a.) All candidates for University of Maryland, College Park, degrees should plan to take their final 30 credits in residence since the advanced work of their major study normally occurs in the last year of the undergraduate program. Included in these 30 semester hours will be a minimum of 15 semester hours in courses numbered 300 or above, including at least 12 semester hours required in the major field (in curricula requiring such concentrations).

b.) A student who at the time of graduation will have completed 30 hours in residence at the University of Maryland, College Park, may, under unusual circumstances, be permitted to take a maximum of 8 of the final 30 credits of record, comprising no more than two courses, at another institution. In such cases, written permission must be obtained in advance from the dean of the academic unit from which the student expects to receive the degree. Exceptions beyond 8 credits and/or two courses will be made only under highly unusual circumstances; requests for an exception must be made through the Dean’s office to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.