Return to: The College of Arts and Sciences

Neva J. Specht, Dean
Mark D. Bradbury, Associate Dean
Michael D. Madritch, Associate Dean
Carey Fissel, Director of Development
Leslie Cook, Executive Director of CAS Teacher Education
Ellen Gwin Burnette, Director of Marketing, Communication and Engagement
 

The College of Arts and Sciences connects Appalachian State University to the tradition of the liberal arts. Faculty and staff in sixteen academic departments and one academic program spanning the Humanities, Mathematical, Natural and Social Sciences provide instruction and research essential to the University’s mission. The breadth and depth of learning provided by the College are necessary for productive citizenship in a free society.

The College of Arts and Sciences serves all undergraduate students through general education courses; it also offers disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, combining liberal arts and professional education, with a special commitment to teacher education. Through innovative instruction, creative and collaborative scholarship, and engagement in professional activities, the faculty and staff foster the development of knowledge and skills essential to continued learning, success in careers and the attainment of advanced degrees.

The College encourages study in diverse local, regional, national, and international communities and seeks to cultivate the habits of inquiry, learning, and service among all of its constituents.

Departments/Programs

Centers

The College of Arts and Sciences consists of the following Centers:

Center for Appalachian Studies

The Center for Appalachian Studies promotes public programs, community collaboration, civic engagement, and scholarship in the Appalachian region. The Center is committed to building healthy communities and deepening knowledge of Appalachia’s past, present, and future through community-based research and engagement. The Center’s work is coordinated with the peer-reviewed Appalachian Journal, the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection and other world class resources for regional scholars.

Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies

The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies coordinates a broad array of educational and research opportunities for students, teachers, faculty members, and the community at large.

The Center fosters the interdisciplinary study of the Holocaust and other modern genocides. In order to comprehend practices of systematic mass murder and genocidal societies, it is pivotal to draw on a variety of fields from sociology, anthropology, and history to political science, philosophy, and religious studies and scrutinize a multilayered source base, ranging from film and photography to literary, diplomatic, and government sources. The study of the Holocaust and modern genocides provides insights into the preconditions and unfolding of systematic mass murder, how ordinary men and women come to participate in these crimes and the responses, “choiceless choices” (Lawrence L. Langer), and acts of contestation by victimized populations. These explorations also center on possible forms of intervention and problematize silence in the face of genocide, always combining analysis with reflections on social and civic responsibilities.

The study of the Holocaust is combined with a multi-layered examination of Judaism and histories of Jewish populations worldwide that cannot be reduced to ongoing episodes of violence. Over the centuries, Jewish communities developed a complex theology, laws, and cultural traditions. Many of these traditions also inform practices of waging peace, which is at the core of the Center’s third focus. Combined with a knowledge of Jewish cultures and histories and meanings of the Holocaust, the exploration of theories and languages of peace studies underpin the search for human improvement and a world increasingly free of violence and genocide.

Watauga Residential College

The College of Arts and Sciences also contains the Watauga Residential College, a two-year residential program located in the Living Learning Center and housed in the Department of Interdisciplinary. The program is a distinctive, selective alternative general education program that fosters creativity and civic engagement through experiential, inquiry-based learning.

Degrees Offered

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degrees. In cooperation with the Reich College of Education, it offers the Bachelor of Science degree with teacher licensure in English, French, History, Mathematics, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics (leading to science education licensure).

To be admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements to officially declare a major:

1. Completion of at least 30 semester hours
2. A grade-point average of at least 2.0
3. Credit for RC 1000  or an equivalent course and credit for or current enrollment in UCO 1200  or an equivalent course

A student who is a candidate for teacher licensure must meet the specified requirements for admission to the Reich College of Education.
 

NOTE: Students are advised to check with the department of their intended major early in their studies. Meeting graduation requirements is the student’s responsibility.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

To earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 and a minimum major grade-point average of 2.0
2. Completion of general education requirements
3. Completion of six semester hours of intermediate or higher level foreign language
4. Completion of major requirements from one of the disciplines listed below:

Specific requirements for each department major preface the list of courses offered by the department.

5. Completion of a minor in a discipline outside the major discipline.
6. Electives to complete 120 semester hours.
7. Completion of residency requirements
8. Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Bachelor of Science Degree (without teacher licensure)

To earn the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of at least 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 and a minimum major grade-point average of 2.0
2. Completion of the general education requirements.
3. Completion of major requirements from one of the program areas listed below:

Specific requirements for each department major preface the list of courses offered by the department.

