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College of Arts & Sciences
Academic Programs in the College of Arts & Sciences Behavioral Sciences (Psychology, Sociology & Human Services) Philosophy of the College of Arts & Sciences The College of Arts and Sciences seeks to cultivate in its students the broadest possible perception of humans in relation to their cultural heritage and their position in society and the universe. It strives to motivate students to develop reasoning ability, aesthetic awareness and discriminating judgment, together with a sense of purpose and a zeal for continued learning. It strives further to prepare students for responsible participation in society. Objectives of the College of Arts & Sciences 1. To instruct in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences so that the student comes to realize the human significance, integration and inter-relationship of these disciplines. 2. To enable the student to express ideas clearly and concisely through a command of written and oral communication skills. 3. To recognize and encourage individuality and creativity through programs of independent study, career preparation, work experiences and original projects. 4. To enable the student to use the literature of a chosen discipline or area. 5. To prepare the qualified student (a) for graduate and professional schools and/or (b) in knowledge and career-oriented skills, which require training in departments of the College. 6. To provide an academic atmosphere in which normative values can be confronted intellectually by the students. 7. To promote academic freedom including the right to express the truth as one sees it and the freedom to ask relevant questions. This freedom carries with it the responsibilities of separating fact from opinion or speculation and respecting the viewpoints of others. 8. To encourage in the student the development of awareness, compassion, tolerance and understanding of the values and worth of others. Academic Organizations and Majors The College of Arts and Sciences is composed of three divisions and 11 academic departments. The College offers a variety of majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree or the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Additional degree programs are outlined in the Honors Programs section of this Bulletin and several Pre-Professional and Interdisciplinary programs are noted in the section on Special Academic Programs. The divisions of the College, respective majors and degrees available are: Humanities Social Sciences Dr. Michael George, Chair Dr. Rene Verry, Chair English - Education, B.A.* Communication, B.A. English - Literature, B.A. Human Services, B.A. English - Writing, B.A. Political Science, B.A. History, B.A.** Psychology, B.S. Philosophy, B.A. Social Sciences, Secondary Teaching B.A.** Spanish, B.A. Sociology, B.A., B.S. Natural Science and Mathematics Interdisciplinary Dr. Ed Acheson, Chair Interdepartmental, B.A., B.S. Biology, B.A., B.S.* International and Global Studies, B.A. Chemistry, B.A., B.S.* Applied Mathematics, B.A., B.S.* * Teacher certification available. Mathematics with Secondary Teaching Certification, B.A., B.S. ** Teacher certification available in social sciences, Physics, B.A., B.S with a major in history.
Exploratory Studies The Exploratory Studies program is designed for students who are not ready to declare an academic major. Exploratory Studies is a temporary program that provides the benefits of a declared major, including faculty advising, access to introductory major courses, and the opportunity to gain broad exposure to academic disciplines across the University. Most Exploratory Studies students will declare a major during their first year. However, all students must declare a major prior to completing 60 credits. During their first full semester in the program, all Exploratory Studies students will complete a one credit, pass/fail practicum supervised by the Office of Academic Development in consultation with the Career & Experiential Education Center and the Dean of Arts & Sciences. This practicum experience will include assessment of interest and abilities, exploration of career options, education relating to professional success, and interaction with faculty across the disciplines.
Degree Requirements Academic Minors Students may complete an academic minor in addition to a major. The minor consists of a minimum of 21 credits in the minor program. A minimum of 9 credits must be earned in courses numbered 300 or above in the minor program. Students wishing to complete a minor should consult the chair of the department in which they wish to minor. In addition to the minors available within the College, minors in the areas of business administration, finance and information technology, dance, economics, music and theatre are available to students majoring in the College of Arts and Sciences. Graduation Requirements College of Arts and Sciences Students in the College of Arts and Sciences are responsible for meeting all University-wide requirements and the requirements for a major within the College or one of the special baccalaureate programs. In addition, Arts and Sciences students must complete at least 39 credits in courses numbered 300 or above. College of Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement. In addition to completing courses described under the University Studies program, students with a major sponsored by a department in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete one course in Historical Studies and one course in Literature according to the following directions:
A current list of approved CAS liberal arts distribution requirement courses will be maintained in the office of the College of Arts and Sciences. Either the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is offered for each major program in the College as indicated above. Some majors allow the student to choose which degree they prefer. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree requires successful study of a modern language. High school transcripts of all incoming students are examined and the modern language faculty makes a recommendation concerning placement. Students may not enroll in a course numbered above or below the language placement recommendation without written permission of the placement officer of the Modern Languages Department. However, any student may start the study of a new language at the beginning level. Students needing the complete three-semester sequence are strongly urged to begin the study of their chosen language no later than fall semester of their sophomore year. The requirement for the B.A. degree (0-12 credits) is a matter of proficiency equivalent to three college semesters of a single modern language. Students may demonstrate required proficiency by successful completion of a modern language course numbered 223 or above, or by passing a proficiency exam administered by the Department of Modern Languages. Note: Placement at the 300 level does not meet the requirement. The student must either complete the course(s) or take the proficiency exam. Any student for whom English is not a native language must successfully pass Interdisciplinary 151 to demonstrate proficiency, or have successfully completed a second semester English Composition course with a research paper emphasis at another university or college. In addition, a proficiency examination in the student’s native language will be given by the Department of Modern Languages and must be passed successfully. Approval to satisfy these requirements in this manner must be given, in advance, by the Chair of the Modern Languages Department and the Dean of the College. Bachelor of Arts degree students particularly those planning to go to graduate school or planning to work in industry, business or government, may want to choose science or mathematics courses as electives. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree has a science distribution requirement. All students are required to complete 4 credits in science for University Studies. Candidates for the B.S. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to complete a minimum of 10 additional credits, including at least one laboratory science course, from no more than two departments (outside of the major department) in biology, chemistry, mathematical and computer sciences, or physics, in addition to the University Studies requirements. A mathematics or computer science major is required to take at least four natural science courses for the B.S. degree. Credits earned in Mathematics 100 and 106 count toward graduation, but do not count toward the Science Distribution Requirement. Bachelor of Science degree students, particularly those planning to go to graduate school or better prepare themselves for international awareness, may want to choose modern language courses as electives.
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