College of Arts and Sciences

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217 VARNER HALL (248) 370-2140
Fax: (248) 370-4280

College Website: oakland.edu/cas

 

Dean: Ronald A. Sudol

Office of the Dean:

Kathleen H. Moore, associate dean; Robert B. Stewart, Jr., associate dean; Sandra K. Dykstra, assistant dean; Steven R. Meyer, assistant dean; Janice M. Baker, administrative assistant; Gerard Jozwiak, director of computing resources; Kelly A. Conway, director of development; Kristen L. Clark, donor relations and events coordinator; Shannon A. Esselink, director of advising services; Ann M. Selva, academic adviser; Matthew Prentice, academic adviser; Melodi A. Schuchmann, academic adviser

 

Ambassadors

The College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors are a volunteer body comprised of community leaders committed to the vision and mission of the college. Ambassadors serve as advocates, taking an active part in furthering the college’s objectives.

Members of the College of Arts Ambassadors are:

Joel Dean, chief operating officer, Casemer Tool & Machine, Inc.
Nino Dicosmo, vice president of Aegis Public Safety Operations, New World Systems
Lisa Flynn, M.D., St. Clair Specialty Physicians
Robert Gebbie, partner, Natural Bridge Technologies
Grant Gerhart (retired), U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)
William Goldenberg, first vice president, Raymond James and Associates, Inc.
Michael Glass, D.D.S., Endodontic Associates PC
Gail Haines, state representative, Michigan State House of Representatives, 43rd District
William Horton, president and partner, Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C.
Thomas E. Kimble (retired), General Motors Corporation
Adam Kochenderfer, attorney, Wolfson Bolton, PLLC
Pamela Mitzelfeld, special lecturer, Oakland University Department of English
Vito Pianello, manager, Phoenix Groups
Lynne Portnoy
Richard Rassel, chairman, Butzel Long
Robert Schostak, president, Schostak Brothers & Company
Lois Shaevsky
Tobye Stein (retired), CO-OP Financial Services
Kimberly Whipple

Role and Mission of the College

The intellectual and creative capacity of the College of Arts and Sciences provides students with multiple opportunities to develop distinctive individualized academic and cultural experiences, which serve as a foundation for civic engagement, creative problem solving, entrepreneurial endeavors, and professional goals.

The college is home to a wide range of disciplines representing the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and fine and performing arts, as well as several interdisciplinary programs. Students share experiences that enhance written and oral communication, problem-solving and analytic skills. The college offers many opportunities to develop these skills beyond the classroom through internships, field placements and research experiences. Students learn to think creatively about the problems they confront and be adaptive in a rapidly changing world. The college faculty inspires students to become engaged citizens and professionals and individuals with an inclination toward lifelong learning.

Programs Offered

The college offers instruction leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Music, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. In conjunction with the School of Education and Human Services, it offers instruction leading to secondary teaching certification in biology, chemistry, dance, economics, English, teaching English as a second language, history, mathematics, modern languages and literatures, music, physics, political science, sociology and studio art, and secondary teaching endorsements in integrated science and social studies.

Admission

Departmental rather than college-wide regulations govern admission to the college’s majors. Students should maintain close contact with faculty advisers in the department in which they wish to major and with the college advising office.

Academic Advising

In order to help students develop and achieve their academic goals, the college offers an advising program staffed by faculty advisers in each academic department and by professional advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office, 221 Varner Hall, (248) 370-4567. All students are expected to meet with an adviser on a regular basis. Students who need assistance with course selection, registration, major and career choice or have questions about college and degree requirements, academic standing, transfer credit and petitions of exception should meet with an adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office.

Undecided students interested in programs offered by the college should meet with an adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office each semester until they declare a major. Once a major in the college has been declared, students should meet initially with a departmental adviser to establish a program plan and periodically thereafter to ensure that they are completing major requirements. Frequent adviser contact will help ensure that the student has current academic information and is making good progress toward a degree.

Seniors are urged to meet with an adviser for a graduation check prior to final registration. It is the responsibility of each student to know and meet graduation requirements and to make every effort to obtain adequate academic advising.

Requirements for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees

General requirements

Each student must:

1. Complete at least 124 credits. Some degrees may require a greater number of total credits. No more than 8 credits in approved physical education courses will count toward a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Complete the requirements for a major offered by the College of Arts and Sciences with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00.
3. Complete at least 32 of these credits at Oakland University, of which at least 16 credits must be in the student’s elected major.
4. Complete at least 32 credits in courses at the 300 level or above.
5. Complete the last 8 credits at Oakland University.
6. Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 in courses taken at Oakland University and in the major(s), any elective minor(s), and any elective concentration(s).
7. Complete the university’s general education requirements (see Undergraduate degree requirements).
8. Complete the college exploratory requirement described below.

