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 the General Education Program ).

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 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 Psychological Science  
• 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  
• Biotechnology  
• Children’s Literature and Childhood Studies  
• Film Studies  
• Gerontology  
• Humanities, Technology, and Science  
• Latin American Studies  
• Legal 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.

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Degree Programs

Majors

Africana Studies, B.A.   Africana Studies, Health and Environment Concentration, B.A.   Anthropology, B.A.   Anthropology, Applied Anthropology Concentration, B.A.   Biology, B.A.   Biology, B.S.   Biology, Cell Biology/Physiology Concentration, B.S.   Biology, Ecology/Environmental Biology Concentration, B.S.   Biology, Microbiology Concentration, B.S.   Chemistry, B.A.   Chemistry, Teacher Licensure, B.A.   Chemistry, B.S.   Chemistry, Biochemistry Concentration, B.S.   Communication Studies, B.A. Communication Studies, Communication and Public Advocacy Concentration, B.A.   Communication Studies, Health Communication Concentration, B.A.    Communication Studies, Mass Media Concentration, B.A.   Communication Studies, Organizational Communication Concentration, B.A.   Communication Studies, Public Relations Concentration, B.A.   Criminal Justice, B.A.   Criminal Justice, Crime Analytics Concentration, B.A.    Earth and Environmental Sciences, B.S.   Earth and Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences Concentration, B.S.   Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences Concentration, B.S.   Earth and Environmental Sciences, Hydrological Sciences Concentration, B.S.   English, B.A.   English, Creative Writing Concentration, B.A.   English, Language and Digital Technology Concentration, B.A.   English, Literature and Culture Concentration, B.A.   English, Pedagogy Concentration, B.A.    Environmental Studies, B.A.   Environmental Studies, Secondary Teaching Option, B.A.   French, B.A.   Geography, B.A.   Geography, Comprehensive Social Studies Teacher Licensure, B.A.

Geography, B.S. Geography, GIScience and Technology Concentration, B.S.   Geography, Urban and Regional Planning Concentration, B.S.   Geography, Urban, Social, and Economic (USE) Geography Concentration, B.S.   Geology, B.S.   German, B.A.   History, B.A.   History, History and Social Studies Teacher Licensure, B.A.   International Studies, B.A.   Japanese Studies, B.A.   Latin American Studies, B.A.   Mathematics, B.A.   Mathematics, Actuarial Science Concentration, B.A.   Mathematics, Statistics Concentration, B.A.   Mathematics, Teacher Licensure, B.A.   Mathematics, B.S.   Mathematics, Statistics Concentration, B.S.   Mathematics, Teacher Licensure, B.S.   Mathematics for Business, B.A.   Mathematics for Business, B.S.   Meteorology, B.S.   Philosophy, B.A.   Physics, B.A.   Physics, B.S.   Physics and Computer Engineering, B.S. Dual Degree   Physics and Electrical Engineering, B.S. Dual Degree   Physics and Mechanical Engineering, B.S. Dual Degree   Political Science, B.A.   Psychology, B.S.   Religious Studies, B.A.   Sociology, B.A.   Sociology, Organizations, Occupations, and Work Concentration, B.A.   Sociology, Social Problems and Policy Concentration, B.A.   Sociology, Sociological Social Psychology Concentration, B.A.   Spanish, B.A. Spanish, Applied Language Concentration, B.A.   Spanish, Literature and Culture Concentration, B.A.   Spanish, Hispanic Studies Concentration, B.A.

Minors

Actuarial Mathematics   Aerospace Studies   Africana Studies   American Studies   Anthropology   Applied Anthropology   Biology   Biotechnology   Chemistry   Children’s Literature and Childhood Studies   Chinese   Classical Studies   Cognitive Science   Communication Studies   Criminal Justice   Diverse Literatures and Cultural Studies   Earth Sciences   English   Environmental Sciences   Film Studies   Francophone Studies   French   Geography   Geology   German

Gerontology   History   Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Studies   Humanities, Technology, and Science   International Studies   Italian   Japanese   Journalism   Latin American Studies   Legal Studies   Linguistics   Mathematics   Military Science   Philosophy   Physics   Political Science   Psychology   Religious Studies   Russian   Sociology   Spanish   Statistics   Technical/Professional Writing   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.

Honors Programs

Africana Studies   Anthropology   Biology   Chemistry   Communication Studies   Criminal Justice   Earth and Environmental Sciences   English   Environmental Studies   Geography   Geology

History   Latin American Studies   Mathematics   Meteorology   Philosophy   Physics   Political Science   Psychology   Religious Studies   Sociology   Spanish

Undergraduate Certificates

Actuarial Studies   Business Languages   International Public Relations

Leadership Studies   Translating   Video Production

Graduate Early Entry Programs

Africana Studies, Graduate Certificate, Early Entry   Anthropology, M.A., Early Entry   Biology, M.S., Early Entry   Chemistry, M.S. Early Entry   Communication Studies, M.A., Early Entry   Criminal Justice, M.S., Early Entry   Earth Sciences, M.S., Early Entry   English, M.A., Early Entry   Ethics and Applied Philosophy, M.A., Early Entry   Geography, M.A., Early Entry   Geography, Ph.D., Early Entry   Gerontology, M.A., Early Entry

Health Psychology, Ph.D., Early Entry   History, M.A., Early Entry   Languages and Culture Studies: Translating, Graduate Certificate, Early Entry   Latin American Studies, M.A., Early Entry   Mathematical Finance, M.S., Early Entry   Mathematics, M.S., Early Entry   Optical Science and Engineering, M.S. or Ph.D., Early Entry   Organizational Science, Ph.D., Early Entry   Physics, Applied, M.S., Early Entry   Public Administration, MPA, Early Entry   Religious Studies, M.A., Early Entry   Sociology, M.A., Early Entry   Spanish, M.A., Early Entry

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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.

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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.

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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.