required to take a Foundation Seminar. Foundation Seminars are small classes taught by faculty from a wide range of disciplines across the University. These classes serve as social and intellectual support groups for students during the transition into college life. Residential Colleges (RESC) courses count as a Foundation Seminar and are available to all incoming first-year students.

The focus of a Foundation Seminar is as much how you learn as what you learn. Each seminar has a different topic. Many courses are interdisciplinary, but all share the goal of cultivating the attitudes and skills necessary for students to make the most of their Bucknell education. You will be encouraged to become an active and independent learner, to participate in collaborative learning experiences, and to develop your critical thinking and communication skills. You will learn how to use the resources in the library, along with technological skills, simulations, use of databases and data analysis, according to the topic of the seminar.

If you are in the College of Arts & Sciences, your Foundation Seminar instructor will also be your academic adviser for at least your first semester.

• If you are in the bachelor of arts program, your seminar instructor will continue as your adviser for your first two years.
• If you are in the bachelor of science program in the College of Arts & Sciences, you will have two advisers in your first semester. Your foundation seminar instructor will serve as one adviser who you will see regularly in the first semester. You will have a second adviser in your major, who will advise you until you graduate or change majors.

Bucknell is dedicated to the education of undergraduate students and has developed several special educational programs to deepen their experience. These include:

Residential Colleges — Themed Residential Colleges are located in residence halls on campus. They accept approximately 350 first-year students. Each college focuses its activities on a particular theme, which typically include topics such as the Arts, Discovery, Food, Humanities, Languages & Cultures, Social Justice, and Society & Technology. These themes are explored in lectures and films, classes and programs, seminars and coffeehouses, special dinners and celebrations, and more. Students in each college are required to take one Foundation Seminar associated with their respective college.

Diversified majors — In addition to the departmental majors, students in the College of Arts & Sciences may develop an individual program under the interdepartmental major or the major in the bachelor of arts curriculum. The interdepartmental major provides an option for the student who may wish to investigate subjects, topics, issues or interests that cannot be served practically within the program of a single department. The major concentrates upon the intellectual interest and development of the student, rather than upon a field of study, and is structured in accordance with the student's special interests.

Minors — Bucknell offers optional minors in many disciplines as well as a number of interdepartmental minors. For a complete list, please consult the Course Catalog.

Independent study and faculty research — Many departments provide opportunities for students to engage in independent study under the guidance of a faculty member, and there are opportunities for students to participate in faculty research programs. This research participation or independent study enables the student to pursue and gain experience in specialized areas. Your academic adviser or other faculty members can answer your questions about pursuing an independent study, and you can learn more about departmental research opportunities here.

Global and Off-campus Education — The Office of Global & Off-campus Education facilitates off-campus opportunities that accommodate a range of disciplines throughout diverse regions of the world. The office strives to enhance students' cross-cultural competency through global programs that facilitate a deep understanding of the cultural, social, political and historical conditions of the host country while highlighting the students' unique positions as responsible actors in a global context. Bucknell offers many year-long, semester and summer off-campus study opportunities through external education abroad partners, Bucknell faculty-led programs and university exchange programs.

Honors Program — All academic departments and interdisciplinary majors of the University offer students the opportunity for departmental honors, coordinated through the University Honors Council, in which students in those majors may undertake special studies or investigations. Typical programs involve independent study under the supervision of an adviser that results in the completion of an honors thesis that may include a creative project and culminates in an oral examination by a faculty committee.

The Honors Program also operates within the special programs known as the major and the interdepartmental major, as described in the Course Catalog.

Students interested in departmental honors should consult the head of the department and must apply for honors in accordance with the procedures established by the Honors Council.

Yes, you will be required to complete courses in the following categories.

All students: Writing Requirement

All students must successfully complete three writing courses, to be selected from courses designated W1 (one course) or W2 (two courses). The required W1 course must be in the first year.

