College of Arts and Sciences

Introduction

The faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences excel in teaching, scholarship, and service. The faculty engage students with a curriculum that promotes learning in a culturally diverse environment, and serves the needs of traditional and non-traditional students. In pursuit of our mission, the College challenges our students to apply their intellectual curiosity and skills in order to improve their communities.

The College is committed to the development of our students’ academic and professional skills, preparation for post-baccalaureate education, and continued critical thinking after graduation to foster a culture of life-long learning. The curriculum builds on the foundational knowledge required for all academic degree programs at the University, emphasizing communication skills, analytical reasoning, and independent thought.

Administrative Officers

Dr. Debra A. Feakes, Dean, College of the Arts and Sciences

Dr. Marvin M. F. Lutnesky, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. M. K. Balasubramanya, Chair, Department of Computational, Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences (CEM)   

Dr. Amy K. Dicke Bohmann, Chair, Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences (HBS)                

Dr. Durant H. Frantzen,  Chair, Department of Criminology and Political Science (CPS)

Dr. Katherine A. Gillen, Chair, Department of Language, Literature, and Arts (LLA) 

Dr. William S. Kiser, Chair, Department of History, Philosophy, and Geography (HPG)

Dr. Joseph M. Simpson, Chair, Department of  Sociology and Communications (SOCO)

Dr. Megan R. Wise de Valdez, Chair, Department of Natural Sciences (NS)

Teaching Certification

Students seeking a certificate to teach in the secondary schools of Texas must earn a bachelor’s degree in a recognized major. The State Board for Educator Certification approved new teaching fields and grade levels for certification beginning in 1999. Majors in the College of Arts & Sciences that may lead to secondary certification include: 

• Biology
• Chemistry
• English
• History
• History (Social Studies emphasis)
• Mathematics, and
• Spanish.

Specific degree requirements are mentioned in the degree plans published in this catalog. For additional information, refer to the College of Education & Human Development section in this catalog regarding the Standard Certificate. For additional guidance contact an academic advisor.

Requirements for the Degree

All students obtaining a bachelor's degree must satisfy the "General Requirements for Graduation" as set forth in an earlier section of this catalog. Requirements include, but are not limited to, residence requirements, correspondence course limitations, and grade point average rules.  Each program sets the minimum number of hours required for its major and for graduation. Individual degree program requirements are provided in the sections that follow.

A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required on

1. all course work specified for the degree,
2. all course work attempted at this university,
3. all courses in the major and the minor taken at this university and
4. all courses transferred for the minor when no courses in the minor field are taken at this university.

Higher minimum grade point average than 2.0 may be required on all coursework for some degree programs.

Foreign Language

All Bachelor of Arts degree programs must include a minimum of 6 semester credit hours (6 SCH) of one foreign language at the 1000-level. Neither conversational language courses nor continuing education courses may be substituted for this requirement. Some degree programs may require an additional 6 SCH. Except for the Spanish B.A. program, the maximum overall foreign language requirement will not exceed 12 SCH.

Students who wish to demonstrate foreign language proficiency without taking college courses may do so through the existing credit by examination process.  In cases where students wish to demonstrate proficiency in a language not included in the examination process, or not taught at A&M-SA, the following procedures shall apply. The student shall request an examination from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. This college will coordinate the administration of special examinations to demonstrate foreign language proficiency. This will include finding an appropriate examination to test the student’s proficiency, informing the student how to arrange to take the examination and certifying the results to the student’s advisor. All arrangements shall be made and fees paid by the student.

American Sign Language (ASL) may be used to fulfill the foreign language degree requirement unless otherwise specified by the student’s college or department. Students may either transfer ASL credits or arrange to be tested at another institution. A&M-SA does not offer courses in ASL.

College of Arts and Sciences Minors

The minors offered by the College of Arts and Sciences are:

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Creative Arts and Performance Studies
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• English
• History
• Legal Studies
• Mathematics
• Mathematical Biology
• Mexican American, Latinx, and Borderlands Studies
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Water Resources Science and Technology, and
• Women’s and Gender Studies. 

Consult with your academic advisor to determine the optimum number of lower-division and upper-division courses within the chosen minor.