College of Arts and Sciences

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, economics, English, teaching English as a second language, history, mathematics, modern languages and literatures, music, physics, political science and studio art, and secondary teaching endorsements in integrated science and integrated 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.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees

General College of Arts and Sciences requirements

Each student must:

Complete at least 124 credits. Some degrees may require a greater number of total credits.
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.
Complete at least 45 of these credits at Oakland University, of which at least 16 credits must be in the student’s elected major.
Complete at least 32 credits in courses at the 3000 level or above.
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).
Complete the university’s general education requirements (see Undergraduate degree requirements).
Complete the college exploratory requirement described below.

College exploratory requirement

College of Arts and Sciences Exploratory requirement provides students with a depth and breadth in the 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.

Departmental Honors

Requirements for awarding departmental honors to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement are determined by each department. Please consult the appropriate department or program home page in this catalog or 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.

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 minimum GPA of 3.00 in both the major and minor, and an overall GPA of at least 2.80. No single major, minor, or concentration course grade may be below C, and a minimum grade of B is required in WRT 1060 - Composition II or its equivalent. Second undergraduate degree candidates completing a major and/or minor or concentration for STEP may be required to complete coursework at Oakland University beyond the stated minimums. Majors in music education and studio art education, and modern language education (French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) 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.)	Music Education, Choral/General (B.M.)
English (B.A.)	Music Education, Instrumental/General (B.M.)
French K-12 (B.A.)	Physics (B.A. or B.S.)
German K-12 (B.A.)	Spanish K-12 (B.A.)
History (B.A.)	Studio Art Education K-12 (B.A.)
Japanese K-12 (B.A.)

Secondary Teaching Minors and Concentrations

Completion of a secondary teaching minor or concentration 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 or concentration, with no single course grade below C. Second undergraduate degree candidates completing a major and/or minor for STEP may be required to complete coursework at Oakland University beyond the stated minimums. The College of Arts and Sciences offers the following secondary teaching minors or concentrations, which are described in detail under departmental entries in this catalog: biology, chemistry, economics, English, teaching English as a second language (TESL), history, integrated science, mathematics, modern languages (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Spanish), physics, political science and social studies. As a general rule, no more than eight credits of coursework 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 or concentration satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences exploratory requirement.

International Studies Programs

The International Studies Program 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 International Studies Program section of the catalog and consult with the program director, Paul J. Kubicek at (248) 370-2363.

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 eight credits of coursework 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 in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog. 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, 130 O’Dowd 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 eight of the credits offered for each minor must be taken at Oakland University. As a general rule, no more than eight credits of coursework 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.