Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2020-21 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2020-21 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


College of Arts and Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences



Carla Koretsky
Dean

James Cousins
Associate Dean

Heather Petcovic
Associate Dean
 

Mission of the College

Our mission is to ignite and sustain a passion for learning and discovery in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, to help students, staff, and faculty succeed in life and contribute to the betterment of our local and global communities.

Vision of the College

Our vision is to achieve excellence in all aspects of learning and discovery across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences while fostering a climate of intellectual freedom, diversity, and inclusion.

 

Undergraduate majors

   

Undergraduate minors

       
College of Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Programs    

College of Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Programs

• Arts and Sciences Student Planned Major (SPMJ)

   

•Asian Studies Minor (18 hours)

     

•Climate Change Studies Minor (19-22 hours)

• Global and International Studies Major

   

•Global and International Studies Minor (20 hours)

•Social Studies Major - Secondary Education

   

•  Latinx and Latin American Studies minor (18 credit hours)

     

•Legal Studies Minor (18-19 hours)

     

•Medical Humanities Minor

     

•Modern European Studies Minor (18 hours)

     

• Race and Ethnic Relations Minor (18 hours)

     

•World Literature Minor (20 hours)

Biological Sciences

   

Biological Sciences

•Biology

B.S.

 

•Biological Sciences

•Biomedical Sciences

B.S.

 

 

Chemistry    

Chemistry

•Biochemistry

B.S.  

•Chemistry

•Business-Oriented Chemistry B.S.    

•Chemistry

B.S.    

•Chemistry – ACS Certified  

B.S.

 

 

     

College of Arts and Sciences

 

 

 

•Canadian Studies

 

 

 

•Climate Change Studies

       

 

 

•Legal Studies

 

 

 

•Medical Humanities

     

•Race and Ethnic Relations

Communication

   

Communication

•Communication Studies

B.A.

 

•Communication

•Digital Media and Journalism

B.A.    

•Film, Video, and Media Studies

B.A.

 

•Journalism

•Interpersonal Communication

B.A.

 

•User Experience/Human Computer Interaction

•Strategic Communication: Undergraduate Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion

     

•Strategic Communication: Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership and Teamwork

     

•Strategic Communication: Undergraduate Certificate in New Media and Technology

     

•Strategic Communication: Undergraduate Certificate in Public Relations

     

Comparative Religion

   

Comparative Religion

•Comparative Religion               

B.A.

 

•Comparative Religion

Economics

    Economics

•Economics

B.A./B.S.   •Economics
English    

English

•English B.A.  

•English: Literature and Languages

•English: Creative Writing 

B.A.  

•English Minor - Writing

•Rhetoric and Writing Studies

B.A.

 

•Rhetoric and Writing Studies

 

     
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability    

Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

•Environmental and Sustainability Studies*

B.A./B.S.  

•Environmental and Sustainability Studies

•Freshwater Science and Sustainability

B.S.

 

 

•Sustainable Brewing

B.S.

 

 

•Sustainable Brewing - Operations

B.S.    

Gender and Women’s Studies

 

 

Gender & Women’s Studies

•Gender and Women’s Studies

B.A.

 

•Gender & Women’s Studies

Geography, Environment and Tourism

   

Geography, Environment and Tourism

•Geography

B.S.

 

•Geography

•Geography: Climate Science

B.S.   •Geography (with Social Studies Major)

•Community and Regional Planning

B.S.    
•Geography: Environmental Analysis and Resource Management B.S.    

•Geography: Geographic Information Science

B.S.    

• Geography: Urban and Regional Planning

B.S.    

•Tourism and Travel

B.A.    

Geological and Environmental Sciences

 

 

Geological and Environmental Sciences

•Earth Sciences

B.S.  

•Earth Science

•Geochemistry B.S.  

•Geology

•Geology

B.S.

 

•Group Science for Geology Majors

•Geophysics

B.S.  

 

•Hydrology

B.S.

 

 

History

 

 

History

•History

B.A.  

•History

•Public History

B.A.

 

•Public History

 

 

 

•Social Studies: History (coordinate minor)

Institute of Intercultural and Anthropological Studies     Institute of Intercultural and Anthropological Studies

•African American and African Studies

B.A.   •African American and African Studies

•Anthropology

    •Anthropology

Mathematics

 

 

Mathematics

•Applied Mathematics B.A./B.S.  

