College of Arts & Sciences

113 Arts and Sciences Building

Camellia Okpodu, Dean
Phone: (307) 766-4106 FAX: (307) 766-2697
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/as

Aims and Objectives

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is committed to providing a balanced education that matches cultural breadth with disciplinary depth. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences learn to address complex contemporary problems and to place them in their wider social, historical and ethical contexts. To achieve these goals, degree programs require students to develop expertise in a particular field, gain critical understanding of major areas of human knowledge and select from required courses and free electives to prepare for the challenges of the new century.

A successful student in any of the departments and programs in the College of Arts and Sciences will have an excellent foundation for professional success, graduate study, and a passion for lifelong learning.

Through hands-on research and creative projects (either on faculty projects or independently with faculty guidance and mentoring), fieldwork, internships, and study abroad, students integrate and bring coherence to their classroom learning.

Student Responsibilities

To graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences, students must satisfy all university, college, and major requirements for a given degree. These requirements apply whether the work is taken within the college or transferred from anywhere else within or outside the university (please refer to section below “Acceptance of Transfer Credit”).

The college holds students responsible for knowing degree and major requirements and for completing the necessary courses. Students are also expected to know the regulations that govern the academic standards needed to continue study at the university. Students should be aware that changing majors and/or colleges may result in delays in meeting degree requirements and that requirements themselves sometimes change (see “Graduation Requirements and Procedures ” section of this Catalog).

Academic Advising

To help plan a program of study, students are assigned an academic adviser by the department/ program of their major. Students undecided about a major are advised in the UW Advising, Career, and Exploratory Studies office (222 Knight Hall).

Students should consult regularly with their academic adviser not only for course scheduling, but also to discuss educational and career goals. Faculty and professional advisers can connect students to the many college and university resources to assist undergraduate study. Instructors are also willing to discuss concerns students may have regarding specific courses.

Changing/Declaring a Major or Minor

When ready to declare or change a major, minor, or dual/concurrent major in a department or program in the college, the appropriate form is available from the Office of the Registrar (167 Knight Hall) or the Registrar’s Web page. Approval is required from the appropriate department heads/program directors. Departments/programs will assign advisors at the time of signing their approval on the form.

Programs of Study

Undergraduate Degrees

A variety of specialized concentrations are offered within many of the following degree programs. Take a look at the department sections in this Catalog that follow this section or the departments’ Web sites. Additionally, there are several inter-college or interdisciplinary degrees/majors such as Earth System Science and the affiliated major in Environment and Natural Resources that draw courses from several disciplines. See more detailed descriptions in this Catalog or the University of Wyoming home page at www.uwyo.edu, click on the A-Z Directory.

Bachelor of Arts

African American and Diaspora Studies
American Studies
Anthropology
Art
Art Education
Art History
Chemistry
Communication
Criminal Justice
English
French
Gender and Women’s Studies
Geology and Earth Sciences
German
History
International Studies
Journalism
Mathematics
Music
Native American and Indigenous Studies
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Religious Studies
Sociology
Spanish
Statistics
Theatre and Dance

Bachelor of Science

Astronomy/Astrophysics
Biology
Botany
Chemistry
Chemistry (ACS approved)
Communication
Environmental Geology/Geohydrology
Geography
Geology
Journalism
Mathematics
Physics
Physiology
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Statistics
Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management
Zoology

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Art
Theatre and Dance

Bachelor of Music

Music Education
Music Performance

Graduate Degrees

Master of Arts

American Studies (interdisciplinary)
Anthropology
Communication
English
History
International Studies (interdisciplinary)
Mathematics
Political Science
Psychology
Spanish

Master of Science

Botany
Chemistry
Geology
Geophysics
Mathematics
Natural Science (interdisciplinary)
Physics
Psychology
Reproductive Biology
Statistics
Zoology and Physiology

Master of Arts in Teaching

History
Mathematics

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Master of Music (In Performance)

Master of Music Education

Master of Public Administration

Master of Science in Teaching

Chemistry
Mathematics
Natural Science (interdisciplinary)
Physics

Doctor of Philosophy

Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Geology
Geophysics
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
Reproductive Biology
Zoology and Physiology

Minors in Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences offers all university students systematic studies leading to recognized academic minors. Minors are available in all academic programs in the college and in a number of interdisciplinary areas.

A&S minors have two aims: to encourage
students to create a focus for their course
work outside their major by coordinating
their elective studies; and to enhance chances
of employment or graduate admission with a
formally recognized field of study.

