The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is an academic community engaged in advancing the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge in the traditional areas of liberal arts and sciences and in emerging areas of study. As a community focused on learning and teaching, the College is guided by an unshakeable commitment to humanistic values and ethical conduct, by a creative and entrepreneurial frame of mind, and by an awareness of the global context in which the University exists.

The liberal arts are the core of the University’s educational program, both for students majoring in liberal arts and sciences and for students majoring in professional degree programs. As a result, courses offered within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are frequently those designated to satisfy University General Education requirements (see General Education Requirements   in the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies  section of this Catalog).

Departments

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences consists of these departments:

• Department of Africana Studies  
• Department of Anthropology  
• Department of Biological Sciences  
• Department of Chemistry  
• Department of Communication Studies  
• Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology  
• Department of English  
• Department of Geography and Earth Sciences  
• Department of Global, International, and Area Studies  
• Department of History  
• Department of Languages and Culture Studies  
• Department of Mathematics and Statistics  
• Department of Philosophy  
• Department of Physics and Optical Science  
• Department of Political Science and Public Administration  
• Department of Psychology  
• Department of Religious Studies  
• Department of Sociology  
• ROTC: Air Force / Department of Aerospace Studies  
• ROTC: Army / Department of Military Science  

Interdisciplinary Programs

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences also houses the following undergraduate interdisciplinary programs :

• American Studies  
• Children’s Literature and Childhood Studies  
• Film Studies  
• Gerontology  
• Humanities, Technology, and Science  
• Latin American Studies  
• University Writing Program  
• Urban Studies  
• Women’s and Gender Studies  

Although faculty within the College are committed to departmentally based programs, increased emphasis is being placed on providing strong interdisciplinary programs. The College also strives to promote inter-cultural understanding through its curriculum, as well as through student exchanges and travel opportunities.

Degree Programs

Majors

Minors

Although faculty within the College are committed to departmentally based programs, increased emphasis is being placed on providing strong interdisciplinary programs. The College also strives to promote inter-cultural understanding through its curriculum, as well as through student exchanges and travel opportunities.

Honors Programs

Undergraduate Certificates

• Business Languages  
• International Public Relations  
• Leadership Studies  
• Translating  

Early Entry Programs

• Early Entry: Chemistry, M.S.  
• Early Entry: Sociology, M.A.  

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements

Since all students entering the University must meet the same General Education requirements regardless of major, it is appropriate to concentrate on the completion of those requirements before committing to a specific major.

Undeclared students have time to enroll in courses in several disciplines, which allows them to make a more informed judgment about future career decisions. Advisors have a broad working experience with the requirements for majors and offer assistance as students search for the education choice best suited to their individual needs.

Degree Programs/Majors and Minors Requirements

Students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences must satisfy the requirements for the degree program(s) in which they are enrolled. Students should consult with their chosen department to make certain they fully understand all degree requirements. Some departments in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences require completion of a minor program of study in conjunction with their major degree program. Students should be familiar with the requirements of any minor program of study they attempt to complete.

Foreign Language Requirements

All students who earn a degree within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in the language of their choice through the 1202 level.

Proficiency can be demonstrated in the following ways: (1) completing the required coursework at UNC Charlotte; (2) completing three years of the same foreign language in high school through level three; (3) achieving a satisfactory score on the foreign languages placement test; (4) through approved transfer or transient credit earned at other accredited institutions; (5) by transferring in with an A.A., A.S. or A.F.A. degree; or (6) a combination of the above methods (e.g., placing out of or earning transfer or transient credit for 1201 and completing the 1202 course, completing 1201 and placing out of or earning transfer or transient credit for 1202).

This requirement will apply to all students entering any degree program within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Fall 2005 and beyond, except those students whose primary major is in Engineering and are enrolled in either the dual degree program in Mechanical Engineering and Physics or the program in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics which were approved and implemented prior to Fall of 2006. Students enrolled in the University prior to Fall 2005 but not enrolled in a degree program in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Fall 2005 and beyond will be subject to this requirement, except those students whose primary major is in Engineering and are enrolled in either the dual degree program in Mechanical Engineering and Physics or the program in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics which were approved and implemented prior to Fall of 2006.

Although all students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are subject to the 1202 proficiency requirement, students in selected departments will additionally have to satisfy a proficiency requirement through the intermediate (2000) level. All students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences should consult with their major department to determine whether or not they are required to complete the intermediate proficiency requirement as part of their major or related coursework.

Advising Center

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences administers an advising center for students who have enrolled in a major or pre-major within the college. College advisors are available to provide guidance on both major requirements and General Education requirements. Students enrolled in all College of Liberal Arts & Sciences majors are encouraged to consult with college advisors to clarify academic regulations and check their progress toward fulfilling requirements.

Experiential Learning and Service Opportunities

Students are encouraged to participate in professional work experiences in support of their academic and career development through the cooperative education, 49ership, departmental undergraduate research, service, and internship programs offered to them. The College works with the University Career Center to expand experiential learning offerings to enable more students to graduate with career-related experience. For more information about experiential learning opportunities, please see the University Career Center  section of this Catalog.