About the Catalog

Purpose/Disclaimer

The Youngstown State University Catalog is the official source of undergraduate and graduate programs, courses, academic policies and special programs. The catalog should be used as a guide in conjunction with the student's academic advisor in ensuring that the necessary requirements are met for graduation. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication.

The online catalog contains the most current information. Sections of the online catalog may be printed as needed. Archived versions of catalogs (PDF format) are also available. Students have the responsibility to become familiar with catalog content as they pursue their educational goals.

Throughout the site there are hyperlinks to other information resources at Youngstown State University. The information contained in these links is not a part of the official University Catalog. While every effort is made to provide accurate and current information, Youngstown State University reserves the right to make changes at any time with respect to policies, curricula, graduation requirements, courses, services provided or other matters addressed in this publication and to make any changes retroactive for students currently enrolled.

Catalog Rights

Degree candidates are responsible for meeting university graduation requirements stated in the Youngstown State University Catalog for the academic year in which they are admitted to Youngstown State University unless a student changes his or her major. These graduation requirements are known as catalog rights. Colleges reserve the right to alter the content of courses, add and delete courses, and change required curricula to comply with accreditation, licensure, or state or federal regulations. These changes may necessitate students update to a more recent Catalog. It is the student's responsibility to remain informed about such changes through regular interaction with their academic advisor in monitoring progress towards graduation. No university official can relieve students of this responsibility.

Students may opt to update their catalog year to a more recent Catalog, in doing so students must comply with all requirements therein.

Students who interrupt their enrollment in the university for one full academic year or longer, consecutively, including summer, must meet the university graduation requirements of the catalog in effect when they return.

In all instances, students who return to Youngstown State University after enrolling at another college or university (except with transient or cross-registration permission) must follow the university graduation requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their readmission.

Course Numbering System, Abbreviations, and Reference Marks

Courses listed in this catalog are of two types.

  • Courses in the 5800 series are upper-division undergraduate courses in which graduate students may enroll for graduate credit with the ap­proval of an advisor.
  • Courses in the 6900- and above series are graduate-level courses normally open only to gradu­ate students but which undergraduates may elect under conditions outlined in Graduate Courses for Undergraduates. Courses in the 8100 series are doctoral-level courses.
  • The abbreviation s.h. at the end of a course description stands for “semester hours of credit.” Thus, credit for a three-hour, two-semester course is indicated by the notation 3+3 s.h., meaning three semester hours of credit each semester.
  • Prereq. stands for “prerequisite.”
  • Comma. Ordinarily, a comma between numbers (e.g., 6907, 6908) indicates that the course ex­tends throughout the year, but that credit toward graduation is given for each course individu­ally.
  • En dash. An en dash between numbers (e.g., 6907–6908) indicates that credit is not given to­ward graduation for the work of the first semester until the work of the second semester is com­pleted, except when special permission is granted by the chair of the department in which the course is given. The first semester of such a course is prerequisite to the second.

Effective: Fall 2023- Summer 2024