College of Arts and Sciences

Wendy Ford, dean

David J. Butcher, associate dean
Niall Michelsen, associate dean

The role of the College of Arts and Sciences is to serve as a community of scholarship involving students and faculty in a broad range of intellectual and aesthetic activities.

The most significant of these activities is the teaching/learning process that takes place between students and faculty in classrooms, laboratories, studios, and field locations. The college provides a varied curriculum in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. The curriculum includes general education courses that provide the basic intellectual skills and perspectives essential for preparing all university students for effective participation in modern life. In addition, specialized courses are offered that serve the baccalaureate and graduate degree programs of this college and its sister colleges. Many departments in the college are actively involved in teacher preparation.

The College of Arts and Sciences contains the following academic departments: Anthropology and Sociology; Biology; Chemistry and Physics; Communications; English; Geosciences and Natural Resources; History; Math and Computer Science; Modern Foreign Languages; Philosophy and Religion; Political Science and Public Affairs. The College also offers baccalaureate degrees in the following interdisciplinary areas: Environmental Science; Forensic Science; Humanities; International Studies.

Scholarly productivity through a variety of discipline-related activities is essential to the growth of the college and university. For this purpose, the faculty engage in research, creative activities, and publication. Students are often directly involved in these scholarly activities, which enhance the reputation of the college and university in the broader academic world.

The activities of the college also include service to the university, region, state, nation, and international community. Faculty members act as advisers for undergraduate and graduate students and support extracurricular activities. Faculty participate in university governance through membership on departmental, college, and university committees. College faculty also share intellectual, cultural, and problem-solving interests with audiences throughout Western North Carolina and beyond.

Program Requirements. College-level program requirements for all bachelor of arts degree programs include MFL 231-232 or 240.