Semester Hour Requirement

The successful completion of at least 124 semester hours and a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 in work completed at Hofstra.

Liberal Arts Requirement

At least 81 semester hours of the total must be in liberal arts. Beyond this minimum, the student may elect either non-liberal arts courses or additional liberal arts courses.

Residency Requirements

There are two requirements that must ordinarily be completed in-residence at Hofstra: 30 semester hours in the major field of concentration, and the last 30 semester hours.

Candidates for the BFA in Filmmaking must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of the major in-residence.

The semester hours in-residence for the major need not be included within the last 30 hours.

General Requirements for the BA:

Note: Requirements listed below include options whereby a student may apply courses toward several different requirements in one discipline. No student may use anyone course to fulfill more than one general requirement. However, students may use a single course to satisfy a general degree requirement and a requirement specific to a chosen major or minor.

1. Nine semester hours of distribution courses in the humanities (see Distribution Courses). The nine semester hours must include at least three from the Literature category and three from the Arts category. 
2. Students may use no more than three semester hours of Creative Participation courses to satisfy this requirement.
3. Nine semester hours of distribution courses in the natural sciences and mathematics/computer science (see Distribution Courses). Students must choose at least three semester hours from each category.
4. Nine semester hours of distribution courses in the social sciences (see Distribution Courses). The nine semester hours must include at least three from the Behavioral Sciences category and three from the History, Philosophy, Religion category.
5. Three semester hours of distribution course credit in the Cross-Cultural category (see Distribution Courses).
6. Three semester hours of distribution course credit in the Interdisciplinary Studies/Other category (see Distribution Courses). A student may satisfy this requirement with three semester hours of Interdisciplinary Studies course credit or three semester hours in any other category. However, this requirement is satisfied; it is an additional three semester hours to the thirty semester hours required by A-D above. Satisfactory completion of WSC 001 and WSC 002. Students entering Hofstra with full credit for WSC 001 and WSC 002 must take the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Test during their first semester at Hofstra. Students who do not pass the test are required to complete WSC 040 and retake and pass the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Test.
7. Foreign Language Requirement.

Students may fulfill the foreign language requirement by completing level 2 of a foreign language.

Students without transfer college credit in the foreign language studied in high school must take the language placement test (administered by the Language Laboratory) to determine placement at the proper level. No student shall receive credit toward graduation for any course below their level of placement in that language.

Students with transfer college credit in a foreign language should continue to the next level, that follows in that foreign language sequence and for which they have received credit.

International students may satisfy the foreign language requirement either by completing ELP 036 or by placing out of the requirement by taking the placement examination in their native language.

Students must receive a C- or better grade in all courses applicable to the major. BFA majors must maintain a GPA of 2.5 in all courses applicable to majors.

All students pursuing a BA In The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication must complete a liberal arts-based minor.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 39

Students may select one of the two concentrations listed below – Semester Hours: 9

Public Relations majors must also complete:

• a minor in the liberal arts for the BA degree.

Communication BA Program Requirements

BA Requirements  for The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication majors