Minors consist of course requirements ranging from 18-24 credit hours of study, typically including significant work at the junior and senior level. A&S departments and programs offering minors and interdisciplinary degrees may have further conditions and restrictions regarding requirements in the minor. To be counted toward a minor, courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Students desiring a minor must notify the department in which the minor is offered. Forms for declaring a minor are available in the Office of the Registrar (167 Knight Hall) or on the Registrar’s Web page. The department of the minor will assign an adviser.

For a description of the minors in A&S, see department offices or Web sites.

Minors available in the College of Arts and Sciences include:

African American and Diaspora Studies
Aging Studies
American Studies
Anthropology
Art Department

Art History
Ceramics
Drawing
Graphic Design
Metalsmithing
Museum Studies
Painting
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

Biology
Botany
Chemistry
Communication and Journalism

Communication
Journalism
Marketing Communication
Public Relations

Creative Writing
Criminal Justice Department

Criminal Justice
Prelaw

English Department

Literary Studies
Professional Writing

Gender and Women’s Studies Department

Gender and Women’s Studies
Queer Studies

Geography
Geology/Geophysics
Geology
History
International Studies Department

Asian Studies
European Studies
International Studies

Latina/o Studies
Mathematics
Modern and Classical Languages Department

Chinese
Classical Civilization
French
German
Japanese
Latin
Spanish

Music
Native American and Indigenous Studies
Paleoenvironmental Studies (interdisciplinary)
Philosophy Department

Environmental Values
Ethics
Philosophy

Physics/Astronomy Department

Astronomy
Physics

Political Science Department

American Politics
International Relations and Comparative Government
Political Theory
Public Law

Psychology
Religious Studies
Remote Sensing
Sociology
Statistics
Theatre and Dance Department

Dance
Theatre

Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management
Zoology/Physiology Department

Animal and Human Physiology
Neuroscience
Zoology

College Degree Requirements- The 2015 A&S Core

Bachelor of Arts or Science Programs

Beginning fall 2015, new university and college general education curricula, the 2015 University Studies Program (USP) and the 2015 A&S Core, were implemented. Refer to the USP section of this Catalog for details regarding University Studies requirements.
Students who matriculate for the first time at UW or a Wyoming community college in fall 2015 or after are required to follow both the new USP and A&S Core. Students transferring from a Wyoming community college with an associate’s degree and the Wyoming Core completed between May 2013 and fall 2015, may continue to complete the 2003 USP and 2003 A&S Core requirements (if there has been no interruption in their enrollment for a year or more). Students who matriculated at UW or a Wyoming community college prior to fall 2015 and choose the 2015 USP must also complete the 2015 A&S Core requirements. For additional information please refer to the sections in this Catalog that describe the university graduation requirements, the 2015 University Studies Program, and the policies for reenrolling at UW after an absence of a year or more.

I. College credit hour requirements

Minimum total semester hours 120
Upper-division credit requirements (42). Thirty of the 42 hours must be earned from UW. Courses must be taken for a letter grade unless offered for S/U only. This is an all-university requirement for all degree programs and may come from the courses that fulfill the USP, the A&S Core, the major, the minor, and electives.
Major field of study (30-60). Credit hours in excess of 60 in the major subject may not be used to satisfy the requirement of 120 hours for graduation. Credits in AS internship, independent study or special topies courses (AS 2400 , AS 2490 , AS 4400 , AS 4500, AS 4510, AS 4900 , and AS 4975 ) may not be used to fulfill these outside the major requirements. At least 30 hours of C grade or better must be earned in the major subject (the major may require more). Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade unless offered for S/U only.
A&S Core requirements (6). Courses must be taken for a letter grade unless offered for S/U only.

All other university and college regulations apply. See “Graduation Requirements and Procedures ” section of this Catalog for more information. Graduate level “Enrichment” courses do not count toward the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

II. 2015 A&S Core Curriculum

Graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences are expected to be liberally educated, to have the knowledge and skills to deal with the unexpected, and to see opportunities from multiple perspectives. To develop these abilities, the college faculty implemented the A&S Core.

The approved courses for the following requirements are searchable within WyoRecords under the Browse Classes feature. Additionally, lists can be found at: http://www.uwyo.edu/as/current-students/index.html

U.S. Diversity (ASD). This requirement allows students to explore the complexity of cultural identities in the U.S. and interdependence of the cultures. Students will gain an understanding of the influences of categories such as race, class, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and age on American behaviors, institutions, values, and beliefs.
Global Awareness (ASG). Because citizens ever more frequently encounter behaviors and practices based on beliefs, conditions, and assumptions different from their own, they need to understand the nature and function of culture. Our students should have an awareness of the multiple links that affect the living conditions and range of action of peoples of the world, including international systems of commerce, art, science, technology, politics, communication, belief, and justice, among other.