4. Electives to complete 120 semester hours. A minimum of two semester hours of electives must be outside the major discipline.
5. Completion of residency requirements
6. Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Bachelor of Science Degree (with teacher licensure)

To earn the Bachelor of Science degree with teacher licensure in the College of Arts and Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of at least 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.7 and a minimum major grade-point average of 2.0
2. Completion of the general education requirements
3. Completion of major requirements from one of the disciplines listed below:

4. Admission to the Reich College of Education and completion of all professional education requirements
5. Electives to complete120 semester hours.
6. Completion of residency requirements
7. Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Degree

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) degree, the student must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 and a minimum major grade-point average of 2.0
2. Completion of general education requirements
3. Completion of a major consisting of 61 semester hours as specified and STT 1810 . See the Department of Government and Justice Studies .
4. Electives to complete 120 semester hours.
5. Completion of residency requirements
6. Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Minors

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the following minors:

Multidisciplinary Minors

Minor in Animal Studies

The Animal Studies minor (18 semester hours) offers students the opportunity to learn about the lives of nonhuman-animals and to investigate the representation in human cultures of their diversity and complexity.

Minor in Atmospheric Science

The interdisciplinary minor in Atmospheric Science consists of 18-19 semester hours and prepares students for graduate study and professional careers in meteorology, climate science, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality. Job opportunities and career options in the atmospheric sciences are very diverse, including broadcast meteorology, renewable energy siting and forecasting, seasonal climate forecasting, climate modeling, air quality forecasting and monitoring, and instrumentation specialist.

Minor in Classical and Mediterranean Civilizations

An undergraduate minor in Classical Civilizations consists of six courses (18 semester hours) and focuses on the culture and history of Greece and Rome. It is designed to introduce students to classics by utilizing a variety of approaches, including historical studies, mythology, languages, and philosophy.                                                                                                        

Minor in Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies

The interdisciplinary minor in Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies is offered for students who wish to supplement their major course of study with a cross-disciplinary exploration of these fields. The minor consists of 18 semester hours.

Minor in Medical Humanities

The minor in Medial Humanities is designed for the health care pre-professional who wants to have a richer and broader program of study than just the required major or courses. By pursuing this minor, students will explore questions in the Humanities and Social Sciences that have a direct bearing on health care today.

Minor in Medieval Studies

A student may earn an undergraduate minor in Medieval Studies by successful completion of an interdisciplinary program of 18 semester hours.

Minor in Southern Studies

The Southern Studies minor is a compilation of courses whose topics cover a range of issues about the southern region of the United States. The minor consists of 15 semester hours.

Certificates

The College of Arts and Sciences offers certificates in the following program areas:

Academic Advising

Academic advising for students in the College of Arts and Sciences is available in each of the departments in the college. Advising is required prior to registration for each semester and encouraged at other times. The College Advising and Support Services Hub (CASSH) of the Dean’s Office is located in room 100 of I.G. Greer Hall. The CASSH office works to develop appropriate support services for students with majors in the College and for faculty and staff who work with these students. Undeclared students and students with majors in other Colleges are also provided with academic services related to classes offered within the College.

The CASSH office works closely with students and faculty in the College. CASSH staff certify graduation for students with majors in the College; provide graduation audits; assist students with special course processing, dropping and adding classes, overload requests, and student teaching certification; and provide academic information and advising support for students and faculty. Students are encouraged to become familiar with the services provided by this office beginning with their first semester in the College. More information can be found at: https://cas.appstate.edu/advising

Although academic advising is provided for all students, the final responsibility for meeting requirements for graduation remains with the student. The CASSH staff send graduation audits to students via appstate email upon eligibility to apply or submission of application for graduation and encourages students to review this document thoroughly.

Changing Majors/Minors

Students who wish to change, add, or delete a major, minor, or certificate program from the official record should obtain a Change of Program form from the College of the program to be changed. This form allows students to change majors, minors, or certificates; add additional majors, minors, or certificates; and delete majors, minors, or certificates. The form must be signed by the department chair for any addition of a major.

