Nov 11, 2024  
2020-2021 LSUA Catalog 
    
2020-2021 LSUA Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses of Instruction (facts and definitions)


  1. All courses of instruction offered by LSUA are listed in this catalog. The list was up to date and correct at the time of publication. 

  2. No credit will be given for a course unless the student has been registered in that course.

  3. The amount of credit given for the satisfactory completion of a course is based on the number of lectures or recitations each week for one semester. One credit represents one hour of lecture or recitation a week for one semester. Two to four hours of laboratory work is considered the equivalent of one lecture or recitation hour. Five to six hours of internship work per week is considered the equivalent of one lecture or recitation hour. When a course consists entirely or partly of laboratory work, that fact is stated in the course description.

  4. The number of credit hours a course carries per semester is listed after the course title. If the amount of credit listed is variable (e.g., “2-4”), the amount of credit the student is to receive must be stated at the time of registration. Indication of variable credit does not mean that a course may be repeated for credit. If a course can be repeated for credit, that information is included in the course description.

  5. The fact that a course is listed in the catalog does not necessarily mean that the course will be offered each year. A schedule of courses to be offered is published annually with updates provided at the beginning of each term. LSUA, however, reserves the right to add to, delete from, or modify the class schedule and faculty assignments as circumstances require.

  6. A prerequisite is a requirement that must be met before a course can be taken (e.g., credit earned in another course or courses; a score attained on a placement test; or the granting of permission by an instructor or chair).

  7. A corequisite is a course that is required to be taken simultaneously with another course. A student may not continue in the other course if the corequisite is dropped before the last day of the mid-semester examination period.

  8. Courses that are listed in the Statewide Common Course Catalog have an additional course prefix and number. Each prefix begins with “C” to signify that it is a state “Common” number. The first digit of the course number denotes the academic level of the course; the second and third digits establish course sequencing and/or distinguish the course from others of the same level, credit value, and rubric; and the fourth digit denotes the credit value of the course in semester hours.

Course Numbering System

1000-1999: Primarily for freshman. Ordinarily open to all students.

2000-2999: For sophomore level or above. It is not advisable for a freshman to register for a sophomore-level course unless the student has a grade point average of at least 2.50 or a composite ACT score of at least 26, or has placed into the course through an advanced-standing examination.

Note: Lower-division courses (1000-2999) generally focus on foundational theories, concepts, perspectives, principles, methods, and procedures of critical thinking in order to provide a broad basis for more advanced courses. The primary intent of lower-division coursework is to equip students with the general education needed for advanced study, to expose students to the breadth of different fields of study, and to provide a foundation for specialized upper-division coursework in professional fields. Such courses have one or more of the following four purposes:

3000-3999: Generally for students of junior level or above. Students below junior level should consult with their advisors before registering for one of these courses.

4000-4999: For advanced students of junior or senior level. Any student who has accumulated less than 60 hours must have the permission of the appropriate department chair before registering for one of these courses.

Note: Upper-division courses (3000-4999) are specialized, in-depth, and advanced, and emphasize problem-solving, analytical thinking skills, and theoretical applications. These courses often build on the foundation provided by the skills and knowledge of lower-division education.  Upper-division courses may require the student to synthesize topics from a variety of sources. Upper-division courses may also require greater responsibility, or independence on the part of the student. Upper-division courses require instructors with specialized knowledge and preparation. Thus, many intermediate and all advanced baccalaureate courses in a field of study are properly located in the upper-division. In addition, disciplines that depend heavily on prerequisites or the body of knowledge of lower-division education may properly be comprised primarily of upper-division courses.