College exploratory requirement

The College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement provides students with a depth and breadth in multi- and interdisciplinary knowledge needed in today’s complex world. Through concentrated intellectual engagement in disciplines outside a student’s major, this requirement offers expanded horizons and progressive challenges to more fully develop the scope of a student’s understanding, abilities and accomplishments.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements, all students with majors in the College or Arts and Sciences* are required to complete at least three courses outside of their major rubric for a minimum of 12 credits. A student may select these courses from either of the following:

1. A single rubric of their choosing (e.g., ENG) within the College of Arts and Sciences.**
2. A pre-defined thematic set of courses identified on the College of Arts and Sciences website at oakland.edu/exploratory.

Notes

• Courses taken to fulfill the College exploratory requirement must be at the 100 level or above and must be in a subject taught within the College of Arts and Sciences, with the exception of non-College courses that are part of pre-approved thematic sets.
• Pre- or corequisite courses (courses with a rubric other than the major, e.g., CHM for biology majors) required for any major may be applied toward the exploratory requirement.
• Courses used to satisfy the general education requirements for knowledge applications, U.S. diversity, writing intensive, and capstone may be applied to the exploratory requirement, as long as they are outside of the major rubric. Courses used to satisfy a student’s general education requirements in all other categories will not apply.
• Only courses in which a student has earned at least a 2.0 may be applied to the exploratory requirement.
• Students transferring courses from another institution may apply appropriate credits toward the exploratory requirement and must meet the 12-credit minimum requirement.
• Students who have completed the MACRAO agreement at a community college must complete the exploratory requirement at Oakland University or another four-year institution.
• Completion of a double major or a College of Arts and Sciences minor or concentration satisfies the exploratory requirement.
• Students entering Oakland University under an earlier catalog may choose to follow the exploratory requirement in place of the previous distribution requirement.

*K-12 Music Education, K-12 Studio Art Education, B.M., and B.F.A. majors and Honors College students are exempt from the exploratory requirement.

**For the purposes of the exploratory requirement, Department of Mathematics and Statistics rubrics MTH, APM, MOR, and STA are regarded as a single rubric.

NOTE: As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators.

Departmental Honors

Requirements for awarding departmental honors to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement are determined by each department. Please consult the chief academic adviser in each department for the specific details of these requirements. Normally, not more than one-third of a department’s graduates may be awarded departmental honors.

Major Programs

Students must fulfill all requirements of their elected majors as described in the departmental entries. A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in the major is required for graduation. As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators.

Majors offered by the College of Arts and Sciences are listed below. There are no college-wide regulations governing admission to major standing or retention in the majors. Each department controls its own procedures in these areas. Therefore, students are urged to maintain close contact with faculty advisers in the department in which they wish to major and with the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office. The majors are:

Acting (B.F.A.)	Journalism (B.A.)
Actuarial Science (B.S.)	Liberal Studies (B.A.)
Anthropology (B.A.)	Linguistics (B.A.)
Applied Statistics (B.S.)	Mathematics (B.A. or B.S.)
Art History (B.A.)	Medical Physics (B.S.)
Biology (B.A. or B.S.)	Modern Languages and Literatures (B.A.)
Biochemistry (B.S.)	Music (B.A. or B.M.)
Chemistry (B.A. or B.S.)	Musical Theatre (B.F.A.)
Cinema Studies (B.A.)	Philosophy (B.A.)
Communication (B.A.)	Physics (B.A. or B.S.)
Dance (B.A. or B.F.A.)	Political Science (B.A.)
Economics (B.A.)	Psychology (B.A.)
English (B.A.)	Public Administration (B.S.)
Environmental Science (B.S.)	Social Work (B.S.W.)
Engineering Biology (B.S.)	Sociology (B.A.)
Engineering Chemistry (B.S.)	Studio Art (B.A.)
Engineering Physics (B.S.)	Theatre (B.A.)
History (B.A.)	Theatre Design and Technology (B.F.A.)
International Relations (B.A.)	Women and Gender Studies (B.A.)
International Studies (B.A.)	Writing and Rhetoric (B.A.)

Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)

In cooperation with the School of Education and Human Services, the College of Arts and Sciences offers an extended program of study leading to secondary teaching certification. Generally, eligibility for admission to the STEP requires a GPA of 3.00 in both the major and minor, and an overall GPA of 2.80. No single major or minor course grade may be below 2.0, and a minimum grade of 3.0 is required in WRT 160 – Composition II or its equivalent. Second undergraduate degree candidates completing a major and/or minor for STEP may be required to complete course work at Oakland University beyond the stated minimums. Majors in music education and studio art education complete the requirements for K-12 certification. Majors in French, German and Spanish also complete the requirements for K-12 certification. For more information on program and admission requirements and procedures, please consult with advisers in the appropriate College of Arts and Sciences department and the School of Education and Human Services. The majors in this program include:

Biological Sciences (B.A. or B.S.)	Mathematics (B.A. or B.S.)
Chemistry (B.A. or B.S.)	Choral/General Music Education (B.M.)
English (B.A.)	Instrumental/General Music Education (B.M.)
French (B.A.) K-12	Physics (B.A. or B.S.)
German (B.A.) K-12	Spanish (B.A.) K-12
History (B.A.)	Studio Art Education (B.A.) K-12

Center for International Programs

The center offers majors and minors in international studies; it also sponsors study abroad programs for students and the general public. For information about majors and study abroad programs see the Center for International Programs  section of the catalog and consult with the center’s director, Paul J. Kubicek at (248) 370-2363.

Interschool MBA Program

For superior undergraduate students in any major in the college, the School of Business Administration offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. This is a two-year professional program in management designed for students with non-business undergraduate majors. Undergraduate business or management majors may take a variation of the standard MBA program. College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates working on a major other than one of the business areas may obtain both the undergraduate degree and MBA in an accelerated program. To be eligible, students should have a grade point average in the top 25 percent of their class. Students should apply to the School of Business Administration for admission to this accelerated program in their junior year (see the Oakland University Graduate Catalog).

Multiple Majors

Students who elect to major in more than one area in the College of Arts and Sciences must satisfy the specific requirements of each of the majors they choose. Such students are single degree candidates with more than one major and must satisfy the general and specific requirements applicable to the awarding of one degree, either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators. Forms for students requesting an additional major are available in the advising office and should be completed by students wishing to graduate with more than one major. Under certain conditions, a student may earn more than one degree. Such students are double-degree candidates. For information on the restrictions that apply to the awarding of more than one degree and the requirements that double-degree candidates must satisfy, please see Additional Undergraduate Degrees and Majors. Completion of a second major satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

Independent Majors

Students interested in academic areas in which no suitable major program is available may petition the college Committee on Instruction for an individually tailored independent major in place of one of the departmental majors listed above. An independent major also may be taken as part of a double-major program in conjunction with a regular departmental major, provided that no course counted toward completion of the departmental major is also counted toward completion of the independent major. Students will be admitted to the independent major only after completing 32 credits but before completing 90 credits. For the specific requirements of an independent major, consult the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office at 221 Varner Hall, (248) 370-4567.

Minors for Liberal Arts Degree Programs

Minors are not required by the College of Arts and Sciences for baccalaureate programs, but the college offers a number of liberal arts minors that students may pursue in addition to the required major. A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 is required in courses included in the minor. At least 8 of the credits offered for each minor must be taken at Oakland University. As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators. The catalog chosen for the student’s major will also be used to determine degree requirements for any minor the student may be pursuing unless a written plan of study has been approved by the department or school offering that program. Forms for planning and approval of minors are available from departments or from the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office (221 Varner Hall). If a department or program does not require an approved plan of study, a student is still entitled to negotiate in writing a minor or concentration with the program coordinator.

The college offers the following minors*:

applied statistics	linguistics
advertising (see Communication and Journalism)	mathematics
anthropology	modern languages
art history	music
biology	philosophy
chemistry	physics
cinema studies	political science
Chinese language and civilization	psychology
communication	public relations (see Communication and Journalism)
dance	religious studies: Christianity studies
economics	religious studies: Islamic studies
English	religious studies: Judaic studies
environmental science	sociology
graphic design	theatre
history	women and gender studies
international relations	world music
international studies	writing and rhetoric
jazz studies
journalism

Completion of a College of Arts and Sciences minor satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

Minors from other academic units are also accepted by the college for students graduating with a major from the College of Arts and Sciences. Requirements for these minors are described under departmental entries as indicated. These minors include: in the School of Business Administration, accounting, finance, business, human resources management, international management, management information systems, marketing, production and operations management and quantitative methods; in the School of Education and Human Services, human resource development, and labor and employment studies; in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, computing and computer science; and in the School of Health Sciences, exercise science and occupational safety and health.