Grade-Point Average Requirements for Graduation

Students are required to have minimum cumulative and major GPAs to graduate. University policy requires a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. However, Department of Public Instruction policy requires a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA for all education licensure majors:

•  BS Biology, Secondary Education Licensure 2.7
•  BS Chemistry, Secondary Education Licensure 2.7
•  BS English, Secondary Education 2.7
•  BS Geology, Earth/Environmental Social Science Secondary Education 2.7
•  BS History, Social Studies Education 2.7
•  BS French & Francophone Studies, Education (K-12) Concentration 2.7
•  BS Spanish Education (K-12) Concentration 2.7
•  BS Mathematics, Secondary Education Licensure 2.7
•  BS Physics, Secondary Education Licensure 2.7

University policy also requires a minimum 2.0 major GPA for all majors. In the College of Arts & Sciences, major GPA is calculated by including all grades for the following:

•  all courses taken to meet all Major Requirements listed on the program of study (including concentration, cognate, program focus areas, etc.);
•  all completed attempts of all courses listed above (except those excluded due to forgiveness); and
•  all courses taken in the major discipline (e.g., Global Studies majors in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies will count all GLS courses for the major GPA, whether used to meet degree requirements or not, but will not count GWS, IDS, or WRC courses if not used to meet major requirements.)

In addition, for the Departments of Geological and Environmental Sciences; Languages, Literatures, & Cultures; Mathematical Sciences; and Physics & Astronomy, major GPA will include not only courses in the major discipline, but all courses taken in the department (e.g., Physics majors in the Department of Physics and Astronomy will count all PHY and AST courses for the major GPA, whether used to meet degree requirements or not.)

Internship Programs

The internships offered in the College of Arts and Sciences provide students with opportunities to learn outside of the regular classroom and to formulate career plans based on their experiences. Student interns earn academic credit toward their degrees. Internships offer realistic on-the-job experience and personal contacts with employers.

Agency or industry personnel, in close cooperation with faculty in the student’s major department, provide internship instruction. The student’s career interests are considered in arranging internship assignments and placements. In many majors and career-oriented concentrations, an internship is required in the course of study; in others, the internship is available as an elective.

Students seeking further information and requirements should contact their major advisor or their departmental chair.

Preprofessional Programs

Appalachian State University provides students with preparation for professional training in other institutions. Some preprofessional programs (law, medicine, dentistry and theology) are four year programs and lead to a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree from Appalachian; others (engineering, forestry, and pharmacy) are one or two year programs and prepare students for pursuit of a degree to be granted by the professional school. Whatever program students select, they are urged to consult professional school catalogs and to work closely with the appropriate advisors at Appalachian.

Law

Law schools require a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) but, in most cases, no specific selection of courses. Advisors can help students plan a curriculum most likely to prepare them for the study of law. Usually students do not specialize during a regular law school program, but are expected to establish a solid foundation of legal knowledge upon which they may build a special practice. Academic areas with materials especially relevant to the study of law are business, communication, criminal justice, economics, English, history, philosophy, political science, psychology and sociology. Advisor: Dr. Marian Williams, Department of Government and Justice Studies.

Ministry and Theology

Most seminaries and schools of divinity require a bachelor’s degree, but in many cases they do not require specific course work. The best preparation for theological studies is to acquire a strong liberal arts education taking courses in religious studies and courses related to religious studies, history, and philosophy.

In working with their advisor at Appalachian, students can develop a curriculum suited to the seminary and specialty of their choice. Majors in Religious Studies and Philosophy, that include a program of study that seeks to understand the phenomenon of humanity from as many perspectives as possible, are highly recommended. Pre-theological students should be aware of the increasing variety of theology-related professions available to them.

Contact the Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion for further information.

Medicine and Dentistry

All medical and dental schools require at least three years of satisfactory undergraduate work and most give preference to candidates holding a bachelor’s degree. The catalog from the school selected should be consulted and an individual program designed with the help of an advisor to prepare the student for both specific admission requirements and the Medical College Admission Test. In general, solid work in the humanities plus a core of courses such as the following are recommended:

BIO 1801 , BIO 2001 , BIO 2400, BIO 2410 , BIO 3301 , BIO 3308 , BIO 3800 
CHE 1101 , CHE 1110  and CHE 1102 , CHE 1120 ; CHE 2201 , CHE 2203  and CHE 2202 , CHE 2204 ; CHE 4580 
MAT 1025 , MAT 1110 , MAT 1120 ; STT 2810 
PHY 1103 -PHY 1104  or PHY 1150 -PHY 1151 
PSY 1200  

Students should begin taking chemistry during the freshman year. Medical and dental schools will look at the overall quality of performance, not just achievement in science. Interested students should contact Ms. Celeste Crowe, Director of the Health Professions Advising Office.