 

•Mathematics B.A./B.S.  

•Mathematics - Elementary and Middle School teaching

•Teaching and Learning Mathematics

B.A./B.S.  

•General Mathematics

 

 

 

•Actuarial Science

 

 

 

Medieval Studies

     

•Medieval Studies

Philosophy

   

Philosophy

•Philosophy

B.A.

 

•Philosophy

•Professional and Applied Ethics

B.A.

 

•Professional and Applied Ethics

Physics

   

Physics

•Physics

B.S.

 

•Astronomy

•Physics: Geophysics

B.S.

 

•Physics

Political Science

   

Political Science

•American Public Policy

B.A.

 

•Political Science

•International & Comparative Politics B.A.  

 

•Political Science B.A.  

•Political Science (with Social Studies Major)

•Political Science - Social Studies

B.A.    

•Public Law

B.A.

 

 

Psychology    

Psychology

•Behavioral Science

B.S.

 

•Psychology

•General Psychology

B.S.

 

 

•Psychology

B.S.  

 

Public Affairs and Administration

    Public Affairs and Administration

•Public and Nonprofit Administration

   

•Nonprofit Administration Minor

     

•Nonprofit Leadership Minor with Certification

 

 

 

•Public Administration Minor

Sociology

 

 

Sociology

•Sociology

B.A.

 

•Criminal Justice

•Criminal Justice

B.A.  

•Social Psychology

•Social Psychology

B.A.

 

•Sociology

Spanish

 

 

Spanish 

•Spanish

B.A.

 

•Spanish 

Statistics

   

Statistics

•Data Science 

B.S.

 

•Data Analysis

•Statistics

B.S.  

•Data Science

               

 

 

•Statistics

World Languages and Literatures

 

 

World Languages and Literatures

•French

B.A.

 

•Arabic

•German

B.A.  

•Canadian Studies (interdisciplinary)

•Japanese

 B.A.

 

•Chinese

•Latin

B.A.   •French

 

 

 

•German

 

    •German - Study Abroad
     

•Japanese

 

 

 

•Latin

 *This major is to be selected only along with a standard major.

Any student completing a major or minor from the College of Arts and Sciences must earn a minimum of nine (9) credit hours toward their major and at least six (6) credit hours toward their minor from the degree-granting unit at WMU. Academic units within the college may set higher credit hour minima for their programs. Please consult the appropriate program for details.

Accelerated Degree Program with WMU Thomas Cooley Law School

Students with a declared major in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) who are accepted into the WMU Thomas Cooley Law School may enroll in an accelerated degree program, allowing them to count credits earned from their first-year law school courses toward both their law degree and their bachelor’s degree.

Application for this program is required. Students should apply through the CAS Office of Undergraduate Advising. Minimum requirements include acceptance into the WMU Thomas Cooley Law School, junior or senior standing, and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. Applications will be reviewed by a joint admissions committee consisting of CAS advising staff, CAS faculty, and a representative from the CAS Dean’s office, and representatives from Cooley Law School.

Students accepted into the program and admitted to the Cooley Law School can transfer back up to 18 hours of Cooley Law School credit to be used for the undergraduate degree. The following courses can be transferred to WMU for undergraduate credit:

CIVP 105 LECT - Civil Procedure I   Credits: 3 hours
CONL 404 LECT - Constitutional Law I   Credits: 3 hours
CONL 503 LECT - Constitutional Law II  Credits: 3 hours
CONT 108 LECT - Contracts I   Credits: 3 hours
CONT 213 LECT - Contracts II   Credits: 3 hours
CRLP 107 LECT - Criminal Law   Credits: 3 hours
PRSE 109 LECT - Property I   Credits: 3 hours
PRSE 207 LECT - Property II   Credits: 3 hours
TOEQ 106 LECT - Torts I   Credits: 3 hours
TOEQ 304 LECT - Torts II   Credits: 3 hours

All Cooley Law School coursework will be transferred to WMU as CAS 5100 - Topics in Legal Studies. Up to 18 hours of Cooley Law School credit may be applied to the CAS Legal Studies Minor.

Students in this program still need to complete their major requirements and their general education requirements, and still need a minimum of 122 credits to receive their bachelor’s degree. Students interested in pursuing this option should contact the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Advising to learn more.

