2023-2024 BSC Catalog Updated_UG ONLY_FINAL[82]

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
41
Explorations curriculum. The Schedule of Classes, published by the Office of Academic
Records, will serve as the official record of learning outcomes designated courses for
each term.
Exploration Term
Exploration term refers to a period of four weeks during January that provides an
opportunity for innovation and experimentation for both students and faculty. The
projects offered during the Exploration term may vary in content and technique, but they
all share the goal of providing an opportunity for exploration not possible during a
regular term, including opportunities for study-travel or focused creative production. In
addition to faculty-led projects, students are encouraged to use initiative and imagination
to develop their own contracted projects through the Office of Exploration Term and
Contract Learning.
First-year students must enroll in an Exploration term project listed in the Exploration
Term Bulletin. They may not contract individualized Exploration term projects.
Following the first year of study, students may contract individualized Exploration term
projects. Contracted projects meet the same academic standards as projects listed in the
Exploration Term Bulletin and must be supervised by faculty members from
Birmingham-Southern College. Each contracted project must be approved by the project
sponsor, the student’s faculty advisor, the appropriate department chair, and the
Exploration Term and Contract Learning Committee.
Students must successfully complete at least two Exploration terms. Each project counts
as an Exploration term unit. A transfer student who meets only the minimum residency
requirements for a degree must complete two Exploration term projects.
For those majors where the Exploration term is used for the senior project (499), the
senior project must receive a letter grade. All other Exploration term projects (299)
receive “S”/“U” or a letter grade as determined by the faculty sponsor.
All Exploration term projects are recorded on permanent records and class schedules
according to discipline abbreviations (including “GEN” for those projects outside of the
disciplines offered at the College). If required for the major, senior Exploration term
projects will be recorded as 499; all other projects will be recorded as 299. Each fall a
published Exploration Term Bulletin lists projects offered in the upcoming term; all
disciplines typically offer projects.
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2023-2024