College Degree Requirements Prior to Fall 2015 for Continuing and Reenrolling Students

A&S Core requirements for a student continuing a degree program in effect at the time of matriculation at UW are found in the relevant previous Catalog. Contact the A&S Advising Center, Ross 6, 766-4013, asadvise@uwyo.edu.

Students who re-enter the university after an absence of a year or more should refer to other sections of this Catalog for university policies and procedures. Unless approved otherwise, reenrolling students, after a year’s absence, are required to follow the University Studies and A&S Core requirements in effect the semester of their re-enrollment. However, all majors in A&S who have yet to complete the A&S Core, regardless of their initial enrollment, must refer to the current list of approved courses.

Checksheets and lists of courses that satisfy A&S college core requirements are available on the Web at www.uwyo.edu/as or in the A&S Advising Center, Ross 6, 766-4013, asadvising@uwyo.edu.

Departments and programs in the College of Arts and Sciences may require reenrolling students to complete requirements in the major that meet the current expectations of the discipline.

Transfer Students and Acceptance of Transfer Credit

The College of Arts and Sciences and its departments reserve the right to grant transfer credit toward the bachelor’s degree only for those courses where a grade of C or better was earned. Students transferring credits from a university or college outside Wyoming with questions about how courses taken elsewhere fulfill the A&S Core may contact the A&S Advising Center, Ross 6, 766-4013, asadvise@uwyo.edu.

Courses Taken for S/U Credit

Students may include up to 20 semester credit hours in free electives with a grade of S as part of the total hours required by the College of Arts and Sciences for graduation. However, no S/U hours may be used to satisfy university and college core general education requirements or major requirements, including the required 42 upper-division credit hours unless the course is offered for S/U grading only.

Students registering in courses for S/U grades are subject to all general regulations.

Concurrent Majors

Students may pursue two or more majors simultaneously. With careful planning, A&S students may be able to use all or most of the free elective hours for requirements in the other majors. Refer also to the section, “Graduation Requirements and Procedures ” in this Catalog.

The A&S Core must be met only once by students whose primary major is in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students whose degree programs are in other UW colleges are welcome to earn a concurrent major in A&S. These students do not have to meet the A&S Core requirements. The student earns one degree with one diploma.

Students pursuing a concurrent major must contact both departments involved for assignments to advisers.

Dual Degrees

Students may simultaneously pursue degrees in the same or more than one UW college. In addition to requirements described in the section “Graduation Requirements and Procedures ” in this Catalog, students in another UW college who wish to earn a degree from A&S must also complete the A&S Core. A&S students working on dual degrees in the A&S College need to meet the A&S Core just once. A diploma is awarded for each degree.

Each additional degree requires 30 more credit hours added to the 120 credits to the primary degree. Of these 30 credits, 12 have to be at the 3XXX-4XXX levels.

Second Bachelor’s Degrees

For students seeking a second bachelor’s degree in the College of Arts and Sciences whose first degree is from another university, the minimum requirements include:

30 semester hours earned from the University of Wyoming, 12 of which must be upper division (3XXX-4XXX level) or graduate level (credit by examination does not count as UW hours).
Completion of the U.S. and Wyoming Constitutions requirement (V courses in the University Studies Program course list in this Catalog).
If the first degree is from an institution where English is not the predominant language, the COM1 and COM2 requirements of the University Studies Program must be completed successfully.
Students must also meet the 2015 A&S Core requirements.

For students whose first degree is from UW:

The additional required 30 hours (12 of these at the 3XXX-4XXX) are added to the degree requiring the least number of hours. For example, for a first degree A&S requires 120 hours. So the total credits a UW student would have to complete for the second bachelor’s degree is a minimum of 150 credits. Since the University requires a total of 42 upper division hours for a degree, for the second degree from A&S, a UW student would need to earn a total of 54 hours at the 3XXX-4XXX level. For more information, please see the Second Bachelor’s Degree entry in the section, “Graduation Requirements and Procedures ” in this Catalog.
Students whose first degree is from another UW college must meet the 2015 A&S Core requirements.
In situations in which a student is subsequently required to take coursework from another collegiate institution to fulfill major and overall hour requirements for a second degree from the university, the student’s department can ask the Office of the Registrar to load selected courses into the student’s record.

Concurrent Major in Environment and Natural Resources

A student majoring in any A&S department/program may earn a double major by completing the courses required for the Environment and Natural Resource (ENR) program in addition to the requirements in their A&S major and the College A&S Core. The School of ENR Web site, http://www.uwyo.edu/enr has detailed information, or contact the School at (307) 766-5080.

