Current Students
Do I have to switch to Spartan Studies?
If you started at UT prior to Fall 2023, you will, by default, continue to fulfill Baccalaureate Experience Requirements for graduation. Most courses that have previously met Baccalaureate Experience Requirements will continue to do so. These courses will be clearly identified in the course descriptions in the current catalog and in the course tags in Workday.
Courses that are approved to meet Spartan Studies Requirements may also meet Baccalaureate Experience Requirements. These courses will be identified in the course descriptions and the course tags in Workday for how they meet both Spartan Studies and Baccalaureate Experience requirements.
The only area that is significantly impacted by this change is the Natural Science requirements.
If you have successfully completed one of your natural science courses:
You will need to take another natural science course, preferably in the second discipline. If you take it here, it will be a 4-credit course since the lower-level natural science courses that do not have prerequisites are moving to 4 credits.
You may also complete your final natural science requirement with a 3-credit course taken elsewhere through the transient process if needed.
If you have not yet successfully completed either of your natural science courses:
You may complete the requirement for both courses by taking one of the revised or new 4-credit courses approved for Spartan Studies in any of the natural science disciplines.
If you choose to take a natural science course and transfer it back to UT, you will still need to take a second course, so this is not recommended.
Can I switch to Spartan Studies?
You do have the option to change catalogs and switch to Spartan Studies. Note that this will also impact any requirements for your major since you would now be under the new catalog.
This may make sense if you have not yet completed a significant portion of your Baccalaureate Experience requirements. If this is something you would like to consider, you are encouraged to speak with your Faculty Advisor or with someone in the Academic Advising office. They can help you create a plan of study to see which option works best for your progression towards graduation.
What if I change catalogs because I want to pursue a newly created major or minor?
You may change to a new catalog for a major or minor without having to switch to Spartan Studies.
New or Prospective Students
If you are starting at UT during the Fall 2023 semester or later, you will follow the Spartan Studies requirements for graduation. You can find out more about the program and the course requirements by reviewing the curriculum overview.
If you have questions, please feel free to email the Spartan Studies Program and someone will follow up with you.