College of Arts & Sciences

Foundational Experiences

• Foundation Seminar (first-year, first-semester course)
• Integrated Perspectives (sophomore-year course)
• Foreign Language
• Lab Science
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Race, Power & Inequality (RPI)
• Nature, People & Justice (NPJ)
• Global Connections (GBCC)

Disciplinary Exploration

• Natural Sciences & Mathematics (two courses)
• Social Sciences (two courses)
• Arts & Humanities (four courses)

Disciplinary Depth

• The major(s), which includes Academic Conventions of Writing, Speaking & Information Literacy and a Culminating Experience.

College of Engineering Students

• Engineering 099 seminar (ENGR 099)
• Engineering 100 (ENGR 100)
• College Global Perspectives Requirement (The college global perspectives requirement is met through a Global Connections course or a foreign language course.)
• Four course credits in mathematics (specified by department)
• Four course credits in science (specified by department)
• Five approved social science and humanities courses (One of the five courses must be a social science course and one must be an arts & humanities course. Of these two courses, one may be further specified by the student's degree program. The remaining three courses may be fulfilled by any combination of social science, arts & humanities, University courses, Residential College courses or foundation seminars. Consult the course catalog for more specific information.)

Freeman College of Management Students

In addition to specific major requirements, all Freeman College students will complete BSBA core curriculum requirements along with the following:

Foundational Experiences: one course in each

• Foundation Seminar (FOUN or RESC) — required your first semester; all sections are W1
• Foreign language requirement (CCFL)
• Race, Power & Inequality (RPI) or Diversity in the U.S. (DUSC)
• Nature, People & Justice (NPJ) or Environmental Connections (EVCN)
• Global Connections (GBCC)

Disciplinary Exploration: two or three courses in each division

• Three Arts & Humanities (ARHC) — one of three courses must carry the foreign language designation
• Two Social Sciences or Management (SLSC or MGMT)
• Two Natural Sciences & Mathematics (LBSC and NSMC — one of two courses must carry the University LBSC lab science designation)

Culminating Experience: one course

• An integrative course or equivalent experience in your major taken in the spring of junior year or senior year

Designated writing courses in the University Writing Program have two purposes: to develop expository skills and to teach the use of writing as a means for creating and processing knowledge. These classes ensure that you develop a mastery of written language so that you may discover, organize and communicate your knowledge.

As part of the undergraduate program, you are required to complete three writing-intensive courses (known as "W courses") — i.e., a W1 course in the first semester, followed by two W2 courses. These courses use writing to help you acquire both subject knowledge and writing proficiency.

• The W1 courses teach expository skills and writing as a process and include Foundation Seminars and some introductory courses.
• The W2 courses are offered in most departments, and they may include courses required for a particular major, courses that help to fulfill a core curriculum requirement and courses that a student may choose as electives.

W courses are offered widely throughout the University and may be taken in any department or program to fulfill the University requirement. To view a list of W1 and W2 offered this fall, please consult the course schedule.

The staff of the Writing Center will help you plan, compose and revise your writing. The center is staffed by full-time professionals, along with peer tutors trained to work with student writers. In a typical session, writers read their drafts out loud and discuss ideas with tutors. Tutors provide feedback on the clarity of your draft, ask useful questions that will help you revise, and identify areas of your writing that might need further explanation or development.

In addition, the Writing Center offers numerous workshops for students each semester. Topics for these workshops include writing internship and graduate school application essays, writing resumes and cover letters, and writing honors theses.

Students are welcome to visit the Writing Center at any stage of their writing process. Students are also welcome to make appointments to discuss study skills, time management and "writer’s block." Sometimes just taking the time to address these common issues with an experienced staff member helps students generate useful strategies to improve their study and writing habits.

It is usually possible to change your curriculum in the College of Arts & Sciences, either before or after you come to the campus to matriculate in the fall. However, some curricula have restrictions on the number who can be accepted because of space and facilities limitations.