Engineering

Students interested in engineering have multiple pathways to a career in engineering. Any of the options below prepare students for future study in engineering at either an undergraduate or graduate level. Ultimately the best path is dependent on the individual student and their interests and goals. At Appalachian State, the smaller class sizes and more personal attention faculty can provide our students is often the starting path to engineering that is attractive to students. Here are four possible options to help students navigate these choices:

1. Pre-Engineering then Transfer- Students may spend their first year (recommended) or two years at Appalachian in the physics and astronomy department, gathering the necessary general education and base science and math requirements, and then transfer to an ABET accredited engineering school to finish their undergraduate education. 
2. BS in Physics / Engineering Grad School - Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in physics at Appalachian can apply for admission to engineering graduate program (MS or PhD) about this option, please contact the engineering school you wish to pursue and/or your physics advisor.
3. Master’s Degree in Engineering Physics and the Accelerated Admissions Program at Appalachian - The Physics and Astronomy Department at Appalachian offers a master’s degree (MS) in Engineering Physics. High achieving undergraduates can finish this MS degree in one year after graduating with their undergraduate degree by enrolling in the Accelerated Admissions (AA) program their Junior year.

For any questions, please contact the Department Chair.

Forest Resources

Students who are interested in forest resources can complete many of the prerequisite courses at Appalachian and then transfer to North Carolina State University or to another university offering the degree. Students should make early contact with schools in which they are interested to obtain the requirements for admission to a specific program or concentration. In general, students might expect to take the following courses (requirements vary depending upon the program):

RC 1000 , RC 2001 
MAT 1025 , MAT 1110 , MAT 1120 
CHE 1101 , CHE 1110  and CHE 1102 , CHE 1120 
BIO 1801  and/or BIO 2000 
PHY 1103 -PHY 1104 
COM 2101 
ECO 1010  or ECO 2040  PE (four hours)
Humanities and social sciences (12 hours)
Electives (six hours)

For additional information, contact Dr. Zack Murrell, Department of Biology.

Pharmacy

Students who wish to pursue a career in pharmacy may complete the pre-pharmacy requirements at Appalachian; students may then seek admission to a school of pharmacy (in North Carolina, four schools offer pharmacy degrees: Campbell University, UNC-Chapel Hill, High Point University and Wingate University). Each School of Pharmacy has its own specific requirements and a student considering pharmacy must make early contact with the Schools of Pharmacy in which they are interested to obtain current pre-pharmacy requirements for admission into their programs. In general the requirements of the traditional two-year pre-pharmacy program will normally include four courses in chemistry (including two semesters of organic chemistry), one or two courses in mathematics including calculus, two courses in biology (with at least one course beyond the introductory level), one or two courses in physics, and general education courses, including two English courses and a history course. (UNC-Chapel Hill also requires completion of three semesters of college-level foreign language).

The Director of the pre-health advising office maintains information on the requirements for various Schools of Pharmacy in the state and region, and the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) scores are requested by most pharmacy schools as part of the admission application. Because of the variety of course requirements, admission procedures and rigorous admission standards, early contact with the departmental pre-pharmacy advisor and the Director of the pre-health advising office is strongly recommended. Director of pre-health advising office: Ms. Celeste Crowe; Chemistry Department’s advisor: Dr. Claudia Cartaya-Marin.

Programs

• Animal Studies Minor
• Atmospheric Science Minor
• Classical and Mediterranean Civilizations Minor
• Judaic, Holocaust, & Peace Studies Minor
• Medical Humanities Minor
• Medieval Studies Minor
• Southern Studies Minor

Courses

• CAS 2530-2549 - Selected Topics (1-4)
• CAS 3520 - Instructional Assistance (1)
• CAS 3530-3549 - Selected Topics (1-4)
• CAS 4900 - Internship (1-6)

• JHP 1530-1549 - Selected Topics (1-4)
• JHP 2110 - Judaism (3) [GenEd: HS]
• JHP 2300 - Introduction to Holocaust and Judaic Studies (3)
• JHP 2350 - Introduction to Peace Studies (3)
• JHP 2530-2549 - Selected Topics (1-4)
• JHP 3151 - Comparative Genocide in the Twentieth Century (3)
• JHP 3152 - Nazi Germany: History and Posthistory (3)
• JHP 3154 - The Holocaust: Interpretation, Memory, and Representation (3)
• JHP 3500 - Independent Study (1-3)
• JHP 3530-3549 - Selected Topics (1-4)
• JHP 3712 - Literature and Mass Violence (3) [GenEd: LS]
• JHP 4530-4549 - Selected Topics (1-4)

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