Degrees Offered
Majors
Special Opportunities
The College of Arts and Sciences has two primary instructional purposes: to provide specialized training for students majoring in the basic disciplines of the arts and humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the natural, physical and mathematical sciences; and to provide the basic courses that serve as the foundation for the liberal education of all students in all colleges of the University.
Through a flexible curriculum the College of Arts and Sciences combines the traditional and continuing values of a vigorous and broad, general liberal education with sound preparation for immediate occupational needs or for advanced graduate or professional education. Attuned to changing needs and times the College of Arts and Sciences has preserved and strengthened the central values of a liberal education, while providing specializations geared to today's career opportunities.
Students assume responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements, however, advisers are available for consultation. In the college, students have access to a faculty adviser from the major department and also a staff of professional advisers who work with students in any major. The faculty adviser is an expert in the declared major. The college advising office staff works closely with degree certification, policy and career planning. It is recommended that students seek the assistance of an adviser with questions about course selection and University academic policy. Generally, students are encouraged to meet with an adviser at least once a year to help ensure that all necessary requirements are being completed. It is highly recommended that students maintain a file of academic records, ask questions of the advisers and seek help before a situation becomes a crisis.
Largest of the collegiate organizations of the University, the College of Arts and Sciences includes two schools (art and communication studies) and 21 academic departments, as well as a number of formally organized program areas. The academic departments span the range of the traditional disciplines in the arts and humanities, languages, sciences and mathematics, and social sciences.
A strong faculty of nearly 400 teacher/scholars offers general and specialized instruction leading to six different undergraduate degrees: the bachelor of arts, the bachelor of science, the bachelor of liberal studies, the bachelor of fine arts, the bachelor of arts in communication and the bachelor of science in journalism. Under these six degree programs, students may choose from more than 70 different major fields and an equal number of minor fields. These wide-ranging choices provide ample opportunity to pursue individual interests and needs. All programs unite the common characteristics of combining breadth of intellectual inquiry with the specialized instructional needs of students seeking either immediate and meaningful post-baccalaureate employment or preparation for graduate or professional study.
Membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's first Greek letter society and most prestigious honor society, is restricted to those students enrolled in arts and sciences degree programs. To be elected members must meet stringent criteria. The BGSU chapter was installed in 1983.
The College of Arts and Sciences offers opportunities for year-long study in Salzburg, Austria; Quebec, Canada; Tours, France; Florence, Italy; Guadalajara, Mexico, and Madrid, Spain. Students participating in these programs enroll in courses offered by departments/schools in arts and sciences during their academic year abroad, but participation is not limited to arts and sciences students.
Arts and sciences students who are undecided about a major are assigned to one of the college office advisers and thereby have assistance in the selection of a major.
Opportunities for involvement in co-curricular activity abound in the College of Arts and Sciences. Its academic units sponsor the play production and forensics programs as well as numerous discipline-based honor societies and interest groups. The French House, located on campus, offers a small, informal, residential learning opportunity for women who are interested in French culture and language, whatever their major field of study. Often, enrollment in the College of Arts and Sciences is not a prerequisite for participation in these activities.
The college also sponsors internship programs through which students
gain practical, "hands-on" experience in
workplace settings related to their field of
study. Several departments and schools in the college also offer internship programs.
Arts and sciences students interested in intern
ship experiences may also work under the auspices of the University's
Cooperative Education Program.
A double major can be achieved by completing degree requirements for one degree, the requirements for the major and, instead of a minor, completing the requirements for a second major regardless of the degree that major falls under in the undergraduate catalog.
In most cases, a student may transfer from one academic program to another, provided he or she is in good academic standing. Students considering a transfer of programs are encouraged to consult a college office adviser.
Other main campus students, including pre-major advising students, wishing to transfer from another college's program (e.g., College of Business Administration) to a program in the College of Arts and Sciences must begin the process by completing the College Transfer Form in their current college office.
The transfer process for a Firelands student follows the procedures for the other main college campuses listed above. Firelands students are encouraged to consult with an adviser in the college office on a regular basis. Advisers from main campus colleges travel to Firelands each semester to help facilitate such interaction.
Students wishing to transfer from another institution into a program housed in the College of Arts and Sciences must first be admitted to the University (contact the office of admissions). Typically, students are required to attend an initial orientation and registration event which occurs prior to the beginning of each term. Students will meet with an adviser to review degree requirements at that time. It is important that transcripts from previously attended institutions be evaluated by the BGSU Office of Registration and Records prior to the orientation and registration event. After such evaluation has occurred, advisers in the college can help determine the applicability of transfer credit toward BGSU degree requirements.
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