• Due to extremely limited space, there are no opportunities for College of Arts & Sciences or College of Engineering students to transfer into the Freeman College of Management; however, students in these colleges can take classes in the Freeman College and obtain a minor in accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, human resources, management, real estate or a general management minor.
• Students should recognize that restrictions may be placed on transfers into the engineering programs due to the maximum enrollment caps in place for all engineering majors. Applications for transfer to the College of Engineering will be considered at the end of each semester based on the space available in each degree program. Students who apply to transfer to the College of Engineering will be subject to a review of their academic performance at Bucknell for entrance into any engineering program.
• If you wish to change your major before coming to campus, you must submit a written request to the Office of Admissions. After enrollment, special forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Before deciding on a change, we advise you to consult with someone knowledgeable about your options, such as:

• A member of the Bucknell faculty
• Admissions staff, 570-577-3000
• Academic Associate Dean Bethany Collier, College of Arts & Sciences, 570-577-3293
• Academic Associate Dean Terri Norton, College of Engineering, 570-577-3705
• Academic Associate Dean Ivy Kepner, Freeman College of Management, 570-577-1337

Your interest in other programs may be explored by carefully choosing elective courses. Most curricula have sufficient flexibility to allow these exploratory courses to be counted toward degree requirements. Talking with your academic adviser can be extremely helpful in this process.

In most, but not all, instances it is possible for students to change from one degree program to another. Due to extremely limited space, there are no opportunities for College of Arts & Sciences or College of Engineering students to transfer into the Freeman College of Management. Applications for transfer to the College of Engineering will be considered at the end of each semester based on the space available in each degree program. Students who apply to transfer to the College of Engineering will be subject to a review of their academic performance at Bucknell for entrance into any engineering program.

Since enrollment limitations may require the exclusion of some qualified students from certain academic programs, the following policy has been adopted: Admission to the University, to a college, to a degree program or to a major does not guarantee enrollment to any individual course, transfer from one college to another, or registration in any particular degree program or declaration of a particular major. Registration in or transfer from one degree program to another, or declaration of a major, is authorized only with the approval of the University through the academic deans. The University reserves the right to cancel or limit enrollment in any individual course.

The Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program is one of Bucknell's many curricular and extracurricular options. This program provides training in leadership and management as well as preparation for possible service as a commissioned officer in the United States Army.

Enrolling in ROTC your first semester involves no commitment beyond the course itself. The decision is purely voluntary and one you should reach based on your own educational and career goals. Please visit the Bucknell ROTC page for more information.

Note: Bucknell regards certain policies and practices of the Department of Defense and the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) as discriminatory against homosexuals, and considers these policies to contradict Bucknell's nondiscrimination policy.

The three degree programs offered by the Department of Computer Science follow the philosophy of "principles before technologies," which has been praised by our alumni for enabling them to adapt quickly to the rapidly evolving environments in computing. Our degree programs share a significant common core of computer science and mathematics and prepare students equally well to pursue advanced degrees and entry-level positions in industry. The three degree programs focus on the fundamentals of computing systems, design of software solutions, and algorithms. All degrees culminate with a shared yearlong design experience solving a real-world computing problem.

• Computer science & engineering: Offered by the Department of Computer Science through the College of Engineering, this major is ABET EAC and CAC-accredited. This more vertical degree program is traditionally chosen by students who are interested in going deep into the intersection of computing within an engineering context. In addition to a carefully designed course sequence, computer science & engineering features a total of 12 electives (which may include CSCI technical electives). Five of these courses may satisfy general education requirements. Thirty-four credits are required to graduate.
• Computer science: Offered by the Department of Computer Science through the College of Arts & Sciences, our B.S in computer science is ABET CAC-accredited. Additionally, we offer a B.A. in computer science. These majors offer significant freedom to students interested in exploring the range of options available in Bucknell’s liberal arts context. The B.S. requires 17.5 credits of computer science, math and sciences. The B.A. gives students the most flexibility of our three degree programs and requires 12 credits of computer science and math courses. Both degrees require a total of 32 credits, and students must complete the College of Arts & Sciences core curriculum. Free electives may be used to take additional CSCI technical electives.

