Departments: Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Computer Science, English and Modern Languages, Earth and Space Sciences, History, Mathematics, Nursing, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice.
Brenda S. Nichols, Dean
203 Parker Building
(409) 880-8508
Cruse Melvin, Associate Dean (409)
Joe Nordgren, Associate Dean (409)
The College has three principal missions:
The College of Arts and Sciences provides most of the academic components fundamental to a traditional liberal arts college and contains humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences. Programs in the humanities include English, history, philosophy, and modern languages with graduate degrees in both English and history. Programs in the social sciences include anthropology, criminology, political science, psychology, and sociology with graduate degrees in public administration, applied criminal justice and community/counseling or industrial/organizational psychology. Programs in the natural sciences include nursing plus the traditional sciences of biology, chemistry, computer science, forensic chemistry, geology, space science, physics and mathematics with graduate programs in biology, chemistry, computer science and nursing.
The College also houses many successful programs that cross several disciplines. Environmental science is one example in addition to the many pre-professional programs. Pre-professional programs prepare students for a professional school to launch careers in fields such as law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry and veterinary medicine. The College also has two interdisciplinary degrees designed for adult learners.
Research is a fundamental component of the mission of the College of Arts and Sciences. Faculty members in the College are actively engaged in research related to their respective disciplines. In addition, the College maintains several centers and laboratories that are devoted almost exclusively to research activities. These include the Space Exploration Center, the Center for Public Policy Studies, the Environmental Sciences Laboratory, the Center for Justice Research and Education, and the Center for Philosophical Studies.
Like other areas of study, the disciplines represented by the arts and sciences prepare a student for advanced study and research; for a career in business, industry, government service or teaching; or for study in a professional field. In addition, however, the very nature of the arts and sciences disciplines not only trains the mind and sharpens the intellect but also provides an experience designed to encourage life-long learning. It is a “liberating” experience that enables one to acquire the skills and knowledge to think critically, examine values and principles, broaden perspectives and to understand the individual and the relationships among the individual, our natural environment, and our society. Thus, specialization in one or more of the arts and sciences disciplines provides the opportunity for this experience and the prelude to a career.
Associate of Applied Science – Nursing
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Arts with majors in the following fields:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Criminal Justice
Political Science
English
Psychology
French
Sociology
History
Spanish
Bachelor of Science with majors in the following fields:
Biology
Geology
Biochemistry
Mathematics
Chemistry
Medical Technology
Computer Science
Nursing
Criminal Justice
Physics
Earth Science
Political Science
Environmental Science
Psychology
Forensic Chemistry
Sociology
Bachelor of Social Work
Minors are available in anthropology, biology, chemistry, criminal justice, earth science, English, French, geology, history, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, space science, Spanish and writing.
Graduate programs are offered in biology, chemistry, English, history, nursing, psychology, public administration and applied criminology. The Department of Earth and Space Sciences, the Physics Program and the Sociology Program offer graduate courses in support of other advanced degree programs. Further information may be obtained from the Graduate Information section of this catalog, in departmental entries of this catalog, or by contacting the appropriate academic department.
A student enrolled as a major in the College of Arts and Sciences must fulfill all university degree requirements, including those for general education, as well as the particular requirements set forth by the department for an area of specialization. In addition, majors in the College must:
Students are expected to make acceptable progress toward their degree objectives and are expected to work closely and carefully with their academic advisors.
Students majoring in one of the programs in the College of Arts and Sciences who accumulate a grade point deficiency of 25 or more grade points by the beginning of a Fall or Spring semester may be suspended for that semester. Students returning from an academic suspension must reduce their grade point deficiency every semester of enrollment until the deficiency is eliminated. Failure to reduce the deficiency in any one semester may result in a second suspension of two long semesters. A third suspension may result in exclusion as a major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Students suspended from Fall and/or Spring semesters may attend a Summer session. If the grade point deficiency is less than 25 at the close of the Summer session, the student may enroll for the following Fall semester but may be charged with a suspension.
Upon recommendation of the Department Chair and approval of the Dean of the College, exceptions to the above policy will be considered for:
Minimum Standards for Undergraduate Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences
Academic Director:Joe Nordgren Parker 203-B, Phone 880-8508
College of Arts and Sciences Advising Center: Parker 106, Phone 880-8534
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences program is most appealing to students who have earned academic credit hours and are seeking a flexible degree plan to complete their bachelor's degree. In addition, students with technical credits and/or vocational training also consider this degree because it offers the possibility of converting these experiences into academic credit, known as Prior Experiential Learning Credit. Up to 24 hours of such credit can be used toward the BAAS degree.
The minimum requirements for obtaining this degree include but are not limited to completing the core curriculum, taking 36 hours at the 3000/4000 level (18 of which must be from Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô), having at least 120 hours applied to the degree plan, and completing an Education Outcome Portfolio.
Students are encouraged to contact one of the the BAAS academic advisors in order to discuss the program's entrance requirements. This program is also offered online.
The College of Arts and Sciences offers pre-professional programs for students planning careers in law or in one of the primary health care delivery areas—dentistry, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, physical or occupational therapy, physician’s assistant, podiatry, or veterinary medicine. Students seeking admission to a professional school (medical, pharmacy, dental, etc.) should follow a pre-professional program. Other programs associated with the health-related professions (i.e., the allied health sciences) are administered through the Lamar Institute of Technology.
Advisors:
Terri B. Davis
201D Social and Behavioral Sciences Building
(409) 880-8533
Jim Love
55 Maes Building
(409) 880-8538
For admission to law school, a student needs a baccalaureate degree, a high grade point average and a good score on the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT). According to the Association of American Law Schools, skills appropriate to the legal profession that can be acquired in undergraduate education are these: comprehension and expression in words, critical understanding of human institutions and values with which the law deals, and creative power of thinking. Therefore, a broad education obtainable in a liberal arts program is excellent preparation for admission to law schools.
