Bylaw: Article V, Section D, Item 5
“A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation from a four-year institution as defined by that institution shall no longer be eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics.
EXCEPTION 1: A student who has completed all academic requirements for graduation and who is enrolled and seeking a second baccalaureate or equivalent degree at the same institution, or who is enrolled and pursuing a second major area of study at the same institution may participate in intercollegiate athletics provided the student has athletic eligibility remaining.”
Interpretation
As it pertains to the second major area of study listed in Exception 1, the student must be pursuing a second major area of student that equates to another degree program. The student cannot be pursuing an associate’s degree, a minor, or a separate area of concentration within the same degree program. The number of hours in the second major should be a different academic path/area of study from the student’s original degree program.
Example
A student who finished a degree in a bachelor’s of science in Business Accounting cannot then seek Business Marketing as a second major area of study as a way to maintain eligibility. The two areas of study are within the same major degree program. For the student to continue competing after finalizing the Business Accoutning degree, the student would need to pursue a different degree program or separate baccalaureate degree (or a graduate degree – see Exception 2).
Related Interpretations
Undergraduate Courses for Graduate Identification
NEC Interp – Creation date: August 2016