The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering offers two degree programs through the College of Engineering:

• Electrical engineering: This ABET-accredited degree focuses on electronic devices and systems from large-scale sustainable energy grids to the tiny circuits at the heart of computing. The program integrates design throughout the four years and culminates with a yearlong team design project for external clients. Electrical engineering majors take a total of 14 electives — five general education, five technical and four "free" courses, enabling students to minor in another subject. Students may further focus their studies by completing a concentration in one of multiple areas in the discipline including sustainability, the internet of things, formidable challenges, and graduate study. Thirty-four credits are required to graduate.
• Computer engineering: This ABET-accredited degree focuses on the application or creation of computing technology, including hardware, software and networking, and incorporates design throughout the curricular design. Seniors conduct a culminating senior design team project, often with an external client. In addition to a carefully designed course sequence, computer engineering features a total of 15 electives — five general education, six technical and four "free," enabling students to minor in another subject. Students may further focus their studies by completing a concentration in one of multiple areas in the discipline including sustainability, the internet of things, formidable challenges and graduate study. Thirty-four credits are required to graduate.

Bucknell offers graduate work leading to a master's degree in several disciplines: animal behavior, biology, chemistry, engineering (chemical, civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical), English and psychology. The presence of graduate students enriches our undergraduate programs. In general, graduate study is recommended for those students of high ability who plan to become specialists or intend to go into teaching or research.

At Bucknell, well-qualified students in several disciplines may integrate their undergraduate and graduate studies, beginning in their junior or senior year. This integrated program results in better preparation for advanced graduate courses and a longer period of time for the thesis project. For some students, this may reduce the time needed to complete all requirements for both degrees. A combined BS/MS is currently offered by the chemistry department in the College of Arts & Sciences and by the chemical, civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering departments in the College of Engineering.

More information is available from the Office of Graduate Studies.

Center for Career Advancement (CCA) — CCA staff members are available to advise you in all matters pertaining to the world of work, including general occupational trends and your own future career development. Their services are available to all students and alumni.

Faculty advisers — We encourage you to discuss your future career plans with your academic adviser and other faculty members.

Academic associate deans — The academic associate deans in each college are available to help you become more aware of possible relationships between curricular choices and future career plans.

Counseling & Student Development Center (CSDC) — CSDC staff can work with you to help you better understand your values, personality traits and abilities.

Many students interested in going to medical school major in one of the sciences; however, this is not a requirement. Remember that medical schools are more interested in the quality and depth of the work accomplished than in the field chosen by the student. All medical schools recognize the desirability of a broad education with a strong foundation in the natural sciences, highly developed communication skills, and a solid background in social sciences and humanities.

The humanities and social behavioral sciences are important and can help you understand individuals, societies and cultures. With careful planning, a pre-medical student can select a number of courses in humanities and the social and behavioral sciences and thus be well prepared for the critical analysis and non-science portions of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

Some students find that an undergraduate engineering education provides excellent preparation for further study in another profession such as medicine or dentistry. With careful planning, Bucknell's engineering programs offer sufficient flexibility permitting you to fulfill the entrance requirements of medical or dental schools. If this is your goal, you should work out a preliminary plan with your adviser soon after you arrive on campus. Please visit our pre-health advising webpage for more specific information.

Most medical schools require, as a minimum, one year of general biology, one year of general or inorganic chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, one year of physics, one year of math and one year of English. Current revisions of the MCAT exam also require a working knowledge of psychology, sociology and biochemistry.

Some medical schools require a foreign language, and some have additional requirements such as behavioral science or quantitative analysis. It is essential that students examine specific admission requirements of the schools of interest to them and plan their college work to meet those requirements. Bucknell's pre-health adviser can help you design a schedule to meet all the course requirements for medical school.

If you are interested in the teaching profession, you may elect options in secondary or early childhood education. Requirements for teaching certification also may be met under the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science curriculum.

Under the bachelor of music degree program, students may major in music education.

For more information, visit the Department of Education website. Major and minor requirements can be found in the course catalog.