Academic Advising Office

Kevin Knutson, Director
Diana Blouin, Assistant Director
Jackie Bizzell, Academic Adviser
Elizabeth Cramer, Academic Advisor School of Communication
Megan Larson, Academic Advisor
Lyndsey Millet, Academic Advisor
Thomas Mills, Academic Advisor
Kayla Jo Mitchell, Administrative Assistant II
Nathan Robinson, Academic Advisor
Kylie, Schultz, Academic Advisor
McKenzie Vliek, Academic Advisor
Sean Williams, Academic Advisor

2318 Friedmann Hall
(269) 387-4366
www.wmich.edu/cas/advising

Vision

Western Michigan University’s College of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Advising strives to be nationally and internationally recognized by the College, University, and external communities for providing timely, accurate, and intentional advising.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to intensify student success by inspiring students to pursue meaningful learning experiences, by developing a network of committed, highly trained professionals, and by providing timely, consistent, and comprehensive support.

The College of Arts and Sciences Academic Advising Office at Western Michigan University, located in 2318 Friedmann Hall, provides general advising regarding university and WMU Essential Studies requirements, pre-professional programs and the College of Arts and Sciences Liberal Education Curriculum. The Academic Advising Office also offers introductory information about the programs, majors and minors available within the College of Arts and Sciences. Major and minor specific advising is offered by professional staff and faculty within each department in the College. Schedule an appointment with a College of Arts and Sciences Academic Advisor online at www.wmich.edu/arts-sciences/advising or by calling (269) 387-4366.

Student Success Services

Katie Easley, Program Manager of Student Success Services
Amy Degner-Petillon, Administrative Assistant II
Kelsey Harness, Bronco Study Zone Manager

Western Michigan University
3374 Rood Hall
(269) 387-4252
www.wmich.edu/student-success

The College of Arts and Sciences’ Office of Student Success Services (S3) provides academic support to any student enrolled in Arts and Sciences courses via peer academic success coaching, drop-in course assistance, and the learning assistant program.  The main S3 office is located in 3374 Rood Hall. Learning assistants provide course-specific support to undergraduate students.  Peer academic success coaching pairs high-achieving undergraduates with students who desire to enhance their study strategies and receive one-on-one peer assistance.  Drop-in tutoring at the Bronco Study Zone in 3374 Rood Hall and at the Math and Science Success Center (MSSC) in the Valley 2 residence hall offers immediate, on-the-spot support to students enrolled in a wide variety of Arts and Sciences courses. 

Liberal Education Curriculum (LEC)

All students who graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences will be enrolled in the LEC.

Liberal Education Curriculum Requirements

All students at Western Michigan University must satisfy the WMU Essential Studies requirements. The Liberal Education Curriculum (LEC) expands these requirements as follows:

1. World Language Requirement:
Two semesters (6-8 hours) of the same world language or American Sign Language, or proficiency by exam.

2. Critical Thinking Requirement:
Students must complete a course approved for Critical Thinking. A list of these courses can be found in the WMU Essential Studies Foundations: Critical Thinking listings elsewhere in this catalog.

College Degree Requirements

1. The Liberal Education Curriculum.  Students who enter in the 2005 and subsequent catalogs and who will graduate through the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the Liberal Education Curriculum (LEC) described here. Students who enter under the 2020 catalog are required to complete the new WMU Essential Studies Program.

2. Majors and Minors.  Students who will graduate through the College of Arts and Sciences must have a stand-alone major (i.e., not a coordinate major) in the college and a minor in Arts and Sciences or any other college in the university. Students with two majors are not required to complete a minor.

To be admitted to any major in the College of Arts and Sciences, students should apply to the department or program as soon as possible and prior to completion of 35 semester hours. Transfer students with more than 35 hours should apply before matriculation. Students who are not yet admitted to a major may not be permitted to enroll in major core courses. Some departments have restrictive policies for admission to certain majors, as described in the departmental sections of this catalog, which may make it difficult to change curricula during the junior or senior year.

3. The Credit/No Credit option cannot be used in courses that fulfill the critical thinking and world language requirements of the Liberal Education Curriculum. Use of the Credit/No Credit option for courses in major and minor programs must follow the University policies.