*These minors do not count toward an elementary or a secondary teaching credential. For further information on minors without section references, see the departmental chapter of the same name.

Secondary Teaching Minors

Completion of a secondary teaching minor is required as part of the secondary teacher education program (STEP) in preparation for teacher certification by the Michigan Department of Education. Only programs entitled “secondary teaching minors” are acceptable by the department.

Generally, a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 is required in courses included in the minor, with no single course grade below 2.0. Second undergraduate degree candidates completing a major and/or minor for STEP may be required to complete course work at Oakland University beyond the stated minimums. The College of Arts and Sciences offers the following secondary teaching minors or endorsements, which are described in detail under departmental entries in this catalog: biology, chemistry, dance, economics, English, teaching English as a second language, history, integrated science, mathematics, modern languages (French, German, Spanish), physics, political science, social studies, and sociology.  As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minor or concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may be allowed with the written approval of the program coordinators.

Completion of a College of Arts and Sciences secondary teaching minor satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

Concentrations

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a number of concentrations that students may pursue in addition to a departmental major. Concentrations are elective and are not required for graduation. No specific grade point average is required for completion of any given concentration. As a general rule, no more than 8 credits of course work used to satisfy one major, minoror concentration may be applied toward another, but exceptions to this rule may beallowed with the written approval of the program coordinators. The catalog chosen for the student’s major will also be used to determine degree requirements for any concentration the student may be pursuing. Students should file the university’s Minor and Concentration Authorization Form with the department or school offering that program.

Concentrations are described under Other Academic Options  at the end of the College of Arts and Sciences portion of the catalog and include the following:

American studies	pre-medical studies in medical, dentistry, optometry and veterinary medicine
archaeology	pre-law studies
criminal justice	religious studies
environmental studies	urban studies
French studies

Concentrations from other academic units are also accepted by the college for students graduating with a major from the College of Arts and Sciences. Requirements for these concentrations are described under department entries as indicated.

Completion of a College of Arts and Sciences concentration satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

Additional Information

Special provisions for transfer students

The university’s general education requirements and the college’s exploratory requirement call for a distribution of courses among various fields as well as a total number of credits. Students transferring from other institutions may meet a 4-credit field requirement with an appropriate 3-credit transfer course. Such students, however, must take additional courses from any of the field categories to bring the total number of credits completed up to those required for their degree: 40 general education credits plus 12 college exploratory credits for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Social Work.

No more than 8 credits in the major discipline and 8 credits in other courses required for the major may be counted toward these credit totals, except by students majoring in linguistics or journalism. For distribution purposes, cross-listed courses count under the department in whose listing the course description is given in full. Students who have completed the MACRAO agreement must complete the college exploratory requirement at a four-year institution. Students may transfer applicable community college credits at any time during their course of study. However, at least one-half of the credits required for completion of a specific baccalaureate degree program must be from regionally accredited four-year institutions, with at least 32 credits earned at Oakland University. (see Transfer student information.)

Field experience courses

The College of Arts and Sciences offers, by means of departmental courses numbered 399, opportunities for students to earn credit for academic work concurrent with field work experience. Emphasis is on the academic aspect of this program that incorporates student performance in the field. Students are required to make an intellectual analysis of the field experience based on their academic program.

The 399 courses carry 4 credits each, are numerically graded and may not be repeated for additional credit. Students wishing to participate in this program are expected to be at the junior or senior level and must have completed at least 16 credits in the department offering the 399 course in which they wish to enroll. Individual departments may have specific prerequisites in addition to these. For details, consult the departments or programs that offer these courses: art and art history; biological sciences; communication and journalism; history; modern languages and literatures; psychology; sociology and anthropology; women and gender studies.

Cooperative education

Students majoring in one of the College of Arts and Sciences disciplines have the opportunity to participate in a cooperative education (co-op) program. Co-op offers students the chance to obtain work experience directly related to their chosen careers or fields of study. For example, chemistry majors may work in chemistry laboratories, pre-law students in law offices and journalism and communication majors in various writing jobs. By involving students in an on-the-job experience, co-op helps them make decisions about their future careers. In addition to augmenting their classroom work, it helps them defray the cost of college.

To participate in the co-op program, students should have junior or senior standing, a 2.80 grade point average and the approval of their faculty adviser. Students must agree to accept employment for at least two semesters and should not expect to work only during the summer semester. Interested students should contact the coordinator of cooperative education in the Office of Placement and Career Services.

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