The pre-law programs are administered by pre-law advisors within the student’s major department. Pre-law students should work closely with the appropriate advisor in planning an undergraduate curriculum and in eventually making application to law schools. One aspect of the application process is the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT), which law schools require to be taken prior to consideration for admission.
Advisor: Michael E. Warren
101 Hayes Building
(409) 880-8262
The pre-clinical programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy and physician’s assistant are administered by the Department of Biology. The specific programs of study are listed in that department. Further information may be obtained by contacting the departmental advisor.
Academic Advisor:
Katie Caillavet
204-C Parker
(409) 880-7972
The Pre-Professional Advisory Committee for the Health Professions was created as a service to all students preparing for and seeking admission to professional schools of dentistry, medicine, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. The services provided include basic advising and counseling in pre-professional matters, academic advising, information on professional school application procedures, and providing composite evaluative information on the student to professional schools. It is extremely important that pre-professional students work closely with the program advisor from the time they initiate their studies at the university.
Admission to health professional schools is highly competitive and, in general, the most competitive applicants will have credentials which significantly exceed the stated minimum admissions requirements. For example, while many dental and medical schools may have stated requirements of three years of college preparation, greater than 95 percent of the students actually accepted will have had four years of college. Thus, since “pre-programs” do not lead to a degree, such students should pursue a degree-granting program. The student is then not only a more competitive professional school applicant but has also prepared for an alternate career should admission to a professional school not be possible. Any degree-granting program at the university may be chosen; however, programs within the sciences are generally the most appropriate as their required curricula contain many of the courses also required for professional school admission. In addition, careful use of elective hours in the curricula will allow for the selection of other appropriate pre-professional courses.
Students considering courses at junior colleges should contact the professional school(s) they plan to attend because many professional schools are reluctant to accept transfer hours from junior colleges.
Standardized examinations are required as a part of the admissions process to professional schools (dentistry—DAT; medicine and podiatry—MCAT; optometry—OAT; veterinary medicine—MCAT or GRE; pharmacy—PCAT). Students should consult with the pre-professional advisor concerning preparation for a particular examination and the appropriate time at which the examination should be taken.
The admission requirements to pharmacy schools vary greatly between programs; therefore, it is strongly recommended that pre-pharmacy students consult with pre-professional advisors on a regular basis and develop a course of study that will best prepare them to meet their career goals.
The Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice offers approved programs to prepare the student for public service in the areas of criminal justice and social work. The student may earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice or a Bachelor of Social Work degree.
The Department of Nursing offers the Associate of Science and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees to prepare professional nurse practitioners. Each degree recipient is eligible to make application to write the state licensing examination given by the State Board of Nurse Examiners to become a registered nurse (RN).
Teacher Certification: The College of Arts and Sciences provides academic disciplines for teacher preparation. Catalog entries for each department identifiy the areas of certification available. Students are encouraged to meet with the advisor for teacher certification in the College of Education and Human Development as well as the academic department chair regarding courses required, progression and graduation.
Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô offers a wide diversity of courses that enable students to study in foreign cities through faculty-sponsored programs, consortia, or other institutions. Course offerings are from diverse fields of study—including language, anthropology, criminal justice, health care, geology, political science and art.
Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô faculty offerings are available for undergraduate or graduate credit or occasionally as a non-credit option. Options to study abroad for a semester or a year are also available.
International short courses have been offered in Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; Heidelberg, Germany; Florence and Rome, Italy, and Tokyo, Japan.
A student-approved fee allows the university to provide some scholarship assistance for students wishing to pursue study abroad opportunities.
Director:
Ken Rivers
(409) 880-8595
The certificate in Global and International Studies will be awarded in conjunction with any departmental major to any B.A. or B.S. student who has demonstrated foreign language proficiency (equivalent to four semesters of one foreign language by examination, higher education course work) and has successfully completed four elective courses with a grade of C (or higher) with substantial international content.
No more than three of the four courses can come from any one discipline, and at least three courses must come from outside the student’s major discipline. If three of the four courses come from the same field outside the student’s major, the student would be awarded a “concentration,” not a certificate. More information is available by calling the global studies director.
Students for whom English is a second language are required to demonstrate English proficiency by scoring an average of 80 on the objective portions and a minimum of 3.0 on the writing section of the English proficiency/placement test required of entering students as part of the orientation. Those students whose scores fall below the minimum scores required are referred to the Lamar Language Institute for placement in appropriate developmental courses. Registration and fees for these courses are separate from those for degree credit-bearing courses taken in the University. A student placed in developmental courses may not drop the courses.
After the satisfactory level of proficiency is attained, students who must satisfy degree requirements in English may do so by completing the following courses:
Freshman Composition:
ENGL 1301 and 1302
ENGL 2310 or 2320 or 2322 or 2326 or 2331 or 2376
A cooperative (Co-op) Education Program in which the student spends alternate terms at work and at study is offered to qualified students in the Department of Chemistry and Physics. This program is coordinated by the Director of Cooperative Education, and students may contact that office or the individual departments for further information.
The College of Arts and Sciences offers programs of study leading to the Master of Arts degree in the fields of English and history; the Master of Science degree in the fields of applied criminology, biology, chemistry, nursing and psychology; and the Master of Public Administration degree. In addition, graduate study is available in geology and sociology as areas of support or specialization in other advanced degree programs.
Persons seeking admission to these programs must meet the requirements specified by the College of Graduate Studies and the individual department. Admission to a degree program is not an admission to candidacy.