Dean of Adult and Continuing Education: Michael Paull (Carman Plaza NE, Room 128)
Director, Adult Degree Program: Frances DellaCava
The Adult Degree Program (A.D.P.) is designed for incoming Lehman students who are 25 years old or older and meet the eligibility requirements. Applications are available in Carman Plaza NE, Room 128.
Students entering Lehman for the first time, either as freshmen or as transfer students, may apply to the A.D.P. if they meet the following criteria: 1) completed 15 college credits or fewer; or 2) completed 16 to 60 college credits but have not been enrolled in an educational institution in the past five years.
Adult Degree Program students must successfully complete all exams required by CUNY for admission and for continuation beyond 60 credits. Students must also meet the English writing requirement recommended by the A.D.P.; in addition, all students must meet the minimum index required for graduation by the College and by their major department. A.D.P. students are exempt from the College's Core and Distribution requirements, as well as the requirements in foreign language, oral English, and a minor field of study. They must, however, complete a broad liberal arts course of study that includes a minimum of 36 credits of liberal arts courses outside of the major concentration.
Students may opt for either a regular major as described in this Bulletin (e.g., History, Biology) or design their own interdisciplinary major (e.g., Urban Studies) with the advice and approval of a committee composed of two faculty members representing the relevant study areas. The individually designed major must contain a minimum of 24 upper-division credits, excluding independent study, internships, and field placements. Students pursuing individualized majors must take at least 3 credits of independent study to qualify for Departmental honors at graduation.
Students in the Program may apply for up to 15 credits for life experience. Students do not automatically qualify for these credits. They are eligible to apply for an evaluation of their employment or volunteer activities when these activities include achievements relevant to a Lehman College department. The credits for life experience will count as electives toward the 120 credits needed for graduation. Veteran's credits, Regents credits, and credits received by departmental qualifying exams are counted as part of the life-experience credits.
A.D.P. students may enroll for up to 30 academic credits for independent study activities, such as research projects, reading tutorials, and fieldwork during their college career. Students receiving life-experience credits, however, have the total number of non-classroom credits available to them reduced by the number of credits received for life experience. The precise content or structure of the independent study project must be approved by the student's faculty sponsor and the sponsor's Department Chair. Written approval of his or her independent study proposal must be submitted to the A.D.P. Office prior to registration.
The Individualized Baccalaureate Art Colloquia (IBA 150-165)are designed to introduce Adult Degree students to various aspects of a liberal arts education.
The Individualized Baccalaureate Program (I.B.A.P.)allows Lehman students to establish their own academic goals. I.B.A.P. students can design their own majors with the assistance and approval of a faculty committee and supplement their major with independent study. Applications are available in the Office of Individualized Studies, Carman Plaza NE, Room 128.
In addition to proposing an individualized major, students must have completed at least 30 credits, but no more than 89 credits, including at least 12 Lehman College credits. Other requirements include a minimum 3.0 Lehman index and successful completion of both the CUNY Proficiency Exam and the College's English writing requirement.
Students can design their individualized major in a number of ways. They may present a course of study that focuses on any of the following: 1)a single aspect of one of the disciplines offered by the College; or 2)an interdisciplinary area of study. The number of credits that constitute the major is determined by the faculty committee supervising the student, subject to the restriction that students must earn a minimum of 24 upper-division course credits in the major area, but no more than 60 credits in any one department, including independent study, internships, and field placements.
I.B.A.P. students 25 years old or older may apply for life-experience credits, where appropriate. To determine eligibility for these credits, students should meet with an advisor after they have been accepted into the program.
Students in the I.B.A.P. may take up to 30 credits of independent study, inclusive of credits received for life experience.
See Degree Requirements as outlined under "The Adult Degree Program" above.