Preprofessional Studies

The College of Arts and Sciences prepares students to enter professional schools through preprofessional programs of study described below.

Prelaw Study. Students usually need a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning the studyof law. There is no prescribed course of undergraduate study and no restrictions as to the field in which the degree is earned. However, to prepare for this competitive profession, prelaw students are advised to select courses that help to develop those talents and skills essential to the study and practice of law. Logical and critical thinking, conflict evaluation/resolution and effective verbal/nonverbal communication skills are essential. Additionally, students should understand the political, economic, social and cultural institutions and values that characterize human society. Rigorous courses in any discipline increase abilities in these areas. Regardless of the prelaw major, courses in the broad liberal arts–the sciences, social sciences, fine arts and humanities–increase understanding of the public’s diverse interests and backgrounds.

Prelaw students do not have to declare a major at the time of first enrollment if they wish to explore options. Students who are undeclared in the College of Arts & Sciences are assigned advisers in the Advising, Career, and Exploratory Studies office until they decide upon a degree program. Please note that a prelaw minor is available.

In addition to an adviser in the major, prelaw students may contact the designated UW prelaw adviser for assistance in developing a program of study, for career counseling and for guidance in applying to law schools. Contact the A&S Advising Center, Ross 6, 766-4013, asadvise@uwyo.edu for information.

Detailed information about applying to law schools, the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and preparation materials, and links to other web sites are at www.LSAC.org.

Library Preprofessional Study. Librarians are information professionals who research, organize, and classify materials so the public can access information. Not only do they work with printed materials, but all the technological advances in digital media such as electronic databases and eBooks. Some librarians focus on teaching the public, scholars, and students how to access and use these materials, while others concentrate on collecting and maintaining these diverse resources. Librarianship offers many career opportunities to people of different academic backgrounds, interests, and talents. Most public, academic, and special libraries require a Master’s degree in library science (MLS).

The degree programs and minors in the College of Arts and Sciences offer the variety of academic preparation expected by accredited library schools in the country. Most of the graduate schools in library science require a bachelor’s degree, a good undergraduate record, and a reading knowledge of a foreign language for admission. The best undergraduate preparation includes a wide range of courses in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities along with a strong concentration in one subject area. The choice of a major will be determined by the student’s academic interest and professional objective. The general education that the University Studies and the A&S Core require provide the well-rounded background graduate schools expect of their MLS candidates.

Additional information about library schools, their requirements, and programs as well as career opportunities may be obtained from the reference desk at Coe Library and the Center for Advising and Career Services. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics “Occupational Outlook Handbook” at www.bls.gov/ooh/ has detailed descriptions of the varied work of librarians, working conditions, employment outlook, and sources for additional information.

Pre-Health Study. Students in several A&S majors may be working toward the following careers: athletic training, chiropractic, dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant, or public health. These professional schools are favorably impressed by a broad educational background, including a substantial number of non-science and science courses; therefore, students are well advised to look beyond the minimum requirements.

Students may select any major in which they are interested to discuss preparation for such careers. In addition to completing all university, college and departmental requirements, students must include in their curriculum the basic professional school requirements, including courses in biology, chemistry, math, and physics. Professional schools have other specific requirements and students should learn about any additional recommendations from those professional schools in which they are interested. We strongly suggest contacting the Pre-Health Advising office [College of Health Sciences, 110 Health Sciences, (307) 766-3878, or hsadvise@uwyo.edu] website: www.uwyo.edu/preprof/.

Common majors in the College of A & S for these preprofessional programs include Chemistry, Biology, Botany, Psychology, and Physiology. However, there are pre-health students in programs as diverse as theatre and dance and anthropology. Students need not declare a major immediately upon first enrollment. Advisers in individual departments can discuss options or if students wish to remain undeclared, they are advised in either the UW Advising, Career, and Exploratory Studies office or the Health Sciences Advising office.

The pre-health advisers in the College of Health Sciences have current information regarding professional school admission requirements, entrance examinations, programs in Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), the Wyoming Medical Contract Program WWAMI (affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine) and financial assistance for professional education. The website, http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/ includes additional information.

Internships

Many departments in the College of Arts and Sciences offer internships for academic credit, and some provide monetary compensation. Academic internships provide practical, hands-on experience in a professional job setting as a complement to classroom instruction. An internship can provide students with both insight and preparation for future jobs. All internships require a strong background in writing, organizational ability and analytic skills. Junior or senior standing is recommended.

Programs

Major

Geography, B.S.

Minor

Geography Minor